OUR ULTIMATE RULER
JOHN 18:28-38
THE BIRTH OF A ROYAL BABY IS ALWAYS AN EXCITING EVENT FOR THE NATION, AND FOR THE WORLD. I REMEMBER THE HAPPINESS THAT SURROUNDED THE BIRTH OF WILLIAM AND HARRY FOR PRINCESS DIANA AND CHARLES. A TOWN CRYER STOOD OUTSIDE BUCKINGHAM PALACE AND ANNOUNCED WILLIAM’S SAFE ARRIVAL. AT THE HOSPITAL GREAT CROWDS CHEERED AS CHARLES AND DIANA BROUGHT HIM HOME. PEOPLE DANCED IN THE STREETS AND THERE WAS MERRIMENT AND SINGING IN THE PUBS ACROSS THE LAND. IT WAS JUST LIKE A SCENE FROM CORONATION STREET.
THE SCENE WOULD BE LATER REPEATED AS KATE AND WILLIAM ANNOUNCE THE BIRTH OF THEIR FIRSTBORN, ANOTHER CROWN PRINCE, AND THE CARES OF THE WORLD SEEMED TO VANISH IF ONLY FOR A MOMENT.
THE ARRIVAL OF BABIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG THING IN MY FAMILY. MY DAD TAUGHT US HOW TO HOLD A CHILD PROPERLY. YOU HAD TO SUPPORT THEIR NECK, BUT LIFT THEM SUFFICIENTLY UP ON YOUR SHOULDER SO THAT THEY COULD LOOK AROUND. A CRYING BABY, ANY CRYING BABY, WAS CONSIDERED A CHALLENGE TO HIS BABY HOLDING SKILLS, AND IN MOST CASES HE COULD CALM THE INFANT DOWN. IN FACT IT WOULD WORK SO WELL THAT THE BABY WOULD WANT THAT FROM EVERYONE.
TO PUT A BABY TO SLEEP YOU HAD TO LAY IT ON IT’S STOMACH ON YOUR ARM. YOU COULD STILL SUPPORT THE NECK BUT IT LEFT YOUR OTHER ARM FREE TO RUB THE BABY’S BACK OR TO USE YOUR INDEX FINGER AS A SOOTHER IF THE BABY WAS TEETHING. FEW BABIES COULD RESIST WHAT WE CALLED THE ROCK AND WALK. THEY ALSO SOON COME TO EXPECT THIS FROM EVERYONE.
WE USED TO CALL IT “GRANDPA SPOILED.” DAD WOULD SIMPLY SAY “IT MUST BE HARD FOR A BABY TO TRAIN AN ADULT IN THE PROPER WAY TO HOLD THEM.”
A BAY’S ARRIVAL IS EXCITING, BUT THERE WAS NO EXCITEMENT IN BETHLEHEM ON THE NIGHT THAT JESUS WAS BORN, AT LEAST NOT FOR THAT ROYAL CHILD. THE ROMANS CREATED KAOS AS A RESULT OF THE CENSUS, AND WHETHER IT WAS EXCITEMENT OR BEWILDERMENT ON THE PART OF THE SHEPHERDS WE DON’T KNOW.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT A KING, THE KING WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM. HIS PALACE WAS A BARN AND HIS ROYAL DRESS WAS SWADDLING CLOTH. THERE WAS HEAVENLY FANFARE AS THE ANGELS PROCLAIMED HIS ARRIVAL TO THE SHEPHERDS, BUT IN THE TOWN, NO ONE PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO THE NEW ARRIVAL.
THIS CHILD WOULD GROW UP TO BE A KING WHO WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD. THE WORLD WHEN HE WAS BORN WAS RULED BY THE IRON HAND OF THE ROMANS, INTO WHICH HE PROCLAIMED A MESSAGE OF A COMING KINGDOM OF PEACE.
IN TODAYS WORLD THERE ARE NOT MANY KINGDOMS AND THE KINGS IN THEM ARE MERELY FIGUREHEADS. OUR KING WILL REIGN IN WISDOM AND MIGHT FOREVER IN A KINGDOM THAT WILL LAST FOREVER.
EPHESIANS 1:22: AND GOD PLACED ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET AND APPOINTED HIM TO BE HEAD OVER EVERYTHING FOR THE CHURCH.
THE QUESTION WE FACE TODAY IS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY THAT JESUS IS OUR ULTIMATE RULER OR KING?
THE WORD “ULTIMATE” BRINGS MANY THINGS TO MIND. WE MAY THINK OF PERFECTION, SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE TOPPED, A PERFORMANCE AT THE OPTIMUM LEVEL, IT CAN’T GET ANY BETTER. I’VE LEARNED THAT “ULTIMATE” IS A RELATIVE TERM, AND IS SUBJECTIVE TO THE MIND OF THE INDIVIDUAL. ALL TOO OFTEN THAT WHICH WE FEEL IS AN “ULTIMATE” PERFORMER OR PERFORMANCE IN ANYTHING, IS ECLIPSED BY THE PERFORMANCE OF ANOTHER THE NEXT DAY, OR LEGITIMATELY CALLED INTO QUESTION IN COMPARISON TO ANOTHER.
WHAT MAKES JESUS THE “ULTIMATE” RULER, THE RULER THAT IS BEYOND ALL OTHER RULERS? LET’S TAKE THE REST OF OUR TIME THIS MORNING AND EXAMINE THIS.
POINT ONE: JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF THE FATHER
WHEN PAUL WAS SPEAKING TO THE COLOSSIANS, HE MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT.
COLOSSIANS 1:15-20:
15 THE SON IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, THE FIRSTBORN OVER ALL CREATION. 16 FOR IN HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED: THINGS IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, WHETHER THRONES OR POWERS OR RULERS OR AUTHORITIES; ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN CREATED THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM. 17 HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, AND IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER. 18 AND HE IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH; HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE FIRSTBORN FROM AMONG THE DEAD, SO THAT IN EVERYTHING HE MIGHT HAVE THE SUPREMACY. 19 FOR GOD WAS PLEASED TO HAVE ALL HIS FULLNESS DWELL IN HIM, 20 AND THROUGH HIM TO RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS, WHETHER THINGS ON EARTH OR THINGS IN HEAVEN, BY MAKING PEACE THROUGH HIS BLOOD, SHED ON THE CROSS.
IN THIS PASSAGE PAUL ASCRIBES TO JESUS A QUALITY THAT NO OTHER MONARCH COULD OR CAN EVER ACHIEVE WHEN HE SAYS THAT THE SON IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD. WHAT HE MEANS IS THAT THE CHARACTER, THE EMOTIONS, THE WISDOM AND POWER THAT JESUS DISPLAYED IN THIS WORLD, ARE CHARACTERISTICS ALSO SEEN IN THE FATHER.
WE DON’T KNOW WHY JESUS WEPT AT THE TOMB OF LAZARUS, BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR FROM THIS PASSAGE IS THIS, WHAT CAUSED JESUS TO WEEP IS THE SAME THING THAT WOULD DISTURB THE FATHER AS WELL. WHAT MADE JESUS ANGRY WITH THE MONEYLENDERS AT THE TEMPLE, WOULD CAUSE THE FATHER ANGER AS WELL.
IN THIS PASSAGE WE ARE TOLD THAT JESUS WAS INVOLVED IN CREATION. NO OTHER KING CAN MAKE THAT CLAIM. WE CAN CREATE BORDERS AND NEW COUNTRIES, BUT NOBODY CAN CREATE EX-NAHILO, WHICH MEANS OUT OF NOTHING. JOHN IS VERY CAREFUL TO INCLUDE JESUS WITH CREATION WHEN HE STATES:
JOHN 1:1-2:
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. 2 HE WAS WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING. 3 THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE; WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT HAS BEEN MADE.
HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN IS BECAUSE JESUS IS IN THE IMAGE OF THE FATHER AND HAD THE SAME POWER AT THIS TIME AS THE FATHER. WHEN HE TOOK ON HUMAN FORM, THEN AND ONLY THEN, WOULD HE TAKE ON THE LIMITATIONS OF HIS HUMAN FORM.
THIS PASSAGE TELLS US THAT BECAUSE HE IS IN THE IMAGE OF GOD THAT HE HAS SUPREMACY OVER ALL THINGS. MONARCHS AND LEADERS THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE TRIED TO CONQUER THE WORLD BUT NONE WERE SUCCESSFUL. JESUS OUR “ULTIMATE” RULER IS NOT GOING TO JUST CONQUER THE WORLD, HE IS GOING TO RULE THE UNIVERSE FOR ETERNITY. THE MOTTO OF CRANDALL UNIVERSITY SHOULD ALWAYS BE A MEASURING ROD FOR OUR LIVES.
COLOSSIANS 1:18B: THAT IN EVERYTHING HE MIGHT HAVE THE SUPREMACY
DOES HE HAVE SUPREMACY IN YOUR LIFE TODAY? DOES HE HAVE SUPREMACY IN HOW YOU WILL SPEND CHRISTMAS?
IT IS BECAUSE JESUS WAS IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, THAT HE COULD BY OUR PERFECT SACRIFICE. BECAUSE HE IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, HE CAN BE THE ONE TO WHOM THE SACRIFICE IS MADE. HE WAS BOTH SHEEP AND SHEPHERD.
POINT TWO: JESUS WAS THE ULTIMATE RULER BECAUSE HE BORE THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF A RULER
THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY RULER IS TO SACRIFICE HIS LIFE FOR HIS KINGDOM. THEY LOSE THEIR PERSONAL LIVES AND IN SOME CASES LOSE THEIR PHYSICAL LIVES.
JESUS HAD TO WEAR A CROWN OF THORNS BEFORE HE COULD WEAR THE CROWN OF THE KINGDOM. HE HAD TO BE THE SACRIFICE BEFORE HE COULD BE THE VICTOR. BY BEING THE SACRIFICE BY DYING ON THE CROSS, HE BECAME THE ULTIMATE VICTOR OVER SATAN.
JESUS KNEW THAT A TIME WOULD COME WHERE HE WOULD CLAIM HIS THRONE AND KINGDOM. THAT TIME IS NEAR NOW, BUT IT IS STILL NOT RIGHT NOW NOR WAS IT DURING THE TIME OF JESUS’ LIFE ON EARTH.
SATAN TRIED TO ATTACK JESUS BY GETTING HIM TO BYPASS THE CROSS AND IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM.
MATTHEW 4:8-11:
AGAIN, THE DEVIL TOOK HIM TO A VERY HIGH MOUNTAIN AND SHOWED HIM ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD AND THEIR SPLENDOR. 9 “ALL THIS I WILL GIVE YOU,” HE SAID, “IF YOU WILL BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP ME.” 10 JESUS SAID TO HIM, “AWAY FROM ME, SATAN! FOR IT IS WRITTEN: ‘WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” 11 THEN THE DEVIL LEFT HIM, AND ANGELS CAME AND ATTENDED HIM
YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THIS AS THE THIRD OF THE TEMPTATIONS WHAT HIS RESPONSIBILITY WASFACED AFTER HIS BAPTISM. SATAN WAS OFFERING SOMETHING HE DIDN’T OWN, IN THE PHYSICAL KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD. JESUS KNEW EVENTUALLY THEY WOULD BE HIS BUT FIRST HE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO CALVARY IN OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHER.
HIS RESPONSE TO SATAN INDICATED THAT HE KNEW WHAT HIS RESPONSIBILITY WAS. HE KNEW HE HAD TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY. SATAN WOULD NOT GET HIM TO SHIRK HIS RESPONSIBILITY AS OUR KING.
HE WOULD NOT ALLOW PETER TO DISTRACT HIM FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITY.
MATTHEW 16:21-23:
FROM THAT TIME ON JESUS BEGAN TO EXPLAIN TO HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE MUST GO TO JERUSALEM AND SUFFER MANY THINGS AT THE HANDS OF THE ELDERS, THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW, AND THAT HE MUST BE KILLED AND ON THE THIRD DAY BE RAISED TO LIFE. 22 PETER TOOK HIM ASIDE AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM. “NEVER, LORD!” HE SAID. “THIS SHALL NEVER HAPPEN TO YOU!” 23 JESUS TURNED AND SAID TO PETER, “GET BEHIND ME, SATAN! YOU ARE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO ME; YOU DO NOT HAVE IN MIND THE CONCERNS OF GOD, BUT MERELY HUMAN CONCERNS.”
JESUS WAS INSTRUCTING THE DISCIPLES AS TO WHY HE HAD TO GO TO JERUSALEM. THE TIME HAD COME FOR HIS SACRIFICE AND NOW HE BORE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO FULFILL THAT MISSION. NOTHING COULD DETER HIM.
SATAN TRIED A DIFFERENT TACTIC HERE. HE ATTACKED JESUS THROUGH ONE OF THE DISCIPLES. JESUS PICKED UP ON IT IMMEDIATELY AND REALIZED WHO THE REAL ENEMY WAS.
WE MUST BE WEARY AS SATAN WILL USE THIS PLOY ON US AS WELL. WHEN GOD GIVES US A MISSION OUR EYES, HEART AND MIND, MUST BE DEVOTED TO THAT MISSION. SATAN XCAN USE SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT WE LOVE IN ORDER TO DIVERT OUR ATTENTION FROM WHAT WE KNOW IS THE CALL OF GOD. WHEN THIS HAPPENS OUR RESPONSE MUST BE AS JESUS’: GET THEE BEHIND ME.
HE WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CROWD TO DISTRACT HIM FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITY.
PEER PRESSURE CAN BE A TERRIFIC STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME. IT’S NICE TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CROWD. IT’S NICE TO BE POPULAR. JOHN RECORDS AN EVENT WHERE THE PEOPLE TRIED TO MAKE JESUS THEIR KING.
JOHN 6:13-15:
SO THEY GATHERED THEM AND FILLED TWELVE BASKETS WITH THE PIECES OF THE FIVE BARLEY LOAVES LEFT OVER BY THOSE WHO HAD EATEN. 14 AFTER THE PEOPLE SAW THE SIGN JESUS PERFORMED, THEY BEGAN TO SAY, “SURELY THIS IS THE PROPHET WHO IS TO COME INTO THE WORLD.” 15 JESUS, KNOWING THAT THEY INTENDED TO COME AND MAKE HIM KING BY FORCE, WITHDREW AGAIN TO A MOUNTAIN BY HIMSELF
THIS PASSAGE OCCURS EARLY IN CHRIST’S MINISTRY. THE PEOPLE WERE DESPERATE FOR A LEADER WHO WOULD LEAD THEM IN REBELLION AGAINST THE ROMANS. JESUS MESSAGE WAS ABOUT ESTABLISHING A KINGDOM WHICH THE PEOPLE THOUGHT TO BE A PHYSICAL ONE, SO THEY LOOKED TO HIM TO LEAD THEM AGAINST THE ROMANS AND RE-ESTABLISH THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL.
THE KINGDOM JESUS IS TO ESTABLISH WILL NOT BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY FORCE. HE IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE NOT THE KING OF CALAMITY. HIS MISSION HAD A TIMETABLE AND HE WOULD NOT ALLOW SATAN TO USE THE PEOPLE TO DISTRACT HIM FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HIS MISSION.
JESUS WAS THE ULTIMATE RULER BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT ALLOW ANYONE, SATAN HIMSELF, HIS FRIENDS, OR HIS COUNTRYMEN, TO DISTRACT HIM FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HIS MISSION.
POINT THREE: JESUS WAS THE ULTIMATE RULER FOR HE IS THE KING OF TRUTH.
JESUS IS NOW STANDING BEFORE PILATE AND BEING QUESTIONED. HIS CRIME WAS MANUFACTURED BY THE JEWISH RELIGIOUS LEADERS FROM THE TITLE JESUS’ FOLLOWERS REFERRED TO CALLING HIM “THE KING OF THE JEWS”. THE JEWS HOPED THAT PILATE WOULD HAVE HIM EXECUTED FOR SEDITION AND TREASON, BASED ON THE TITLE FOR THERE WAS TO BE NO OTHER KING THAN CAESAR.
IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY PILATE QUESTIONS JESUS DIRECTLY AND IN V. 37 ASKS “ARE YOU A KING?
THIS IS A QUESTION JESUS DOES NOT DIRECTLY ANSWER. AT NO POINT IN HIS TRIAL DOES HE CLAIM TO BE A KING. HE IS CAREFUL IN V.37 TO SAY “YOU SAY” I AM A KING.
HE IS ALSO CAREFUL TO POINT OUT THAT HIS KINGDOM IS A SPIRITUAL KINGDOM ONE NOT OF THIS WORLD. THEREFORE, HE IS NOT A DIRECT THREAT TO THE ROMANS. JESUS SPEAKS TO PILATE ABOUT THE KINGDOM, AND NOT ABOUT HIMSELF AS KING. TO DO ANYTHING ELSE WOULD PLACE JESUS IN A POSITION WHERE HIS DEATH WOULD NOT BE A SACRIFICE, BUT AN EXECUTION. WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER PILATES WORDS JUST BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION “I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM.”
CONCLUSION: JESUS AS THE ULTIMATE RULER FOR THE ENTIRETY OF HISTORY IS BOOKENDED BY THE ARRIVAL OF THE KING.
THE FIRST ADVENT WHICH WE CELEBRATE AT CHRISTMAS ANNOUNCED THE BIRTH OF THE KING IN SERVANTHOOD. IT ANNOUNCES THE BIRTH OF THE KING WITH A MISSION TO ACCOMPLISH, AND THAT MISSION WAS TO PRESENT HIMSELF AS A SACRIFICE FOR MANY.
IN JESUS FIRST ADVENT WE SEE THE BIRTH OF TRUTH. PEOPLE WERE SEEKING TRUTH AND JESUS WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE IT. PILATE WOULD ASK JESUS WHAT IS TRUTH? AT THE TIME OF HIS CRUCIFIXION PILATE PRINTED THE ANSWER IN THREE LANGUAGES FOR ALL TO SEE.
JOHN 19:19: PILATE HAD A NOTICE PREPARED AND FASTENED TO THE CROSS. IT READ: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THOUGH IS THE SECOND ADVENT WHEN JESUS RETURNS AGAIN TO SETUP HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD AT CHRISTMAS AS A BABY, WHEN HE RETURNS HE WILL HEILED AS THE KING OF KING AND THE LORD OF LORDS.
REVELATION 19:11-16:
I SAW HEAVEN STANDING OPEN AND THERE BEFORE ME WAS A WHITE HORSE, WHOSE RIDER IS CALLED FAITHFUL AND TRUE. WITH JUSTICE HE JUDGES AND WAGES WAR. 12 HIS EYES ARE LIKE BLAZING FIRE, AND ON HIS HEAD ARE MANY CROWNS. HE HAS A NAME WRITTEN ON HIM THAT NO ONE KNOWS BUT HE HIMSELF. 13 HE IS DRESSED IN A ROBE DIPPED IN BLOOD, AND HIS NAME IS THE WORD OF GOD. 14 THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN WERE FOLLOWING HIM, RIDING ON WHITE HORSES AND DRESSED IN FINE LINEN, WHITE AND CLEAN. 15 COMING OUT OF HIS MOUTH IS A SHARP SWORD WITH WHICH TO STRIKE DOWN THE NATIONS. “HE WILL RULE THEM WITH AN IRON SCEPTER.” P HE TREADS THE WINEPRESS OF THE FURY OF THE WRATH OF GOD ALMIGHTY. 16 ON HIS ROBE AND ON HIS THIGH HE HAS THIS NAME WRITTEN: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
THIS IS WHY HE IS THE ULTIMATE RULER. HE IS HIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST AND GREATER THAN THE GREAT. AS THE PROPHET ISAIAH STATES:
ISAIAH 9:7: OF THE GREATNESS OF HIS GOVERNMENT AND PEACE THERE WILL BE NO END. HE WILL REIGN ON DAVID’S THRONE AND OVER HIS KINGDOM, ESTABLISHING AND UPHOLDING IT WITH JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THAT TIME ON AND FOREVER.
THE QUESTION FOR US TODAY IS WHETHER OR NOT HE IS YOUR KING. HAVE YOU CLAIMED HIM AS YOUR SAVIOUR AND LORD? ONE DAY YOU WILL KNEEL BEFORE HIM AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIS SUPREMACY BUT WILL YOU DO IT AS SAVIOUR OR JUDGE.
IN THE BERLIN ART GALLERY THERE IS A PAINTING BY THE FAMOUS ARTIST MENGEL THAT IS ONLY PARTIALLY FINISHED. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A PAINTING OF KING FREDERICK OF GERMANY TALKING TO HIS GENERALS.
MENGEL PAINSTAKINGLY PAINTED THE GENERALS FIRST, PLACING THEM AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE PAINTING AND LEAVING A BARE PATCH IN THE MIDDLE FOR THE PAINTING OF THE KING.
MENGEL DIED BEFORE HE COULD FINISH THE PAINTING. THERE IS A PAINTING FULL OF GENERALS BUT NO KING. EACH ONE OF US IS PAINTING THE STORY OF OUR LIVES, WITH WORDS AND DEEDS OF EVERYDAY LIFE. MOST IMPORTANT FOR US THOUGH IS NOT TO LEAVE A SPACE FOR THE PICTURE OF THE KING. MOST IMPORTANT FOR US IS TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A KING AROUND WHICH TO PAINT OUR LIVES.
