The Old Adam Lives!

I am.

Not only am I the king, I am a god of my own making. I take what the Lord has ordained and I twist it to suit my own perceived needs and desires. I am the king… and I am not having it that there is another to whom I am subject. I must increase…He must decrease. Huh?

That’s right… I usually do not even think about living any other way…it  just comes naturally. That I might protect myself from having to live outward, from having to expose my true nature, from having to die…I prop myself up and find solice in the edifices of my own creation.

Enter the Word of God.

The Word of God comes to me, from outside of myself and helps me become the man that I really ought be.

Are you kidding me? That is the last thing that the Word wants to do with me!

The Word of God wants to kill me!

It wants to expose the imposter (the fake King) and restore to the throne the real King. The Word of God comes to me, from outside of myself, and puts the Old Adam to death. It comes to me as God’s perfect demand of His just and righteous Law and accuses me, indicts me, tries me, convicts me, sentences me, and puts me to death.

Who has the right to do these things to me? The King does. The One who has given the Law. The One who is perfect and just. He has every right to enforce His Law and carry out the punishment for breaking it.

But the King is a Good King. He is a merciful King. He pardons those that belong to Himself. He forgives and raises to new life His adopted children. But He still hates Law breaking. He still hates sin. He cannot abide sin. He must put it to death. He uses His sword and cuts it off at the knees. One swipe. One fell swoop. The deed is done. Death has silencend the false king. And then something happens that should be unexpected were it not for the cross and His prayer to forgive us. The King’s sword heals. It brings new life. It creates new life. A life of His own making from the other edge of His just and righteous and merciful sword.

Why? Why does the King kill, and then make alive? Because He wants to! He is gracious and merciful and compassionate to sinners! He wants to forgive and create anew!

The Lord Jesus is the King. He is THE KING. There is no other. All others are imposters and have to be put to death. There is no other way. But the King wants you. He died on a bloody cross for you. He has adopted you in your baptism. He has promised you new life and He works that new life in you even today in ways large and small that you cannot see, and also in ways that you can see…in the sacraments.

In His great love and mercy, He acts for you. He isn’t content to leave you hanging on a belief or a feeling, or any other thing that you conjure up in your own mind. He gives of Himself, to you, in the hearing of His Word, out of the mouths of preachers, in the Word of Holy Scripture (the Bible), in the water of Holy Baptism and in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.

Christ Jesus is King.  He always was and always will be King. One day we will gladly serve our King and be in His presence for all eternity. What a great and glorious Day that will be!

Filed under: Christ the King |