Jesus The King

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In my recently published book on spiritual warfare in the church, I highlighted Jesus as the Commander-in-Chief. Actually, this title is really beneath Him. We call the US president by title. Really, Jesus is the King of kings. In this message, I’d like us to see ourselves as citizens who live in His kingdom.

You may not have realized it, but you are an expatriate. You are living in a country that is not your own. You have renounced your native citizenship and taken an oath of loyalty to a new nation. That is – if you are committed to Jesus Christ. And your adopted country is not a democracy; it’s a kingdom, and Jesus is King. So, today, we want to look at what it means to know Jesus as our King, not just as our Coming King, but as our King right now. You are a citizen of His kingdom, so consider the work of His cabinet, His Department of:

Labor – not by works, but by grace

Justice – we are justified by faith apart from the works of the law

Defense – put on the whole armor of God

Agriculture – the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

Energy – divine power for all things that pertain to life and godliness

Economy – based on mercy, not money

Transportation – go into all the world and make disciples

Foreign policy – the gospel must first be preached to all nations

Education – transformed by the renewing of our mind

Health and Human Services – the great Physician

Security – “I will never leave you or forsake you”

Housing and Urban Development – “I go to prepare a place for you”

This eternal kingdom has the best of all priorities because it has the best leader.

What does it mean to know Jesus as your King, not just your Coming King, but your King right now? Here are five ideas. Knowing Jesus as my King means:

1. To submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ as His loyal disciple

2. To seek first His kingdom in all my motives, activities and relationships

3. To reject the cultures of this world, including man-made religions

4. To accept His invitation to enter an intimate friendship with Him

Living with Jesus as my King means:

1. Submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ as His loyal disciple

If you wanted to start a movement that would deeply affect all areas of the world and would be flourishing 2,000 years after you were gone, how would you do it? What kind of people would you select as your helpers?

King Jesus chose people a lot like you—ordinary people on the outside, but people with hearts hungry to know and obey God, people willing to pay a steep price to walk with God. And they "turned the world up-side down" in their day. King Jesus Christ is still looking for people like that – people willing to die to self; Luke 9:23-25.

Some prefer an easier road in the Christian life, but if every Christian had followed the easy road, there would be no Christian church, because it’s the broad road that leads to destruction, as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:13). Discipleship is the narrow road of the kingdom of God.

It's a road strewn with obstacles, danger and mishaps, not a tour on a scenic bus or cruise ship, designed to fill our leisure with luxury. It's the trailblazing of the pioneer. The Master didn't say, "Follow me, except when it's raining, snowing, hot or uphill.” He didn't come to make life easy, but to make people great. He came to make disciples.

But what is a disciple? How will I know if I am one, or becoming one? In a word, disciples of King Jesus are those whose sole motivation is to be like their Master.

A disciple, when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher, Luke 6:40.

So, who is your teacher? Who or what is most influential in your life? That is who or what you are becoming like.

“Becoming like Jesus is a lofty and worthy goal," you might say, "But unattainable!" That’s true. But should that put us off? Becoming like Jesus is a lifelong pursuit. But don't despair. You don't become a disciple only when you've arrived; you are a disciple when you are earnestly on the way.

On the way to gaining His WISDOM, that is ...

SEEING LIFE FROM GOD'S POINT OF VIEW;

On the way to accepting His LIFESTYLE, that is ...

EXPRESSING GOD'S GLORY IN EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE;