(1/13) The Promise of a King - England and the world is buzzing about the pregnancy of William and Kate. Their child will be an heir to the throne of England. While it is more or less a symbolic monarchy, it is none the less, a wonderful time of expectancy, pride, and honor in England. It reminds me of the Disney movie, The Lion King, when Simba, the lion cub heir, is born and is held up before all the animals of the jungle as their future King.

Our text says: "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."

Isaiah tells us that the Child who was to be born of a virgin and the Son that was given to be the light of the world, would be the promised descendent of David who would rule not only Israel, but the entire world (v.7). The one promised by God to be the Anointed Messiah, was destined to be the King. When Jacob was old and preparing for his death, he called his sons to him and pronounced a prophetic blessing on each of them. To His fourth son Judah, he said this, in Genesis 49:8-10, "Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you.

Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people." Jesus is the true Lion King. The word Shiloh refers to the promised one. A Descendent of Judah, which David was from, shall be the promised one who would be the king of all. In 2 Samuel 7 God promised David that though he could not build the temple, yet one of his descendents would be the promised one, the eternal King.

Daniel was a wise man and counselor to the Kings of Babylon. In Daniel 7, He has a prophetic dream, and this is part of that dream, "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed." The Psalms and the Prophets refer to the Messiah as the Promised King. Remember the prophecy of Micah 5:2, about where Messiah would be born? But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting."

When the Magi or Wise Men came to Jerusalem, they were in search of a New Born King. They had studied Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah's writings and were seeking the King of the Jews whom they knew would also be their King. When both Jesus and John began to preach they said, "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand," because the King had come and was before them.

Now fast forward 30 years. When Jesus entered Jerusalem just before His death, He deliberately came riding on a foal of a donkey as Zechariah 9:9 says, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey." This act was declaration that He was indeed, the King that had been promised to Israel.

When the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate they said this, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King." Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered him and said, "It is as you say." (Luke 23:2-3).

John tells more details of that conversation, look at John 18:33-37. Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." 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." Notice that Jesus affirms that he was born to be King, howbeit, a different kind of King. We will return to this in a moment. And when Jesus was condemned. Pilate had a sign made and placed on His cross declaring the reason for the execution. The sign read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." (John 19:19).

II. The Personality of the King

Isaiah has reminded us that this Child who was born and this Son that was given, is none less the presence of God with us, He is Immanuel. He is an Indescribable, Awesome, Counselor; He is the Strong Hero God that came to Rescue us; He is the Author of Eternity, from which all of creation has come and who sustains it all including you and me; He is the Ruler of Peace that came to initiate Peace with God and give you His Peace that passes all understanding. But He also came to be King - our King. The Lord is the King so says, Zech. 14:9; Jer. 10:10; Isa. 33:22; Ps. 74:12; Ps. 24:7; Ps. 2:6; 10:16; 20:9; 1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 22:28; 103:19.

III. The Presence of the King

But His people didn't receive Him as King so says John 1:11; they didn't understand what the King had to do before He could establish the Kingdom. They were looking for a warrior-king like David, not a humble teacher of truth, nor a sacrificial lamb who would be slain for the sins of the world, though Isaiah prophesied that He would be so. They rejected the notion that the Carpenter Jesus could be the Messiah their King, So Jesus began to teach the disciples that He would go away for a time and then return to receive the Kingdom. He taught this in parables and during the evening before His death, he told them not to be troubled because He was going to prepare a place for them and then He would return and receive them and us to Himself. And He taught us to Pray whenever we pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven."

Turn to Luke 17:20-21. I think this may have been asked to mock Him, or to challange Him. They were looking for a warrior to whoop on and to run the Romans out of town. Listen to what He says, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there! For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you, (or in your midst)." The kingdom would never be confined to a geographic area, or boundary, and it would not be a forced rule. The Kingdom of God will be within the people who yield their hearts and lives to the King. The Kingdom would be made up of people anywhere and everywhere who would receive Jesus as their King.

IV. The Politics of the King

When the King does return to establish His kingdom there will be a great Battle, as the armies of the world will assemble to fight against Him, but with just a word the battle will be over, Satan will be placed in a bottomless pit and Jesus will sit on David's throne and will rule over the earth for a thousand years, so says Rev. 19-20. Look at Daniel 9:24, "Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.' The King will rule with absolute authority. He will put an end to sin, man will not hurt each other anymore, and as we looked in Isaiah 11 last week, there will be absolute peace on earth. Peace in the animal world and peace with all the people of the world. When the King returns, He will divide and judge the people's of the earth. Those who had yielded their lives to His authority, will inherit the Kingdom, and those who had not yielded their lives will be assigned to the lake of Fire forever as Matthew 25 tells us.

The King will not be Republican or Democrat, He will not be a Capitalist, or Communist, He will not establish a Democracy or Republic, He will not have a cabinet or advisors. He will not be the President, Prime Minister, Chairman of the Board, or CEO, He will be an Absolute Monarch to whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. No one will get a vote or a say in His governing of this world. He will have it all, 100%, upon His shoulders (Isa. 9:6-7). The whole world will be under divine authority.

V. The Pre-Suppositions of the King

Jesus told Pilate that He was born to be King, but of a different kind of kingdom. This is why He never taught His followers to arm themselves and learn the art of guerilla warfare, nor did He ever talk about an overthrow of governments. His kingdom was not about revolution but of transformation. Paul pointed this out when He wrote to the Church at Rome that had issues about the Church rules of eating and drinking. He said, "for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another,"(Rom. 14:17-19).

A. It is about Righteousness- That's why Jesus said we need to repent. We need to pursue the things which are right and Holy and honoring to the King, and not the selfish, self-centered desires of our own nature. It will result in all who repent receiving His Righteousness and Holy Spirit, apart from which no one can be part of His Kingdom. (Matt. 5:20; John 3:3-7).

B. It is about Peace. It's receiving the King's pardon and being at peace with God and as we rest in Him, having the peace of God, but more, It's about making peace with others a priority in our lives and more important than getting the things we want or our own way.

C. It is about Joy in the Holy Spirit. I believe with all my heart that the Joy of the Holy Spirit is that inner delight that comes from knowing we have pleased the King- our Lord, because we have obeyed Him and sought His pleasure more than our own. Do you do these things? Do you seek righteousness in your world? Do you pursue peace? Do you seek to Honor your King in everything? Jesus said it needs to be your top priority in life. (Matt. 6:33),"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Here is where I have great concern for those who are called Christians. Being a Christian is not about having prayed a prayer, though our journey with Him begins with a prayer. "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13).

Neither is it just believing in God, or Jesus the Lord. "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!" (James 2:19).

Neither is it doing good, or religious things. "I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:20; John 3:3).

I believe with all my heart, that real faith involves both, the believing that Jesus died and rose again for me and that He is Lord, God and King. My calling on Him for salvation must also include the yielding of my life to Him. He was born to be King, He will return to be King, but right now, right now, He is my King. I yield full allegiance of my life to Him. Paul told Timothy, " that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,"(1 Tim. 6:14-15). My life is not my own, He purchased it, He rescued it, and it belongs to Him, as Friday's belonged to Robinson Crusoe. And you and I are to report for Duty everyday. We have no right to pick and choose what we will obey or do, for our lives are His, they no longer belong to us. We are His servants, His soldiers, His citizens and again, this is not a democracy, or a republic, we have no vote or say, we are only to trust and obey, this is a Monarchy.

And I can tell you with all my heart that the King has three primary agendas, and every day of your life, these three things need to be on your agenda. You already know what they are. And I dare say that if they are not on your agenda, Jesus is not your King. He Himself once said, "But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).

1. He wants you to Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your being (Mark 12:30). That includes, obeying God, trusting God, Worshiping God, Loving God's Word, and serving God by loving and serving the people that Jesus died and rose again for. Do You love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your being? Do you?

2. He wants you to Love People just like He loved and loves you. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35). He said that this is only second to loving God. This includes seeking the best for people, in church, in your community, in your world, whether they deserve it or not. Cause that's what he did for you and me when we didn't deserve it. It includes the giving and receiving of forgiveness, seeking peace, and using the gift of the Holy Spirit in your life to minister to each other. I love you all. but listen carefully, if you are not serving people somehow with the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is not your King, He is not your Lord. If you just go to church but aren't involved with church somehow, somewhere, Jesus is not your King. How are you loving people like Jesus loved you? How are you stepping out of your comfort zone to minister, to serve, and to disciple others? This was never intended to be an option. If Jesus is your King, serving people is your life.

3. He wants you to reach your world with the Gospel of Jesus. In Acts 1, Peter wants to know if now that He has died and risen will He establish the Kingdom and Jesus said, that is not for them to know, but they would receive power in the Holy Spirit and they were to reach their world with the Gospel of Jesus (Acts 1:8-9). It needs to be on your mind as individuals and as a Church, How can we reach un-reached people with the truth of Jesus. This may include the 82 1/2 % of our population who are unchurched in our area or the 4 Billion that have never heard the name of Jesus. One of your concerns as one yielded to the King is how to reach others for His kingdom. How can you go; how can you enable others to go; how can you pray, how can you give; how can we reach the world. Going or not going is not an option for us. The King said that as were going we were to make disciples. Your work, your neighborhood, your family, your world is your mission field. And your King said to show and tell them about Jesus. Projects for your family, plans for your church needs to include, how we can can reached the unreached. Is Jesus Christ your King. Does He have the total allegiance of your life? Have you fully bowed to Him, have you surrendered your sword? Do you report for duty every day?

Do you need to surrender to Him today? "King of my life, I crown thee now...." I surrender all.

Let's pray.

Read other thoughtful writings by Pastor Gary Buchman