And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name JESUS. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:31-33 ESV
 
 
     A king, in Bible days, was one who had ultimate authority over those who were a part of his kingdom. When a king makes a decree or puts into place a law, then all in that kingdom must follow that law, or be subject to punishment as determined by that king. It would be easy to understand that if you had an evil king, you would suffer under his leadership; but if you had a good king, you would prosper. In 1 Samuel chapter 8, Samuel warned the Jewish people, who were desiring an earthly king, about the ways of an earthly king. They did not listen to the warnings of Samuel because they wanted to be like other nations (vs 20). Not much changed in the desire of the people from Samuel’s time to the time Jesus was born into the world. People still wanted a king to rule over them. Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountains by himself. John 6:20 ESV Jesus was already a king, just not of this world, which he made clear when he stood before Pilate. 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. John 18:36 ESV Jesus is King! He is King over all creation, and has set in place a divine decree that all who become a part of his kingdom do so by being born into his kingdom. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 ESV Nicodemus asked how this was possible because he lacked understanding as to how a man might be born again. Today we can understand this, and how this is possible as explained in 1Peter 1:3 ESV: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The truth is that everyone belongs to one kingdom or the other – the kingdom of this world, which is under the strong influence of Satan, or the kingdom of God / Jesus, which is not of this world. This earthly kingdom is going to pass away, but the kingdom which is not of this world, will have no end. (Luke 1:31-33) Becoming a part of this kingdom is not the result of a physical birth, but a Spiritual birth, as stated above: being born again. Do you desire to make Jesus King of your life? Let me share with you where to start.
 
REPENT: John the Baptist preached it, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 ESV Jesus preached it, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15 ESV Repenting is the change of direction and thought process in your life. It is being sorry for the sins you have committed against God, and it is the desire to follow Him the rest of your days in this earthly life.
 
BELIEVE THE GOSPEL: These are the words of Jesus in the last part of Mark 1:15. The gospel simply means good news. The good news is that Jesus came into the world, died in our place, and rose from the grave that we might have eternal life through him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 ESV For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
 
RECEIVE: Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:38 ESV  The Holy Spirit seals us in Christ. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire passion of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13 ESV  The difference between people who know about Jesus, and those know Jesus as Savior, is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. To know him as Savior is to have the Holy Spirit living in you. The Holy Spirit makes you a part of the kingdom of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus is your king, and you will follow as he decrees in your life. Do you live by the decrees given by King Jesus, or do you listen to the one of this world? No one can serve two kingdoms, for you will either be a part of God’s kingdom through Christ, or continue to live in the kingdom of darkness. There are only two kingdoms; of which one are you a part of today?
 
Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David