David’s Son and Lord
The Son: Meeting Jesus through Luke • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 5 viewsNotes
Transcript
Opening Comments:
Opening Comments:
Please journey with me in your copy of God’s Word to Luke 20:41-44 (Pg. 827 in our church provided Bibles) as we continue in our series through the Gospel of Luke that we’ve titled “The Son: From the manger to the Grave.”
This morning we come to the end of a long series of debates between Jesus and the religious leaders in the Temple leading up to his crucifiction.
Remember, Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for passover week on Sunday in what is called “the triumphal entry.”
Then he cleansed the temple on Monday.
Tuesday is where we are today, is a long day of confrontation and teaching that stretches for all of chapter 20 and 21.
Last week we observed Jesus answering the Sadducees on the issue of the resurrection. A scene that ended with Luke telling us:
39 Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40 For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
Make no mistake, while the questions stopped and the scribes were in agreement with Jesus on this issue, the discussion isn’t finished.
Now, Jesus turns the tables and asks them a question that strikes at the heart of everything they were missing about Him.
A question regarding the deity of the Messiah.
This is God’s all sufficient word, let’s read it together.
41 But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son?
42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 43 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
44 David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”
Introduction:
Introduction:
The religous leaders of Israel lived with constant hope and expectation that God’s promised deliverer, the Messiah, would come and that when he did, he would be a descendant of David, Israels most loved king.
But, that is where their understanding stopped.
They believed that when He came, he would be just another great king, like David, who would restore to Israel its political sovereignty and former glory.
In other words, just as their belief in the resurrection was earthly (as we discussed last week), so was their Messiah. They thought that when Messiah came, he would be entirely human.
In our text this morning, Jesus brings them face to face with what the scriptures had actually already revealed.
That Messiah isn’t merely a human descendant of David, He is David’s Lord.
That truth is one of the primary doctrines of christianity and it is the truth this passage presses upon us this morning.
That Jesus is not just fully man; He is also fully God.
Let’s walk together through this text and see how Jesus uses the Scriptures to confront their earthly understanding of the Messiah, and in doing so reveal who He truly is.
1.) The Messiah Is More Than a Human King (v.41)
1.) The Messiah Is More Than a Human King (v.41)
But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son?
“Christ”- Grk. translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah, meaning “the anointed one.”
In the Old Testament, kings, priests and sometimes prophets were anointed with olive oil as a symbolic gesture of being set apart for God’s service.
The Old Testament foretold of a coming “ultimate” anointed one that God himself would send to rule over His people.
To understand this hope, we need to go back to the promise God made to King David in 2 Samuel 7.
When David had finally reached a point in his reign where the wars had settled down, the nation was at peace and David was dwelling in a palace.
As he looks he begins to feel uneasy, because he realizes that the “Ark of the Covenant”, which symbolized God’s presence among His people, was still housed in a tent, while he lived in an ornate palace of cedar.
So he summons Nathan the prophet to tell him that he wants to build a house for God.
At first Nathan tells David, to go ahead and do it. But then, that night God tells Nathan to go back to David and relay the message that God wasn’t going to allow David to build the Temple because he had been a man of war. That instead His son would be the one to do it.
But then God says something unexpected. Instead of David building a house for God, God was going to build a house from David. A dynasty, to sit on the throne of Israel, forever.
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.
And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”
That promise is what is called the Davidic Covenant and it shapes the entire hope of Israel from that point forward.
They were waiting for the “Son of David”, the king who would come from David’s lineage, whose reign would be eternal.
So when Jesus asks, in vs. 41
…“How can they say that the Christ is David’s son?
He’s not saying that the Messiah won’t come from David. That part is true.
He’s pointing out that the Messiah:
Wont only be a “Son of David”
That He won’t only be a human King who would restore Israel politically.
That he wont only be a national deliverer.
The Old Testament prophets had said Messiah was going to be something far greater.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Those passages declare the Messiah to be more than just a mere man, but a God-Man one whose origins stretch beyond human history.
Have you ever seen a mosaic made up of many small images? That’s how the Old Testament displayed Jesus.
You see, the Jewish religious leaders had read these scripture, but by zooming in on the messiah only being a “son of David” they had missed the full picture.
They only saw a physical king, not God come to save His people.
That’s why Jesus raises the question.
If the Christ (Messiah) is only a “Son of David” then why did David himself refer to the Messiah as Lord?
Jesus doesn’t give them a chance to answer the question, he immediately takes them back to the book of Psalms, to demonstrate to them that:
2. Scripture Reveals the Messiah as David’s Lord (v.42–43)
2. Scripture Reveals the Messiah as David’s Lord (v.42–43)
42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,
This is a direct quote from Psalm 110:1 which is one of the most important direct predictions regarding the Messiah in all of the Old Testament.
Jesus is drawing their attention to something that they had overlooked.
Notice the wording:
The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The LORD (All caps)- The covenant name of God. This is the name God revealed Himself as to Moses in Ex.3 (the burning bush).
My Lord (only 1 cap)- Heb. Adon. Master or sovereign ruler.
Yahweh says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.”
David is describing a conversation where God is speaking to someone who David calls his Lord.
That creates a theological problem if the Messiah is only human.
In that culture, a descendant would honor His ancestor, not the other way around. A father was always greater than his son.
But, David calls the Messiah, “my Lord.” Meaning that his descendant is greater than Him.
But then God goes on to say to David’s Lord: “Sit at my right hand.”
Right Hand- was the place of honor and highest authority. Sitting at the right hand of the king meant you shared in his rule and power with him.
From this conversation forward, the rest of the New Testament, takes Psalm 110:1 and applies it to Jesus:
After His resurrection Peter preached on Pentecost.
32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.
33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Let’s go back to the rest of Jesus quote in v.43
43 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
Again directly quoting from Psalm 110:1 where God promises that all of the Messiahs enemies would be defeated.
Paul echoes this:
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
Hear me friends, the Messiah is not merely a political king. He is the exalted Lord who reigns with divine authority.
3. The Messiah Is Both David’s Son and David’s Lord (v.44)
3. The Messiah Is Both David’s Son and David’s Lord (v.44)
In v.44 Jesus asks the question that ties everything together:
44 David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”
This is the question the religous leaders of Israel couldn't answer.
How can the Christ (Messiah) be both a descendant of David and David’s Lord?
A.) Fully Man, Fully God
In order for this to be he has to be fully human and fully divine at the same time.
David’s son according to the flesh, coming from the lineage of David just as God promised in 2 Samuel 7. And, David’s Lord, who possesses greater authority than David ever did.
Friends, this is exactly who Jesus is! Listen to how the New Testament describes him:
3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
Jesus is Fully human.
Born of a woman.
Grew up in a family.
Experienced hunger, fatigue, and suffering just like every man does.
But He is also fully God.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
He is both the “Son of David” and the “Son of God.”
Only someone who is fully man could represent us.
Only someone who is fully God could save us.
Man could die for sin. But only God could conquer sin. And in Jesus Christ we have both.
The eternal Son of God took on human flesh. The Messiah did not merely come to rule as a human king, He came as a savior to redeem fallen humanity.
That is why the deity of Christ is central to the Christian faith.
If Jesus were merely a man, His death could never save us. A human sacrifice could not pay for the sins of the world. But because Jesus is God in the flesh, His sacrifice has infinite worth.
12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
B.) The deity of Christ also explains His authority.
Jesus forgave sins.
Calmed storms.
Raised the dead.
And accepted worship.
When Thomas saw the risen Christ he said,
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus didn’t rebuke him, because Thomas was speaking the truth.
If God became a man, what would we expect Him to be like?
We’d expect Him to be sinless.
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
We’d expect Him to speak with unmatched authority.
46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man
We would expect Him to display divine power.
Jesus healed diseases, cast out demons, walked on water, and raised the dead.
We’d expect Him to leave an unmistakable mark on the world.
No one in human history has transformed the world the way Jesus Christ has.
Application: All of this confirms what this passage teaches. Jesus is not merely a teacher. He is not merely a prophet. He is David’s Lord.He is the Lord of glory. He is the God-Man. Jesus is the Christ of God! He is God, robed in flesh. He is “God with us.” The long awaited Messiah.
And the question Jesus raised in the temple still confronts every person who hears His name:
Who do you believe the Messiah truly is?
Conclusion
Conclusion
Notice, the religious leaders, had no answer for Jesus.
They knew Psalm 110, but they never traced out its implications to their final conclusion.
If David calls the Christ his “Lord”, then he must be someone greater than David.
If the Christ shares all of the authority of God from the throne, then he cant only be a human king.
That’s exactly who the Bible declares Jesus to be!
The promised descendant of David.
But also the eternal Son of God who came into the world to save sinners.
That’s what the entire book of Luke is written to prove.
Jesus is the perfect man; but, He’s also more than a man, he’s Lord.
Invitation
Invitation
If Jesus is Lord, then He has authority over every life in this room.
Unbelievers: The same Jesus who stood in the temple and exposed the leaders’ misunderstanding is the same Jesus who went to the cross for sinners. And rose again in victory.
Give the Gospel.
Believers:
Are you living as though Jesus truly is your Lord?
Is there an area of your life where you have resisted His authority?
A command you have ignored?
A sin you have tolerated?
A step of obedience you have delayed?
Whether you are hearing this as someone who needs to trust Christ, or as someone who needs to renew your obedience to Him, the call of the gospel is the same:
Recognize Jesus for who He truly is. The Son of David. The Son of God. The Lord of all.
And respond to Him accordingly.
Let’s pray.
Prayer
Prayer
Father,
We thank You that Jesus is not merely a human teacher but the eternal Son of God who came into the world to save sinners.
Thank You that the Messiah is both David’s Son and David’s Lord; fully man and fully God.
Lord, help us to see Christ clearly.
Strengthen our faith in His authority, His power, and His saving work.
And if there are any here who have never trusted in Him, open their hearts today to recognize Him as Lord and Savior.
We ask it in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
