In Jesus Holy Name November 22, 2020
Text: Revelation 19:11, 15 Christ the King Sunday Redeemer
“The King Who Conquers Evil”
The Gospel of John records the words written above the cross on which Jesus died. It read: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this sign…but the chief Priests protested to Pilate: “Do not write “the King of the Jews, but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” Pilate answered: “What I have written I have written.”
My guess is that when you and I think of the “Kingship” of Jesus our memories do not recall a nation with geographical boundaries but rather the massive choirs and orchestras that perform Handel’s Messiah, proclaiming Jesus “King of kings and Lord of Lords”.. and declares “He shall reign forever and ever!”
Today is the Last Sunday in the Church Year. It is known as Christ the King Sunday. From the beginning of the church year last December 2019, 2020 has been a very unusual year. We have been sheltering in. Worried about shortages, of toilet paper, shortages of food. Worried about the election results. Worried about whether Christmas will be canceled as is Thanksgiving. The question every church must answer is: “How can we stay safe and still worship our Lord and King as a community.”
At the beginning of each church year, the bible readings in the Avent Season tell us about the king who is coming, the anointed one of God who would save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) John the Baptist proclaimed: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” That of course would be answered by Jesus in His ministry, by His miracles, His death and resurrection.
During the coming Epiphany season of the church year we know that Astrologers from the east came inquiring of King Herod, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” King Herod was afraid. He did not know that this child born in Bethlehem was not to be a political king.
When Jesus and the disciples arrived in Jerusalem, He fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah: “Behold, Your Kings comes to you, humble and riding upon a donkey.” The people greet him: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” Many believed He would throw out the Romans. That was their hope. No. Jesus came to overthrow the powers of Satan who held people in the grip and fear of death and the coming Judgment of God over broken commandments?
When Jesus was on the cross the ridicule of the bystanders and the hope of the penitent thief are wrapped up in the truth or false hood of one’s belief in the Kingship of Jesus. “If you are the King of the Jews save yourself!” “Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God.” The penitent thief simply offers a request. “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom….” Jesus answered with a promise: “today you will be with me in paradise.”
What a shock. The disciples were nowhere to be found, except for John. God’s anointed king is dying like a common criminal. To a casual observer on that early Friday afternoon, things were not going all that well for the “king”. How can one look at the cross and call it a throne? How can we see death, a cruel death as a statement of victory?
John Stott in his book “The Cross of Christ” writes: “How could any sane person worship as a god a dead man who had been condemned as a criminal and subjected to the most humiliating form of execution? This combination of death, crime and shame put him beyond the pale of respect, let alone worship.”
The fact, that the cross, became the symbol of Christianity and that Christians stubbornly refused, in spite of the ridicule, to discard it in favor of something less offensive… can have only one explanation. The cross was not his final destination…. There must be more to the story.
The Apostle Paul wrote: “We preached Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles…but to those who are called… Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” He rose from death and the grave.
God came to earth in the person of Jesus. We’ll soon celebrate his arrival, His birth in Bethlehem. Jesus came as a servant King, which is why he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey in royal procession. He had told his disciples: “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28) His final command was for those who follow Him to love one another and be servants to one another.
Jesus came as a result of the promise of God to Adam and Eve to defeat Satan who holds people in the grip of the fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14) Jesus came as the King lifted high on a cross to offer His perfect life as the perfect Lamb of God. His perfect sacrifice is what brings forgiveness for every broken commandment of everyone who places their trust in Jesus. It is He who defeated death by rising from the grave and death itself.
David Kupelian in his book “How Evil Works” writes: “”we do not understand evil, what it is, how it works, and why it so routinely and effortlessly ruins our lives. Despite the human race’s extraordinary capacity for invention and progress we clearly have a millennia old blind spot”….to the influence and power of Satan at work to destroy God’s creation. We can see that violent behavior when it roams our streets, just as Herod’s soldiers roamed the streets of Bethlehem late one night.
As much as we want, husbands and wives can’t seem to stay married. Family breakdown is all around us. We have been given a lie that the grass is greener or there is less conflict with another. Americans are increasingly forsaking their faith in Christianity and its’ values, along with the challenge to forgive one another.
A crisis throws us off our guard, upsets us, and inclines us to make decisions and accept “solutions’ we normally would reject. The COVIN 19 crisis has challenged our sacred institutions of worship and family gatherings. Families are God’s created stronghold. Within the family is where we are to find acceptance, care, support, without love and hope suicides rise and depression wins the day. Family is God’s creation from the beginning of time. In God’s design the family challenge overcome evil.
In our present culture there is contempt for authority. We see in our streets against the police. Satan would love a world without police…. Chaos destroys lives, families, institutions. This is why Jesus calls us to be “peacemakers” to Love our neighbor as ourselves. It is a better way. Pride and hate use intimidation. Intimidation leads to fear. Fear destroys lives. Too often as human beings we seek easy solutions, even to the point of giving up sacred freedoms.
Men, boys, masculinity itself has been under a withering national assault for decades. The Great Society almost destroyed the American Black family, by removing the father from the home if the home was to receive financial aid from the government.
Our current culture is filled with “gender confusion” and role reversal. Jesus called Satan the father of lies. Satan understands that when we break the bond between a father and his children it becomes easy to break the bond between our heavenly Father and we His children. When that bond is lost we human beings feel abandoned and lost in a sea false substitutes.
In Revelation 17 John is told that “great prostitute” dressed in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls is false religion. False religion can be an attractive substitute that replaces the truth of God, but offers temporary power and glory. John further identifies the beast on which the “great prostitute” of false religion relies is political government ruled by selfish kings and rulers. These are the tools of Satan in his cosmic war against God’s chosen people and His church.
Revelation 13 is very clear. When Satan failed to kill the infant Jesus He went off to make war against “those who obey God’s commandments” and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” So I ask… who was behind the desire to remove the ten commandments of God out of our public classrooms?
There will be a great battle when the King of kings returns. John writes: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse whose rider is call Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. …His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen. On His robe and His thigh He has this name: ‘The King of kings and Lord of lords.’
There will be a great white throne judgment at the end of human history. The return of Jesus Christ from heaven will usher in the Day of Judgment when the risen Jesus Christ separates the wicked from the righteous. Everyone will be judged. The Son of Man will come in glory with His angels and he will reward everyone according to what they have done. “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink I was a stranger and you invited me in. I need clothing and you clothed me.” Well done thou good and faithful servant. Come and share the happiness of your Lord.
To others who failed to care for their neighbor in need, who let hate and bitterness rule their behavior rather than peace and forgiveness, they will be cast out into outer darkness. (Matthew 25:28-30) Remember the Risen Jesus has already taken away our failures, He has blotted out our broken commandments and has “rescued us from the wrath of God”. (I Thessalonians 1:10 I John 1:9)
People who need to dread the coming Judgment of the Risen Christ are those who refused to respond to God’s offer of salvation through faith in Jesus. We are saved by faith alone, but not the faith that is alone. Faith alone justifies and we have peace with God. For we are God’s creation created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do, even a cup of cold water.
Hebrews 9:27 “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that face the judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
I love the way the late African-American preacher S. M. Lockridge once put it: “The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him. But they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s my King.” And He is coming Back! (Story from Sermons.com)
Jesus said: “Behold I am coming soon. I will return. And my reward is with me. I Am the First and the Last…blessed are those who wash their robes (in the blood of the Lamb) for they have the right to the tree of life. Amen, Amen.
