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Campaigning for the Throne

by Ryan Paulson

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Praise be to GOD that there won’t be another election for two years! I don’t think I could have handled one more political add. In the last presidential election there was over $2,000,000,000 spent on the two campaigns combined.

That’s a whole lot of money spent with the explicit intent to get people to like what you say!

When you think about it, both candidates were trying to convince you of their ideas and their ideals, they were trying to sell you on their vision for the future of the US, and they were trying to win your vote. The irony of all of the money spent is two-fold. One, there was no change in office. So, we spent $2,000,000,000 to end up exactly where we were! Second, in a matter of years people will most likely remember very little about either of the men on whom the money was spent. Sure, we might remember president Obama, but his influence will begin fade the day he leaves office.

I think many who follow Christ would rather he show up on the scene with the large campaign budget and with the intent to win the approval of the masses. However, Jesus shows up on the scene with no campaign budget, unimpressive pedigree, and a ludicrous plan to ascend the throne.

Luke 2 presents us with a picture of contrasting campaigns. Listen to the way the gospel writer invites us into the tension:

[2:1] In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. (Luke 2:1)

in contrast he writes about Jesus…

[4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, [5] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [6] And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. [7] And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:4-7)

So, we have Caesar Augustus. He has the big army, the massive budget, and all the worldly influence the world could ever want. He didn’t spend 2 billion dollars on a campaign, but he didn’t need to. He just killed the people that attempted to remove him from the throne. He had all the worldly accolades anyone could hope for.

In contrast you have Jesus. He is born in what today would probably be a garage and was immediately laid in a manger; a feeding trough for animals. His parents were poor and by all accounts unimportant.

His rise to the throne would not be on the back of campaign dollars, but on the influence of love.

Let me ask you a very simple question: these days, do you hear more about Caesar Augustus of Jesus Christ? This is the irony to end all ironies. The only time we talk about Caesar Augustus is when we read the story of Jesus’ birth. Ha! The fact that we even know Jesus’ name is a impressive, but the fact that billions of people around the globe worship him as Savior and Lord is nothing short of a miracle.

The truth of the matter is that we worship a king in a manger rather than a dictator on a throne.

But, truth be told, I think many of us would be more comfortable with worshiping the dictator on the throne. The ruler that would take over with power – with the big campaign budget, the army, and the plan for rapid expansion. 

But this Jesus had a different plan. Jesus was going to acend the throne by giving his life for the very people who hated him. He was going to gain power by giving everything up for the sake of others. He wasn’t going to kill his enemies, he was going to die for them. Because of this unreal act of love, one day EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

This Christmas let’s be reminded of the fact that we worship a king in a manger, not a dictator on the throne. And as we bow in the dirt and dust at his bedside, may we be reminded of power of love. Is has the unique ability to change the world.

There’s a little story about a man named Jesus that proves it’s true.

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