Our program today was titled “The Promise of a King.” Some of the songs included “The King Shall Come,” “Fit for a King,” and “The Birthday of a King.” At Christmas we celebrate Jesus’ birth, but even at his birth, he was recognized as the king.

The wise men asked, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Mt 2:2).

It’s important to recognize and affirm Jesus as king. Your eternal destiny—heaven or hell—depends on whether you recognize Jesus as the king.

Some people recognize Jesus as king, like Nathanael:

John 1:49 [He said], Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Some people refuse to recognize Jesus as king, like the Jewish religious leaders who called for Jesus’ execution:

John 19:15 … The chief priests [said], We have no king but Caesar.

Jesus told a parable (Lk 19:12f) about some citizens who said of their king, “We will not have this man reign over us” (.14). That’s exactly the attitude of many of the Jews of Jesus’ day—we will not accept him as king. Many people today say the same thing. They may value Jesus as a philosopher, a teacher, or a moral example, but they will not accept him as the authority over them.

What does the Bible say about Jesus’ claim to be the king? The kingship of Jesus is probably one of the best attested, most clearly taught truths of the entire Bible. Jesus is the King, and we must accept him as the King. Many facts lead us to that conclusion.