Jesus the King

Jesus the King

We need rulers and authorities on earth.
Our experience tells us that.
More importantly, the Bible is clear on that. Romans 13 tells us that all governing authority on the earth is from God, and ultimately those authorities are under the authority of God and will answer to him.

Societies cannot survive without someone ruling them. ANARCHY…meaning, NO ruler…never lasts long.

The question always is, what kind of ruler will we have?

We want rulers who are…..
Kind, not cruel. Righteous, not evil.
Just and fair, not oppressive
Bring peace, not war. Bring order, not chaos.
We want rulers who look out for the good of their people, not their own selfish ambition.
We look around today, as we have looked around all our lives, and we admit, it’s difficult to find someone close to that.

At the core of Christianity is the belief that God is a perfect, all-wise, all-good, holy ruler. And that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, with the same attributes, is going to be established soon as the King of all kings. The Authority of all authorities.

This is our 3rd Sunday on a series looking at the three-fold office of Jesus:
He is the Prophet, not only with the message of God. He himself IS the message.
He is the Priest, the Great High Priest who mediates between us and God. And he offered up his own life as a sacrifice to pay for our crimes against God.
He is the King. The Great King. The High King. The King of kings and Lord of lords.

True Christianity….biblical Christianity….calls us to center our very lives on Jesus.
Someone said that to center our lives on Jesus is…“the hallmark of authentic Christianity.”

In our short time this morning, this is our focus.

Rulers/Kings

Today, we’re used to Rulers with titles like President and Prime Minister.
The term in the Bible for the Supreme Ruler of a nation is almost always “KING.”
The term “king” has a far greater scope than what is commonly understood in the 21st century.
A king held legislative, executive, judiciary, economic, and military powers under his authority.
He often wielded unlimited power over the life and properties of his subjects. There was no voting him into office. There was no voting him OUT of office.
His rule which had to provide leadership in so many areas, could easily slip into tyranny.

Solomon was one of the greatest rulers recorded in the Bible.
At the height of his glory, a queen came to visit him. The Queen of Sheba. Sheba may have been in southern portion of the Saudi Arabian territory. Perhaps modern-day Yemen. This queen may have traveled several months just to see Solomon.

1 Kings 10:4–9 ESV “And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.
6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”

How did she respond to the glory and wisdom of this earthly king? “There was no more breath in her.”
It took her breath away. She was stunned. Speechless. Her jaw dropped in amazement.
To me, this scene provides a beautiful earthly picture of the glory and majesty and joy of God our King. It gives me a tiny taste of what it might be like to be in the kingdom of God. The order. The beauty. The joy and happiness. Justice. Righteousness.
We will be breathless.
In the manner of the Queen’s words, “God’s wisdom and prosperity will far, far surpass what we can imagine.”

But contrast Solomon with a later king, Jehoram.
Jehoram was Solomon’s great-great-great grandson, and he became king. He was evil through and through. He murdered all his own brothers. He was a tyrant. He brought war to Judah. He was such a bad king that when he died, this was the reaction of the nation:

2 Chronicles 21:20 “He passed away to no one’s regret.”

No one missed him! No one was sorry that he died.

Consider the contrast.
Solomon was full of wisdom and righteousness. He led the people well.
Jehoram was evil through and through. Bringing chaos and misery and injustice.

What kind of King do you think Jesus will be? He will be Solomon… times 10,000.

The King of kings

A day is coming soon when the One True King will enter this world. Actually, he will RE-ENTER this world. For he has been here before.

In one of the greatest single passages describing this Coming King, John writes:
Revelation 19:11–16 ESV “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

This King is not to be trifled with.
He will not be a passive ruler.
He will rule with a rod of iron. With strength. With absolute power and justice and goodness.
He will tread the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty.

None can stand against him. He will bring complete and final justice to the earth.

His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The King of kings. He is the High King. The Lord of lords. The Ruler of rulers.

The King’s eternal rule
The King’s eternal rule was predicted centuries ago:
To David, king of Israel, these words were prophesied 1000 years before Christ:

2 Samuel 7:16 ESV “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”

This coming ruler—the Great Descendant of David— will rule eternally.This prophecy is why the Gospels record some of the Jews calling Jesus, “The Son of David.” They knew this coming Messiah would be a descendant of David.

The King’s proclamation of his ministry:
Matthew 4:17 ESV From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Repentance—turning from our treason against the King and embracing his rule over us—is a vital aspect of this King and his coming kingdom.

This kingdom is not a place where disobedience will be tolerated.
No one is to say, “Umm, I don’t really like that law. I think I’ll ignore it.” The King demands obedience and loyalty.
From his first days of his ministry on earth, Jesus called for Utter Obedience to the king. “REPENT!”

The King’s kingdom
The King’s kingdom is not the type we think:

John 18:36 ESV Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

The people assumed his kingdom would be fully established then and there. They had the right idea of the king, but the wrong idea of the TIMING.
Their view of Jesus the King was far too small and far too limited in SCOPE.

The King’s priority
The King has a priority for our lives:

Matthew 6:33 ESV “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Jesus as the King demands that we place the King and his kingdom first.”

That we seek after the wishes of the King first. That we seek the good of the kingdom of God first.

In the context of chapter 6, Jesus is speaking of food and clothing, and our endless, anxious pursuit of these necessary items.
Shockingly, Jesus is tell us that the pursuit of all needs and desires—even the basic needs of food and clothing—follow in second place.

So if the pursuit of even food and clothing is to be subjected to the King, then surely everything else ought to be subjected to his will.

Our priority is to seek the King and his kingdom first.

The King’s subjects
The King’s subjects—those who are part of his future kingdom—are not at all who we might think.
They’re not the famous and the wealthy and the popular and the powerful. Not even the religious.
And they’re not even the most expected: the people of Israel who had been given all the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Here Jesus speaks with bluntness.

Matthew 21:31,43 ESV Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you… Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.”

The people with all the advantages refused to humble themselves, and they found themselves on the OUTSIDE.
The people with all the disadvantages and LOADS of sin DID humble themselves, and they found themselves as SUBJECTS to the King.
This is not what anyone expected.

The King’s Coming
The King is coming. He is returning to earth again soon.

Matthew 25:31 ESV “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.”

40 Days after rising from the dead into an eternal, glorified body, Jesus the King ascended into heaven.
And he promises to come back again soon. And when he does, he will reign supreme in glory.
On that day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord.
All who scorn him will face terror.
All who love him will have an inexpressible joy.

The King’s judgment
When the King comes, he will judge the earth.
And it will be terrifying for those who do not know him.

Matthew 13:41–42 ESV “ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

He will come to bring justice.
But Jesus will never err in his judgment. Never again will there be one moment of injustice. When he is done judging, no one will ever be able to rightly complain, “That’s not fair! That is unjust!!”

We’re all sick and tired of the injustices in our world, aren’t we? Someday all that will be dealt with.

No one can stand before him. He is the King of all kings. The High King. The Lord of lords.

Application

How should we respond to this news of a Coming King? How should it affect how we live and think?

I offer you two things.

Seek the King first.
Seek the good of the king first. Seek the will of the king first.
Believe in the King. That is, trust in him completely….above all others.
Hope in him above anyone.
Obey him. To obey the King is a mark of greatest respect, honor, devotion, and love. To disobey the King is treason.

Matthew 6:33 ESV “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Seek him first. Even over our pursuit of food and clothing!
The King will provide for you! The King will feed and clothe you!
The King will watch out for you.
The King will bring justice.
The King will put all things in subjection to him.

Rest in him knowing that all the chaos of this world will someday be put to order.
There will be only joy and happiness and righteousness and wisdom in his kingdom.

Put him first.

Long for the King to return.
We need the King.
We need his perfect justice.
On the day he returns, all injustices will be made right. All oppressions will be dealt with. Racial oppression. Economic oppression. All unsolved crimes will be completely solved and resolved. All unnoticed and unappreciated deeds done for Christ will be remembered, honored, and rewarded. The King will miss nothing.

The King will set everything right. No one will ever mock the King again. Ever. No more marriages or families disputing amongst themselves. No more terrorists haunting us. No more orphans or poverty.
And with new resurrected bodies, his people will never face temptations and weakness again!

He will not be some distant ruler, unapproachable by any except the elite. Rather, he will be very near, dwelling among his people.

We should pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.”
We want the King to come to earth. We want him to reign fully and finally over his kingdom. That day will be the best day in human history. The righteousness and justice and power and JOY of God the King will be on display.

And like the Queen of Sheba, our breath will be taken away by its magnificence.

For now, we LONG for the King to come.
The Bible ends with such a prayer in Revelation 22: “Come, Lord Jesus.”

We hope and pray our earthly rulers will be righteous rulers and will themselves submit to the King of kings and put him first.
But they will never save. Not Democrats. Not Republicans.

And this coming government will not be a republic. And you will not vote for the new ruler.
But no worries!!! For a good and holy and just King is coming soon, and he will make all things right and good and fair.

Long for his return.