A King Like No Other - The Gift

A King Like No Other

Scripture References

• Matthew 2
• 1 Timothy 6:15
• Micah 5:2

Overview

Gold, the gift fit for royalty, points to Jesus as the King of kings. Yet His kingship arrived in the most unexpected way—born in poverty, befriending outcasts, dying a criminal’s death, and rising in triumph. Craig Groeschel traces how this unusual King still confronts every heart with a choice: oppose Him, dismiss Him, or bow and worship.

Main Points

1. Gold and the Kingship of Christ

• Gold, scarce and priceless, signified “a gift for a king.”
• The Magi’s offering announces Jesus as ruler over every realm.
• 1 Timothy 6:15 describes Him as “the king of all kings and Lord of all lords,” the strongest wording Greek could supply.

2. An Unexpected King

• First-century Jews pictured a Messiah in palace luxury; instead He arrived in a cave among livestock.
• No one foresaw a king who:
  • Grew up the carpenter’s son from despised Nazareth.
  • Chose fishermen, tax collectors, and rebels as His inner circle.
  • Touched lepers, forgave adulterers, confronted religious hypocrisy, and rode a donkey into Jerusalem.
• The cross inverted every royal expectation: an innocent King beaten, mocked, praying for His executioners, and finally breathing, “It is finished.”
• The resurrection confirmed His unrivaled authority.

  “Death could not defeat him, grave could not hold him.”

3. Three Common Responses to the King

• Herod — Opposition
  • Protected his own throne by ordering Bethlehem’s infants killed.
  • Modern form: “I don’t need God; no one tells me how to live.”
• Jewish Priests — Dismissal
  • Quoted Micah 5:2 yet ignored the newborn King only five miles away.
  • Today: polite indifference—“church later, Bible later, I’m busy.”
• Wise Men — Worship
  • Traveled far, bowed low, and offered costly gifts.
  • True worship surrenders position, preference, and pride.

4. The Personal Invitation

• Many move from Christmas to Christmas as “CEO Christians—Christmas & Easter Only.”
• The ache of guilt, emptiness, and failed self-improvement lingers until we meet the living King.
• Jesus is not “the man upstairs” or “baby Jesus in a manger”; He is the righteous, reigning, resurrected King who still reaches for the broken.

Key Truths

• Jesus’ royal authority is unmatched, yet He chose humility and sacrifice.
• God’s love arrived in a way no one expected so no one is beyond His reach.
• Every person still responds to Jesus by opposing, dismissing, or worshiping Him.
• True worship bows the heart and life, not merely the head.
• The resurrection validates Jesus’ claim to be King of kings.

Response

• Admit where you currently stand—opposing, dismissing, or worshiping—and choose surrender.
• Bow in prayer, acknowledging Jesus as rightful King over every area of life.
• Engage Scripture and corporate worship regularly, refusing to “pass through” Christmas unchanged.
• Extend the King’s grace to outcasts, wounded people, and those unlike you.
• Share the good news that “death could not defeat Him” with someone searching for hope.

Closing

Christmas confronts us with a throne we do not occupy. The same Jesus born in Bethlehem, crucified at Calvary, and raised in glory now calls for our allegiance. Will we cling to our own little kingdoms or kneel before the King like no other?

“He is the King of glory, the King of righteousness, the King of the ages—Jesus is King.”

Prayer

Father, You are the supreme ruler of the universe, a King full of love and grace. Thank You for sending Jesus, who not only reigns but also died and rose so we could live. Center our hearts on Him this Christmas and empower us to reflect His unconditional love every day.