“I’m the King of the North Pole!”

The “ghost” of one of the favorite Christmas movies at our house, Polar Express, speaks this line in defiance of the boy’s disbelief of Santa’s kingship of the North Pole.  Admittedly, it’s pretty easy to dethrone the real “King of Christmas” at this time of year.

Western Civilization’s celebration of Christmas has come a long, long way since the first Christmas trees, wreaths, and midnight worship services on Christmas Eve/Day.  In a real sense, we have all contributed to the attempted “dethroning” of the “King of Christmas”.  And He’s not Santa Claus.

And in reality, we never “dethroned” Him at all.  Psalm 93:1-2 reminds us:

The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.

With Christmas almost upon us, we know the promises Christmas makes are broken as soon as the last present is unwrapped.  To a degree, it’s enough to make us cynical about the whole “Christmas thing”.  Yet, Christmas offers us a significant opportunity.

It’s the annual opportunity to see the Baby of Bethlehem for Whom He really is.  He is the King and is robed in majesty.  He is the One who was there when the song of creation began (cf. John 1:1-5).  His reign was established long before time began.  And what we celebrate on December 25 is when this King was robed in flesh and was born in humble surroundings to a girl named Mary.

And His birth signaled a change in the relationship between humanity and holiness.  When we could not get to God, God came to us.  But do not mistake this Baby as a mere child.  This Child is the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

And no matter what happens to the rulers and thrones on earth, the throne of God the Father and His Son is unshakable and unequaled.  Charles Wesley reminds us so well in his hymn “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”:

(Verse 2)

Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious Kingdom bring

By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne

 

“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”
Charles Wesley | Rowland Hugh Prichard
Public Domain