The Palace and the king

Darren’s mum liked nothing better at Christmas than to go up the West End to do her shopping.

“Come on, we are getting off at the next stop,” said his mum as she got up. They got off the bus into the cold winter’s air. Darren and his little sister Vicky rushed off to look in the first shop window. The display of gifts looked like something from a treasure chest discovered in a secret cave. “Come on, you two. We have a lot of shopping to do”, their mum called as she walked up the road.

After two hours of racing around the shops, Darren and Vicky had had enough. Darren’s mum, on the other hand, was just getting into her stride.

After a while they entered into a very grand looking building which had several floors. Mum told them that it was a department store.

“Now this is more fun,” thought Darren

An escalator rose up from the ground floor to the first. Their mum dragged them on up to the next floor, past the toys, where there was a large range of house-wares.

Darren slipped away from his mum whilst she was looking at some bread-making machine or something like that. Over in the other corner of the store, there was a display of rugs. Some of the rugs were hung over a pole looking a bit like a tent. Darren took a closer look. He felt the rugs. They were soft and clean. He sat down on a pile of them. They were springy. He sat back onto the rugs. “This must be like the palace where the king lives. Comfort and everything you ever wanted,” he thought to himself.

“There you are, Darren. Don’t go running off like that.”  His mum grabbed his hand and hurried them along to the next floor.

 

At home, Darren sat spaced out in front of the television. Vicky had gone to bed. The living room door opened, and Darren’s Granddad walked in.

“Hello, son,” he said. Darren jumped up, suddenly finding new life.

“Hello Granddad,” he said, and gave him a hug.

“Been shopping then?” Granddad asked.

Darren smiled. “Yes, we went upstairs on a bus to some big shops. Mum bought lots of presents. Granddad, will you tell me more about the scholars that went and looked for the king?”

“Well, where were we?” said Granddad, and he sat down.

“The scholars had got to the city and they had to spend the night outside because the gates were locked.” Said Darren

“Yes, that’s right,” Granddad said, “They spent the night checking over their gifts that they had brought to give to the new king.

“The king of the city had heard all of the excitement when his messengers came to tell him of the men sitting at the city gate. So he sent some soldiers to get them and bring them to his palace, which was in the old part of the city called Zion.”

“So it is Zion. Was this the King? “ asked Darren, the great King of Zion?”

“Wait and see” said his Granddad. He continued. “When the king of the city saw them, he realised that they were no ordinary men, but wealthy men who had a great deal of knowledge. He brought them into his palace and sat and listened to their story about the star.

“So we have come, now may we see the new born King, the great King. We have brought gifts, where is he?” they asked.

The king looked at them and said, “I do not know of this great King. I am the king of this city, but it is not me who you are looking for.

“But the star rests over your city. The King must be here.” They argued.

The king summoned his advisers and learned men, some came from around the palace and some came from the temple built to the great God of their people. He asked, “Is there a king here greater than I?”

All of them were afraid, and said, “No, there is none greater than you here, nor will there ever be”.

But then one of the men who had come from the temple said, “Sir, if you will allow me to speak. There is written in an ancient manuscript that a great King will come and that he will be born not here, but just a little way off in a small town.

The king was furious, “Is there a greater place than this city around here?” he demanded.

The man looked afraid, “No sir, there is just a dirty old town down the hill from here. It has a few run down houses. Poor people live there. There is no one of importance there.”

“Ah, see,” said the king “This is the greatest city around here and I am its king. As far as you can see from the city wall, all of it belongs to me. I am the king here, there is no other.”

At that he got up and left. The man from the temple slipped away so that he did not get into any trouble. The scholars sat for a while and thought. A servant of the king came running out and led them to their rooms where they would stay as guests.

For three nights they rested at the palace. On the third night a servant came to their room and led them away to a small room within one of the palace towers. Once inside they saw in the corner that the king was standing there. He walked towards them. Only the scholars and the king were in the room.

“You must go.” he said, “Go and find the child who is to be the great King. When you have found him come to me immediately and tell me where he is. Then I can go to him and pay homage. Go now. Your camels are ready. Take care not to speak to anyone until you have found where the boy is.”

The scholars looked at each other, bowed to the king and left the room. The servant who had brought them in was waiting on the other side of the door. “You must leave quickly,” he said, “and do not let anyone see you go.”

 They collected their things, mounted their camels, and left by a small gate hidden from view by the palace. Once outside they looked for the star, checked their charts and followed the direction in which it now stood. They went down from the city, leaving it away in the distance behind them. After they had only been travelling for a short while, they could see under the star, the lights of a few small houses. Some were built into the rock of the hillside. They could see no wall around the town, no city gates like the one they had just left. There were no great buildings. No temples.

They came to a small inn. In the window there was a lighted candle.

“We may find a bed for the night here, and somewhere for our camels to rest,” said one of the scholars.

 The door of the inn opened, and a small man with a large black beard stood at the entrance. He smiled.

“Welcome” he said and came running up to them and helped them down from their camels. “There is a room here for you to rest, and straw and water for your camels.”

Inside the scholars sat at a table by the window eating the meal that the innkeeper had set before them. They looked out of the window. Across the way there stood a small house. It looked very poor. Through the window of the house, a woman could be seen by the light of a lamp.

"Be quiet, darling, and sleep now," the scholars heard her say.

The lamp went out and the house was in darkness.

Over the house was the star.

(Pause)

“Is this where the King lives?” asked Darren a little uncertain. Granddad did not answer, but went on.

 "What is it?” said the innkeeper, “Is the food not good?" The scholars looked pale as if they had seen a ghost. They looked at the innkeeper.

One of the scholars began. "For many months now, we have travelled. We have followed that star." He pointed at it. “We know that it shows where the greatest King that is ever to come will be born".

“Wow! Where will he be born?” asked the innkeeper, “In the big city? In the palace?"

The scholar continued. “We have been to your great city. We have been to the palace. We have met your king. But the King we were searching for was not there.” He looked out at the old shabby house across the path," He is here. The King is here”. The scholar pointed out of the window. “The King is born, not in a palace, but here in a poor man’s house, amongst his people, the people he will rule, here where his kingdom will be." The innkeeper’s eyes were wide, staring at the house with amazement,

"Here?" he said. Then he burst out laughing, “You must be mad, this is just a poor man’s town. That house is where Mary and Joseph live with their little boy, we don't have any kings here. A good story though, you had me going for a while." The innkeeper walked off to his room.

"Good night,” he called, “and don't sit up all night telling crazy stories".

The scholars looked out across the path. It was no crazy story.

“Did they go and see the King?” asked Darren.

“Yes, the very next morning they went and gave their gifts, and then went on their way very happy”.

“And who was the King? What was his name?” Darren asked

“His name is Jesus. He is God’s only Son, and he has come to earth so that we can be in his kingdom.”

“Jesus? Wasn’t he born at Christmas? Was he really a King?” Darren looked carefully at his Granddad, but he could see that he was serious.

“Yes, he is the King that your manuscript talks about,” said Granddad

“But how did it come to be under my bed?” Darren looked puzzled. He pulled the paper from his pocket and looked at it closely.

“Let me see,” said his Granddad. He took the manuscript from Darren and read aloud, “Zion’s King cometh unto thee”. The King is coming.

“The King wants you to know so that you can be in his kingdom, Darren.”

“But where is he? How can I be there if I don’t know where he is? How can I talk to him to ask?” Darren looked sad.

“He knows where you are, Darren, and if you want to ask him anything you only have to say it in your head, or out loud if you want, and he will hear you. He is always listening”.

Darren thought for a moment. “But when is he coming again?” he asked.

“We don’t know, but he will do, and we need to be ready. This time when he comes, he will rule. He will be seated on his throne and wearing a crown.”

Darren stared at the manuscript. “The King wants me,” he thought to himself.

And he smiled.

 

The King is coming

He’s getting near,

You had better get ready,

Because he’s coming here.