Jesus and the Kingdoms
“So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
John 18:33-37
If someone offered you the chance to become president of the world, would you take it? When Jesus was on earth, many people thought that he would eventually take over the whole world and establish God’s kingdom by defeating all the other nations. So when Jesus was arrested and brought to Pilate, the governor of the area, he keeps asking Jesus if he is the king. He expects Jesus to try and take as much power for himself as he can, but Jesus refuses to do that! He wants more than anything else to establish God’s kingdom, which is completely different from human kingdoms.
This is the truth that he wants to bear witness to - that God’s kingdom is coming, and it is much more important than Rome or America or Australia or any other nation. That does not mean it is wrong to be president of anything, but it does mean we can follow Jesus’ example. Instead of trying to gain power, Jesus instead laid down the power that he had so that God could become more important than anything or anyone else.
Prayer for Today
God, thank you that you ultimately have all the power, so we do not have to try and seek it for ourselves. Help me to see that your kingdom is more important than any other, and please be the ruler over all rulers for me.