Dealing With a King

Dealing With A King | Matthew 2:1-15

Britton Wood, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF)

Key Takeaways

• Jesus is uncontrollable - He disrupts every area of our lives and cannot be tamed or managed.

• Jesus is good - The King became a child to demonstrate his love and redeem us from sin and death.

• Worship is responding to worthiness - What controls our behavior reveals what we truly worship.

Study Questions

• Question 1

  In what ways have you tried to 'tame' God or make him more manageable in your own life, and what would it look like to let His uncontrollable nature unsettle you?

• Question 2

  The priests and scribes had the most biblical knowledge but showed the least interest in actually seeking Jesus. How can head knowledge about Christ sometimes become a shield that protects us from genuine heart transformation?

• Question 3

  Why do you think the title 'King of the Jews' appears first at Jesus' birth, then at his trial, and finally on the cross? What does this progression reveal about the nature of his kingship?

• Question 4

  Britton states that Jesus doesn't come to accent or improve our lives but rather meddles with everything. In what specific areas of your life have you tried to keep Jesus as merely 'therapeutically useful' rather than as disruptive king?

• Question 5

  C.S. Lewis describes God as 'not safe, but good.' How does holding these two truths together—God's uncontrollable power and his proven goodness at the cross—shape the way you approach both worship and difficult circumstances?

5-Day Devotional

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

Day 1 : The King Who Disrupts Everything

READING :

Matthew 2:1-12

DEVOTIONAL :

The Magi's journey reminds us that encountering Jesus changes everything. They didn't add Jesus to their existing plans; they abandoned everything to seek him. Herod understood this disruption and fought against it. The religious leaders knew about Jesus but remained unmoved. Today, ask yourself: Have I truly allowed Jesus to be king over every area of my life, or have I kept him at a safe distance? True worship means surrendering control of your time, resources, relationships, and future. The king who was worth a thousand-mile journey is worth everything you have. What areas of your life are you still withholding from his lordship?

Day 2 : The Holiness That Unsettles Us

READING :

Isaiah 6:1-8

DEVOTIONAL :

Isaiah's vision of God's holiness left him undone, crying out about his uncleanness. We often try to make God manageable, comfortable, and safe, a cosmic therapist rather than the holy king. But the God of Scripture is uncontrollable, powerful, and sometimes unsettling. This isn't something to explain away but to embrace. When we encounter God's true holiness, our natural response is awe, even fear. Yet this same holy God pursues us with grace. Don't settle for a tamed version of God that requires nothing of you. Let his holiness unsettle you today, driving you to your knees in worship and dependence. Only the truly holy God is worthy of everything.

Day 3 : The Mystery of the Incarnation

READING :

Philippians 2:5-11

DEVOTIONAL :

The infinite God became a finite child. This is the grand miracle, someone so big choosing to become so small. Jesus didn't need to understand our human experience. He chose to enter it. He took on flesh, experienced temptation, knew rejection, and felt grief. But the incarnation is more than divine empathy—it's divine rescue. The king became small so he could bear our sins to the cross. Like a parent getting on the floor to speak to their child, God came down to our level to communicate his love in terms we could understand. You may not comprehend God's infinite majesty, but you can be absolutely certain of his love. The baby in Bethlehem proves it.

Day 4 : The King on the Cross

READING :

Matthew 27:27-44

DEVOTIONAL :

The title "King of the Jews" appears above Jesus on the cross. Meant as mockery, it proclaimed truth. This is your king, crowned with thorns, bearing your sin, and dying your death. We don't need a God who merely helps us accomplish our goals or makes us feel better. We need a king who conquers the enemies we cannot defeat—sin and death. Jesus became what we are (human) so we could become what he is (righteous). On the cross, the king who knew no sin became sin for you. The uncontrollable God used his power not to destroy his enemies, but to save them. This is grace: the King dies so rebels can live.

Day 5 : Worship That Costs Everything

READING :

Psalm 95:1-7; Romans 12:1-2

DEVOTIONAL :

The Magi didn't bring Jesus their leftovers. They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh, their most precious possessions. They traveled over a thousand miles to fall down in worship before a child. True worship isn't just singing songs. It is responding to worthiness, and Jesus is worthy of your time, money, relationships, dreams, and freedoms. What would it look like for you to worship Jesus with your whole life today? You're already worshiping something, and giving your energy and devotion to whatever you find worthy. The question is: will you worship the true king? He cannot be tamed, but he is good. And he is worth it all.

This Week’s Liturgy

Call to worship

Leader: In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

All: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:4-5

Confession of FAITH

The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

*catholic here means the universal church

Confession of sin

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

This Week’s Playlist

Looking Ahead

Join us next week as we explore Deuteronomy 6:4-9.