It seems most appropriate today, being my first time here, to establish common ground. To briefly talk to you about something that is near and dear to my heart, as well as yours would do us both good. From the very beginning of the ministry God has entrusted to me, I have been convinced that Jesus is the focal point of our faith, the reality of any real ministering. You see, in John 12:32 Jesus said, “If I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself.” Jesus was talking about his death and that is the gospel message, his death, burial and resurrection – the good news. You see, I’m convinced you can’t go wrong with Jesus.
Paul must have had that in mind when he wrote that great passage from Phil. 2:9, he said, “ Therefore, also God highly exalted Him,…Jesus… and bestowed on Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD…to the glory of God the Father!
I also believe the apostle John had that same theme in mind when in Rev. 19:11, he wrote these words; “And I saw heaven open and behold a white horse, and he who sat upon it is called Faithful and True. Jesus! And in righteousness he judges and wages war and his eyes are like a flame of fire. And upon his head are many diadems. And he has a name written upon him, which no one knows except himself. And he’s clothed in a robe dipped in blood. And his name is called the Word of God. And the armies, which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean were following him on white horses. And from his mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it he might smite the nations. And he will rule them with a rod of iron. And he treads the winepress, the fierce wrath of God, the almighty. And on His robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords!”
Both John and Paul clearly delineate the Lordship, the Kingship of Jesus Christ. He is, indeed, King Jesus! He alone is worthy of our praise, our worship, our service, and our love. WHY? Why is this so? Let me suggest several reasons.
1. BECAUSE CHRIST IS UNIQUE.
Jesus is the unique Son of God. Fully God and yet Fully man. Thus, unique in his manhood. When Jesus was here on earth he was as fully human as anyone can be. He was the perfect man! And yet in his deity, he was as fully God as God can ever be. Christ alone is the GOD/MAN. When Jesus came to this earth the celestial became terrestrial. The God out there became the God down here. The supernatural became naturalized. Thus Jesus Christ stands out in all history as God’s unique person.
He did everything we were intended to do and yet he did it perfectly.
We don’t!
Years ago, when Lawrence of Arabia was trying to persuade the Arabs to join the allies in the Great War. This was their response: “We’ll fight with you, if you’ll do one thing. If you will live like us, if you will eat like us, drink the water we drink, if you’ll live in the tents we live in. If you’ll fight with us and like us and do it as well as we do, if not better. Then we will join you.
You know in a much greater way, that’s what Jesus did. He came among us. He lived like us. He lived with us. He wore clothes like we wear. He ate food like we eat. He was tempted like we’re tempted. He did everything we do except, that he did it better than anyone else ever did because HE DID IT WITHOUT SIN!
1. Now Jesus’ uniqueness shows his superiority. Paul said, “God the Father has given him a name that is above every name.” Christ is exalted above all others.
*Just ask the angels what they think of Jesus, they’ll tell you. “A Savior has been born unto you, He is Christ the Lord.”
*Ask the Roman centurion what he thinks of Jesus, he will tell you. “Surely, this man was the Son of God.”
*Ask the demons what they think of Jesus, they will tell you. “What do you want with us, Son of God?”
*Ask John the baptist, what he thinks of Jesus, he will tell you. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”
*Ask the apostle John what he thinks about Jesus, he’ll tell you. “He’s the bright and the morning star.”
*Ask Judas what He thinks about Jesus, he will tell you. “I have betrayed innocent blood.”
*Ask the apostle Paul, what do you think of Jesus? He will tell you. “I count all things to be lose in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ, Jesus my Lord.”
*Ask Peter, what do you think about Jesus and he will tell you. “God has made this same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
*Ask Pilot what he thinks about Jesus, he will tell you. “I find no fault in this just man.”
*Ask Thomas what he thinks about Jesus, he’ll fall down prostrate before him and cry out. “My Lord and my God.”
Jesus’ uniqueness shows his superiority!
2. Jesus’ uniqueness is demonstrated by his offices.
*For He alone is -Prophet, -Priest, -King
3. Jesus’ uniqueness is demonstrated by his unprecedented mission.
Luke 19:10 Jesus himself said, “For the son of man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.”
But I want you to know that Jesus came to this earth understanding that the salvation of man could only be accomplished through his death! That’s why John describes Jesus as the “…lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world.”
John 10:17-18 Jesus said, “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one has taken it away from me, but I lay it down on my own initiative. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again.”
Think of that friends! Sometimes we think that it was the Roman soldiers who accomplished the crucifixion of Jesus. Or, That it was the Jewish Nation that accomplished the crucifixion of Jesus. But without his complete co-operation it would have never taken place.
Instead, like a lamb being led to the slaughter, Jesus, without protest, Jesus with complete co-operation suffered as the Lamb of God. He became the holy sacrifice and fulfilled his own unprecedented mission.
You see Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That’s what we are and that’s why He came. No wonder he’s been given a name that is above every name.
He is superior in his uniqueness.
But not only do I trust in Christ and honor Christ because of his uniqueness.
But, also, because of his salvation
II. JESUS IS SALVATION
The apostle Peter said in Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
*Napoleon was a great political leader but he could never save anyone.
*George Washington was the Father of our country, but he could never save anyone.
*Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents our nation has ever known, but he couldn’t save anyone.
*Mohammed can’t save you.
*Buddha can’t save you.
*Dalilamah can’t save you.
*George Bush can’t save you.
*Billy Graham can’t save you.
*The greatest and finest person you know can’t save you.
But Jesus Christ CAN and WILL save you…if you allow him to.
I heard this statement a few months back and it really struck me. Someone said, “God doesn’t have any grandchildren.” And it’s true!
Just because Mom and Dad belong to the Lord…
Just because they may serve the savior, does not indicate that you have a relationship with the Lord. NO! God doesn’t have any grandchildren, BUT ANYONE, ANYONE, ANYONE…can become God’s child through faith in Christ.
Augustine said, “The Bible is written up in personal pronouns,… a man and his God.
So I ask you, in the personal way that I possibly can: DO YOU KNOW HIM?
DO YOU KNOW HIM…PERSONALLY?
I didn’t ask, did you find a church to join?
I didn’t even ask if you’ve been baptized?
I didn’t as if you are religious?
I ASKED, DO YOU KNOW HIM?
DO YOU KNOW HIM, PERSONALLY?
Have you placed your trust in Christ as Savior?
Have you repented of your sins and made him Lord and King of your life?
Have you confessed Him before men?
Have you been buried with him in baptism on that basis?
There should be, and is no greater joy in life than to introduce someone to the King of kings and Lord of lords: Jesus.
Helping people come to understand him as lord and Savior. We trust in Christ! We honor Christ! We worship Christ! We make him king of our lives because of his Uniqueness and because of his Salvation.
But also,
Because of his Identification
Let me tell you folks, so many people in today’s world are looking for a sense of identity. -A swiftly changing world
-A job uncertainty
-Dysfunctional families
These have all led to a paralyzing loss of personhood and identity. Oh…but when we accept Jesus, he gives us a sense of belonging, of identity.
II Cor. 6:18 “As through him, we are adopted into the family of God.”
God says, “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me.”
What an amazing thing…sons and daughters of the almighty God.
***(John Caldwell’s son, meeting Robert Redford at the Eagle’s nest on prom night)
*We all like to be identified with important people…don’t we?
Just think with me, have you known anyone close to you who would
refuse an invitation to have dinner with Robert Redford?
Michael Jordan? Paul Newman? Tom Cruise? The Mayor?
The Govenor? Billy Graham?
We all want to be identified with someone important!
But I want you to know that knowing Christ gives us a sense of identity and personhood and dignity that running with or being the most famous of celebrities could never provide.
Knowing and speaking personally with the King of kings gives you importance.
Tom Skinner, the late, great black evangelist said that when he lived in Harlem, that’s where he grew up, he had a real struggle with the question of who he was and why he was here. Then one night on the radio he heard a preacher tell about Christ’s ability to forgive sin and to radically transform a person’s life.
Skinner never really heard the gospel before, hard as that may be to believe. But as a result of the seed that was planted that night, Tom Skinner went on to give his life to Jesus Christ. And all of the sudden his life had identity and meaning like never before.
He was a gang leader at the time of his conversion, the leader of the Harlem Lords. His main ambition was that the Harlem Lords would be the chief gang in Harlem.
But when he gave his life to Christ, he discovered that his life had identity, far more important than that of being a gang leader. He was now GOD’S CHILD!
No longer would he walk around with his head down. No longer would he be ashamed of his status or ashamed of where he lived or ashamed of anything or everything about himself.
He later said, “You know, the Presidents kids can only say, ’My dad’s president of the United States.’
The Queen’s kids can only say, ‘My mom is the Queen.’
*But I can now say, ‘I’m a member of the royal stock of the family of God which puts me in the best family stock there is in the world.
You see, he discovered his identity…in Christ!
Isn’t that what Professor Higgins was saying to Eliza Dolittle in “My Fair Lady”? You’re a Duchess. Speak like a duchess! Act like a duchess! Think like a duchess!
I’ve got good news for you today, whoever you are, whatever your background, whereever you come from.
-Your dad may have been an alcoholic
-Maybe you were abused as a child
-Maybe you were ridiculed all your growing years
-School was tough for you
-Maybe you’ve been put down on the job
Whatever your circumstances, Wherever you’ve been, just remember that when your IN CHRIST…YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!
And today for those of you who are still searching for your identity, I want to tell you, IN CHRIST…YOU’LL FIND IDENTITY!
IN CHRIST…YOU’LL BE A CHILD OF GOD!
*I trust in Christ for the sense of identity he brings.
*I trust in Christ, I honor him because of the MASTERY of SIN he provides.
THE MASTERY OF SIN HE PROVIDES
Romans 6:4 ff “Therefore we have been buried with him (Christ) through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead to the glory of the father, so we, to, might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer, (listen) that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin.”
A lot of people read this passage just as a proof text on baptism. Well, it certainly does reflect the importance of baptism. It reflects the symbolism involved in baptism: a death, a burial and a resurrection. That’s why baptism in the Bible is by immersion.
All of that is there, but if that is all you see, you’ve missed the main point! That’s not the main point of the text!
The main point of the text is…That when we come to Christ, and when we are IN Christ, when the old man has died spiritually and therefore have been buried in water in Christian baptism…the point is that we’re now freed from SIN! We are NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN!
It doesn’t say we can’t sin, you notice. It says we are freed from sin. We’re no longer bound by sin. We’re no longer compelled to sin.
You can’t read the N.T. without being impressed about how Jesus freed people from sin.
*Zacheaus from his greed
*Peter, from his cowardice
*Mary Magdelene from her immoralities
*Saul of Tarsus from his Pride
Let me illustrate this point in a very “politically incorrect” way:
You’ve heard it said over and over, that men and women who are Homosexual were “born” that way and therefore couldn’t change if the tried. That’s an absolute lie! That’s not just an opinion, let me give you the biblical basis for that.
The biblical basis is because in Christ we are no longer slaves to sin!
*Listen to I Cor. 6:9 ff “Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers shall inherit the kingdom of God. (Now listen to the next verse, here’s the good news)
And such WERE some of you.
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the spirit of our God.”
Notice that there were some of the members in the Church at Corinth that HAD been homosexuals, that HAD been adulterers, that HAD been liars, that HAD been thieves, that HAD been idolaters, but then they came to Christ and Christ alone. And in Christ they put all of those things in the past tense.
Does that mean they were no longer tempted in those areas? NO!
But it does mean that the indwelling Christ gave them power to MASTER THOSE SINS!!!
Today, there are those who are duped into thinking that you’re born that way and that there is no way out. That’s a lie from satan.
I’m not trying to stress that particular sin, the point is ANY SIN, WHATEVER THE SIN!! We can be delivered by the power of Christ.
So, I trust in Christ, I honor Christ as my King because of His Uniqueness!
His Salvation!
His Identity!
His Mastery Over Sin!
Finally, because of THE VICTORY HE WILL BRING
THE VICTORY HE WILL BRING
This is the best part of all, folks!
JESUS IS GOING TO WIN THE FINAL ROUND!!! That’s great news to know, isn’t it?
Have you read the back of the book?
Have you read the last chapter? JESUS WINS!!!
AND THOSE WHO ARE IN HIM,….WIN TOO!!!
*There’s a precious little woman living in Indianapolis that’s had all kinds of problems befall her, she’s had a tough life:
-As a child Lillie found herself in the middle of a Polio epidemic.
-At age six she spent over 6 months in an Iron lung because of the
polio’s effect on her lungs…Lost 50% of the use of her right arm.
-Weak and hardly able to get around Lillie began to focus on God’s
love for her.
-Added to what already seemed insurmountable, Lillie experienced
more severe health problems. This time she grew three inches in
one day because doctors had to put a steel rod in her spinal column
to correct the “s” curvature.
-Then cancer is taking its toll through a mastectomy…then another.!!!
…all before the age of 50.
I saw her just a few weeks ago and asked her how she’s doing and she said, “I’m doing wonderful because I’ve read the last chapter of the book, WE WIN”.
Isn’t that good news? We WIN!!! Because of Jesus’ Victory…….. WE WIN, Isn’t that great News?
**Don Fuller, 67 years old,a good friend of mine, just had a 4 by-pass heart surgery about 4 months ago. My wife and I visited him at the hospital in Indianapolis. I greeted Don in my usual fashion, “How ya doin’, Brother?”, and he replied as he always did; “Sittin’ on top of the mountain looking for higher peaks”.
I asked Him how he could face this kind of surgery with that attitude?
He said, Because if I live, great. But if I die, I’ll get to see Jesus because he lives. I know that because I’ve read the last chapter.”
The apostle Paul said in Phil. 1:21-22 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
WE WIN!!! Have you read the last chapter?
Remember that first Easter morning when Jesus body was lying in the grave? The Father spoke out and said, “Son, you’ve done everything I’ve asked you to do, now let’s get out of here.”
And he arose from the grave. WE CELEBRATE THAT!!!
We celebrate his ascension!
We celebrate Pentecost Sunday when the Holy Spirit came upon the
Apostles in his fullness and the Church was born.
But that’s not the end. For some day King Jesus will come back. And every knee, every knee shall bow to King Jesus.
-The person who won’t bow now, will bow then
-All those who thumb their nose at him now…will bow then!
-Every person who has neglected the Word of God now, will bow!
-All will bow, all the demons and evil spirits and Satan himself!
They will all bow at the name of King Jesus in that day!
-And all the believers, - and all those in heaven, -and all the angels
and all the cherubim and the Arch angels -and all the O.T. Saints
and all the believers throughout the ages…
They will bow before Jesus on that day!!
AND YOU AND I ARE GOING TO BOW TOO!!
*So if you’re in Christ there’s no reason to get discouraged.
--When things seem to be going the wrong way in your home, hang in
there.
--When things seem to be going wrong at work, hang in there.
--When things seem to be going wrong in our country, hang in there...
don’t get discouraged.
For we know the final chapter: THE KING IS COMING AND NO ONE CAN STOP HIM!!!
*You can try fire…but he’ll quench it.
*You can try water…but he’ll walk upon it.
*You can try the wind…but he’ll wrap it around his feet
*You can try the grave…but he’ll break open the tomb.
*You can try the United Nations…but he’ll make it fall to its feet.
*You can try Atheism, Secularism, Humanism and even say that he
never lived…-that the Bible’s a lie
-that Christianity is irrelevant,
BUT THE KING OF kings and LORD of Lords WILL PREVAIL…
YOU CAN’T STOP HIM.
He has a name that’s above every name and that’s why I choose to trust in Christ and Christ alone as my King, My Lord,
My Savior!
No…No one will stop him….No one will ever stop him.
*No Government No Philosophy will ever stop Him.
Because, you see, God has given him a name that is above every name, that at the name of JESUS every knee will bow of those in heaven, and earth, and under the earth…and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD to the glory of God the Father.
HE IS INDEED KING JESUS
Place your trust in Him…make him King, make him Lord of your life.
Is he? Do you know him….Personally
BOW FOR PRAYER
