Someone told me recently about an elementary teacher who allows her students on their birthday to be king or queen for a day. For the entire day this child wears a crown and has special privileges. These privileges include, being first in line and leading the class to recess, lunch, the library, P.E. etc. These privileges also include taking attendance and sitting with the teacher at her desk for the entire day. This observer also mentioned that many of the kids were often envious of the king or queen and looked forward to the day when they could wear their crown.

Many of us have grown up thinking that this is what is meant to be king or queen. This, however, is not the example Christ left for us. Before His birth, the Jews were anticipating a Messiah who would come and rule and reign in a physical, political and immediate way. Being convinced of this made it difficult for many Jews to accept a Messiah who had been born in a barn and raised by a carpenter in Nazareth who taught that the greatest individuals will be those who consider themselves "last of all and servant(s) of all" (Mk. 9:35).

Christ was a different kind of King. Though He is rich beyond measure, He became poor. Though in deity He is lacking in nothing, he took on flesh and dwelt among us. Though he is the King of Kings, he came not "to be served, but to serve" (Mt. 20:28). According to R.C. Sproul, "Jesus humbled Himself, relinquishing His heavenly status" (1720). Paul said it in this way, "Though (Jesus) was in the form of God, (He) did not count equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Phil. 2:6-8).

Spoul, R.C. The Reformation Study Bible. Orlando: Ligonier Ministries. 2005. 1720.