A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them. Proverbs 20:26 NKJV

     The concept of living under the rule of a king is foreign to us who vote for our leaders. We play a large part in who governs us in our land. But a king is appointed and given ultimate authority over his subjects. If he is a good king, the people and land prosper. If he is a evil king, the people live under a burden, and the land does not prosper. So how do you differentiate between a good and bad king? A good king has many good traits, and a bad king would obviously have evil ways. A good king is a servant leader, merciful, and very wise. These are just a few traits that describe the King of kings and Lord of lords. (1 Timothy 6:15 ESV) To make clear of whom we are speaking, we are speaking of Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus’s kingdom is not of this world, but is a kingdom of invitation. In becoming a part of His kingdom, we submit ourselves to His authority over our lives and are willing to follow him as King and Lord. His kingdom is a kingdom built on love and was established based on love from the beginning of time. So let’s look at the three good traits listed above of a good king, and better understand Jesus as King.

 
SERVANT LEADER:
     For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and gave his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 ESV Jesus gave the ultimate example of being a servant leader when He came and served those whom He would call into His kingdom… which was not of this world. A good leader will always be an example to those who he/she leads. Jesus gave the invitation, “Follow me,” which involved taking up a cross. He would lead the way in this by taking up His cross and defeating all the consequence of wickedness. Jesus followed the will of His Father by dying for the sins of the world. He sacrificed Himself; and when following Him, we should become living sacrifices to God. (Romans 12:1)

 
MERCIFUL:
     Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 The throne of Jesus is one of mercy. He became like us, being born as a man, yet totally God. When we approach His throne, He is not as one who doesn’t understand, for He has experienced all that comes with being flesh and its temptations, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4: 14-16) He has defeated wickedness by living wise and overcoming sin.

 
VERY WISE:
     There will be a day when all will gather before the throne and Jesus in his wisdom will know who is part of His kingdom and who is not. When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angles with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and will separate people one from the other as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matthew 25: 31-34 ESV …… Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angles.” Matthew 25:41 ESV ( Read Matthew 25:31-46 for this full account. ) As the wise king in Proverbs 20:26, He will sift out the wicked. This is not wickedness based on our standard of goodness or wickedness, but God’s standard. To be wicked before God is to have rejected His Son, His teachings, and His sacrificial death for our sins upon the cross. God is very wise in who is and is not a follower of His Son King Jesus.

 
     Accept the invitation to follow, making Jesus King and Lord of your life. Choose you this day whom you will serve. My prayer for you is, that you will be wise in your choice.

 
Because of is Grace ~Pastor David