Jesus our Coming King, The Gospel Truth, 29 March 2015
30 03 15 Filed in: Sermons | The Gospel Truth
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Coming King.
King
Jesus is a king. He’s THE King! He’s the King of kings. At least three times we are told He is the King of kings and LORD of lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
The idea of a king is foreign to us. We enjoy tremendous freedom and independence in our nation, choosing our leaders at local, state and federal levels. Furthermore, no single person possess’ total power. The president and congress must work together in conjunction with the Supreme Court in guiding our society.
A king is different. Often a king is sovereign, in control. There is no vote, no argument, no debate. Obviously a good king is good for the people, able to make swift decisions and ensure the care of the citizens. A bad king, however, can ignore the interests of his subjects.
It’s interesting how in the Old Testament God chose Abraham to be the father of a great nation, Israel, but God remained their King…until the people begged for a human king like their neighbors. Saul wasn’t the best, David was pretty good, Solomon was distracted, and then everything fell apart. The book of 2 Kings is especially filled with the history of good and mostly bad kings that led God’s people. It has been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Which brings us to Jesus. It’s hard to imagine the oppression of the Jewish people when God became one of us as Emmanuel. Generations had heard the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah, but few recognized Jesus as that Messiah. At one point—a day we celebrate today on Palm Sunday—a group of people desperate for relief from Caesar and the Roman Empire—proclaimed Jesus as king.
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5)
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (Matthew 21:6-8)
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
Hosanna literally means, “Save now!” The people were desperate. Perhaps they had crowned others as king, hoping they would bring relief to their oppression. So here we see King Jesus, but He’s riding on a donkey, a very unexpected form of transportation.
Imagine the disappointment and horror days later when King Jesus, their greatest hope for a better future, is proclaimed king with a sign that hung above His dying, beaten body. It wasn’t just Jesus who died, but the hopes of the Jews. Although we know the rest of the story, the Good Friday characters must’ve been devastated beyond imagination. Their king is dead. Their hope is dead.
At the risk of spoiling the ending (!), Jesus conquers sin and death, is resurrected, and several weeks later stands on the Mount of Olives.
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (Acts 1:9)
Jesus left them twice, once to death and then to the clouds. What must they have been feeling? Loss? Disappointment?
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)
I stood on the Mount of Olives where Jesus ascended into heaven. Our guide told us to look up, since that space was not only where the ascension occurred, but it is also where He will return.
I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw the nearby gate of Jerusalem. As if to keep Him away, the gate has been filled with brick and a cemetery sits in front of it!
The Good News is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is King. Jesus is alive!!!
There’s more good news. King Jesus is coming back!
Coming King
Anticipation. Just speaking the word makes me excited! What are you waiting for? What are you anticipating? Think of a time when you said, “I can’t wait for…”
I’ve had a lifetime of anticipation moments, waiting for Christmas, birthday parties, vacations, graduation, my wedding, the birth of our kids, dates with my wife, big concerts…
Presently, I’m anticipating our son’s graduation, a 25th anniversary cruise my mom is generously providing for us, and our Envision DR mission trip in July, among other things.
The longest I’ve ever waited for anything is…probably the 21 years prior to getting married.
Followers of Jesus have been waiting over 2000 years for His return. Jesus said,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
Jesus promised to return. The physical return of Jesus has been the subject of speculation and controversy since His ascension into the clouds. Admittedly many missed His first visit to our planet, so it should come as no surprise that there is great confusion concerning His return. I’ve probably had people ask about Revelation and the End Times as much as any other subject, and to be honest there’s so much I don’t know or understand. There are a few things I can state boldly, however.
1. Jesus will return
This is what Jesus said:
“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13:26-27)
2. We must be ready
Someday every human will face the judgment seat.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
We need not be afraid of this judgment if we have made Jesus our Savior and LORD.
Someday satan and evil will finally be destroyed.
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
King Jesus will be vindicated in the eyes of the entire race that saw Him crucified.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
All of creation will be liberated from the curse of sin.
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21)
As we said last week
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I can’t wait! Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus! This leaves one simple question unanswered.
When will King Jesus Return?
For generations, people have made predictions, something we were warned to avoid doing. Jesus said
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Matthew 24:36)
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)
The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. (Mathew 24:50)
I know one thing for sure: we are one day closer today than yesterday!
Jesus is coming soon, which is obviously not soon to us! In fact, it was said two thousand years ago people would grow impatient. Peter wrote
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
He continues
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)
One verse has special meaning to the Christian & Missionary Alliance as we seek to proclaim Jesus to the world. Jesus said,
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
I have more questions than answers about the end times, the return of Christ, and Revelation, but I do know Jesus is our Coming King. The King will return when the task is complete. We are working to bring back the King!
Are you ready?
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Coming King.
King
Jesus is a king. He’s THE King! He’s the King of kings. At least three times we are told He is the King of kings and LORD of lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
The idea of a king is foreign to us. We enjoy tremendous freedom and independence in our nation, choosing our leaders at local, state and federal levels. Furthermore, no single person possess’ total power. The president and congress must work together in conjunction with the Supreme Court in guiding our society.
A king is different. Often a king is sovereign, in control. There is no vote, no argument, no debate. Obviously a good king is good for the people, able to make swift decisions and ensure the care of the citizens. A bad king, however, can ignore the interests of his subjects.
It’s interesting how in the Old Testament God chose Abraham to be the father of a great nation, Israel, but God remained their King…until the people begged for a human king like their neighbors. Saul wasn’t the best, David was pretty good, Solomon was distracted, and then everything fell apart. The book of 2 Kings is especially filled with the history of good and mostly bad kings that led God’s people. It has been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Which brings us to Jesus. It’s hard to imagine the oppression of the Jewish people when God became one of us as Emmanuel. Generations had heard the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah, but few recognized Jesus as that Messiah. At one point—a day we celebrate today on Palm Sunday—a group of people desperate for relief from Caesar and the Roman Empire—proclaimed Jesus as king.
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5)
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (Matthew 21:6-8)
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
Hosanna literally means, “Save now!” The people were desperate. Perhaps they had crowned others as king, hoping they would bring relief to their oppression. So here we see King Jesus, but He’s riding on a donkey, a very unexpected form of transportation.
Imagine the disappointment and horror days later when King Jesus, their greatest hope for a better future, is proclaimed king with a sign that hung above His dying, beaten body. It wasn’t just Jesus who died, but the hopes of the Jews. Although we know the rest of the story, the Good Friday characters must’ve been devastated beyond imagination. Their king is dead. Their hope is dead.
At the risk of spoiling the ending (!), Jesus conquers sin and death, is resurrected, and several weeks later stands on the Mount of Olives.
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (Acts 1:9)
Jesus left them twice, once to death and then to the clouds. What must they have been feeling? Loss? Disappointment?
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)
I stood on the Mount of Olives where Jesus ascended into heaven. Our guide told us to look up, since that space was not only where the ascension occurred, but it is also where He will return.
I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw the nearby gate of Jerusalem. As if to keep Him away, the gate has been filled with brick and a cemetery sits in front of it!
The Good News is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is King. Jesus is alive!!!
There’s more good news. King Jesus is coming back!
Coming King
Anticipation. Just speaking the word makes me excited! What are you waiting for? What are you anticipating? Think of a time when you said, “I can’t wait for…”
I’ve had a lifetime of anticipation moments, waiting for Christmas, birthday parties, vacations, graduation, my wedding, the birth of our kids, dates with my wife, big concerts…
Presently, I’m anticipating our son’s graduation, a 25th anniversary cruise my mom is generously providing for us, and our Envision DR mission trip in July, among other things.
The longest I’ve ever waited for anything is…probably the 21 years prior to getting married.
Followers of Jesus have been waiting over 2000 years for His return. Jesus said,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
Jesus promised to return. The physical return of Jesus has been the subject of speculation and controversy since His ascension into the clouds. Admittedly many missed His first visit to our planet, so it should come as no surprise that there is great confusion concerning His return. I’ve probably had people ask about Revelation and the End Times as much as any other subject, and to be honest there’s so much I don’t know or understand. There are a few things I can state boldly, however.
1. Jesus will return
This is what Jesus said:
“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13:26-27)
2. We must be ready
Someday every human will face the judgment seat.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
We need not be afraid of this judgment if we have made Jesus our Savior and LORD.
Someday satan and evil will finally be destroyed.
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
King Jesus will be vindicated in the eyes of the entire race that saw Him crucified.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
All of creation will be liberated from the curse of sin.
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21)
As we said last week
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I can’t wait! Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus! This leaves one simple question unanswered.
When will King Jesus Return?
For generations, people have made predictions, something we were warned to avoid doing. Jesus said
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Matthew 24:36)
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)
The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. (Mathew 24:50)
I know one thing for sure: we are one day closer today than yesterday!
Jesus is coming soon, which is obviously not soon to us! In fact, it was said two thousand years ago people would grow impatient. Peter wrote
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
He continues
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)
One verse has special meaning to the Christian & Missionary Alliance as we seek to proclaim Jesus to the world. Jesus said,
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
I have more questions than answers about the end times, the return of Christ, and Revelation, but I do know Jesus is our Coming King. The King will return when the task is complete. We are working to bring back the King!
- Because Christ is coming, we need to be ready. We need to live pure, prayerful lives.
- Because Christ is coming, we need to finish the task He gave us to do: make disciples of all nations.
Are you ready?
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.