Christ is Our King
Study Scripture: Luke 19:28 – 40; Revelation 1:8
Background Scripture: John 20:1-18, 30-31; Revelation 1:9-20
Key Verse
Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Luke 19:38
INTRODUCTION
Our lesson topic focuses us on the royal nature of Jesus of Nazareth. The study will lift the veil and show us the true personage of Jesus, the glory that truly belongs to him and makes us see a little more clearly the unimaginable extent of his “humiliation”. This is the term, used to describe what happened to ‘The Word of God’ and what he underwent, when he left the glory of eternity and stepped into humanity at his incarnation.
In examining these issues, we hopefully will be more serious in our approach to Jesus Christ and abandon our cavalier attitude to his dignity and his commandments.
Many people misunderstand the nature of their relationship to their LORD, SAVIOUR, REDEEMER and GOD. They seem to believe that because He saved them and now call them his friends and his brethren, they are entitled to have a ‘buddy buddy’ relationship with him, where they can ignore his commandments, or treat them lightly. They do not seem to understand that not even the tiniest fraction of his words, ‘the jot or tittle’, can be ignored or ever passes away.
In our study we will hopefully come a little closer to understanding the immeasurable love of God, the power of his will applied to save his enemies, the sinful, rebellious, polluted creatures that he originally made in his image and likeness.
This leads to the persistent question as to why he would give up the kind of glory unveiled for us in the first chapter of Revelation. What kind of love was that? Can we expect to disrespect Jesus, disobey his glorious words and expect to be rewarded for that?
Hopefully, when we see how much he cares for his people, how he watches over us and walks among his churches exercising discipline and showing patience and mercy, we will repent of our folly and become faithful and obedient servants.
If we are to understand the text of our study beginning in Luke 19, an examination of the context is very important.
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for his final visit before the cross and he passed through the Levitical city of Jericho: this was a city of priests. There he encountered the very rich but despised and hated chief tax collector named Zacchaeus. Jesus invited himself to this man’s house and proclaimed his salvation when Zacchaeus renounced his sins and made restitution far above what the Scriptures required. Note that Jesus did not need to command this true ‘son of Abraham’ to do what he did, for here was a repentant heart, a heart completely different from that of the ‘rich young ruler’ of Luke 18, who apparently rejected Jesus’ call to ministry, went his way sorrowing and holding onto his riches.
It is important to note, that despite Zacchaeus’ renunciation of his sins when Jesus brought salvation to the house, those of the Levitical city complained that Jesus was being a guest of a man who was a sinner. They did not understand what it meant to have a heart that was yearning for God. They did not want to understand that Jesus came to call the outcast and sinners to God.
By this we get an accurate picture of the sad state of leadership in Israel. It makes us understand the depth of the divergence of the leaders and people from the ‘heart’ of God.
Immediately in verses 11-27 we read the very interesting parable which Jesus told in order to clarify the nature of his kingdom, his rule as king and the timing of the coming of his kingdom.
It appears that the disciples thought that Jesus’ intentions were the same as theirs. They thought he was going to Jerusalem to show himself as a political Savior, take control of the nation and immediately bring in the ‘kingdom of God’. It is quite probable that Jesus’ healing of the lepers in chapter 17 and his teaching foretelling the Second Coming had stirred tremendous excitement in the disciples.
Jesus told them in chapter 18:31 before they reached Jericho, that he was going to Jerusalem and that all the things that were written by the prophets about the Son of Man would be accomplished. They however completely ignored the part about the suffering and their eyes glittered with what they thought was their coming power, riches and rewards.
Later when Jesus’ party met a blind man who despite the rebuke from those around him kept crying out: “Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me”, the disciples would obviously have remembered the Old Testament Scriptures which predicted that Messiah would open the eyes of the blind.
The meeting with the rich Zacchaeus and the elaborate dinner with the rich but despised publicans would have further encourage the dreams of the disciples. This was the kind of life they should expect to have soon.
So as Jesus continued to Jerusalem he told them of a nobleman who was heartily despised and hated by the people over which he ruled, but who had to go away to a far country to receive a kingdom. The nobleman didn’t preoccupy himself with the citizens that hated him and who made it clear that they did not want him to reign over them. He did not deserve rejection, nor the hatred of the citizens and knowing this he certainly did not let the hostility of the citizens stop him from his endeavour.
He called his servants together, gave them all one mina (money equivalent to a hundred days of work for a common laborer) and told them to trade and invest the money. He did not show any fear that the hate filled citizens would stop his servants producing returns while he was away. His going away on the long journey to the faraway country was very important and had to be done.
When he returned from receiving the kingdom, his first priority was to receive an accounting from the servants regarding their investment of the money. The servants were his priority, His first concern. He would deal with the rebellious citizens later.
Some of the servants showed impressive increases in their handling of the Master’s resources and they received significant rewards. One servant however was lazy and disobedient, did nothing with his master’s money and proved himself unable to manage the things of his master’s. He was suitably rebuked and lost all he had been given.
Then the powerful nobleman judged his enemies who hated him and did not want him to reign over them. He would rule over them whether they liked it or not and that is precisely what he did. He ordered his servants to bring his enemies to him and had them slain before his eyes.
This was power indeed. Each of His servants had to answer to him individually. Each had to account for how they handled the master’s resources. Those who did well were amply rewarded. Those servants that were lazy and unfaithful lost everything but their lives.
His enemies also had been called on to make a decision in his favour or against him during the time that this nobleman was away. Their decision to rebel cost them dearly, as they forfeited their lives.
This parable was obviously told to correct the erroneous thinking of Jesus’ followers about the true nature of his kingdom and his mission. So we know that in many respects this parable was intended to teach us some very critically important lessons about the nature of the King Jesus.
He rewards the faithful and is a stern disciplinarian for the unfaithful followers. He expected his job to be done, the tasks he handed out to be performed well. For King Jesus this was no joke.
This all-powerful King expected his claims to be met. He expected his citizens to know who he is, and to obey him. He would not reward ignorance. For His outright enemies he was a terror, a consuming fire.
So as we begin to look at the text let us understand clearly what kind of King we are facing.
THE TEXT
Verse 28. Let us note the very careful preparations that the King makes for his entry into Jerusalem. This entry is to be a pivotal event in the history of the nation. It was to testify to them, and to warn them about the consequences for rejecting him.
Let us note that though he is coming into a firestorm he is humble, meek, but determined. He knows what he is about, what he should do and he knows that the people ought to be praising him for who He is.
So he speaks as he ascends to Jerusalem, determined to suffer and die.
Note that we are now seeing a fulfillment of Isaiah 50. We read this description of the King who is about to die before he goes away to a far country to receive the kingdom. We are here given a description of the personality and psychology of the King. We are told what the nobleman has to do before he gives his servants gifts to invest while he has gone to receive the kingdom. Some of the blanks have been filled into this parable for us, so that we will better understand what is happening. So Isaiah tells us about this unique King.
“The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? Who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.
Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled.
This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow ”.
When we get to the study verse in the book of Revelation, we will see why he is always to be praised, to be loved, to be obeyed at all times, and yes, to be feared. He is no ordinary man. Let us be careful how we treat him.
Verse 29. The sacrificial ‘lamb of God’ who was King, went forward ‘bound in the spirit’ and fully aware of all things. The time is six days before Passover and Jerusalem is awash with pilgrims. Tension is as usual high because of messianic expectations and nationalistic fervor. Talk about the kind of miracles that Jesus had performed with their messianic implications, would have raised the level of tension considerably.
Jesus is now just two miles east of Jerusalem at Bethany, the town of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, who was recently raised from the dead. There certainly were many witnesses to that restoration to life and news of that ‘sign’ would have certainly reached the ears of the pilgrims.
We know from other gospels that Jesus was invited to the home of Simon the leper at that time and Mary anointed his feet with a very expensive oil.
On a day which is traditionally regarded as the Sunday before Passover, Jesus prepares to enter Jerusalem and calls two disciples to him.
Verse 30-31. He sends these disciples into the next village, telling them that there they would find a donkey’s colt tied up. The colt had never been ridden by anyone. They were to loose the colt and bring the colt to him. If anyone questioned their action they were simply tell that person that the Master had need of the animal.
This is of course the first recorded time in his many visits to Jerusalem that Jesus had made a special arrangement of this sort. According to the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, a colt figured prominently in messianic fulfillment. The Messiah King was supposed to ride a colt into the capital city Jerusalem, to present himself to the nation.
One can simply imagine at this stage the excitement among the disciples and other followers of Jesus, not to mention the nationalistic pilgrims, all of whom are filled with misconceptions of what Jesus should do.
Verse 32. The disciples obeyed and found the precisely described animal exactly where Jesus had said he would be.
Notice that this incident has given rise to an argument as to whether or not Jesus had made prior arrangements to use the animal or whether this was an example of Jesus influencing the hearts of men, so that as soon as they were told that the Lord wanted the animal they had no protest. Some stress that Jesus owns all things and for him there is no such thing as private property, since of course he has prior title.
It is certainly clear from Scripture that God prepares the heart of people to do what he wishes, as well as orchestrates events so that His will is done.
But be that as it may, the disciples of Christ went willingly and quickly to obey his instructions.
Verse 33-34. The owners of the animal, as predicted by Jesus, questioned the actions of the disciples, and on hearing that Jesus had need of him, quickly and willingly let the animal be taken without protest. I wonder if we were there and heard such a request from Jesus what our response would be.
Let us not be quick to say that we would’ve released our property for the use of Jesus without any hassles. Often the Spirit presents opportunities for us to do good for him and for the brethren in need, and we turn our backs and make excuses why we cannot make the sacrifice in time or money.
How many times have the Spirit instructed us to do things and we do not do them at all, or if we do with them we do it only at our convenience! Jesus has to wait on us and our convenient times, for we are really the boss and in the driver’s seat; we think.
When the Lord has need of something to be done we should do it. It is an honor to serve and obey Him. We should not only be willing to do things for Jesus at other people’s expense. We should without any delay be willing to spend our time and use our property in his service.
Verse 35. The colt was brought to Jesus and when it arrived the disciples took off their outer garments, spread it on the animal to make a comfortable seat for Jesus and Jesus was mounted on the animal.
As Jesus rode toward Jerusalem, the disciples and the people with him spread their clothes in the road for a smooth passage and as a symbol of their honor of him.
So here we have three things put together to teach a lesson to Israel. There is a Passover Festival, a sacrificial lamb, an unbroken colt, and a prophecy which reads:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee:
he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
Zechariah 9: 9.
It is noted that the ass is the mount that a man of peace, a priest, or a merchant would ride and that a typical King, though he would sometimes ride an ass, would normally ride a mighty warhorse when he entered his capital.
So Jesus was in reality presenting himself as the Prince or King of peace, rather than as a warrior. He certainly was not leading a large army as a warrior Messiah that could overthrow the hated Romans. He was presenting himself as a King who wanted to conquer and control the spiritual hearts of the people.
Here we have a clash between the materialistic expectations of the disciples and people and the real intentions of God. So often we try to impose our wishes on God instead of accepting his wishes and having him impose his will on us.
The ride from Bethany was accompanied by disciples and we can be certain that the now ‘raised from the dead Lazarus’ was in the crowd, marching along as a living testimony to the power of Jesus. We can imagine that the crowd of disciples would have been joined by some of the people who had benefited from the miracles of Jesus, now attending Passover and some of the pilgrims visiting the feast.
Verse 37. As the crowd descended from the Mount of Olives to enter Jerusalem, the large and growing throng expressed their joy at the occasion and they praised God for the mighty works that they had seen performed by Jesus. Lazarus was present as proof of one of these mighty works. They were very loud in their praise and this attracted growing attention.
Verse 38. The whole multitude began to sing a Passover song from Psalm 118: 26 which everyone including the religious leaders accepted as a messianic Psalm. They began to sing verse 26 which reads:
“Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the House of the Lord.”
Now we do not know if they were singing more verses from that psalm, for some of the other words there would have annoyed the Pharisees no end, and would have alarmed the Jewish leaders, for these were radical nationalistic words.
Verses 19-25
“Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:
This gate of the Lord, into which righteous shall enter.
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
This is the Lord’s doing; and it is marvellous in our eyes.
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.”
Immediately after these verses comes verse 26 which specifically names Jesus in the mouth of the disciples, for they were now applying this prophecy to Jesus and his entry into Jerusalem. It is quite likely that the crowd, or some in the crowd would be singing the entire Psalm.
What ever was being sung it is clear that the crowds were shouting for the restoration of the kingdom of David and deliverance from Rome. This is what was being invited by the words of that psalm.
Remember that this was a time of great religious activity and excitement and everybody was caught up in a nationalistic, messianic fever; for they all wanted Israel to be re-established as an independent and powerful nation.
Verse 39. The situation was dangerous and volatile and the Pharisees and others realized it. They called on Jesus to rebuke his disciples. They knew that the prophecy was accusing some people of rejecting the chief cornerstone and their consciences were probably bothering them a little. If Jesus was the chief stone, they would clearly be guilty of fighting against God.
Note that the words of these religious leaders meant they were clearly rejecting Jesus as their King. They were enemies of Jesus and his kingdom. His coming in humility would offend them, for humility was contrary to their type of preferred behavior. They did not want a humble Messiah, for they were people blinded by power, jealousy and greed.
Note that they were really saying that Jesus was not their King and that, as they said later and quite plainly, they had no king but Caesar.
The spiritual leaders were totally corrupt; their only concern was with their own political survival. There were clearly afraid of Rome and losing their power to someone else. They were just into power seeking and ritual worship. There was no spiritual reality.
Verse 40. So Jesus confronted these ‘blind’ people, pointing out that the people were quite right in what they were doing and in using Psalm 118 in praising God at what he was doing.
Note that in the face of corrupt leaders, Jesus will approve the behavior of the ordinary and common people who follow Scripture. He did it then and he will do it now.
The people wanted to make Jesus Messiah and King. They wanted to be free. He understood and appreciated that and did not restrain them in praising Messiah’s kingdom.
In fact, he told the Pharisees that on this occasion when he was fulfilling prophecy, the people were bound to praise him in this fashion, for if they did not, even the inanimate objects in nature would cry out in praise. Just as the donkey rebuked Balaam, now more-so the stones would rebuke the people if they did not cry out.
Scripture tells us in many places that creation, the trees, oceans, rivers, valleys, cattle and creeping things, birds and other creatures all praise God. So if we do not appreciate God, just remember that he has other forms of life that appreciate him and what he has done for them.
We might not think that praise is important but God has set it up so that all need to praise him. We actually need to praise God. It benefits us. God is being gracious in inviting us to participate in his praise.
Remember that praise must originate in the mind. It is not something that is mindless. Our praise to God should be informed, purposeful and directed. We should also be able to tell others why we are praising God. In so doing, we would be witnessing to the mighty works of God.
Praising God is not just moving our lips. It must come from a sincere heart and the fruits of true belief in God and true praise must show in one’s life. Some seem to think that performing rituals and proclaiming praises with the mouth is sufficient to please God.
When God is truly praised expect hostility. The true worship of God always makes some people uncomfortable and often some are offended by the true worship. People are always trying to water down the true worship and the true praise that God desires.
Praise of God is absolutely essential, is necessary and very beneficial to believers. It reminds us of what God has done and is doing in our lives. Let us give due consideration to the praise of God.
Note that the Pharisees did praise God, but their praise was not directed properly. When the one that they should praise appeared they did not praise. Instead they rejected him.
Instead the ordinary people, if one can call them that, had spread their clothes on the road to honor Jesus. Remember that these were poor people and many of them had only one set of clothes and so laying their garments on the road was a great sacrifice. They praised with their mouth and praised with their hearts. We of course should do likewise following their example.
So here we have the Messiah King, the Prince of Peace appearing to his people. Some welcomed him but his appearance shakes the political and religious leaders and they rejected him.
Jesus was offering them eternal, spiritual peace and was ready to reconcile them to God. Jesus’ offer to these ‘blind’ people would not be accepted and so the time for judgment was at hand.
Let us not fool ourselves. The people of Israel knew the prophecies. They knew the timetable for the appearance of the Messiah and the men from the East had alerted them to the coming of Messiah many years previously. Everything was right on schedule but yet the leadership rejected Jesus.
He offered them the gift of salvation as Psalm 118 had said. His kingdom would first have to be established in the hearts of the people.
But as predicted by the prophets, the nation did not accept the invitation to redemption and Jesus had to go through the next week as the necessary and the final Passover lamb, dying for the sins of the world. Of course there’s more to Jesus than appeared. He might have seemed helpless but he was not. He suffered and died because of his voluntary sacrifice.
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb. So he openeth not his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7.
We now move to look at the book of Revelation which unveils Jesus in his glory. We have read what happened in Israel and we can now read about the glorified Jesus. It must be said to our shame that we often behave exactly like the unrepentant people of Israel. We do not praise from the heart, obey the Commandments of Jesus and follow his every word.
REVELATION 1:8
This section deals with the unveiling of Jesus. The description was written by John the Apostle before the end of the first century. John was exiled as a prisoner to an island like the modern Alcatraz, because of his work for God. There Jesus revealed himself and instructed John to testify about him.
John was in a difficult situation and living in a very difficult time. The world of his day was filled with spiritual darkness and immorality ruled. Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Romans and the people of Israel slaughtered, the survivors scattered all over the world.
Christians were not particularly loved by Jews, pagans, or Romans. It appears that by this time all the other Apostles had been slain.
John had to communicate to the believers that there was no other God but the eternal Self Existing God. It was necessary for the churches to have assurance that God was still in control, still watching and still guiding the affairs of the world.
So he begins by describing God the Father and bringing greetings from him. Then he speaks of Jesus Christ who he first describes as the Faithful Witness, the Truth.
Then he presents Him as the one who had died, raised by the power of his Father, who was now alive, and was the ‘first fruits’ of those that had died. He was the firstborn over all creation, the one who had gone first, died and was resurrected, and who had blazed the trail so that the other believers in God would follow.
Next, Jesus had died because he loves (present tense) his people and by his death, the shedding of his blood, had (past tense) washed away our sins.
This Jesus he stated was the ruler of the kings of the earth. He was now at the ‘right hand’ of the Father, and had all power and authority to rule the kings and lords of the earth.
Jesus makes believers to be members of a kingdom, and to be priests. Next, Jesus was coming again in power, manifested as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
Those who were responsible for his death would be grieved when he appeared, for they would mourn when they realized they had rejected the Messiah when he first came to earth. Since it was not only Jews who had pierced him, all the tribes of the earth would mourn and wail when he came.
Verse 8. After this introduction, Jesus himself spoke and described himself.
He used “Alpha” the first letter of the ancient Greek alphabet to say that Jesus is before all things, and “Omega” the last letter, to say that he will be there after all things. He is the beginning and the end, A to Z, the being who controls everything between A to Z.
Clearly we see that Jesus controls and directs all life and events. So when Jesus was on earth he was not a helpless victim, one who was ever controlled by men or by Satan. He lived in the power of the Spirit, and gave up his life willingly, being fully able to take up his life again.
This is a King in every respect. He rules and directs. He is the Lord.
So now we see more about the “nobleman” who had gone away to a far country to received all power and authority and who will return to examine his servants’ work and face his citizens who belonged to him but who hated him and do not want him to rule over them.
In this text though, we see that the “nobleman” ruler does not overlook his servants. He speaks to the surviving chief servant, the Apostle John, unveils himself, makes clear to him who he really is and gives him his testimony.
Jesus stresses his royalty. He speaks of his eternal and unchanging nature and his future intentions. This phrase is also used of Yahweh, and here the idea behind that name is stated:
“the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come.”
He is the King which was the same yesterday, today, and forever. See Hebrews 13:8.
Then Jesus removes all doubt about the power that he has. He is sovereign. He is Almighty, literally in Greek, “the one who has his hand on everything”
CONCLUSION
It is very important that we are clear that Jesus is not a mythical figure, a person who might or might not have existed, who if he did live was probably only a great teacher and miracle worker.
He is much more than that. He is the most glorious, powerful, living, breathing, working, hands- on person imaginable.
His servant John was shown who he was. This is similar to what he looked like before he came to earth, at least in the expression of his power and glory. John was shown what he looks like now.
This portrait of Jesus should lead us to be more obedient, more cautious in our behavior, more observant in reading his Word, and more frequently pray to him.
Let us treat Jesus as our King, a gracious, wise, Savior and redeemer. All the kings of the earth are as nothing when compared to him. If we pay them so much honor, we should pay Him even more.
He wants all of us. He deserves that, so let us not disappoint ourselves by not doing as he wishes. He has the whole world in his hands.