Crowns That Crumble and The King Who Reigns
Without A King - Judges • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 45:15
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The History of Israel’s Kings
The History of Israel’s Kings
Israel wanted a king … but the wrong kind!
Saul – The Failed Substitute King
19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
David – The Man After God’s Heart
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
Kingdom Divided – The Danger of Human Rule
Solomon - many wives / turned aside
Rehoboam - Divided kingdom… Jeroboam = golden calfs
The Future of Earth’s Kings
The Future of Earth’s Kings
Earth Greatest Kingdoms Fall the Same Way…
Babylon – Temporary Oppression
30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”
37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold.
Isaiah 13:19–20 “19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. 20 It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there; no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there.”
Rome – The World at Its Peak
15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,
Antichrist – Ultimate Opposition
3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
The King the World Rejected Is the King We Need!!
The King the World Rejected Is the King We Need!!
What it Means to Live under the True King
What it Means to Live under the True King
1. Acknowledging God’s Sovereign Authority
1. Acknowledging God’s Sovereign Authority
11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.
Living under God’s kingship begins with recognizing that He is Lord over all creation, including your life. He is King, and His rule is perfect, just, and eternal.
Psalm 47:7–8 – “For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.”
Application: To live under His kingship is to recognize His authority in every decision, not just in religious or moral matters.
Do you recognize His right to rule??
2. Submitting to God’s Will
2. Submitting to God’s Will
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Being under God’s reign means surrendering personal agendas to His will and trusting His wisdom over your own.
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Application: Living under God’s kingship means your choices reflect His priorities, not worldly pressures.
Are you seeking His will or your own?
3. Obedience to God’s Commands
3. Obedience to God’s Commands
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
A king’s authority is experienced through obedience. When we follow His commands, we demonstrate that we accept His rule.
Deuteronomy 6:5–6 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.”
Application: Obedience is evidence of God’s kingship in your life; it’s living in alignment with His standards.
Are we making every effort to obey His commands / rule / will for our lives?
4. Participating in His Kingdom Work
4. Participating in His Kingdom Work
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Living under God’s kingship means advancing His rule by living as His representative on earth.
Luke 17:20–21 – “The kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
Application: Serving, sharing the gospel, loving others, and pursuing justice are acts of living under His reign.
Are you participating in the work of the King?
Where are you serving? With whom are you sharing the gospel?
How the Kings Reign Changes your Daily Life
How the Kings Reign Changes your Daily Life
Experiencing His Power in Daily Life?
Experiencing His Power in Daily Life?
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
God’s kingship is not just a future hope—it affects the PRESENT!!
Psalm 37:11 – “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
You’re Forgiven
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
Illustration: A huge ledger of sins—imagine the ink magically wiped clean. That’s forgiveness in Christ.
Application: Stop carrying guilt. Receive His gift. You ARE clean!… forgive others !!
You’re Free
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Illustration: Chains no longer bind you; you can walk in purpose and joy.
Application: Freedom in Christ transforms daily life: relationships, work, choices…. sin no longer binds you… powerless !!
Your Future
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
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.”
Illustration: A roadmap with every wrong turn corrected—Christ secures your path.
Application: Hope is not a wish—it’s a promise from a King who never fails. Live as if your eternity is secured!! Joy & Peace
Your Fight
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Illustration: Like a lion defeated before it can attack, Satan’s power is broken through Christ.
Application: Stand firm, pray, and resist fear—your King fights for you… You are victorious already!!
Your Fuel
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Illustration: A candle with oil burns brightly—Christ’s Spirit is your fuel for love, service, and mission.
Application: Let your gratitude and obedience energize your life and witness.
Your Fruit
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Application: Submission to God’s kingship transforms character and daily living.
Conclusion
Israel needed a king, but human kings failed. Jesus is the perfect King.
He forgives, frees, secures our future, defeats our enemies, and empowers us to live for Him.
Illustration: Imagine a ruler whose every decision is perfect, every motive pure, every action just. That is Jesus.
Call to Response:
Surrender to His kingship. Let Him rule your heart, your choices, and your life.
Trust His forgiveness. Walk in His freedom. Live for His Kingdom.
Small Group Questions
Small Group Questions
Israel asked for a king “like the nations”. Where do we feel that same pull today—to be like the world instead of following God’s design?
Looking at Saul, David, Solomon, and the divided kingdom—what patterns do you notice in the rise and fall of human leaders? What does that teach us about the limits of human authority?
Which historical example (Babylon, Rome, Antichrist) struck you the most in seeing how earthly kingdoms will always rise and fall? Why?
Why do you think people (including us today) often resist God’s rule, even though His leadership is perfect?
What does it practically look like to “acknowledge God’s authority” in your decisions this week? Can you name one specific area where that’s tough?
In Romans 12:1–2, Paul calls us to offer ourselves as a “living sacrifice.” What part of your life is hardest to lay on the altar?
Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” How does obedience change when we see it as love rather than duty?
Which of the six “King Jesus realities” hit you the hardest? (Forgiven, Free, Future, Fight, Fuel, Fruit) Why that one?
How does knowing your King has already won the victory (Col 2:15; Rom 8) change the way you face spiritual battles or fears right now?
Where do you sense God inviting you to live more intentionally under His kingship—at home, work, relationships, habits, or ministry? What’s one step you can take this week?
