Jesus the King

Anticipating the Savior Jesus the King - Luke 1:26-33 December 21, 2025 I listened to a sermon last week from pastor and writer David Jeremiah - by the way, with a name like that, he was destined to be a pastor - the title of his sermon was Christ on the Throne: King of Kings, Global Reign, and Your Heart's Throne. In that sermon, he noted that there are only 43 monarchies left on earth, most of which are ceremonial. Most of these countries with monarchies have a president or prime minister, and unfortunately others have dictators. I found this to be quite fascinating. Maybe you're like me, and wonder, why are there still kings (and queens) in the world? It feels so ancient and outdated to me. So, let's explore this further, by reading a classical Christmas passage from Luke 1:26-33 this morning. Please follow along: 26 IN THE SIXTH MONTH THE ANGEL GABRIEL WAS SENT FROM GOD TO A CITY OF GALILEE NAMED NAZARETH, 27 TO A VIRGIN BETROTHED TO A MAN WHOSE NAME WAS JOSEPH, OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID. AND THE VIRGIN'S NAME WAS MARY. 28 AND HE CAME TO HER AND SAID, "GREETINGS, O FAVORED ONE, THE LORD IS WITH YOU!" 29 BUT SHE WAS GREATLY TROUBLED AT THE SAYING, AND TRIED TO DISCERN WHAT SORT OF GREETING THIS MIGHT BE. 30 AND THE ANGEL SAID TO HER, "DO NOT BE AFRAID, MARY, FOR YOU HAVE FOUND FAVOR WITH GOD. 31 AND BEHOLD, YOU WILL CONCEIVE IN YOUR WOMB AND BEAR A SON, AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS. 32 HE WILL BE GREAT AND WILL BE CALLED THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH. AND THE LORD GOD WILL GIVE TO HIM THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID, 33 AND HE WILL REIGN OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB FOREVER, AND OF HIS KINGDOM THERE WILL BE NO END." Obviously, verses 32-33 are the key verses of this passage in relation to the topic of Jesus as King. As we have over the past couple of weeks, and to be sure I'm being consistent, let's make a statement about this office of the Messiah in the form of our main idea: Jesus occupied and fulfilled the office of King. As I have over the course of this sermon series, let's ask and answer a couple of questions for understanding. First, What is a King? * The Oxford definition of King is "the male ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth." * We see this to be true in Jesus from verse 32 of our Luke 1 passage, where Gabriel says to Mary, THE LORD GOD WILL GIVE TO HIM THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID. * This reference to David is part of what we know as the Davidic Covenant found in 2 Samuel 7:12-13 where we read: 12 WHEN YOUR DAYS ARE FULFILLED AND YOU LIE DOWN WITH YOUR FATHERS, I WILL RAISE UP YOUR OFFSPRING AFTER YOU, WHO SHALL COME FROM YOUR BODY, AND I WILL ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM. 13 HE SHALL BUILD A HOUSE FOR MY NAME, AND I WILL ESTABLISH THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM FOREVER. Another question, that may be more important is What kind of King was Jesus? * Recall, in this sermon series, we're exploring, in many ways what the people during the first Christmas were expecting from the coming Messiah. * The Bible gives Jesus many designations in His Kingship. For example, o Jesus is called the King of the Jews. * This title was given to Jesus both at His birth, as well as His death. o He was also called the King of Israel in John 1:49 o In Revelation 19:16, He is called King of Kings, illustrating His sovereignty. o In Zechariah 14:9, Jesus is called the King of the Earth, and o In Psalm 24:9-10, Jesus us called the King of Glory. * David Jeremiah again made another great connection, noting that in Jesus' First Coming, He occupied the role of Redeeming King, while in His Second Coming - the one in which we are anticipating today - Jesus will occupy the role of Reigning King. o This further illustrates the vastness of Jesus' Kingdom, let's look at other characteristics of His Kingship. First, His Kingdom is equally universal (as in all over), Spiritual (as in, there is not a physical Kingdom in the moment), ethical (as in, in Jesus' physical Kingdom, there is no death, or pain, or tears), and finally His Kingdom is eternal, as seen yet again in our passage this morning, but also means that we have as, David Jeremiah said, a "great future ahead of us." So that is the kind of King Jesus is. That's the kind of King I want to follow. Think about that. What kind of person are you willing to follow? I can't help but think of the political process in our country. Every four years, we get to vote for someone else to rule. If, we're not happy with who we put in office, then we elect someone else - usually someone from an opposing party - to rule. And - even worse - sometimes during that person's "rule," there are the midterms (and not to mention the special elections), where if we're unhappy with the person we put in office 2 years prior, we get to change the other branches of government to show how unhappy about the ruler we really are. It's almost silly. Let me explain. The process described moments ago (yes - a very watered-down version of the process in our country, but I think you get the point) shows that our culture continues to look to man (or woman - I don't want to get cancelled) for all of the solutions to their problems. Psalm 121:1-2 comes to mind, where the psalmist proclaims: 1 I LIFT UP MY EYES TO THE HILLS. FROM WHERE DOES MY HELP COME? 2 MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD, WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH. Or what about the words of Jesus in response to worry and anxiety in Matthew 6, where He says in verse 33: BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU. You see, Jesus, as our King, is the One to Whom we look towards. We cannot count on mankind. Not only is their reign temporary, they also are incapable of ruling perfectly. With this in mind, let's return to our passage from Luke, and discuss: HOW TO FOLLOW THE KING: First, * I must choose to be part of this Kingdom. o Being part of this Kingdom, friends, is a choice. o We must see the King for Who He is and choose to follow Him. o We must make the choice to declare Him King. o When we do so, we make Him King in our heart, submitting to Him and worshipping Him. o The challenge for many is the fact that there is only one door to the Kingdom. o Additionally, this Kingdom, as we've seen a bit already, is unlike any other kingdom. Recall, we said that Jesus as King is eternal, universal, ethical, but also Spiritual and physical. o Yet, it is all of these at once. o There's only One Way, and there's only one perquisite - you must be born again. This is what Jesus said in John 3. o Later in John 18, Jesus proclaims that His Kingdom is not of this world. o Jesus is the King that no one else could be. o Is He your King? * To make Him King, I must deny myself. o One of the easiest things to do is make yourself "King" of your life. o I mean, the culture almost demands it, doesn't it? o The culture says: * Speak your truth * Do what makes you happy * Put yourself first o Sorry (not sorry) to say it, but the Bible teaches us the opposite. * John 14:6 says that Jesus is the truth * Psalm 1:1-2 tells us that joy is found in following the Lord's ways, not our own * Matthew 16:24 says to deny yourself o Making Him King requires us to remove the crown from our own heads. o Next, once I choose to make Him King ... * I must choose to be obedient to the King. o I think one of the first things we see in the Christmas story is the obedience from both Mary and Joseph. o For example, look at verses 34-38 of Luke 1: 34 AND MARY SAID TO THE ANGEL, "HOW WILL THIS BE, SINCE I AM A VIRGIN?" 35 AND THE ANGEL ANSWERED HER, "THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME UPON YOU, AND THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH WILL OVERSHADOW YOU; THEREFORE THE CHILD TO BE BORN WILL BE CALLED HOLY-THE SON OF GOD. 36 AND BEHOLD, YOUR RELATIVE ELIZABETH IN HER OLD AGE HAS ALSO CONCEIVED A SON, AND THIS IS THE SIXTH MONTH WITH HER WHO WAS CALLED BARREN. 37 FOR NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD." 38 AND MARY SAID, "BEHOLD, I AM THE SERVANT OF THE LORD; LET IT BE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD." AND THE ANGEL DEPARTED FROM HER. o Or what about Joseph from Matthew's account in chapter 1:24-25: 24 WHEN JOSEPH WOKE FROM SLEEP, HE DID AS THE ANGEL OF THE LORD COMMANDED HIM: HE TOOK HIS WIFE, 25 BUT KNEW HER NOT UNTIL SHE HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO A SON. AND HE CALLED HIS NAME JESUS. o Obedience begins with listening. o Notice how both Joseph and Mary intently listened to the word from Gabriel. o This obedience included what they were to do, where they were to go, and even what to name Him. o Next, * I must choose to trust in God's plan. o Notice again verses 32-33 o Here, Gabriel reveals the plan of Jesus - at least part of it. o But this is not the first revelation of this plan. o In fact, we can trace the kingship all the way back to Deuteronomy 17. o Then, fast forward to 1 Samuel 8, where a warning of an earthly ruler was shared with the people, yet they desired a king, nonetheless. o If you want to trace this back even more, we can go back to Exodus, when God gave Moses the Law. o One of the purposes of the Law was that people would follow God's Law - as opposed to man's law. To follow His Rule. And His Reign. o Why? So that they would be a people set apart and all would know that they are God's people. o This is called a Theocracy. This is what Adam lived under. Where we live in God's land, and under God's rule. o This is what it means to be a part of His Kingdom. o To be citizens of Heaven. o This is how Christians from all over the world can all, universally, be under His rule. o By choosing to follow Him, choosing to be obedient to Him, and learning to trust Him. o We can trust Him because His warning in 1 Samuel 8 has come to pass. o Next, as I follow the King today ... * I will look forward to the eternal Kingdom. o In Revelation 19 we are told of Jesus' expanded title: KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Here's how one author explained this: "The title indicates someone who has the power to exercise absolute dominion over all His realm. In the case of the Lord Jesus, the realm is all of creation. In John's vision, Jesus is returning to judge the world and establish His earthly kingdom, as He predicted in Mark 13:26." o In short, He will be the Last Man standing. o All the earthly power and wisdom that we warned about earlier will no longer be present. Instead, we worship the One Who is supreme over them all. o In this Kingdom, as Isaiah predicted in Isaiah 9, the King is perfect. His righteous activities are further illustrated in Isaiah 11. o There is a clear reason that the final words in the Bible include "COME, LORD JESUS!" o Ironically enough, as we celebrate the First Coming of Jesus during the Christmas holiday, we're anticipating His Second Coming. Usually around this time, we would reiterate our main idea, but I'm going to mix it up a bit. Here's the main idea of our sermon series: Jesus occupied and fulfilled the office of Prophet, Priest, and King. Because Jesus fulfilled these three offices perfectly, our only hope lies in Jesus. We must choose to follow Him and make Him our personal Lord and Savior. Have you done that? As I close, I wanted to share that I used Albert Mohler's book, Prophet, Priest, and King, as part of my sermon preparation. Here's how he closed the book: This is Jesus. This is who he is, this is what he has done. Jesus is the Prophet, the Priest, and the King. He is all three, all the time, perfectly. He is absolutely faithful, and his reign will last forever. We live in the glory of seeing Christ in three offices-prophet, priest, and king. One day we shall see him face-to-face. Until then, by God's grace and for his glory, we press on. Amen? Let's Pray. 2