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What sort of princes are those of Christ's making?

I. THEY ARE PRINCES BORN. "Born of water and of the Spirit." There are two things, you see. Both are included in what is called "born again," or "born from above." John's baptism and Christ's baptism bring the two together in figure. Don't separate the two parts; get rid of your sins, and begin new heavenly lives, and you are born again. Breathe the air, then, as princely creatures; Christ makes you "princes in the earth."

II. THEY ARE PRINCES BY GETTING A ROYAL EDUCATION. It is a good thing in education to get a good school-book to learn from. It is better still to get a good teacher to teach from the good text-book. Now, Christ provides both things in the princely education which He gives to His own. This Book of God is in all Christ's schools, and there are none of Christ's princes made to do princely work here without it. The Holy Spirit is the teacher, and He is the most excellent teacher. What is the first quality in a teacher — I mean moral quality? Now, teachers are qualified for their work as they have a mother's patience, a mother's gentleness, a mother's love. There is no teacher so gentle as the Holy. Spirit, none so patient, so full of love, as He.

III. THEY ARE PRINCES BY TRAINING IN ROYAL WORK. The proper end for which princes are being educated is to rule, to take care of others, and manage them; to order and guide subjects for their good. But the first subject that any Christian prince gets to rule is his own spirit. A person who cannot rule his spirit is compared to a city the walls of which are broken down, so that the wild beasts can run in at the breaches where they like. We are to rule ourselves by letting Christ rule us. Being His subjects, we are also His princes. Apart from the general idea of ruling, there are three kinds of work that princes made by Christ get to do. The first is prayer, the second is patience, the third is peace-making.

IV. THEY HAVE A CROWN IN PROSPECT. All princes don't come actually to be crowned with earthly crowns; but this is one of the fine things about Christ's princes, they will all be crowned, and all wear their crowns in heaven. Some crowns are made of leaves, fading leaves, but this crown never withers. Some crowns are made of gold, and glitter and shine for a time, yet must perish at last; but this will shine for ever.

(John Edmund, D. D.)

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KJV: Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.

WEB: Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth.