Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?" "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?" Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." [NIV]

The early 1990’s were the years of the Dallas Cowboy football dynasty. Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith led the way to three Super Bowl victories during this time. This Cowboy dynasty was established by the force and skill of its great players who made big plays in the big games. These victories brought the Cowboys glory and adulation. Is God’s kingdom established like the Cowboy dynasty was, with overpowering force and skill? Like a football dynasty, does God’s kingdom receive glory and adulation in the world? But like a football dynasty, will it eventually fall to defeat? As we prepare during this Advent season for Christ’s birth at Christmas, we need to answer these questions once again.

When we ask how Christ’s kingdom is established, Jesus’ answer to Pilate doesn’t leave us wondering. Pilate was pressing Jesus about the rumors he had heard about Him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked. Jesus ultimately provided Him this answer: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest.”

In Christ’s words we learn that, while He is a king, His kingdom is not a kingdom of this world. Therefore, we also learn that His kingdom is not established as most earthly kingdoms are— by force. The Dallas Cowboys won three Super bowls because they had superior players who beat up their opponents. But Christ did not come to establish His kingdom by overpowering His opponents, Satan and our own sins, by His strength and glory or by the strength of his angels. As it was, He commanded His servants not to fight for him. As it was, He came to give himself up. Jesus was going to the cross. This was the only way He would have it. He commanded no rebellion to help Him escape it. The truth of this was demonstrated clearly on the night of Jesus’ arrest in the garden of Gethsemene. The soldiers came by force, and Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, drew his sword and cut off a man’s ear. But Jesus told Peter: “Put your sword back in its place. Those who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”( Matthew 26: 52- 54).

So Christ comes at Christmas as our king of peace. He comes to establish a kingdom by giving Himself up. Consequently, His kingdom comes without the associated glory, pride, cheerleading, and bandwagon fans. He was born from the poor virgin in poor Bethlehem.

Very few cared. His first home a barn. His first crib a feeding trough for cows. No one shed a tear. He came to establish His kingdom by going down to apparent defeat on the field of battle. On the cross He hung with all the world against him; the devil laughing at him; blood dripping from his head and hands and feet, his back lashed with many whips. But in this, something very important was happening for us. He was paying the punishment for our sins! In this, Christ’s kingdom, being not of this world, was established in heaven, and soon to be brought to our hearts by His Word.

Christ’s kingdom in heaven is simple enough for us to understand. It will be a paradise. It is our eternal home. THAT kingdom IS glorious! We long for it. When Christ comes on the Last Day all believers will be brought into it, resurrected body and soul. But before we can enter his kingdom of glory, his kingdom must live in our hearts by faith in Him. This is His kingdom of grace, of forgiveness, which washes us clean from every impurity, of which we have more than we can count. Let’s spend a moment on how Christ’s kingdom of grace comes to us.

If we think about it, we quickly realize that we look for God’s kingdom of grace in all the wrong places. We look for God’s kingdom in the glorious. The ancient Egyptians found God in the sun. Some want to find God in the pristine mountaintop or seashore. More often, we try to see God’s kingdom of grace in the successes of our lives. Certainly all these are proof of God’s existence and power, but they are not where we find His grace and forgiveness and eternal life in Christ. That comes to us by a different source. Christ can only come to live in our hearts by His Spirit through the Bible Word, God’s Truth.

In speaking to Pilate, Jesus let him in on this very important fact. Jesus said to Pilate: “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Jesus highlights the fact that He came, not to wield a sword, but to testify to the truth, so that people may hear and believe. All who believe His Word by its inherent power have His kingdom of forgiveness and salvation living inside them. We gather today with His kingdom living inside of us! With this kingdom of forgiveness living in us by faith, we gather here to be encouraged about heaven’s kingdom to come, of which we are its heirs through Christ, our gentle king!

We certainly need this encouragement because we are always tempted to look for God in the glories of this world, rather than in his Word. This is true even when it comes to church membership. We have the inclination to see God’s kingdom where things are going well, in the fast growth and outward glory of this congregation or that, in this denomination or that. But here we must remember that Christ’s life was not about outward success. Most rejected him. We should not think that Bible truth always will result in packed pews. The history of the church tells otherwise. God’s truth is often treated as The Lie. Those who hold to His truth are often considered to be the unfaithful ones. For good reason Jesus reminds us: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7: 13,14).

So today, we let Advent (meaning “coming”) sink into us deeply as we remember how our King Jesus came into this world in humility, born from Mary in a barn in Bethlehem. He came to suffer hell itself on the cross for the world’s sins and rise again to establish His kingdom forever. He called us to faith by His simple truth so that His kingdom of forgiveness, established at the cross, may live in us as we live in this dark world. This kingdom comforts us in our sins and troubles! We need no outward glory to make it more comforting. We will gather here again and again to rejoice in it, whether or not this congregation ever becomes a local church dynasty. Let us not seek for such things, only hold to and confess His truth. Soon, we shall enter the kingdom of heaven when Christ comes again. SOLI DEO GLORIA

DEAR JESUS: YOU CAME INTO THE WORLD TO ESTABLISH YOUR KINGDOM OF FORGIVENESS BY GIVING YOURSELF UP TO DEATH FOR MY SINS. BY YOUR WORD, GRANT ME FAITH TO RECEIVE THIS KINGDOM IN MY HEART THAT I MAY ENTER THE GLORY OF HEAVEN’S KINGDOM. AMEN.

[NIV] New International Version used throughout.