20230416 From Humble King to Suffering Servant to Returning Conqueror
Return of Christ • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
This is the Word of God, may we receive as God’s truth for the Church and God’s truth for each person here this morning
I would like to once again talk about 5 essential Christian truths that came to be known as the 5 V’s.
In the early 1900’s, the 5 V’s were used as a way to help believers remember the essential truths of the Christian faith. They are:
Verbal Inspiration; Virgin Birth; Vicarious Atonement; Victorious Resurrection; Visible Return
In verbal inspiration we see the word of God written, for all eternity the God book revealing to men the glory and salvation of God
In the virgin birth we the word of God made flesh, the God man Jesus humbling himself and revealing in his obedient life and sinless sacrifice the glory and salvation of God
In the vicarious atonement we see Jesus the suffering servant, humbling himself and becoming our sinless substitute, and in his humility becoming obedient to the Father through his death on a cross.
In the victorious resurrection we see the God man Jesus raised from the dead by the Father and the Spirit and declared to be the Son of God in power by His resurrection.
And this morning we will see the promise of the visible return of Jesus, Jesus King who humbled himself by adding flesh to his deity, Jesus the suffering servant who died for the Church and rose from the dead, and now, in His return, Jesus the Conquering King who returns to establish His eternal kingdom and subdue all of his enemies.
At Christmas we celebrate Jesus’ birth; we see Jesus the humble King
On Palm Sunday we celebrate Jesus the King; the one who fulfills the prophecies of the promised Savior and Messiah who is Israel’s true prophet, priest, and king
At Easter we celebrate Jesus the suffering servant, the Passover lamb of God, the one who died as our substitute and in his death and resurrection defeated sin and death
40 days after we celebrate the ascension of Jesus, the re-glorified Son of God who sits enthroned at the Father’s right hand and reigns from on high
And in case you are interested, in the Fall we need to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, the OT harvest celebration that is a symbol of Christ’s return when he comes someday to harvest the world, to separate the wheat from the chaff, and to lay the axe at the root of everything that is not fruitful.
So...
This morning’s message reminds us of Jesus the Humble King and Jesus the Suffering Servant, but the focus of this morning’s message is on the return of Christ, Jesus, the one who at any moment will appear as our Returning Conqueror.
(1) Jesus will return to establish His eternal kingdom
9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
(2) The return of Jesus will be visible
11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
(3) The hope of every believer is found in the living ministry of Christ
What is Jesus doing now?
The New Testament mentions that Christ is our mediator, He is interceding for us. But that is not all Jesus is doing.
1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
(4) The desire of every believer should be the return of Christ
7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
"Christ is our Redeemer, Deliverer, Reconciler, Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate, Attorney, Solicitor, our Hope, Comfort, Shield, Protection, Defender, Strength, Health, Satisfaction, and Salvation.
He is our Humble King, our suffering servant, our returning conqueror
Maranatha - O Lord Come
Maranatha - O Lord Come!