One King

Christmas Series: Joy to the world.

Last week we looked at Jesus, the coming savior, and how we should spread this incredible news! This morning, we look at Jesus, the coming King, as told from time immortal. From the moment mankind fell, God put in place a plan to save us from the consequences of sin, in the form of a living King coming to earth. To understand the magnitude of this grace, we need to understand what kind of king Jesus is and how it differs from our understanding of what an earthly king is. Only when we understand that will we be in a position to worship Him, as we were created, in a way that pleases Him. To truly understand Jesus’s kingship, we need to see what the Bible foretold of Jesus, what He did on earth, and what He still plans to do!

Scripture Readings

Psalm 98:4-6 ESV Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

Matthew 2:1-6 ESV  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Revelation 19:11-16 ESV Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.  12  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Bible Study Questions

The Coming of a King

Psalm 98:4-6 ESV Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

Psalm 98 tells us of a coming King, for whom we must rejoice and praise. How do we see this prophecy coming to fulfillment in the New Testament?

Matthew 2:2 ESV  saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

What to Expect?

Psalm 98:4-6 ESV Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

The Psalm tells us to worship and sin with praise at the coming of our King! Some people answered this call and came to worship, but to others it was trouble and they rejected Jesus as their king. Why do you think this is?

Isaiah 63:3-4 ESV “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. 4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.

Isaiah 53:3-6 ESV He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Joy for Some, Trouble for Others

Matthew 2:1 ESV  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,

Jesus was born a King, in Bethlehem, in fulfillment of the prophecies. But this was not the political figure that the religious leaders of Jerusalem were expecting. In fact far from it. Yet His arrival caused anguish to many. How do we know this, and why do you think it is?

Matthew 2:3 ESV  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;

Proverbs 21:1 ESV The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. 

Wise Indeed

Matthew 2:1-2 ESV  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Matthew tells us that the wise men from the east, who were not the recipients of the promises God made to His people, saw the star and came to worship the king of the Jews. What do you think prompted this response from the wise men?

Numbers 24:17 ESV I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. 

Contrasting Responses

Matthew 2:1-2 ESV  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

The wise men from the east were wise indeed. They were not even of the Jewish nation, but they knew the one true king had arrived and came to worship him! How does this response contrast with those of the Jewish scribes, the ones supposedly wise about the coming Messiah?

Matthew 2:5-6 ESV 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Coming in War

Revelation 19:11-16 ESV Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.  12  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

When we look at the life of Jesus, He came with a gentle spirit, to give all humanity an opportunity to accept the gift of His life in exchange for our punishment for sin. This was epitomised by His entrance to Jerusalem when he rode on a How does this contrast to how Jesus will come again?

What We Now Know

Psalm 98:4-6 ESV Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

Matthew 2:1-6 ESV  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Revelation 19:11-16 ESV Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.  12  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Now that you have given considerable thought to Jesus as the one King, in what ways can you think of that Jesus is different to every other king?