“Your plane”
“My Plane”
“Your plane”
“My Plane”
This was the communication and series of commands traded back and forth as I took control of the planes rear controls before performing maneuvers under the supervision of the pilot. I had never flown a plane before, nor had any interest to… But Doug, a youth group leader/mentor, and retired Airforce pilot took me up in his stunt plane! This was one of the ways he cared for a young man going through a tough a time. It gave an escape, an experience, an event that was therapeutic in that season of my life, and a memory that will never be forgotten. With a parachute strapped to my back we climbed into the two cramped seats of the aircraft. Doug sitting in front, me in the back. The only control was a handle in-between my legs that seemed to move whichever way the plane moved. With go ahead from air traffic control, we proceeded to the runway for take-off. As we took to the air, the sights of the surrounding areas were amazing, but after only a few moments it was time to take control. First, a few twists and turns. Second, a loop. Third, a barrel roll. Finally, a hammerhead stall. With each stunt he instructed me to lightly follow his control stick with my hands to get an idea of what to do. Then, he would say “your plane”, I would say “my plane”, he would say “your plane”, and I would say “my plane”. Upon the second “my plane”, the plane was, well, you guessed it – my plane. I had total control of the plane. Every movement of my hands led to a movement of the aircraft. After turns, loops, barrel rolls, and stalls, Doug said it was time to bring the plane in for landing. Then, he says “your plane”… I say, “my plane?!?!?”…He says, “your plane”, I say “my plane”… It was time to bring this puppy in for a landing. I start bringing the plane down, listening to his commands and instructions, and we start nearing the ground, and as we approached the tree line the controls forced my hands in the opposite direction and the plane takes back toward the sky… It was in that moment when I realized that Doug was the king of the plane all along. I’m not saying that he didn’t let me have control, but even when I was in control, Doug was in control and ready to intervene if I made a wrong move.
I hope this serves as an illustration to show us something similar about Jesus in this text, and in our lives. The beautiful truth is not only that Jesus was king all along, but the King of Kings!
During his infancy he was a threat to King Herod who tried to kill him: “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” (Mt. 2:13).
At that same time the wise men traveled from afar and worshipped him as king: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Mt. 2:2).
At the beginning of the week before his death, the crowds welcomed him as king: “They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” (Jn. 12:13).
Before Pilate he proclaimed his kingship: “Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (Jn. 18:36-37).
He will return as king: “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev. 19:16).
Don’t miss the King of Kings. Many seemed to miss him as king. Herod didn’t see him that way, Pilate missed him as such, and the crowd was blind to it. Don’t miss it. Don’t miss him, the King of kings! The king that has always been, always is, and always will be! When life is going good, and you feel like you have everything under control, don’t forget who is reigning in your life. When you get close to unknowingly steering your life out of control, don’t forget who is in control. We must yield to his Lordship as king, but also remember what kind of king he is. He is a king that carried his own cross, a king that came to serve and not be served, a king who hung between two criminals and offered paradise to one, a king who showed care and compassion to his mother and disciple John as he hung dying, a king who disarmed Satan, fulfilled the law, took God’s wrath upon himself, and saved sinners while upon that cross! That’s a king whose sovereignty is a privilege to yield to.
“My Plane”
“Your plane”
“My Plane”
This was the communication and series of commands traded back and forth as I took control of the planes rear controls before performing maneuvers under the supervision of the pilot. I had never flown a plane before, nor had any interest to… But Doug, a youth group leader/mentor, and retired Airforce pilot took me up in his stunt plane! This was one of the ways he cared for a young man going through a tough a time. It gave an escape, an experience, an event that was therapeutic in that season of my life, and a memory that will never be forgotten. With a parachute strapped to my back we climbed into the two cramped seats of the aircraft. Doug sitting in front, me in the back. The only control was a handle in-between my legs that seemed to move whichever way the plane moved. With go ahead from air traffic control, we proceeded to the runway for take-off. As we took to the air, the sights of the surrounding areas were amazing, but after only a few moments it was time to take control. First, a few twists and turns. Second, a loop. Third, a barrel roll. Finally, a hammerhead stall. With each stunt he instructed me to lightly follow his control stick with my hands to get an idea of what to do. Then, he would say “your plane”, I would say “my plane”, he would say “your plane”, and I would say “my plane”. Upon the second “my plane”, the plane was, well, you guessed it – my plane. I had total control of the plane. Every movement of my hands led to a movement of the aircraft. After turns, loops, barrel rolls, and stalls, Doug said it was time to bring the plane in for landing. Then, he says “your plane”… I say, “my plane?!?!?”…He says, “your plane”, I say “my plane”… It was time to bring this puppy in for a landing. I start bringing the plane down, listening to his commands and instructions, and we start nearing the ground, and as we approached the tree line the controls forced my hands in the opposite direction and the plane takes back toward the sky… It was in that moment when I realized that Doug was the king of the plane all along. I’m not saying that he didn’t let me have control, but even when I was in control, Doug was in control and ready to intervene if I made a wrong move.
I hope this serves as an illustration to show us something similar about Jesus in this text, and in our lives. The beautiful truth is not only that Jesus was king all along, but the King of Kings!
During his infancy he was a threat to King Herod who tried to kill him: “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” (Mt. 2:13).
At that same time the wise men traveled from afar and worshipped him as king: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Mt. 2:2).
At the beginning of the week before his death, the crowds welcomed him as king: “They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” (Jn. 12:13).
Before Pilate he proclaimed his kingship: “Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (Jn. 18:36-37).
He will return as king: “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev. 19:16).
Don’t miss the King of Kings. Many seemed to miss him as king. Herod didn’t see him that way, Pilate missed him as such, and the crowd was blind to it. Don’t miss it. Don’t miss him, the King of kings! The king that has always been, always is, and always will be! When life is going good, and you feel like you have everything under control, don’t forget who is reigning in your life. When you get close to unknowingly steering your life out of control, don’t forget who is in control. We must yield to his Lordship as king, but also remember what kind of king he is. He is a king that carried his own cross, a king that came to serve and not be served, a king who hung between two criminals and offered paradise to one, a king who showed care and compassion to his mother and disciple John as he hung dying, a king who disarmed Satan, fulfilled the law, took God’s wrath upon himself, and saved sinners while upon that cross! That’s a king whose sovereignty is a privilege to yield to.