NOT OF THIS WORLD
Kendra Intihar
Today's Scripture:
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” Matthew 21:5, ESV
Theme: The LORD and King comes to us with humility on a donkey, not a war horse, just as was prophesied and came to pass when Jesus entered Jerusalem.
THE MESSIAH I WOULD HAVE WRITTEN
Every time I read about the humble birth, life, and death of Jesus, it strikes me that Scripture could’ve been written any way God chose…it didn’t have to unfold the way it did. If you or I were writing the story of the Son of God, how might we have imagined it? I probably would’ve had Jesus born the earthly son of a wise and powerful king. Or perhaps He would have emerged from some otherworldly vessel made of precious materials so that no one could dispute His divinity. He’d have arrived in a gilded palace. He would’ve been well-connected in society so that His words carried weight, and His status afforded Him entry into all the right places to enact God’s plan effectively and efficiently. He would have been handsome, strong, and renowned for His ability to wield a deadly sword—ready and able to lead a victorious war against the oppressive Roman government and secure God’s children a seat of earthly power from that day forward.
In fact, during the time of Jesus, many Jewish people were anticipating just such a Messiah. Bible scholars believe that Judas (of betrayal infamy), for example, may have been one such person—likely aligned with the Sicarii, a militant group thrumming with eagerness to overthrow Rome. Maybe Judas was hoping to precipitate an unveiling of the Warrior King, Jesus. The world has always loved a sword-wielding hero on a war horse, hasn’t it? We are drawn to the idea of a conquering champion.
THE MESSIAH GOD ACTUALLY SENT
But God chose to write His story in a way that was entirely antithetical to those expectations. Instead of arriving with militaristic might, Jesus said that those who live by the sword will die by the sword (Matthew 26:52). Instead of issuing a call to arms when He stood before Pilate, Jesus said that His servants would not fight because His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Instead of seeking revenge on His enemies, He told us to love them (Matthew 5:44). Instead of allowing His followers to crown Him king, Jesus withdrew to a quiet place (John 6:15). He wept over Jerusalem because the people longed for violent rebellion rather than the way of peace (Luke 19:42).
When God wrote His perfect story of salvation and hope, He chose to write it like this: Jesus, the Prince of Peace, hailed from a town from which the Bible tells us “nothing good” ever came. He was born to an unwed, socially vulnerable young woman with no political connections or status. As a newborn, He was laid in a feeding trough, surrounded by the sights and smells of livestock. The first people who worshiped Him were shepherds and other outsiders. He grew up the eldest of many siblings in the home of a carpenter, and He spent His ministry washing feet, touching lepers, eating with sinners, rejecting power, and dying a criminal’s death.
THE MESSIAH WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas, let’s remember His lowly, humble beginning, which foreshadowed the life He would lead. Jesus, the King, is mighty, not in spite of the story God wrote, but because of it. The One we follow is not an angry warlord but a gentle and humble Savior. His first throne was a manger. If He chose the way of meekness, then we—His people—are called to walk that same path: laying down our hunger for dominance, choosing peace, and letting the humility of His birth and ministry shape the pattern of our lives.
Make It Personal: We often expect God to move in big, impressive ways when He might instead be working in quiet, humble ways we can’t initially perceive. The Christmas story is a reminder to us all of the way our Savior entered this world: humbly, quietly, unexpectedly. Ponder this week how you measure greatness, and how the example of Jesus’ might challenge those assumptions.
Pray: Lord Jesus, teach us to see Your power and glory through Kingdom eyes. Shape our hearts to follow Your example of humility and make us faithful citizens of Your upside-down kingdom so that we serve instead of striving, trust instead of grasping, and love instead of seeking control. In Your Name we pray. Amen.
Read: Philippians 2:6-8; Mark 10:45; Ephesians 4:1-6
Weekly Memory Verse:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9, ESV