Daily Devotions

A Different Kind of King

John 18:36 (NIV) “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.’”

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, we are invited to reflect on the kingship of Christ—a kingship unlike any other. The world measures power by domination, victory, and visibility. Thrones are built on might. Crowns are won through conquest. Kings, in the earthly sense, rule by force and fear.

But when Jesus stands before Pilate, accused and beaten, He doesn’t look much like a king. There is no army, no throne, no robes or riches. Yet His words carry weight beyond this world: “My kingdom is not of this world.”

Jesus redefines what it means to rule. His is a kingdom of truth, not tyranny. A kingdom of grace, not greed. A kingdom that transforms hearts rather than territories. His crown was made of thorns. His throne was a cross. His victory came not through crushing enemies, but through absorbing sin and offering forgiveness.

This is the King we follow—gentle, yet mighty; crucified, yet risen; rejected, yet reigning. In Christ, we see a kingdom that challenges our assumptions and invites us to live under a different rule: one where love is strength, humility is power, and the last are first.

So as we draw near to the feast of Christ the King, we are not merely celebrating a theological title—we are declaring allegiance to a different way of being in the world. A kingdom that starts in the heart and works outward. A kingdom that will one day come in fullness but is already among us in every act of justice, mercy, and truth.

Lord Jesus,
You are not the kind of king we expect—
You don’t demand allegiance by fear,
but invite it through love.
Open my eyes to Your kingdom,
not as the world gives, but as You offer.
Help me to live each day under Your reign,
serving Your truth, bearing Your peace,
and following wherever You lead.
Amen.