Jesus: King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Revelation 19:11-16
Philippians 2:4-11
As we prepare for the Easter Celebration in a couple weeks we want to have an adequate view of the person and work of Jesus Christ. We don’t want a perverted view given by television or Hollywood. We want a Biblical view.
Philippians 2:4-11 states that God humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant and became a man, Jesus, the incarnate Son of God and Man. Jesus was obedient unto death on a cross, but God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
We find in the Revelation of John an adequate view of Jesus and his coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. A day is coming when Jesus will reign as King and Lord over the Universe and we will have the privilege of participating in that reign in heaven.
There are many views of heaven:
Steve an eight year old said, “When you die, God takes care of you like your mother did when you were alive, only God doesn’t yell at you all the time.”
Jimmy, another eight year old, “When you die, they bury you in the ground and your soul goes to heaven, but your body can’t go to heaven, because it’s too crowded up there already.”
Marsha, a nine-year-old, “When you die, you don’t have to do homework in heaven, unless your teacher is there too.”
An adequate view of God is one that sees Jesus as Creator and Lord of the Universe.
I. Jesus is Creator and Lord of the Universe
Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Jesus is the beginning and the end – Alpha, the first letter of the Greek Alphabet and Omega the last letter of the Greek Alphabet.
Jesus has always existed. Genesis 1:1, Jesus was involved in the creation of the universe, sun, moon, stars and the earth and all that dwells on the earth. Jesus is eternal, part of the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God the Father revealed Himself in Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God. The Holy Spirit continues to make God known to all humanity through Jesus God’s only Son.
Genesis 1:26 God is speaking: “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” We are created in the image of God, in the image of holiness of righteousness. You were made to have fellowship with God. Your very nature is to hunger and thirst for righteousness. That’s why without a personal relationship with Jesus people are constantly searching for meaning to life – trying this and trying that, but nothing seems to fill the void. God alone can fill that vacuum.
The image of God in humankind was marred when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and listened to the Serpent, Lucifer, the Devil, a fallen Arch-Angel. Romans 5:12 says, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam) and death through sin, and in this way death came to all en, because all sinned.”
Disobedience brought on the sinful nature that everyone since Adam is born with. It was because of sin and the consequences of sin, both physical and eternal death that caused Jesus step out of Heaven and become a man – God incarnate in the person of Jesus. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinning, Christ died for us.”
The Apostle John is referring to Jesus when he states in John 1:1-4, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” Jesus became God’s Word of revelation to all humankind.
Jesus is equal with God and taught that seeing and believing in Him is seeing and believing in God. False teachings state that Jesus is the created Son of God and not equal with God. Jesus stated emphatically that He and God are one. In fact Jesus went to the cross for blasphemy, because He claimed to be equal with God. John 10:31, Jesus said: “I and the Father are one.”
Jesus is creator and Lord of all creation. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 1:15-17, “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Did you catch that phrase, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” What a Savior we serve. He is our creator and Lord.
II. Jesus Came to Demonstrate God’s Love.
When we celebrate Holy week that starts next Sunday it’s all about God’s love. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
There is a part of God’s love that we find hard to grasp and understand – His unconditional love.
Most of our love tends to be conditional. Our love often has strings attached. We want something in return for our love. If you do something for me then I will do something for you. We want recognition. We want something tangible. Unconditional love is demanding. Unconditional love seems unreasonable. Yet God continues to love us in spite of ourselves.
We read that God is love, but there is so much in life that seems to contradict God’s love. So much in life doesn’t make sense. Yet God continues to love you when you rebel and get off His path of righteousness.
The unconditional love of God is seen in the story Jesus told about a prodigal son. The youngest son in the family left home and rebelled against his family. He took all his savings and family inheritance and spent it all foolishly. While he was out living high on the hog his father was at home patiently waiting for him. Day by day he waited. When the son finally ended up with the hogs he decided to return home and become a hired hand of his family. As he turn the corner of the road leading up to the farmhouse the father is there waiting with open arms.
God’s unconditional love is all about God’s grace of showing you love that you don’t deserve.
The chorus we sometime sing describes God’s love:
“That God would love a sinner such as I, Should yearn to change my sorrow into bliss, Nor rest till He has planned to bring me nigh. How wonderful is love like this! Such love such wondrous love, such love such wondrous love! That God would love a sinner such as I, How wonderful is love like this!”
# Dr. Maxwell Maltz tells a remarkable story that illustrates unconditional love. A man had been injured in a fire while attempting to save his parents from a burning house. He couldn’t get to them. They perished. His face was burned and disfigured. He mistakenly interpreted his pain as God’s punishment. The man wouldn’t let anyone see him – not even his wife.
She went to Dr. Maltz, a plastic surgeon, for help. He told the woman not to worry. “I can restore his face.”
The wife was unenthused. Her husband had repeatedly refused any help. She knew he would again.
Then why her visit? “I want you to disfigure my face so I can be like him! If I can share in his pain, then maybe he will let me back into his life.”
Dr. Maltz was shocked. He denied her request but was so moved by this woman’s love that he went to speak with her husband. Knocking on the man’s bedroom door, he called loudly, “I’m a plastic surgeon, and I want you to know that I can restore your face.”
No response. “Please come out.” Again there was no answer.
Still speaking through the door, Dr. Maltz told the man of his wife’s proposal. “She wants me to disfigure her face to make her face like yours in the hope that you will let her back into your life. That’s how much she loves you.”
There was a brief moment of silence, and then, ever so slowly, the door knob began to turn.
The way the woman felt about her husband is the way God feels about you. God loves you. Jesus came to demonstrate God’s love. Jesus come to you and says, “I love you.” Just open the door. Turn the knob and let me in to have fellowship with you and you with me.
Jesus came as creator and Lord of the universe.
Jesus came to demonstrate God’s love.
III. Jesus will Return to Reign as King.
Revelation 19:1-6 is the New Testament Hallelujah Chorus. The Apostle John is given the revelation of end times when Jesus will return and set up his Kingly reign on earth. The 24 elders represent the church – the people of God sing out, “Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Revelation 19 gives a graphic picture of the second coming of Christ. Revelation 19:11-16, Jesus will return as a conquering King riding on a white horse, a symbol of kingship. He is called Faithful and True and the Word of God. Jesus came in the first Advent in a lowly stable. His second coming will be visible to all.
Jesus taught his disciples the truths about the end of the ages and his second coming. Matthew 24:27,30-31 -- “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
Revelation 19:11-16 Jesus is given five names:
1. Faithful – Jesus is absolute trustworthy
2. True – In Jesus there is total absence of all that is false
3. Word of God
4. King of Kings
5. Lord of Lords
When Jesus comes he will conquer all evil and set up a righteous and holy reign. Satan is for now the god and prince of this world, but Christ holds the title deed and will return to possess the earth and establish his eternal Kingdom. Rev. 21:5-6 - Jesus will rule from the city of Jerusalem.
During the 1000 year earthly reign of Jesus there will be
• Peace on earth
• One language – the curse of Babel will be removed
• A resurrection from the dead all who died with faith in Christ.
After the 1000 year reign Satan will be set free for a brief time to temp all who are born during the 1000 year reign and then Satan and all his fallen angels will be sent to their eternal prison in hell and separate from God’s love and grace. Rev. 20:9-10
Jesus comes as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus has come to cancel the power and grip of sin in a persons’ life. We all need a before Christ and an after Christ testimony. Before Christ I was blinded by sin, but now in Christ I can see. Before Christ I was addicted to _________, now in Christ I am set free, healed by the power of God.
Yes, I believe Jesus can set a person free from addictions. A friend of mine experienced the transforming power of God in his life. Tom Johnston was an alcoholic. He was a wife beater. His life was a mess. His wife never gave up on him and eventually he came to a faith in Jesus. He claimed the power of God for deliverance and was healed of the addiction of alcohol. God healed him and took away the desire to drink. He said he was set free, no longer an alcoholic. .
Think of it, the Creator of the Universe, Jesus came to set you free. Jesus can cancel the sin in your life. Someone has written:
“In Christ we have a love that can never be fathomed, a life that can never die, a peace that can never be understood, a rest that can never be disturbed, a joy that can never be diminished, a hope that can never be disappointed, a glory that can never be clouded, a light that can never be darkened, and a spiritual resource that can never be exhausted.”
Jesus came as creator and Lord of the Universe
Jesus came to demonstrate God’s love
Jesus will return to reign as King
Listen to the words of a verse from the hymn by John Wesley: “And Can It Be.”
“Long my imprisoned spirit lay Fast bound in sin and nature’s night. Thine eye diffused a quicking ray; I woke the dungeon flamed with light! My chains fell out, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.”
Prepare for Easter by Praising God Creator of the Universe, Accept His Love, and faithfully serve Him until He returns.
