JESUS THE EXALTED WARRIOR
Today we’ll try to get a more complete view of Jesus. Jesus the exalted warrior.
Having a more compete view is extremely important for how we proclaim Him, how devoted we are to him, how we conduct our lives, how we handle adversity. It effects our level of trust, even our respect and worship of Him.
Exo 15:3 The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name. In our culture what is emphasized about Jesus primarily revolves around a few attributes. Things like kindness, gentleness, compassion, love, mercy and grace. The great emphasis of these attributes are the only ones that some people think of when they think of Jesus. This view of Jesus only has made some people think of him as somewhat of a milktoast, weak, softspoken, mama’s boy. Hardly the type of character that most men want their sons to imitate. Men don’t follow these types into battle and sure don’t die for them.
The picture that our culture paints of Jesus is one that we just don’t respect. As a young man the picture of Jesus that I had was not one that I wanted to follow. He was not a man to me, but a weak individual not worth learning about much less giving my life for. I was not inspired to learn about Jesus. He was not a fighter to me.
The picture that people have of Jesus makes all the difference in their lives. Some think of Jesus as only a baby in a manger. Others think of him as:
A twelve year old amazing the elders, chief priest and teachers in the temple or
Just a preacher of the gospel. Still others:
As the suffering servant that died for you.
JESUS IS SO MUCH MORE!
First JESUS IS GOD! He is the all powerful one. The Savior of mankind. He’s a mans man. But he’s also The:
Almighty (Rev. 1:8; Mt. 28:18)
Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:13)
Amen (Rev. 3:14)
Apostle of our Profession (Heb. 3:1)
Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins (1 John 2:2)
Author of Life (Acts 3:15)
Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:2)
Author of Salvation (Heb. 2:10)
Beginning and End (Rev. 22:13)
Blessed and only Ruler (1 Tim. 6:15)
Bread of God (John 6:33)
Bread of Life (John 6:35; 6:48)
Bridegroom (Mt. 9:15)
Capstone (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7)
Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)
Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4)
Christ (1 John 2:22)
Creator (John 1:3)
Deliverer (Rom. 11:26)
Eternal Life (1 John 1:2; 5:20)
Gate (John 10:9)
Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11)
Faithful Witness (Rev. 1:5)
Faith and True Witness (Rev. 3:14)
First and Last (Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13)
Firstborn From the Dead (Rev. 1:5)
Firstborn over all creation (Col. 1:15)
Gate (John 10:9)
God (John 1:1; 20:28; Heb. 1:8; Rom. 9:5; 2 Pet. 1:1;1 John 5:20; etc.)
Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20)
Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14)
Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23)
Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2)
High Priest (Heb. 2:17)
Holy and True (Rev. 3:7)
Holy One (Acts 3:14)
Hope (1 Tim. 1:1)
Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27)
Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69)
I Am (John 8:58)
Image of God (2 Cor. 4:4)
Immanuel (Mt. 1:23)
Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)
King Eternal (1 Tim. 1:17)
King of Israel (John 1:49)
King of the Jews (Mt. 27:11)
King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16)
King of the Ages (Rev. 15:3)
Lamb (Rev. 13:8)
Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Lamb Without Blemish (1 Pet. 1:19)
Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4)
Light of the World (John 8:12)
Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)
Living One (Rev. 1:18)
Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4)
Lord (2 Pet. 2:20)
Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8)
Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16)
Man from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:48)
Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15)
Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)
Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16)
Only Begotten Son of God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9)
Our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
Our Holiness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2)
Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)
Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7)
Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6)
Prophet (Acts 3:22)
Rabbi (Mt. 26:25)
Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)
Righteous Branch (Jer. 23:5)
Righteous One (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1)
Rock (1 Cor. 10:4)
Root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)
Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14)
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5)
Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
Son of David (Lk. 18:39)
Son of God (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14)
Son of Man (Mt. 8:20)
Son of the Most High God (Lk. 1:32)
Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9)
The One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)
The Stone the builders rejected (Acts 4:11)
True Bread (John 6:32)
True Light (John 1:9)
True Vine (John 15:1)
Truth (John 1:14; 14:6)
Way (John 14:6)
Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Word (John 1:1)
Word of God (Rev. 19:13)
He’s the Exalted Warrior that sits on the throne at Gods right hand.
Why would anyone want to follow Buddha, Confucious, Muhammad? Maybe they don’t understand how powerful Jesus really is. Maybe their perspective isn’t as complete as it should be. We as disciples must help the world to understand that he’s more than what they’ve heard. Did you know that he’s a warrior?
Warrior is defined as: One engaged or experienced in battle. Jesus was experienced in battling sin everyday. He was tough!
Throughout history there have been many fierce warriors:
The Samaurais, Huns, Goths, Vikings and the Celts. All of them were fierce, tough fighters. Lets look at two groups specifically.
THE MONGOLS: Asian People, The Republic of Mongolia. 11th & 12th century.
The Mongols lived in one of the harshest places on earth, and because of this were very resourceful and tough. They were excellent horsemen and could jump from horse to horse while riding. Their mobility and hardiness made them strategically superior to most military forces.
SPARTANS
The Spartans are renowned to this day for their expert fighting skills and warrior prowess. Only the strong survived in the disciplined Spartan armies. Trained only for battle, a young soldier knew but one home -- his barracks, one family -- his unit. Physical training was the chief occupation, and each man’s day was spent in exercise or on the drill-ground. From the age of seven, Spartan boys no longer lived at home, but were brought up by the state. Training was often harsh, but effective, and each youth learned unwavering and absolute devotion to his country and his folk. Aside from combat training, they learned to swim, run, jump, wrestle and box. By the age of twenty, each cadet became a fully-fledged warrior. Their mothers had a saying to their sons going off to war “Come back with your shield, or on it.”
The trained and experienced warrior came to display certain attributes. These include enhanced awareness, calmness in the face of danger and death, perception, emotional control, objectivity, integrity of character, and the ability to make rapid, accurate decisions followed by proper and timely action even in situations that would horrify and mentally overwhelm most people. This adds up to an ability to think and act at one’s maximum capacity when the danger is greatest.
Jesus would have displayed all of these. Perfectly disciplined, resolute in the face of death. Bent on conquest. Master strategisit having outwitted all of Satans schemes. A fierce fighter against sin. In complete control mentally, physically, emotionall and spiritually.
Many warriors were hardened, bloodthirsty and merciless. Jesus was the ultimate warrior being able to perfectly hate, but love perfectly as well. He could be soft as velvet and as hard as steel. Moses saw the warrior side of God in:
Exo 15:1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.
Exo 15:2 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Exo 15:3 The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name.
Exo 15:4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
What did Moses see? He saw God hurling men into the sea. He saw God destroying an entire army. He saw God punishing his enemies. One of the most frightening passages of scriptures in the Bible is found in:
Isa 66:6 Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the LORD repaying his enemies all they deserve.
Let’s look at the picture that John the apostle had of Jesus in:
Rev 19:11 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 makes war.
Rev 19:12 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.
Rev 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
Rev 19:14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Rev 19:15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. Rev 19:16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE EXALTED WARRIOR AND IS TO BE FEARED!
We should be proud to proclaim Jesus as the one we follow. And guess what, he’s called you to be his disciple. It’s an honor to be called by Him, not to be ashamed of Him, heaven forbid!
HIS PRESENCE MAKES US MIGHTY WARRIORS.
Judg 6:11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
Judg 6:12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
Judg 6:13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ’Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
Judg 6:14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?"
Judg 6:15 "But Lord, " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
Judg 6:16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
Before God appeared to Gideon he was nothing. Look at what he Gideon says about himself. I am the weakest in my family and I’m the least. I’m a nobody with no answers to my peoples problems. What does God say? The Lord is with you mighty warrior. Gods presence made him something and Gods presence makes us something.
You may have little strength but with God by your side you’re a mighty warrior. God makes all the difference. He doesn’t call us to have all the wisdom, all the courage, all the faith. He calls us to go in what you have. That’s all. See it’s not about you, it’s about God being with you. The issue is will you go?
Will you go and resolve the relationship with that brother or sister?
Will you go and share your faith with your friends?
Will you go and offer forgiveness to the one who hurt you?
Will you go and pray for your mean boss?
Will you go and love the unlovable?
Will you go? Jesus is the exalted warrior who said in Matt 28:18-20 “I will be with you always.” And His presence makes us mighty as well. God be with you.
