Big Idea - These days people do not seem to be very excited about their leaders, and for good reasons. Whether it is world leaders governing nations, those leading companies, or ministry organizations, or even leaders in the Church, it seems that no one is very happy with the way they are being led! And our grumbling against leaders is not without cause. They often make poor decisions, are power-hungry, do not seem to care for those they lead, and in the end create division and even chaos. It is no wonder, therefore, that people are constantly crying out for new and better leaders. But, are there better leaders out there? Will we ever find a leader who can really do the job well? The good news is that such a leader has already come! And Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the only One who can truly lead the world well. In Isaiah 9:1-7 we learn that Jesus was born to rule the world, for all eternity. How is Jesus the perfect ruler? Is His rule only over the Church or did He really come to rule the whole world?

Jesus is the perfect and ideal ruler because He rules with supernatural wisdom, divine power and authority, fatherly benevolence, bringing everyone together in peace. The result of His rule is joy and the defeat of every enemy. The birth of Jesus is like the rising of the sun after a long dark night, but that is just the beginning, the dawning of His kingdom. But, we also look forward to the day when He will return to fully inaugurate His rule over all the earth. The question we must answer here and now, is this, “is Jesus really ruling over my life?” What does it look like for Jesus to be King over me?