The Victorious King

Good morning, welcome to New Horizon Christian Church. Please open your Bibles to 1 Timothy 6.

The importance of Advent, and seeing Jesus in different ways.

Who is this child?

Last week- Jesus as God with us. This week- Jesus as the victorious King.

Jesus Lord at thy birth.

Read 1 Timothy 6:13–16- “I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”

Intro to our text- Paul writes a letter to Timothy as Timothy has gone to Ephesus to help with the pastoral leadership there.

Towards the end of his letter, Paul gives Timothy the instruction to flee that which hinders his ministry and cling tightly to that which enables his ministry.

In our text, we notice language used to describe that God is King.

What is fascinating is that Jesus is spoken of in this same way.

In prophecies (Daniel 7; Isaiah 9), in Revelation.

Revelation 1:5–6- “…and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Even in Jesus’ own words concerning Himself- John 18:36- “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.’”

When I speak of the kingship of God, I am speaking also of Jesus as King.

1. What does it mean that Jesus is a King?

Jesus rules all things.

Ephesians 1:20–23- “…that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

Nothing, and no one, falls outside of the realm of the rule of Jesus.

He is King of all.

The wealthy, the poor. The powerful, the weak. The loved, the hated. Everyone.

Implications for out own lives- We often live as though God holds no authority over our lives.

Jesus commands with His words.

What the king says…goes.

Creator of laws according to His truth.

Jesus is reality, what is really real, what is truly true.

Not just in His person and character, but also in His words.

John 8:31–32- “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

2. What sort of King is Jesus?

King is a word a bit like hearing the word ‘Father’.

For different people, we have different sorts of reactions.

Rules with love and mercy.

Exodus 34:6- “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,’”

Luke 17- Healing of the 10 lepers.

Has our best in mind.

The beauty of God’s omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence.

If God is everywhere, and knows all things, and is powerful over all of creation, AND rules with love and mercy, then this is surely good news.

Jesus knows our lives. Even better than we think we know them.

Jesus, through God’s Spirit, directs our lives.

“I will take you where you need to go. And even through the most difficult of hardships, I will turn everything around for your good.”

Romans 8:28- “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Goes before us.

Multiple children- They find a way to send a sibling to do something that they don’t care to do.

Z sending Ainesis into the chicken coop.

Hebrews 4:14–16- “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

It is because Jesus has gone before us that we are able to draw near to His throne. His doing this life before we have gives us the confidence needed to approach Him and seek his mercy and grace.

3. What is Jesus King over?

King of kings, Lord of lords.

As stated earlier, Jesus is King over all creation, but let’s get a little more specific.

If Jesus is King of kings, what are the other kings in our lives, things that we allow to rule over us, that we ought to understand Jesus rules over them.

Jesus is King over our circumstances.

We often feel like we are drowning in life.

Many things lead us to feel this way.

Drowning in work. Drowning in drama. Drowning in suffering. Drowning in sickness. Drowning in defeat.

Psalm 23- He makes me lie down in green pastures, leads me beside still waters. Restores my soul. I will fear no evil in the valley of the shadow of death. Prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

A psalm of provision and protection.

Even in the chaos of life, reminded of the presence not only of King Jesus, but of all that He brings with Him to provide peace and stillness.

Chaos in the Stone home.

Take a moment to separate yourself from the noise.

Jesus is King over our enemies.

Those who seek, by their devices, to work against our good.

Whatever you are aiming for in your life in relation to right fellowship with God, those things and people who seek to thwart it all.

Joseph’s brothers.

Genesis 50:20- “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

It was through the work of an enemy, or in this case many enemies, that God brought about provision for His people.

Jesus and Judas.

The greatest possible example of the works of an enemy being used for the purposes of God.

Jesus is King over our sinfulness.

We often feel defeated by our sinfulness.

When you are a child of God, sin is defeated.

1 Corinthians 15:55–57- “‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Every week reminded of this truth as we receive communion together.

4. How are we to respond to Jesus’ Kingship?

Things to remember, particular during this season of the year.

We are not kings and queens of all.

The world doesn’t revolve around us, our desires, our rather limited knowledge, our preferences.

YM- Two things to be taught- Sex/Dating and the Sovereignty of God.

When we properly understand who God is, it helps us to properly understand who we are.

Yielding of ourselves to Jesus.

Give to Jesus what is most costly to us.

Think of the early years of Jesus.

Shepherds, poor, giving their worship.

Magi from the East- riches.

Mary and Joseph- the surrendering of their lives.

Disciples- livelihoods.

When people understood the reality of Jesus, who He was, in particular His Kingship, they yielded what they had.

So what are we to give?

Reginald Heber- Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning- “Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion, Odors of Edom, and offerings divine, Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean, Myrrh from the forest or gold from the mine? Vainly we offer each ample oblation, Vainly with gifts would his favor secure; Richer by far is the hearts adoration; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.”

Trust the King.

Started today by raising the theme of peace.

How can we find peace in such a tumultuous life?

By trusting the King.

Charles Hodge- “The sovereignty of God is the ground of peace and confidence to all his people. They rejoice that the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; that neither necessity, nor chance, nor the folly of man, nor the malice of Satan controls the sequence of events and all their issues. Infinite wisdom, love, and power, belong to Him, our great God and Savior, into whose hands all power in heaven and earth has been committed.”