King of Kings or King of Pop?

(I have been meditating lately on the world around me. This meditation, and departure from my usual postings, are due in large part to the death of Michael Jackson.)

The King of Pop is dead - long live the King. I don't mean the newest pop craze, whomever that might be, to take the place of Michael Jackson in the shallow and unrepentant hearts around the world.

I mean the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ, King of the Jews, Savior of the World, from everlasting to everlasting.

What have we come to, this world? We mourn the death of a pop icon, who was certainly no better than he should be, with such savage and violent intensity that some mourners were moved to commit suicide.

What shallow souls are they that would do such a thing? Die, and be judged by the true King, the one True God, and go to a true hell for that? What is wrong with these people?

The media circus went on and on and on and on. Ad nauseam, ad infinitum. I hardly dared turn on the news or pick up a paper or go to a news website without being bombarded with "The King".

Yet if anyone dares to mention my King that person, if in media or movies or in politics, is reviled as The Religious Right. Someone of lesser notoriety or fame is just classified as a religious nut.

The media hype and popular mourning is approved of as being a pop icon's just due.

Jesus is relegated to a dusty book known as the Bible, and to stained glass windows in corporate edifices, excuse me, churches.

Let's contrast and compare these two personalities, if I dare be so bold. Lord forgive me if I blaspheme in any way by placing Jesus Christ and Michael Jackson in the same sentence.

Michael Jackson's funeral cost the city of Los Angeles approximately $1.4 million dollars. That is just the tab for the city, traffice control and such.

That doesn't factor in his gold plated coffin, funeral plot, mortuary expenses and the like.

Lunch for all of those invited celebrities probably wasn't Mickey D's either.

My Lord, on the other hand, was crucified on a cheap wooden cross, undoubtedly recycled. The Romans were a thrifty lot; I am sure those crosses were used until they rotted.

The nails in His hand were hand made on a forge, and they also probably were re-used. Metal objects were extremely expensive, again, thrift would have dictated their re-use.

Michael Jackson probably will be buried in a plot in Forest Lawn, the price of which is somewhere north of $4000.

There is no cost stated in Scripture as to the cost of my Lord's tomb. It was borrowed; lent by Joseph of Arimethia ( the owner of the tomb) who very courageously approached Pilate for permission to bury Jesus. Joseph had no reason to fear Pilate; he did have reason to fear the Jews. All of His disciples at that time feared the Jews. They had scattered over the city and environs due to that fear; no crowds of disciples lined the streets to watch His funeral cortege.

His love for Jesus was greater than his fear. He buried Jesus in his own tomb, buried the Son of God who had made the rock out of which the tomb was carved, his love and respect moving him to offer the best that he had to give to his Savior.

So Jesus was buried. Michael Jackson was buried. The one without fanfare, the other with much "fan"fare. Jesus of Nazareth, after 2000 years, still leaves His imprint on the world. He rose from the dead to live forever.

Mr. Jackson - time will tell us only this: he lived, died and is now where he is for eternity to come.

Wherever that is.