Recognizing the King

“Our justice must hold people accountable, but God’s justice always leans towards mercy...God always sees the person behind the sin, and God sees that person as a beloved daughter or son. That is why forgiveness abounds and criminals enter paradise.”

“Jesus isn’t a Marvel comic caped crusader who changes everything with power, force, magic and strength. He does not meet our expectations of what a King ought to look like or how a King ought to be revered. Indeed, rather than using his power to control and be praised – Jesus forsakes it...”

“I want to be more like the man who knows who Jesus is. That through the trials and tribulations of life and all the uncertainty, knows his faults, and admits that he has made mistakes, but who also knows that the pain is temporary, and that this man next to him is truly the Son of God, the King of the Universe.”

“Kingship is about exercising power. We all have power to exercise, and to that extent we are all kings. We will all do things that will affect those around us: either negatively or positively.”

“On the heels of being mocked and belittled, tortured and left for dead, Jesus has no judgment to pass on the “guilty” man next to him; rather, he is filled with divine love and forgiveness without discussion of what the man might have done”

“But the kingship of Christ cannot be produced by the consent of others. It belongs to him by nature.”

“Sluggishness and slothfulness, apathy and indifference undermine the dynamism of grace at work within us, the drive of his providence and the joy of using our God-given gifts and talents in his service.”

“‘I admit that I have done wrong. Jesus help me.’ That's all he does. ‘I admit that I have done wrong, Jesus help me.’ And in doing that he's allowing Christ to wear the crown and he’s allowing Christ to be the king of his universe.”

“For when we allow a kingly God to be in control of life and of our heart, when we trust that this king is also our dearest friend, wanting only the best for us, things start falling into place”

“The last thing the powerful person wants is to succumb to love. Love means giving up power, it means, it means focusing on the other. The face of sin is the separation of love and power.”

“Christ, unlike the kings of the earth, exercises his kingship through service. That life of service finds its perfection and completion in Christ’s death and resurrection”

“The repentant thief has done what he could—he had no water, but he offers solidarity to Jesus in the midst of cruel abuse. And he gains a reward beyond what he probably imagined”

“Where has Jesus, the Christ, come in our lives in the past twelve months? Where is Christ the King/ruler of our lives? Where not?”

“no power, no authority, no principality will have the direct and final say and rule over our lives because we have a king whose power and authority supersedes all”

“Jesus is fighting, winning and establishing his kingdom, even bringing people into it, while his enemies think they are winning”

“We have forgotten we are part of creation, not its consumers. Changing our ways, living by the true knowledge of creation which comes from God is to reign from the Cross of creation’s suffering. It is to put to death the old world of power as tyranny and exploitation.”

“As king and shepherd of his people he leads them – us – not into a new historical period, or a new political arrangement, or a new era of prosperity. He opens the way into a new reality, of which he is the beginning, the head, and the king.”

“Christ not only recognizes our need. He stands with us in the midst of the evil in our world. We must know what the good thief knew. Our king is near us. Our king and our salvation is hanging on the cross next to us.”

“Listening to God's voice, that's what's paramount when it comes to proper spiritual leadership. You don't listen to God's voice, you'll be a lousy leader.”

“What went bad from Adam onward, bad kingship, is now set right by the kingship of Christ. But this king wants an army, he wants us to join him and to participate in his work.”

“real kingly power lies in God's self-emptying love...the force that is great enough to transfer us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light is not one of the elemental powers. It's the love of God made visible on the cross of Jesus.”

“how was Jesus the new David? He did the two great things that David was expected to do. He gathered the tribes...Jesus battled. No, not with the earthly weapons of David but with the weapons of the Spirit.”

“You want to live in the power that makes the whole universe, perform the simplest act of love. In that you become a loyal subject of Christ the King and then you discover the secret to power.”