The King Is Coming

THE KING IS COMING

ZECHARIAH 9:9-10

INTRODUCTION: When Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on the Sunday prior to His crucifixion He was fulfilling the words of the prophet Zechariah. The passage actually announces two comings of the King – the first on Palm Sunday, the second yet in the future but drawing nigh. This morning I want us to consider the King Who came and the King Who is coming.

I. The King Who Came – Verse 9

A. He is Just

1. Correct, lawful, righteous

2. Correct in His cause

a. Holiness, absolute justice and the upholding and honoring of His law is a fundamental attribute of God.

b. Man dishonored God’s law and incurred His displeasure and condemnation. God rightly or justly exacts the penalty (death – eternal separation from God) for breaking His law. God cannot act capriciously, freeing sinners from guilt and condemnation without the penalty being exacted. This would deny His intrinsic and inherent holiness. God must punish sin.

c. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death…”

d. At the same time that God is Holy, He is gracious and loving, as 2 Peter 3 declares that He is not desirous that any should perish. It was determined in the wisdom of the Godhead that Christ would become the vicarious sacrifice for man.

e. Luke 22:22 “…truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined.”

f. Acts 2:22-24 MKJV “Men, Israelites, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by powerful works, and wonders and miracles, which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know, this One given to you by the before-determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by lawless hands, crucifying Him, you put Him to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”

g. Psalm 85:10 “Mercy and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed.”

3. Lawful in His conduct

a. In order to be a fitting substitute to bear man’s penalty, the substitute would have to be sinless or He would merely bear His own penalty.

b. Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

c. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

d. This is a mystery, that Christ can be the obedient, glorious love of God and the full measure of our disobedience, both at once. - Walter Wangerin, Jr., in Reliving the Passion. Christianity Today

4. Righteous in His being acceptable and vindicated by God

a. Acts 2:22 “…a man approved of God…”

b. Isaiah 42:1 MKJV Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; My Elect, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit on Him; He shall bring out judgment to the nations.

B. He brings Salvation

1. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

2. John 18:37 “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are you a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

3. A.B. Simpson is reported to have said that the gospel “tells rebellious men that God is reconciled, that justice is satisfied, that sin has been atoned for, that the judgment of the guilty may be revoked, the condemnation of the sinner cancelled, the curse of the Law blotted out, the gates of hell closed, the portals of heaven opened wide, the power of sin subdued, the guilty conscience healed, the broken heart comforted, the sorrow and misery of the Fall undone.”

4. Acts 4:12 “...there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

5. “The life of Christianity consists of possessive pronouns.” Says Martin Luther. It is one thing to say, “Christ is a Savior”, it is quite another thing to say, “He is my Savior and my Lord.” The devil can say the first; the true Christian alone can say the second. – Resource, July/August, 1990

C. He is Lowly

1. Poor, afflicted, humble

2. Philippians 2:5-8 MKJV “For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”