No Kings

Dan Kunz

For the second time in the last seven months, “No Kings Day” rallies were held across the country last weekend.  The purpose of the rallies was to draw attention to what attendees deemed an overreach of power by President Trump.  Without getting into all the politics of the situation, I want to look at the basic concept behind such feelings and how this applies to us as Christians.

The disdain for kings in America dates back more than two hundred years.  America was founded on the proposal that all human beings are “endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.”  Kings have unlimited power to control their subjects.  Such power flies in the face of the freedom stated in the Declaration of Independence.  If you think about it, isn’t that the same conflict first made evident in the Garden of Eden?  Human nature doesn’t like to be told what to do and what not to do.  “You’re not the boss of me,” has been repeated by surly children throughout history.  Although No Kings Day specifically targeted President Trump and his administration, millions of people across America reject the “kingship” of God every day, for the same basic reason – You can’t tell me what to do!

Several times over the last few months I’ve heard people refer to “King Jesus”.  Normally, we probably think of God the Father as the “ruler of the world”, but since Jesus himself said, in Matthew 18:8 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” it’s appropriate that we think of Jesus as our King, too.  For you and I to really embrace Jesus God (Jesus) as our King, we need to do two important things.  Through daily contrition and repentance, we need to put our Old Adam to death.  Our Old Adam is the one which thumbs his nose at God and rejects his ultimate authority.  Secondly, we need to humble ourselves and admit we’re not capable of always doing what’s best for us.  We may think we are, but we’re not.  “God is God and I’m not” is an invaluable thought to keep implanted in our brain.

My last blog, “Be Ready”, urged people to be prepared for unexpected death, theirs or someone else’s.  I like to use an expression which a friend’s father often used – “When the bus pulls up, you have to get on.”  On the other hand, if the bus doesn’t pull up, you don’t have to worry about it.  Psalm 31:15 My times are in your hands.  When we humbly admit that God controls the beginning and end of our life and everything in between, we can be content and joyful no matter what our circumstances.  We can also gladly and willingly strive for obedience to God’s rules and regulations for our life.  They are the Ten Commandments, not the Ten Suggestions!  Submitting to King Jesus is good, not bad.

Since Jesus himself submitted to the Father’s will in the Gethsemane, we have the perfect example for our own lives.  Jesus was willing, not only to live a perfect life, but to die an excruciating death and ultimately to be abandoned by his kind, loving Heavenly Father, for us.  That’s amazing!  Maybe we can reject earthly kings, but we should never reject our Heavenly King.  Our willing acceptance of his kingship is absolutely the best way to glorify him and the best thing for us.