Open your bibles to Isaiah, chapter 53. I was reading up on diseases, plagues, pandemics that date back over one hundred years. I was curious about how people responded during these horrible times without the medical advances and knowledge we have today.

I found a news clipping that piqued my interest about an epidemic in Italy in 1884. It gives us the inside story of how a king of Italy responded to the crisis in his country on September 10th, 1884. The news clip reads:

King Humbert who is now in Naples, has been visiting those who were suffering from cholera in the hospitals in order to inspire confidence in the people. His Majesty has been received with great enthusiasm by the people, being greeted with acclimation whenever he appeared in public.

Now, let me give you the back story to this news clipping.

“In 1884 (136 years ago), King Humbert of Italy was awakened at midnight by a messenger, informing him that an epidemic of cholera had broken out in Naples. Although the king was scheduled to be in Monza the next day for a magnificent reception, he telegraphed his host: Banquet at Monza, cholera at Naples, I am going to Naples. If you don’t see me again, goodbye.”

Then someone that was following the king writes: “On reaching Naples, king Humbert found only the common people at the station to receive him. Only the common people. The rich, the aristocracy, and even most of the officials had fled. The King, however, did not care for that; it was the people that he had come to save. For weeks he had worked extensively to check the plague and to relive the sufferers. He entered the hospitals, took the hands of the sick and dying into his own; and by his example shamed others into doing it. After a week one of his ministers said to him “Your Majesty, there were three thousand four hundred cases yesterday. This is getting to be alarming; will you not return to Rome?” The King said, “You may go if you like, I shall remain until I see Naples free from cholera.” And he kept his word.”

This earthly king stepped away from the safety of Rome to go to Naples and to stay when others fled with the hope his efforts could save and encourage people that were suffering from this disease, this epidemic. He was not a genuinely liked king at first, but through his actions, he became a beloved leader to the people in which he helped. He eventually was murdered by an anarchist that did not like his policies. This story reminded me of another King that was tortured and killed that came to save lives.

Isaiah 53:3 reads, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

Jesus Christ was The King, who left his heavenly throne, and walked among the sick and dying; and I am not just referring to physical sickness and death, but more importantly spiritual sickness and death. He stepped away from his heavenly throne and became a man. He came from his kingdom, and He passed unrecognized through the streets of Israel and reached out with His love.

Now, as far as earthly kingdoms, people have often offered their lives to save kings. This earthly king did the opposite for the people of Naples. Our heavenly King, our Savior offered His life to save a world that despised Him. Nevertheless, God sent his only begotten son to save us, physically and spiritually. Once you put your trust and confidence in him, and what He has done for you by his redemptive work, you are spiritually healed. You will not be judged in the judgment seat of Christ for salvation – that is certain! Because Christ’s blood paid the price for your eternal salvation if you put your trust in Him and what He did. He became a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

While he was here, walking on this planet, he loved, and he served many in Israel. But even though He did all that, plus promising eternal life, the religious authorities of His day did not accept Him. The religious powers despised him, and they eventually killed him, they murdered him.

Here you see an example in history of an earthly king’s concern for the people of his country that was suffering dearly of this cholera epidemic. And as I previously said: They did not have western medicine like we have now, today. It was a severe and dangerous disease. This king put his life at risk; how much more our heavenly King has done for us. Because no matter what this earthly king did, and it is to be admired, he still could not heal them spiritually. He could not provide for them eternal life. All he did in this situation was to provide some comfort, some extra hands on the ground; and that’s to be admired.

Our heavenly Father sent his only begotten son, who willingly went to that cross to die for us, to give us eternal hope that no matter what happens to this body, we have a promise of a new one in the future. This temporary existence is not the end. We are just starting, friends. We will not just disappear; we will not just die off – we continue because what He did for us.

How you will continue is determined by how you will receive Jesus. Are you going to reject him? Are you going to despise him? Or are you going to recognize who He is, and what He did? He did it for everyone. And it is a shame, so few have looked unto Him for salvation. Now, many have looked upon their works, thinking about what they must do to be allowed entrance into heaven. Works do not cut it; they are no more than filthy rags if you are doing those works assuming they will provide you with salvation. Now there is provision for doing good works, but that is for rewards – Not salvation! It is all about what Jesus has done. Only trusting in His finished works will get you in.

I am going to be 62 soon, and looking back, I wished I would have recognized earlier the importance of remembering Him, daily! Scripture says to remember Him as often as you eat and drink, not just on Sundays once a month. To remember Him daily and what he has done for us. Thank Jesus for His amazing grace, His amazing love, His amazing mercy, He is amazing. He is wonderful. He is to be adored, He is to be worshiped, because He is our King; the one that has provided salvation. He just did not leave us dying spiritually, he provided the way to eternal life.

 

Someday we will all meet, I am sure of that whether in the heavenly space, or in the new earth, we will all meet and rejoice together what a wonderful savior that we love and serve. But until that time, we can remember him together around this world tonight. We are lifting our thanks and adoration, to the King of kings that saved wretches like us.

Thank you, Jesus, for your wonderful mercy, grace, and love. Tonight, we remember you, and what you have done for us. Take these elements in remembrance of Him.  Thank you, Jesus.

A Communion Message by Joseph A. Cortes
TeachFaith.com