Kanye West summed it up.
The title of his 2019 gospel album is an incredibly concise summary of the gospel:
Jesus is King.
This week, we remember the Passion Week, when Jesus brought that truth—His kingship—to the forefront. On His final day of public ministry before the cross, Jesus forced the issue of His identity. For three years, He had been revealing Himself progressively to the Jewish people. Now, in this final week, He revealed Himself openly as the Messiah King of Israel. He rode in on a donkey to shouts of “Hosanna to the son of David,” and claimed authority to cleanse the very temple of God.
Then He debated the leaders of the Jewish nation and silenced them with a question about Messianic prophecy in Psalm 110, a prophecy that centers on the identity of the coming King—how is the Christ both David’s son and Lord?
At the climax, He pronounced woes upon the leaders of Israel for refusing to repent and receive Him, and promised that Jerusalem will not see Him again until they receive Him as King
Jesus’ first coming was about His kingship—look no further than the cross, where nailed above Jesus was a sign saying, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”
Likewise, at His second coming, Jesus will come again as a Jewish king to the actual city of Jerusalem and rule over the whole earth. This time, Israel and all nations will receive Him forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
No other king is worthier than Jesus, who went lower than anyone else has ever gone and gave more than anyone has ever given. His people rejected, humiliated and killed Him, but because of His humility now not only Jews but all people can be in His kingdom. One day soon, every person will bow and acknowledge Him as Lord.
This is the gospel we proclaim. As Kanye so succinctly said it,
Jesus is King!
