Who we hang around with tells us a lot about who we are. In fact, the house, or the neighborhood that you were brought up in can shape a lot of your identity.
We have seen a few things about this promised King of Kings.
We’ve learnt that he is a Jewish boy, from the line of David. He also was born in a very small town called Bethlehem. And the really upside down thing is that he was born from a virgin woman called Mary.
We also saw that when he was born, there was no room in the inn. So he had to be born in a cave or a barn.
From the get-go this child is a very weird, upside down king.
No one really knew about it. He didn’t get the red carpet. The mum wasn’t interviewed. Nothing. Yes there were a few wise men who figured it out, but they are called “wise” for a reason. Because no one thought it was big.
But as much as all of that is Upside Down, there is an even more Upside Down element. And it’s got to do with where Jesus is really from.
No, he’s not really from Bethlehem. He’s from somewhere a lot more, how should I say, grander.
The key is to be found in one of our previous prophecies about him, in Isaiah 7.
Why in the world does this prophecy say that his name will be called “Immanuel”? Was he Hispanic? Did we get the wrong guy?
Names have particular titles to them. They mean something. And the meaning of this name will blow your mind.
What does Immanuel mean?
Wait a minute. What are you suggesting here?
Well, the most Upside Down thing about this king is actually his identity.
He’s not just a man.
He is God.
Now this is crazy. Now he’s not just a King. He’s God coming down in human form. You know, this probably makes sense why billions of people worship this king, because he’s not just a man, but he is God.
This is really the difference between Christianity and every other religion.
In religion, the idea is that God is high up here, and we are so low down here. What we need to do is to try and get to where God is. We do that through being nice or doing particular rituals or rules. God doesn’t move! We move! And if we try really hard then MAYBE we can get to where God is.
This is what religion really is in its essence.
Us going up to God.
But what have we seen here?
It’s the opposite. It’s Upside Down!
Who comes up? Do we go up to God? Nooo. He comes down to us! God with us. God coming down to us.
God coming out of clean Heaven
to come down to dirty Earth.
It’s not about us moving up to God. It’s about God moving down to us. This is why people thought Jesus was a little kooky at the beginning of his ministry saying things like this:
So wait a minute!
Is Jesus God or is he Man?
Yes!
He is both God and Man. 100% God. 100% Man. The Son of God comes down and adds humanity onto himself. He does not lose his divinity. He adds humanity.
This really does show what this sort of king will be like. Isn’t it such a humble thing to do for God to come down to us? For God to be born in Bethlehem? For God to be laid in a manger?
Now he is born into this world. Now will his reign as king really take shape.
But as you know, it’s not really a reign and kingdom that people were expecting.