Perhaps you have heard this story: It's a great story: Many years ago, when Hitler's forces occupied Denmark, the order came that all Jews in Denmark were to identify themselves by wearing armbands with yellow Stars of David. The Danes had seen the extermination of Jews in other countries and guessed that this was the first step of that process in their country.  The King of Denmark did not defy the orders.  He had every Jew wear the star… but so did he!  He told his people that he expected every loyal Dane to do the same.  The King said, "We are all Danes. One Danish person is the same as the next."  He wore his yellow star when going into Copenhagen every day in order to encourage his people.  The King of Denmark identified with his people, even to the point of putting his own life on the line.

It's a wonderful story with a powerful point.  A king identifying with his people!  Coming to their level and putting his life on the line out of loyalty to them.  The only problem with this story is… that it isn't true.  It’s a legend!  The kings of this world just don’t operate this way.

But Jesus is a Different Kind of King.  In his conversation with Pilate, Jesus admits He is a king.  But "My kingdom," he explains, "is not of this world."  Jesus is not a king like other kings.  He is a King not of this world.  And that's what it takes to find a King who identifies with his people.  A King of heaven, a King from some place other than this world!  A King who established his rule not with swords and soldiers, but with his suffering, death, and resurrection.

Andrew Daughters wrote a poem called “The Kingdom of Jesus.” 
“What kind of a Kingdom has Jesus?  No castle nor palace has He.  No congress nor parliament sitting, deciding what laws there will be.  Perhaps He has need of but two laws: Love God and your neighbor as well.  To obey them is all that is needed, as all of the saintly can tell. 
He has neither army nor navy, no air force, to guard the frontiers, to keep out the strangers unwanted, and maintain the enemy’s fears.  Immigration He seems to encourage, of some quite disreputable, like fishermen, publicans, sinners.  To such He is hospitable. 
It seems there’s no revenue service, or taxes we must calculate.  He surely cannot run a kingdom, on what we put into the plate!  [No tax form coming in April to fill out before the last day, with penalties charged for nonpayment, beginning the first day of May.] 
No currency’s here with his picture, no coinage engraved with his name.  And where are the posters and slogans, proclaiming his power and fame? And I see no trappings of kingship, no robes made of velvet and fur, no crown made of gold set with diamonds, to befit our supreme arbiter. 
Jesus said that his kingdom was really, not what Pilate had thought it had been.  It was not of this world. And its glory, was not of the kind to be seen.  For those of us here in his kingdom, there is one other thing we have known: of the kingdoms around in his lifetime, it’s the only one left with a throne.”

Jesus is a different kind of king.  And He is a king who has been rejected by the world.  He was rejected by Pilate, who thought it was ridiculous that such a man could be a king.  He was rejected by his people and chief priests who had Him arrested.  They didn’t believe in Him as their king.  He is rejected by the people who you live near and work with every day who don’t feel that they need Him in their lives.  And you and I don’t show Him the proper allegiance either when we act as if He isn’t our King.  And I think you know what I mean.

But here is how Jesus really became our King.  Even though we were the most unfaithful subjects there could be, Jesus went through hell for us.  He demonstrated an amazing love that is unfathomable!  He demonstrated his allegiance to us with his life, death, and resurrection!  He truly, truly identified with us.  Anything you’ve been through, He’s been through worse.

You think you had it rough as a kid?  Jesus was born in a barn.  His first bed was a feeding trough.  He wasn’t even two years old and people were trying to kill Him.  He had to hide out with his mom and dad, on the run, while just a baby.  And that went on His entire life.  People were always plotting to kill Him.  Eventually they did.

Did you grow up being laughed at and kicked around?  Imagine Jesus hearing the laughs about His mom being pregnant before she was married, getting teased and spit at by other kids because of it.  Did you grow up without a father or mother?  Joseph is never mentioned after Jesus is 12.  Nobody knows for sure what happened to him, but most figure he died when Jesus was just a kid.  Yes, Jesus knows that heartbreak.  Imagine Him standing at His dad’s grave.  As the eldest son, He’d have to support the family.  See Him in His dad’s workshop that first day, reaching for His father’s tools, tears streaming down His face… and just a kid.

Ever had no place to sleep?  Jesus once said: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head”  He even knows what it’s like to have no place to live – sleeping around campfires or on people’s floors.  Ever had anyone beat your face in?  The Bible says they beat Jesus so badly you couldn’t even tell He was a human being. Friends run out on you?  Jesus had a couple buddies named Judas and Peter.  And He even knows what it’s like to be in prison.  He knows because they locked Him up once. 

Yes, Jesus knows, He knows every struggle, everyheartache.  And not just because He’s God and God knows everything, but because as a man He went through the same things you and I go through and more.  He knows because He lived it.  He’s been there. And here’s the amazing thing.  He did it for you and me!  He did this out of love for undeserving folks like you and me.  He humbled Himself, the King of the Universe, to live as one of us, so that someone could keep God’s requirements, and then allowed Himself to be captured, tortured, and killed to pay the debt we owed.  And because of Him, you are right with God.  An heir of his eternal Kingdom!

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.  Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king.  In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”  Jesus came into our world to testify to the Truth.  The truth is that we needed a Saviour to be right with God, and that we have one in Jesus!  He has bridged the gap between us and God with his life and death for us!  He once said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  You are forgiven and loved by God the Father because of Jesus your King!  You are part of his kingdom forever!  This is the reason Jesus was born into this world.  This is the end of the story that begins next Sunday in Advent.

No wonder we celebrate Christ the King Sunday!  We owe Him our allegiance!  We demonstrate that allegiance by how we live.  We love Him because He first loved us.  When Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus asked, “Is that your own idea?”  What the Greek really says is “Are you saying this from yourself?”  Jesus isn’t challenging Pilate.  He is giving him an invitation, an opportunity to confess faith in Him.  So today gives us an opportunity to confess our faith in Jesus as our King!  You believe that Christ is the King?  Is that your own idea?  Are you saying this for yourself?  Do you really believe it?

Let’s show we do by confessing that Christ is our King!  With our words and actions.  Remember what our King went through for us!  Let’s not be ashamed to speak of Him!  Even if it makes people uncomfortable.  Let’s not pretend we didn’t hear the off-colour joke.  Let’s not remain silent about our faith when we know we should stand up and defend the Truth that our King came here to bring us.  Let’s not skip church when company’s in town.  Let’s let them know that worshipping our King is important to us and invite them to be our guests.  Let’s never be embarrassed about the King who stood before Pilate and stood up for the truth even though He knew where it would lead Him.  Friends, your King did that for you.

That’s why we celebrate Christ the King.  Jesus is a Different Kind of King.  And here is a word of comfort for you.  You might find it difficult to identify with kings today in this world of prime ministers and presidents.  But know this:  a king is someone who has the last word.  Christ will indeed have the last word.  He is the last Word.  And the Word that the Word speaks to you on the last day will be: “Come join me in my kingdom, my faithful subject.”   Amen.