In 2003, Stephen Prothero published a book entitled American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon. Prothero documents and discusses the many ways that the image of Jesus has been appropriated by and conformed to American popular culture. He writes:

Jesus has an American history. To hold him up to the mirror of American culture is to conduct a Rorschach test of ever-changing national sensibilities. What Americans have seen in him has been an expression of their own hopes and fears � a reflection not simply of some �wholly other� divinity but also of themselves and their nation.

Prothero discusses depictions of Christ as the Enlightened Sage, the Sweet Down Home Savior, the Manly Redeemer, the Superstar, the Mormon Elder Brother, the Black Moses, the Rabbi and the Oriental Christ. I doubt this is what Paul had in mind in 1 Corinthians 9:22 when he wrote about becoming �all things to all people� but Americans in particular have a terrible habit of trying to redefine Christ in their own image. How desparately we need to be reminded of Scripture’s portrayal of Jesus as a King.

The early message of both Jesus and John the Baptist was “Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2, etc.). The kingdom had come because the king had come. Indeed, this was certainly the understanding of the people, reminded of the prophecy “Behold, your king is coming to you humble, and mounted on a donkey” for their response was “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”(Matthew 21:1-9). Indeed, the idea of Jesus’ kingship becomes the focal point of His trial for we read that “they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king” (Luke 23:2).

This becomes all the more apparent when we stop to consider where Christ is now. Our culture is one that tries to fuzzify spiritual realities, we think that when Jesus ascended that He sort of became part of that big �warm and fuzzy� in the sky, floating on clouds listening to harps all the day long. But Scripture tells us Christ’s current position in Hebrews 1:3-4:

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Christ, right now, is seated at the right hand of Majesty. The seat at the right hand of a king was reserved. Being a friend of the king would not get you this seat. The trifling political games that we see so many pastors playing would not gain them access to the right hand of the king. The right hand of the king was reserved for someone who had proved worthy. Oftentimes this would be a military leader who had not only led troops to victory but had also risked his own life; who had not only proven to be faithful but also capable, someone committed to the furthering the kingdom even at their own expense. They proved to be trustworthy both in word and deed not only once but over a lifetime.

What then did Jesus do to earn the position of the right hand of God? The writer to the Hebrews tells us: after making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High. The Cross is Christ�s victory. The accomplished salvation of His people is done, notice that He sits down at the right hand. Think on the significance of Christ crying from the Cross, It is finished. Christ came to seek and save the lost, did He do this or not? Scripture says that He did and He took His seat at the right hand of the majesty on High on the merit of His accomplished task.

Christ Himself declares that “all authority” is His (Matthew 28:18). If this is true, then not to live joyfully under the Lordship of Jesus Christ is treason and treason is no small offence and it is punishable by death. Our lives speak louder than our words and our lives reveal our allegiances, either to the “domain of darkness” or the “kingdom of the beloved son” (Colossians 1:13-14).

As we approach the central day of the Christian faith, we do well to consider Christ’s kingship, on what basis authority is His (He is Creator and Redeemer) and what are lives reveal about our allegiances. We do well to reexamine the reality that Christ is truly king; He is all glorious, all majestic, all powerful, all knowing, all sufficient and He alone bears the name above all names for He alone is Lord. Oh that we might have our passions kindled once again that we might drink deeply at the well of Christ’s joy-producing glory.

• Read American Jesus: How The Son of God Became a National Icon by Stephen Prothero.