Unity, Humility, and the Lordship of Christ

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, 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 a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:1-11





The Beautiful of Unity

The natural reaction for most Americans is to do anything that is not for unity. That could be because of the temptation to seek the bigger better things or the most money. The unity of the church is what makes up our identity. Our identity as a community under the Lordship of Christ is the maker of our faith that makes us different from other communities. Whether that community is for the promotion of nationalism, politics, religion, club, or what not. Those groups are under some kind of authority or rule. But the difference between the Kingdom community is that we claim that those things (nationalism, politics, clubs) take a far second place to the true Lord, Jesus Christ. Those other communities promote selfishness, greed, and pride. While the community of Christ function under the principle of humility. Since the Kingdom is a reality that can experienced in the present, we should be able to claim that you can experience the foretaste of the New Creation now. Therefore for if you want to know what Heaven is like, you can say come visit my church. If you want to experience the Kingdom, follow me. But can we really say that? Is that true for the American church? How about your own fellowship? The Kingdom is already here and the Kingdom has created the Church but do we work more for an organization or the Kingdom? Kingdom unity is the purpose. Not disunity. Not big buildings filled with people who are looking for their best life now, but a community of people looking for the Kingdom of God now and the Fathers will being done on earth. This unity is found by being of the same mind and same love. Walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh. This community is not about being selfish.





Humility is the Means

Since the community works on the principle of humility we work of others. It isn't about our personal individual salvation whereas we go to heaven when we die. But about laying down our lives for others just as the King laid down His own life for the Church. Humility counts others more significant than yourself. You place others above your own personal wants, desires, and needs. The community meets the needs of others. This is where unity is truly realized. If humility isn't present than there would be no way or chance one could serve another. Because it would be about...you and your needs. See how selfish that is? Most say: I go to church so I can feel good about myself. Where I get fed. Church is the place where I experience God on a personal level. Me, myself, and I. Church is about me. What a selfish church! Church is a community that works for others. I go to church so that I can encourage others. Church promotes experiencing God as a family. Church functions for the joy of others whereas people minister one to another, pray for one another, and love one another. Humility brings about the destruction of pride. If I'm serving my brother I can not be thinking about myself. The Kingdom Church is about the killing of pride and the promotion of humility.




The Lordship of Christ

Jesus Christ is Lord and God has raised Him from the death. This was the first confession of the early church. The Lordship of Christ is the cry of the Kingdom Community. Nothing comes close to His Lordship! Yet here is where we find the truth about humility and unity. In the death of Him, humility is revealed. He didn't die for Himself but for others. Therefore God exalted Him to the place of Lord. Which is where we find unity. Under his rule and reign! He is King and nothing else! Submission to His Lordship with humility brings unity to the community. Christ is the head of the Church. Christ is the Lord of the world. Christ is the King of the universe. Therefore submit your allegiance. Repent of pride and selfishness and seek humility and unity. The Kingdom is here...live for it.




Walk by the Spirit, live in community, submit to the Lord, seek unity and humility.

Once Was a Slave but Now a Son: A Place at the Table

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. - Romans 8:14-17


So I just finished watching the movie Prince of Persia with a dear friend of mine. I enjoyed it, not just the movie but the time with my friend. Our friendship goes back a ways and I really think this movie was a good one to go see together. And as we were watching there was a certain part that stood out that really caught my attention. Now I'm not a guy that watches a movie to try to find the "spiritual implications" in it but I feel that there was a series of lines that spoke directly to the heart of Christianity.

In this series of lines between Dastan and Tamina (the male and female lead) Tamina (female princess) was following Dastan (one of the male princes of Persia) in the desert. They were both fleeing the city that Tamina was a princess over due to an overthrow by the Persias. Dastan by this time has been framed for the murder of his father. But previously in the movie there is some background laid.

Dastan was an orphan. Living on the streets. No father, no mother. He fought for his food and to survive. Yet one day in the marketplace to king saw Dastan act an courage. So the king adopted Dastan into the royal family.

So back to the series of lines between Dastan and Tamina. She is speaking to Dastan and makes a remark (to paraphrase) "You been told that from birth" which was in reference to his right to royalty. He began to example that "He wasn't born into royalty, he was an orphan, but the king adopted him therefore he loved his father."

This may have been a simple pass of lines between two roles. But this spoke clearly. That is the Gospel

I was a rebel, an outlaw, a slave, an enemy against the king. I had no right whatsoever to royalty and have nothing to place before the king. But out of his love He adopted me into His royal family where I am an heir. I don't sit outside waiting for the scraps to be thrown out, I actually sit at His table and feast with Him. That is the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Sitting with my friend, knowing the stuff she has walked through and knowing the junk I've been through I felt content to know that we both lived in the Kingdom of the True King. We didn't live as slaves to sin in the Kingdom of Darkness. But we were adopted as a son and daughter into His family. Not by anything we did, but all because He chose us to be part of His family.

I read this today too

An Analogy of God saving a sinner:
"You are a floating corpse, face down, dead in the water, drowned in your trespasses and sins. Suddenly, someone yanks you out of the water, throws you down on the floor of the boat and gives you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, breathing new life into you." - Trevin Wax, Holy Subversion

The New Age Has Dawned (Matthew)

The Narrative

For 400 years, give or take a few, Israel as a nation was still suffering the effects of exile. Although people had returned from Assyrian and Babylonian captivity they still lived as though they were strangers in a foreign land. YHWH hasn't spoken through a prophet, Caesar was ruling, religious leaders were greedy, and Israel as YHWH's covenant people were longing for His Kingdom to come. YHWH's Torah wasn't being kept, the Temple itself had become nothing more then a den for thieves, now what was Israel to do? Where were they to turn when 95-97% of them were poor and broken?

Then a voice crying out from the wilderness: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand therefore repent!

This man, John the Baptist seemed to enact an Old Testament prophetic position. The call to his nation was repentance because God's rule was arriving in the present. God is about to act so don't find yourself as a bad tree with bad fruit because the One is coming and He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. John the Baptist, as he was baptizing in the Jordan where Joshua centuries before laid 12 stones as a reminder to the children of Israel that YHWH lead them out of captivity into the Promised Land, looked up and saw the One who had the sandals he wasn't worthy to carry.

Jesus saying "Let is be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." was baptized in the Jordan. Immediately the heavens tore open and the eschatological Spirit of God descended like dove and rested open Jesus. Then YHWH spoke, "This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased." This baptism and speaking was very important to this event. YHWH was appointing His Son to be the Chosen King by giving Him the Spirit and baptizing Him. The words of "beloved or chosen son" would have invoked the appointment of David as King and here is the Man who is now receiving this appointment Himself. Jesus is now in line of the Davidic reign not only by birth/right but by YHWH's divine choosing. Here is the One Israel has been waiting for; the Davidic Messiah who would establish YWYH's Kingdom and overthrow the pagan rulers.

Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! The same message of the prophets, the message that Israel wanted to here, and the message that would shake the foundation of the world. Jesus went teaching and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom. This long awaited expectation of YWYH's divine reign has irrupted in the midst of history. The New Age has broken through the Old Age and now is the day of salvation. The Age to Come has invaded the Present Evil Age and now your allegiance is no longer to the Old but the New.

So seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, when He sat down His disciples came to him and taught them saying;

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.


The Gospel of the Kingdom and its ethics were being unpacked for His followers. In the midst of exile the one that follows the Messiah in this New Age will by blessed. The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs now. This is good news for those who have been looking forward to this day! Yet how can this be if Caesar is still presently ruling over Israel? This is the tension that the followers of the Messiah lived in; Their loyalty was to the Messiah's Kingdom and not to Caesar's. They were to live differently then others around them. Followers of the Messiah turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and give to those who ask. They love them enemies and don't kill them like Caesar would have done. They give in order to be blessed by YWYH not so others will see them. They pray for YWYH's Kingdom to come and His will to be done. They seek His Kingdom in order that they might live. So they should ask, seek, and knock because the Father will give them what they need. This Kingdom is viewed as a narrow gate and a hard way. Those who walk this hard way will have good fruit and not bad. But beware because not everyone who call Him LORD will enter the Kingdom but only those to actively do YWYH's will. So once they hear the Messiah's words, they do them, their house in built upon the rock. If you they His word's and don't do them, they are a fool (Ps 14) and their house is built upon the sand. Therefore when judgment comes, they will fall.

This New Age that has broken in the midst of history caused an uproar in the religious establishment. The Messiah has come yet they don't recognize Him due to their blindness. It didn't look like the Kingdom they heard about from the rabbis. When will He go to Jerusalem and set up the Kingdom? Caesar is still reigning it looks like! Jesus said that He was the fulfillment of the Torah so follow Him. Don't live for greed and gain but live in humble submission to the Kingdom. Don't abide by the traditions of man but the commandments of the Messiah.

So the Tension

In the midst of exile and Caesar present reign how was one to live with their allegiance to the True King? Easy...follow the True King. Don't follow the system of Caesar and the form of "life" the Roman system lived on. Repent of your allegiance from one king to Another. This long awaited message of the Kingdom rubbed many in Israel the wrong way. It wasn't what they expected. Messiah was a humble servant who ate and drank with sinners. His followers weren't the brightest in Israel. Also His content message in the later part of His career was "taking up your cross". To enter into the Kingdom in the mind of Jesus meant that one must die. He must lose is life to find it. Your allegiance isn't to yourself, Caesar, or the greedy religious establishment, it is to the True King. Therefore...die. Simple...right? No not that simple. As the disciples, we get the message wrong too. Jesus gives us the radical call to die to ourselves but we rebuke Him. He shows us the way of the Kingdom but we'd rather follow our own way. But as the True King, He is always good to His followers. He allows repentance. The tension is between this world and His world. This Kingdom and His Kingdom. The Old Age and New Age. The question is where is your allegiance? Will you be anger at the Messiah because He ruins your theological strongholds? Will you get upset because He calls you to serve and not be served? Will you follow this present system of things or actually die in order that you might live?

Kingdom Living and the Radical Call

From debates that stem from the Kingdom of God, Calvinism, eschatological, narrative flow, and interpretive options my life has been wrapped up in "Christianized" type lingo for a while now. Although it is not totally bad to be consumed in "Christianized" things, I feel sometimes when I read the New Testament that I'm missing something. I have to admit, I am a recovering sinner and don't claim to have all the answers but I do notice a clear call in the New Testament to living radically different from the status quo. For the disciples the call was to take up their cross and preach the kingdom of God. For Paul it was to be crucified daily and not walk by the flesh. For John it was not to give allegiance to the beast but to be a faithful martyr.

I want to live a life that reflects Kingdom characteristics in a world that does not. I think this is the problem that the New Testament church faced too. Since the Kingdom has been inaugurated in the present therefore I must be able to live according to the radical call it preaches; That God reigns! What does Kingdom living look like? What does it mean to live a nonconformist lifestyle when the given norm tells you that something else is presently reigning? I believe this is the basic question that underlines the simple narrative throughout the Bible.

Who is King and who should I pledge my allegiance to?

In the coming weeks I'll try to explore that question by walking through the New Testament little by little. It may take some time but in the end I hope it will be a blessing to you.

Celebrating the Resurrection: The Purpose of Easter

"We could cope—the world could cope—with a Jesus who ultimately remains a wonderful idea inside his disciples' minds and hearts. The world cannot cope with a Jesus who comes out of the tomb, who inaugurates God's new creation right in the middle of the old one." – N.T. Wright

The world has a hard time with the fact that the man Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. They can’t believe that He isn’t in the grave. They ask; “Where are his bones? Are they in the tomb? Where is the tomb?” So it seems that this aspect of the Christian faith causes problems for the skeptics, boggles the minds of the scientist, and is the area that the atheist attempts to attack. Yet the belief of the resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone that provides the foundation for our faith and practice. If Jesus Christ was not raised from the dead, there is no Christianity. Again there is no reason to believe in Jesus if He was not resurrected from the dead. So it is, that the confession “Jesus Christ…died on the cross for the sins of the world, was raised bodily and exalted to God's right hand...” is the reason why we celebrate Easter. 2000 years ago Jesus Christ was put to death on a cross. Yet three days later, God raised Him from the dead. In the event of the resurrection, Jesus Christ started the New Creation. No longer will death have dominion over creation because it was defeated. In fact death is the greatest enemy of the world but the event of the resurrection, Jesus Christ changed the entire sum of creation. “Jesus’ return from the grave is the dawn of the new day: God’s people and all creation will share in his resurrection life.” Easter is the celebration of the resurrection, the celebration of the New Creation, the celebration of the defeat of death. I’ll provide you with 8 New Testament passages that speak about the resurrection that have impacted my walk with Christ. They are all found within different context and applied differently but you’ll see the emphasis of the New Testament authors: the resurrection of the Son of God, the Messiah; Jesus.


1.) Luke 24: Interacting with the Resurrected Jesus
On the road to Emmaus, the two disciples walked with their heads held low. They placed their faith in the man who called himself the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. They had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. But of course that didn’t happen, because Jesus of Nazareth died at the hands of the Romans. Yet they were met by a man on the road who asked them why they looked so depressed. They explained the story of the man and how he died. But to their surprise the one who met them was the One who died. Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and to prove that He was resurrected had a meal with them. He revealed Himself to them in the most intimate way. He interacted with those two disciples and restored their hope and expectations.



2.) Acts 2:22-36: Preaching of the Resurrected Jesus
Peter after being filled with the Holy Spirit stood up in the midst of Jerusalem and began to preach the first evangelistic sermon in church history. With the radical statements about the Spirit of God being poured out in the last days and the death of Jesus by the hands of lawless men under the sovereignty of God, Peter began to speak about the resurrected Jesus. He made the point that this Jesus God raised up from the dead, and they were all witnesses to the event. With the preaching of the resurrected and exalted Christ, 3000 men were baptized.

3.) Romans 6:5-11: Application of the Resurrected Jesus
Paul, in his argument about sin and grace makes the point that in the midst of sin the grace of God abounds all the more. But before his hearers can go out and sin habitually he quickly gives a series of questions: “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? No way!! How can we who died to sin live in it? Do you not know that those who were baptized into Jesus were baptized into His death?” Paul then makes the statement that we are united into His death and also in His resurrection. Therefore baptism is the act in which the death and resurrection of Jesus is applied to a believer as a metaphor. Paul concludes that “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.”

4.) 1 Corinthians 15:12-28: Defending the Resurrected Jesus
In his defense of the resurrection of Jesus, Paul as he does so often starts his argument with a question. “If Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” If Christ isn’t raised then the preaching of Paul is in vain. Also if Christ isn’t raised, we are dead in our sins. If that is so, then Christians should be the most pitied in the world! But Christ was raised as the first fruit of all those who have died. The promise is to believers who have died. They will be raised from the dead and death will be defeated. The last enemy will be destroyed!

5.) Ephesians 1:15-23: The Dominion of the Resurrected Jesus
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (No need to explain)


6.) Philippians 3:1-11: Being Conformed into the Resurrected Jesus
In the context of looking back on his life, Paul shows the difference between religion and following Jesus. It isn’t by the law that makes one right before God but through Jesus. You can’t work your way to God it is only through Jesus Christ. Paul says that everything he gained in his life should be considered “rubbish” (garbage, trash, dung, manure, etc). Paul concludes that his righteousness comes from God that depends on faith. But he continues by adding what that faith looks like. It consist of knowing Him, the power of His resurrection, and sharing in His sufferings becoming like Him in his death. He wanted this all because he wanted to attain to the resurrection. Paul’s desire is to be conformed into the life of Christ, by His death and resurrection.

7.) 1 Peter 1:3-5: Hope of the Resurrected Jesus
Peter gives his greeting to the elect exiles of the dispersion by giving one of the most encouraging openings in all of the New Testament. God has given them mercy because He saved them. Their hope in their salvation is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus. This hope consist of an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading which is kept in heaven. This salvation is guarded by God but will be revealed in the last time. God will show His power by raising men and women from the dead giving them full salvation in the end.

8.) Revelation 21: The Newness that will come because of the Resurrected Jesus
Then I saw, as John said “a new heaven and new earth”. This renewed/restored creation and people will the Bride of the Lamb. The New Creation is the final home for all who follower the Resurrected Jesus. God said that “I am making all things new.” This means a new people, new place, new way, and complete New Creation. No more pain, tears, mourning, death. This is the marriage of heaven and earth. As God created the heavens and the earth in Genesis, so will God create a new heaven and new earth. They will come together in the end. Everything will be made right. The full redemptive plan of God will be consummated and everything will be new, good, right, and holy. This all happens because of the work of the Lamb, who was slain and resurrected.

These 8 passages are not an exhaustive list of resurrection passages. They are simply some passages that have impacted my walk with Jesus. I pray that as the Easter season comes around in the next few weeks we will keep our eyes upon the resurrected Christ and celebrate Him together as a body of followers.

“But the good news is this: death has been defeated; our conqueror has been conquered. In the face of the power of the kingdom of God in Christ, death was helpless. It could not hold him, death has been defeated; life and immortality have been brought to life.” – George Eldon Ladd

Top 5 Books of 2009

Now these books aren’t necessarily published in 2009 but they are books that have challenged and encouraged me.

The Gospel of the Kingdom by George Eldon Ladd... See More
Aside from Scripture, this book has been the one that has shaped my outlook on the Jesus, Bible, and life. I would share this book with every Believer I come in contact with. The Kingdom of God is a central theme that runs throughout all Scripture yet it is just simply overlooked in most of Christianity today. A somewhat difficult read but amazing overall content!

Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
For the Christian, what does it mean to have hope? Is it a final resting place called heaven or the resurrection from the dead? N.T. Wright explains and argues that the resurrection is the hope and the driving mission of the church. Great and easy read. Excellent writer!

Drama of Scripture by Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen
Another easy read that every Believer needs to pick up. This book explains different themes found in Scripture; From Genesis to Revelation. Themes such as creation and new creation; covenant and kingdom; the story of Israel are explained in the book. Again easy read and all around good book.

Christ and Caesar by Seyoon Kim
Christ and Caesar is very theological book dealing with different interpretations in the camp of the “political interpreters”. Was Paul and Luke’s intent solely anti Rome? Kim deals with these issues with respect and finds that Rome wasn’t the problem. It is a cosmic battle between the Davidic Messiah and Satan. Though Paul and Luke drew on political themes with their language, there is a bigger issue that Jesus was facing. Good book for those dealing with political interpretations.

Mere Discipleship by Lee Camp
This book actually brought about me reading Christ and Caesar. Although I don’t agree with everything that Camp says, I was deeply challenged by this book. It made me question the role of Christians in politics, Christians and war, and America as a Christian nation. Again though I don’t agree with all his arguments I have come away with a radical desire to follow Christ without any hindrance. Good book if you can make it through. If I taught a discipleship class, this book would be a required text but handled with care!

Merry Christmas: The Birth of the King

Merry Christmas: The Birth of the King
Luke 2:1-20

With all the lights, presents, smell of cookies, and the taste of hot chocolate we are reminded that the holiday season is drawing closer. As the Eve is on its way and the ringing of Salvation Army bells ring don’t forget the famous story of Luke chapter 2. I remember sitting around the Christmas tree reading the story and all I could think about is the “Christmas Eve present” that usually involved a new pair of PJ’s and a little toy. But now growing more mature (God saving me) in my years, I see Luke chapter 2 in a new light. Thinking about the text from a historical level and its implications, Luke appears to be a historian, theologian, and is somewhat of a politician. After reading this short paper I hope that you won’t look at Luke chapter 2 the same way again.

Being birthed within a certain culture tends to have an effect on how someone is raised and viewed. So you cannot deny the history and context into which someone is born; Jesus Himself is no different. The gospel writer Luke, a good historian as most commentators have viewed him, provides his readers in the birth narrative of Jesus Christ in chapter 2. Coming off the heels of chapter 1 where Mary (a poor young woman) is told she is about to give birth to Jesus who is the Anointed One or Messiah. Through this Son, He would fulfill all Israel’s hopes of restoration from exile. Yet it is interesting how Luke sets the context to this birth.
Seyoon Kim describes Jesus in Luke’s birth narrative as “…born as the messianic Son of David and Son of God for Israel’s liberation, in fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel, Luke then narrates the event of Jesus’ birth, highlighting it against the oppressive backdrop of Caesar Augustus’s imperial reign (Luke 2:1-20).” Therefore with this backdrop Luke writes “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered” (Luke 2:1). The history and context of this chapter has the background of a “registration” or “census” that was decreed by Caesar, the Emperor of the Roman Empire. Joel Green states that “The registration of “all the world” asserts Augustus’s sovereignty over all the world.” This sheds light upon the control and power of Caesar in the 1st century. Caesar was in change over the whole Roman Empire and Luke uses words to convey that message. “All the world” is of course an exaggerated statement to show power and every single person in the Roman Empire was to do what Caesar commanded. Within this context, a declared registration by a pagan king was an oppressive gesture to a 1st century Jew in Palestine. The registration was an attempt to tax and force the people into submission to the Roman government. Nevertheless it reminds the readers of the eerie words of Nehemiah:

We are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress (Nehemiah 9:36-37).

Israel was still in exile. Even though a remnant came back to the land, they still lived under foreign power. Exile didn’t stop when the remnant came back, it continued. So this sets the stage for the long awaited Messiah to redeem them from her enemies. Luke draws upon the exile theme by using Caesar as the oppressor and enemy. In summary, Israel was oppressed by Rome and Luke opens up his birth narrative with the introduction of Caesars oppression.

“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, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child” (Luke 2:4-5). The oppression of Caesar causes Joseph and his wife to go to Bethlehem. Luke uses more Old Testament language by naming Bethlehem the “city of David”. With an Old Testament background, the name David and Bethlehem conveys several ideas.

1) The idea of king and covenant (2 Samuel 7).
2) David himself hails from Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16).
3) Micah’s prophecy (Micah 5:2).

These three just scratch the surface but nevertheless a picture is being painted within the narrative involving a soon to be king. This can be concluded by the immediate context and of course from chapter 1. Luke is building upon each narrative to bring about a climax when the king is finally born. Luke mentions a deeply theological image in the name of David, who was king. He uses Caesar, who is the present king and now Mary gives birth to the one who would be king (Luke 2:6-7). And this is the climax! The birth of the child, the One we’ve waited for! Here He is, the One to redeem Israel from exile.

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Yet, this baby is born in an inn, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. This king was born in an animal stable, wrapped in scratchy clothes, and laid in a food trough? A little bit surprising for a coming king. Caesar would have never been born that way! This would have been unheard of within the Roman context. Thomas Yoder Neufeld in his book Recovering Jesus speaks to the irony in Luke’s narrative, “…for the first-century readers the contrast would have been nothing short of shocking. Israel’s king, born in a stable? Watch out, Caesar, your challenger has been born to an insignificant woman in an out-of-the-way village in a stable! How absurd!” Yet Luke keeps alluding that this king was going to be different. He is unlike any king Israel or for that matter, any other nation has seen before.

In the context, Luke pulls away from the birth of the child and focuses his attention on a certain group of people, “Shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock” (Luke 2:8-14). An angel appears with a message of hope and restoration, “And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). This message was not delivered to the most prominent in the culture. It wasn’t Caesar, the Pharisees, or the Priest. But simple shepherds, the lowest of the low in the culture. This message of a king was unlike a Caesar message. Luke, a word-smith nonetheless uses words that were applied to Caesar. Richard Horsley quoted in his book Jesus and Empire a Roman announcement:

[Caesar] who was being sent to us and our descendants as Savior, has put an end to war and has set all things in order; and [whereas] having becoming [god] manifest, Caesar has fulfilled all hopes of earlier times…the birthday of the God [Augustus] has been for the whole world the beginning of good news concerning him [therefore let a new era beginning from his birth).

The angel said that this message was good news that this child was a Savior, Christ the Lord. This has a rich theological context whereas Luke is pulling from an Isaiaic Messiah (Isaiah 40:9, 42:1-9, 43). But Luke has in the immediate context used a parallel between Caesar and the child to provide his readers with hope. The good news or gospel is different between these two individuals. Both proclaimed good news to all people, yet one came by force (Pax Romana) the other by humility. Both were called savior and lord, but only One was the true Savior and Lord. Only One could promise salvation and hope. No longer did Israel have to wait for her redemption from her captives because this child would be her Messiah. “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is end…” (Isaiah 40:1-2) This passage has come alive in the birth of this child whereby the angels sing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14). The title Christ or Messiah is drawn from a Davidic kingship concept and thus Messiah would come from David and be like David. Needless to say this child fits this description. Therefore from the language in Luke’s birth narrative, the painting is that of a king who was born in lowly regard and whose message is for no one better than a shepherd, contrasted with Caesar who has the power to oppress “all the world” and whose message is constituted by force.

In conclusion, Luke draws upon the Old Testament for his theology. He uses history to tell the story of the Messiah being born to fulfill God’s mission and he uses common language applied to Caesar to convey a very political message. Not of overthrow and rebellion, but of the true Lord, Savior, and King. A King of peace and humility for all the world.