The King Among Us

One of the great films of the last fifty years tells the story of a young woman, the only child of a powerful ruler, who is completely detached from the people in her kingdom. She has grown up in privilege while others outside the palace walls struggle to survive. She refuses to eat when frustrated with her father, while commoners steal food simply to live.

One day, weary of life behind palace walls, she disguises herself and slips into the city. There she meets a young man whose view of the world changes her own. Eventually, Jasmine and Aladdin fall in love and live happily ever after, complete with several straight-to-VHS sequels.

The story behind Aladdin taps into a familiar theme in literature: a ruler stepping down from privilege to walk among ordinary people. From The Prince and the Pauper to Undercover Boss to historical legends about King Alfred or Peter the Great, we are drawn to stories about leaders who truly understand their people because they have lived among them.

Why does that idea resonate so deeply with us?

Perhaps because, whether we realize it or not, we long for the true King who came among His people.

This Sunday, we will study Philippians 2:5–11 and behold the humility of Jesus Christ: “Though He was in the form of God, [He] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

Jesus did not merely observe humanity from a distance. He entered our world. He took on flesh. He walked among sinners, sufferers, and rebels like us. And He did so because He alone was able to rescue us from our sin.

The humility of Christ should awaken something in us. If the King of Heaven willingly stepped down to serve and save us, how can we cling so tightly to pride, status, or self-interest? The work of Jesus transforms not only what we believe, but also how we love one another.

Since our King came near to us, we can draw near to others with the same humble, sacrificial love He first showed to us.