Banners and First-Aid Kits

An encouragement to my family in Christ in these tense days:

Watch where and how you swing that “Jesus is on the throne” banner today. Though I honestly believe most of us intend this to be encouraging, your pep rally flag can unwittingly become a blunt force instrument for those who are hurting, both inside and outside the Church.

“Jesus is on the throne” is true and glorious and good news—it’s the climax of the whole gospel! But it has deeper implications than just that he is in control in a general sense. Among other things, it also means that he is one who rightfully demands our allegiance. He is the King, and he is owed our fidelity, loyalty, and obedience.

If you confess that he is on the throne, it’s not a throw away phrase to mean “life will go on as it always has.” How can your life go on as usual when your King is the one “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross” (Phil. 2:6-8)? The passage goes on to say that because of this, God exalted him, and that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—and that includes mine.

Do not wave away those who are hurting or fearful or discouraged today with a breezy, smiley “God is still on the throne.” It is for that very reason that we are compelled to show our allegiance to the Enthroned One by walking as he walked, with compassion and mercy, serving rather than being served, acting and moving in our world as if Jesus actually meant the things he said and commanded! What he has said and done, we absolutely must do.

Where there is anger and fear and hopelessness, the gospel enters in. And there’s plenty of that to go around right now. So let’s be watchful today, ready to be the hands and feet (and quick-to-hear ears and slow-to-speak mouths) of our King.

Rather than rush in with a pep rally flag, let’s be ready with a first aid kit, looking for ways to (as my church’s mission statement so perfectly puts it) “receive and release the gospel that heals.”