The Return Of The King

THE RETURN OF THE KING

Luke 19:12-15,27

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: UNLOADING THE WORD

1. Pastor Ken Sumrall tells a story from his days of pasturing in Mississippi years ago. He was out visiting a farmer who was an ex-member of his church.

2. As they looked out over the farmer’s acres and acres of white cotton, the farmer said, "Pastor, you’ve got it made. The way I figure it, you get your salary for only working 2 hours a week on Sunday!"

3. Ken thought a moment and said: "That’s pretty high pay all right, but you make more than I do." "Come on now, pastor. I’m just a cotton farmer. How can you say that?" the farmer asked.

4. The preacher responded, "I saw you down at the cotton gin last week, and you must have made $50,000 in 15 minutes unloading your bales of cotton."

5. "Yeah, but look what went into that bale of cotton, the time it took to grow it! I was just unloading it."

6. "That’s what I mean; it’s the same with me. I study and pray all week. On Sundays I’m just unloading!”

B. TEXT

12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ 14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ 15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.” Luke 19:12-15.

24 “Then he said to those standing by…. ‘27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

C. THESIS

1. As a child I was introduced to J.R.R. Tolkien’s book, The Hobbit. Later I read his trilogy, Lord of the Rings which continues the story. This series was eventually made into 3 blockbuster movies, the last of which is called, “The Return of the King.”

2. Tolkien was a born-again Christian, and weaved into his narrative a Christ-like parallel. This character, named Aragorn, is the heir to the throne of the kingdom of Gondor. However, he was rejected by his own subjects.

3. The kingdom of Gondor is about to be defeated by the great power of evil – Sauron. The only hope for Gondor is that their long hoped-for King appear and lead the fight.

4. Aragorn has to travel ‘the Paths of the Dead’ and then fight a massive spiritual battle, in which the main strength of Sauron is defeated. Coming from the Land of the Dead, Aragorn helps finish off the armies of Sauron and then is crowned King!

5. This is a parallel of the true story, The Return of the King told in the Bible. We’re going to look at how Jesus is the True King, how He’s coming back, and how a lot of people act as if they don’t want Him to be King.

6. The title is, “The Return of the King.”

I.JESUS: THE KING WHO LEFT & WILL RETURN

A. JESUS: FROM A LINE OF KINGS

1. Jesus was the descendant and heir of King David.

2. When the Wise Men asked, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” Herod sent them to Bethlehem, the city of David. There they found Jesus.

B. CALLED “KING” BY HIS CONTEMPORARIES

1. Jesus was frequently called “King” and accepted the title. Nathanael called Him “the King of Israel!” Jn. 1:49.

2. After Jesus fed 5,000 men, they tried to “make Him King by force” John 6:15.

3. Jesus came riding into Jerusalem in the traditional manner of a King coming to be coronated – riding on a donkey’s colt, as prophesied in Zech. 9:9, “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your King is coming,

seated on a donkey’s colt.” John 12:15. Vast multitudes came out to meet Him and shouted, “Blessed is the King of Israel!” John 12:13.

4. When the Roman Gov. Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”, Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world.” John 18:33,37. See Mt. 27:11; Mk. 15:2.

5. At His crucifixion, the Governor Pilate placed over his head; “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

C. TURNED THE KGDM OVER TO HIS SERVANTS

1. Just like the King in Luke 19, Jesus turned his kingdom over to His servants, the Apostles, and then to us, the Church. Jesus went away to be crowned and He was made King of Kings by God the Father!”