Jesus: King of the World

Announcements

Christmas Choir at First Baptist this afternoon from 3:00-5:00pm.

Wrapping Bibles for the Nursing Home this Wednesday

Christmas Eve Service at Hilldale Baptist Church is at 3:00. We do not need reservations so if you want to go we will meet here at 2:00 and drive up together.

INTRODUCTION

We are continuing our series through Matthew today with week 2 of our #40weeksofdiscipleship. The theme of this entire series is what it means to be a disciple. Another way of putting it, “What it really means to be a Christian”. To be a disciple we must be a Christian and to be a Christian we must be a disciple.

A disciple is one who follows Christ and if we do not know who Christ is then why would we follow Him? That is why Matthew spends the first four chapters focusing on who Jesus is. Last week we saw Jesus as the promised Messiah that came to take away the sins of the world.

This morning we are going to see Jesus as the King of the world. What we are going to see that it doesn’t matter whether or not we acknowledge Him as King, He is still the King. It doesn’t matter if we ignore the King, He is still the King. It doesn’t even matter if we oppose Him as King, He is still the King.

And as the King He has the utmost authority and the final say so in our lives. He controls the circumstances and offers anyone forgiveness who will give their allegiance to Him.

MESSAGE

Matthew 2:1-3

Matthew 2:1–3 (NASB95)

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

There are only two responses to Jesus: Worship or Fear

Notice the contrast made in these first three verses between the magi and king Herod and the this coming of King Jesus.

The magi or “wise men” have seen the star signaling the birth of Christ. They saddled up their horses and rode well over 300 miles to worship this great King. They were willing to take great sacrifices to get to Jesus. 300 miles on a horse was a dangerous adventure to get to Jesus. They did not come in hopes to get something from Him, but to give Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They had a conviction of who Jesus was, and they wanted to worship him.

Notice they called Him “The King of the Jews”. This is not saying that Jesus is King of the Jewish people only, but that He is the King Messiah. This was the King that had been promised over and over again by the prophets in the OT. This was the King that Matthew’s genealogy led to. This was the King who is the greater King David that would lead His people.

In contrast to the magi, we have a man named Herod. History tells us this was Herod the Great. And ironically Herod considered himself to be “The King of the Jews”. Herod ruled over Judea, but only because he used warfare and politics to claim the throne, he scandaled his way to the top.

Herod was an extremely paranoid man who had his own three of his own sons executed because he thought they were plotting against him. He had no less than 10 wives, and his favorite wife was ordered to be killed if he were ever to die so no one else could have her. Later on he had both parents of that wife executed. When she gave him trouble over that he had her tried and executed as well.

He was paranoid because he felt that he might lose something if Jesus became King. He saw Jesus as a threat to his establishment and that is why the Scripture says… “He was troubled”.

Herod was not excited that Jesus had been born, he was terrified! He was afraid of the very sound of Christ the King.

The magi responded in worship and Herod responded in fear.

Application

Everyone will fall into one of these categories. It does not matter if your in a church or never been to church. We love to try to find a middle ground when it comes to Jesus. We like to think we can be a neutral but even Jesus Himself said, “he who is not with me, is against me”. We will either worship Him or we will fear Him but there is no in between!

To not be a worshiper is to have fear, a dread down deep in your heart! It is to know that your sins have never been forgiven and one day you will stand before the King of the World. To not be a worshiper is to have the spirit of Herod....“troubled at the thought of His coming”.

For the Bible says, “Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

This is why men who have never been born of the Spirit of God are troubled at the thought of His coming! This is why men who live like Herod lived worry about that awful and dreadful day of the Lord.

The Bible says that God has put eternity in every man’s heart. Everyone knows there is life after death and the man who’s sins have never been forgiven knows that day is approaching. There is no way to shake that feeling that life is going to end and we will see this Great King in all of His glory!

And there is a second response to King Jesus and that is: to worship Him. It is to adore Him not because we’re trying to get something from Him, but because of everything that He has done for us! It is having a reverent heart that knows without Christ there would be no hope! It is to spend our lives seeking Him and longing to know Him more intimately. It is to the willingness to give up things that offend Him and make sacrifices that please Him. It is to give our whole lives to Him!

It is the response of excitement that one day soon we will get to meet Him face to face. It’s flows from the peace in our hearts that He has made us right with God. It is the result of a living relationship with the I AM and knowing that even if death were to greet us tonight, we have everlasting hope.

My question to you is are you a worshiper or do you harbor this fear deep down in your heart? Do you wonder down deep inside if your sins have been forgiven or does your life testify of a life that has been transformed.

Everyone will either fear Him or worship, but there is no in-between.

Matt 2:4-6

Matthew 2:4–6 NASB95

Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Jesus is the presiding King over His people

Notice that Herod goes straight to the religious specialists. And he wants to know where this Messiah King is going to be born. And the Scribes very quickly reference these OT Scriptures that tell us exactly where the Messiah is going to be born, and what He will be like!

The first part is taken from Micah 5:2 and speaks of Jesus as a Ruler. The second part is taken from 2 Samuel 5:2 that speak of Jesus as a Shepherd.

He is the Ruler of His people

In the context of this prophecy the topic is warfare. This ruler that will come from Bethlehem will be like a great military leader. He will lead His people into victory and He will overcome the enemy unlike the many kings in history of Israel. Victory is guaranteed!

What this is pointing forward to is Jesus’ triumph over sin and death! Jesus did not bring victory over the Roman empire, He is the victorious leader who has freed His people from the slavery of sin!

How do people live under the rule of Jesus?

They live as freed men. They live as people who have had the power of sin broken in their lives and they have the ability to say no to sin! They do not let sin rule their lives! They cannot! Because Jesus rules their lives and there is only enough room in our hearts for one master!

Lost people think that coming to Jesus is like going into slavery. They think they are going to be bound up in all these rules and regulations. THEY ARE WRONG!

Coming to Jesus is being freed from slavery! It is having the ability to say no sin and the pleasures of this world and truly living for Christ! The world is under the power of sin, but Jesus came to set us free!

Under the rule of Jesus we can actually live the way God intended! Life is not life when you are a slave to sin! That is no life! Life begins when we let Christ rule! Life is good when we let Christ rule! Life is satisfying when we let Christ rule!

He is the Shepherd of His people

What does it mean to shepherd someone?

It means to watch out and care for His people. It means to provide for them when they have needs. It means to lead them to places where they will be refreshed and spiritually nourished. It means to protect them from harm and to call them back to fold when they have wandered off. It means to correct them walked in error and restored them when they have been wounded.

I love how David describes our Shepherd:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

Christ is King of His people. And those who have redeemed from this world will never be captured by it again! THEY CANNOT! Because it is not by our might that we walk with Christ, but by His power! Jesus is the Good Shepherd!

Jesus the King is also the cosmic Ruler

Matt 2:7-9

Matthew 2:7–10 (NASB95)

Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

I want you to notice this star

It’s not an ordinary star because is appears and it disappears. It also moves and leads and fulfils God’s purpose. Many scholars think this star is a scientific phenomenon where the planets come together to form one very bright star. Others claim there is some kind of natural explanation as to why this star is pat of the Christmas story.

But there was more to this star than science, it was a supernatural star put there by God. And when Herod looked for the star God took it away. And when the magi looked for the star, God made it appear. And the star moved, it appeared, it shined brighter than all the stars in the sky and it took them straight to Jesus.

Application

There is nothing in this world that is out of reach for Jesus. He can and will use anything He wants to fulfil His plan. And he controls everything that we can see including the sun, moon, and stars. Jesus can use circumstances, sermons, the Word of God, other people, and even tragedy to speak into our lives. Jesus is the sovereign ruler of the universe!

ILLUSTRATION

Troy Goode

Tornado

Massive Heart Attack

When you really want to know Him, He will do whatever is necessary to bring you to Him. He is not a God that plays hide and seek! What He wants is a genuine desire to know Him and worship Him and He will rearrange the stars in the sky if thats what it takes to get us to Him!

Don’t ignore the things God is saying to you in your life! Don’t ignore the signs and the warnings because this life is so fragile! And I am telling you we are all going to meet King Jesus and for most of us it is sooner than we think. It doesn’t matter how old you are death does not discriminate! I don’t care if your a preacher death does not discriminate! When Jesus shines the light you had better take that offer because there may never be another one.

If you don’t want to know Jesus, he will shut out the lights every time. Herod did not want to know Jesus, he wished Jesus had never been born! Jesus was a threat to His lifestyle and who he was.

And every time Herod looked up into the sky for that star is wasn’t there. God will not give light to those who have no desire to know Him as King.

CONCLUSION

Here we have this little Child born in Bethlehem. This infant that seems so fragile, so delicate, and yet the freedom of the entire universe depended upon His life. But that little Child came to die, so that we could live.

What is life like without knowing the King? It’s hopeless. It’s pointless. It unsatisfying and leaves us empty!

Do you know what the name Bethlehem means? It means “house of bread”. Do you know what Jesus called Himself in John 6:35 “The Bread of Life”. What does that mean? That means that whoever comes to Him will never be hungry again. But this isn’t talking about physical hunger, it is talking about satisfying our spiritual hunger.

Everyone has this hunger for something more, this hunger for some kind of meaning in this life. We are all looking for fulfillment in many places but nothing ever delivers. But Jesus says, come to Him and He will satisfy that hunger within you. Jesus Christ will give you purpose and a reason for living! Jesus Christ will meet every need that you will ever meet including the salvation of your soul.

But He cannot be your bread of Life unless He is also your King. Give your life to Christ the King. Ask Him to Shepherd your life and then you will understand what it means to be satisfied!

~PRAYER~