Another Royal Birth

Hip, Hip, Hurray!!  The British royal family now has a new heir to the throne -- yet unnamed as of the day of his birth -- who was born today to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, otherwise known as William and Kate. Hearty congratulations to them all! This birth was
flashed around the world faster than any other in history, due to the Internet, email, text messaging and so forth. Huge celebrations will take place: fireworks, bonfires, parties, enough champagne to float a battleship, and so forth. The boy is now third-in-line for succession to the throne, after his grandfather and father. He'll have round-the-clock security and a life of privilege, although his parents will wisely bring him up as much in public life as they can and make him earn his own way in education and training.

Contrast the birth of Jesus of Nazareth: born into obscurity, with a peasant family and immediate mortal danger. Yet he was, and is, the true King:  Jesus holds both ends of the scale of poor beginnings and limitless reality -- not like the mere mortal, temporary and limited monarchs we have today, however much we may love them.

The world will soon be inundated with pictures of the new prince, and we'll soon be familiar with his features as he grows. His family will probably have to seek some level of privacy from the press, as their ancestors have done, and everyone will be building up long lists of hopes and expectations about the future potential ruler. The people of Jesus' day, on the other hand, were expecting a Messiah who would deliver them from the Romans, but their expectations were so small that they didn't recognize the real King when he arrived because he spoke not as a provincial savior but as the Ruler of the universe.

So the question is, do we recognize who Jesus really is? Here are just a very few scriptures that tell us:  he is the perfect revelation of the Father (John 1:18, 14:9-11), the focal point of Scripture (John 5:39-40), who came into flesh and then died in the flesh to save all of us (2 Cor. 5:14, Heb. 2:9, and on goes the list. He is our hope: not just for those who believe now but for all people (1 Tim. 4:9-10).

The world has high hopes for the new prince. Some of them will undoubtedly come true! But the reality of Jesus, our King of Kings, is infinitely greater. While you're celebrating the birth of the new prince, why not give thanks for Jesus too?