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Making Christ Your King

The Old Testament books of Samuel describe Israel’s quest for a human king. 1 Samuel compares the failed kingship of Saul with the successful monarchy of David. 2 Samuel connects the reign of King David with the coming reign of Jesus Christ, who stands in sovereignty over the hearts of God’s people until the end of time. The last book in the New Testament hails Christ as “The King of kings and the Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:16)

Israel’s ancient quest is a dramatic reminder that we are all searching for a king. It may be a higher power or a higher purpose, but we are all searching for something – no exceptions. Ecclesiastics 3:11 says that God has “set eternity in their heart,” which means that we all have an unquenchable thirst for purpose and meaning beyond the day-to-day.

What does it look like for someone to make Christ their King? How can we spot someone who has given their allegiance to the Son of God? Here are three things that are true of an individual who has fallen under the authority of Christ.

Loyalty to Christ. Saving faith is about a personal commitment to Christ, not a promise, a prayer, or a creed (John 3:16). It’s about what He has done for us, not what we have or will do for Him. This may sound obvious, but you can’t make Christ your King without making Christ your King.

A Changed Life. True faith always produces a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17). Some people may take longer than others. The opportunities and struggles will be unique to the individual, but no one walks away from a personal encounter with Christ unchanged.

A Love for the Things of God. It’s only natural that those who claim God’s name will have an affection for the things that are associated with Him. God’s Word (the Bible), God’s people (the local church), God’s will (the Great Commission) – these are things that will take over the heart of a person who is committed to Christ (John 14:5).

You can only have one sovereign in your life. You can worship a vague ideal, or you can worship the God who is revealed in the pages of Scripture, you can even worship yourself, but you can’t have more than one king. Those who make Christ their King will experience a very different reality than those who make another choice. So, choose wisely.

Inoculate Yourself Against Used-To-Go-To-Churchitis

Used-To-Go-To-Churchitis is spending. How can you protect yourself?

Church attendance trends have been changing in recent years. Less people are going to church on a regular basis and more people have the disease used-to-go-to-churchitis. This is the one public health emergency that few people are looking to resolve.

One of the first signs of this illness (aside from not attending church anymore) is the increased use of the phrase, “I just got out of the habit.” This polite excuse is used to gloss over three substantive issues: The first is some sort of significant change like a relocation or death in the family. The second is a painful disappointment with someone in the church, a leader, or a fellow member. The third is a personal struggle or even a struggle with sin. These are the real reasons that people come down with used-to-go-to-churchitis.

Here are three ways you can protect yourself from this affliction.

Make an Effort to Grow on Your Own. Every Bible-believing church has an interest in helping its people experience spiritual growth; it’s called discipleship. Spiritual formation is a two-way street that requires input from the church and the believer. If you make an effort to grow on your own, you will create space in your spiritual journey that needs to be filled by the church. In other words, you won’t be able to quit because you will have a well-established and ongoing need for the church’s help.

Make Jesus the Focus. Most people understand that there are no perfect churches, but there aren’t any perfect church leaders or church ministries either. Far too many people are driven away by a church leader who does something foolish or change that needs to happen in their favorite area of ministry. These things can be avoided if you make your church experience about loving and serving Jesus, instead of loving a particular person or serving in a particular area.

Make Friends in the Church. Technology has allowed church attendance to become transactional, but the essence of participating in a local church is inherently relational. The church is people, not a building, and not religious content. Friendships make the church an essential part of your life, and they also make you an essential part of the church.

You can inoculate yourself against used-to-go-to-churchitis if you follow the three strategies listed above. You’ll also keep it from spreading to your friends and family. With a passion for God and His Word, we can stop this disease in its tracks.

Three Ways That Christ’s Sacrifice Changed the Way We Relate to God

A representation of the Israelite tabernacle

Some moments in time are so significant they shape the course of human history. These turning points are events, eras, and/or developments that bring about significant social, cultural, ecological, political, or economic change. One of the most important turning points, from an eternal perspective, is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

The writer of Hebrews uses the phrase “once for all” three times to describe the decisive nature of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 10:10). This stands in sharp contrast to the repetitive and ongoing work of the Levitical priest in the Old Testament. Christ’s sacrifice changed the way we relate to God in at least three ways.

1. It changed the focus from who we are to who Jesus is. The Bible is clear about who we are as human beings – we are hopelessly flawed sinners. Despite our best intentions, the stories of our lives always end up in pain, brokenness, tragedy when we try to make ourselves the main character. But Jesus Christ has the power to rewrite the story of our lives if we let Him become the main character.

2. It changed the focus from what we are doing to what He did. The book of Hebrews highlights the dangerous temptation of self-made righteous, even for those who know about faith. We may want the new life Christ has to offer, but we want to pay for it somehow through our good deeds and good works. But this the whole purpose behind Christ’s “once for all” sacrifice for us.

3. It changed the focus from the strength of our words to the strength of God’s Word. The Old Testament Law is chock-full of instructions, commands, and promises. These messages all point to the one final statement that God would make in and through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2). His words and actions trump everything else. We must lean on and lean into God’s faithfulness when our faithfulness comes up short.

Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection was a turning point in human history. In one moment, He changed the way we relate to God forever. That deserves to be celebrated in the history books and in our hearts.