Lent Devotion

“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.’”
Revelation 11:15

As we enter Holy Week, our journey in Lent is ending. Jesus, who has slowly been journeying to the cross, is coming even closer to His death. Perhaps some of us are wondering how someone who will die in such a brutal way could be our King? If we had been left in charge of our own salvation, we probably would have managed it differently. The world looks for a mighty and political ruler who will smite all his foes in an act of great power to demonstrate his authority. But Jesus doesn’t follow our program.

He rides into the city in humility and is greeted with loud shouts of “Hosanna!” (save us). And He does save us. He journeyed to the cross to claim His throne, take His power, and reign for us. Our text tells us that, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

The kingdom of the world became Jesus’ when he entered the city and slayed the enemy of us all by His humble death on the cross where He trampled Satan under His feet. He came in humility because He did not come to smite His human enemies, which would have included us, but to save us from the power of sin. Now He reigns over heaven and earth. For this we can say, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign” (Rev. 11:17).

Let us pray: Almighty and ever living God, in Your tender love for humanity You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our nature and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of His great humility. Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of His suffering and share in His resurrection; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

(Jordan Peiser, Sem I)