What Happens NextSample

Most people don’t spend much time thinking of Jesus as a warrior. There aren’t a lot of church pageants or praise songs about Jesus with flaming eyes and a sword coming out of his mouth.

Instead, we often think of Jesus as he is portrayed in the four gospels: as a compassionate healer, a gentle teacher, a wise storyteller, and a humble and willing sacrifice. These are wonderful facets of Jesus. We rightly picture Jesus in these ways because they’re accurate and wondrous. In our sin and brokenness, we often cling to these aspects of the savior.

But Jesus is more than we imagine. Today’s passage reveals that while Jesus is indeed merciful, loving, and full of grace and truth, he is also strong, powerful, and even fearsome in his appearance. While he is indeed the “good shepherd” (John 10:11), he is also a horse-riding, army-leading king who “with justice . . . judges and wages war.”

Studying the end times gives us a full picture of Jesus. As Pastor Max Lucado says in What Happens Next, “This is not your baby Jesus meek and mild. This is your King Jesus, mighty and riled.”

Take a minute today and worship Jesus for all his attributes. Focus on the strength and fearsome power that often goes unmentioned. Meditate on his desire for justice and his power to overcome evil. He is more than a baby in a manger, a teacher on a hillside, and even a humble sacrifice on a cross. He is the risen king! And he has the wisdom and strength to wage war against evil and injustice.

Reflection

How do you usually picture Jesus? As a teacher with a beard and a robe? As a baby in a manger? As a broken man on a cross? Or, in some other way?

How does the warrior king image of Jesus from today’s passage strike you? How does it make you want to respond?

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for caring about justice and for having the power to overcome evil. I worship Jesus today as a strong and powerful savior. By the power of your Spirit, please help me overcome evil wherever I may encounter it. Amen.