Worship the King of the Righteous Kingdom

Kingdom of God Series, Part 6 of 6

  1. The Spirit of the Kingdom
  2. Heroes of the Kingdom
  3. Laws of a Righteous Kingdom
  4. Kingdom Exploits
  5. Kingdom Priorities
  6. Worship the King of the Righteous Kingdom

October 9, 1988

Intro:

We come to the close of this brief series in which we have defined the Sermon on the Mount as the constitution of the kingdom of God, the Church of Jesus Christ.

We have looked at the Beatitudes as the spirit of the kingdom; we have seen that the heroes of the kingdom are those who live in that spirit, regardless of the cost. We have regarded the holy law of the kingdom, that it is written on the hearts of the king's loving servants; and we have examined the priorities and promises of the kingdom: and we believe that if we seek the kingdom of God first, God Himself knows what we need and will provide it.

Last week we looked at the entrance requirements for the kingdom; and we know that Jesus Himself says, "The gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life."

But there is one important truth that the Sermon on the Mount conveys that cannot fully be measured by its words. For these words were spoken by the King of the kingdom Himself!

The impact of these words reflect the powerful Personality of the One who humbly sat down on a hillside and taught His disciples. Here was the lowly Nazarene, the carpenter's son, the servant. But somehow the light of divinity shone through that day in the authority, and the regal bearing of the Son of God as He spoke of His kingdom come to earth.

And so the people were amazed not only at what Jesus had said, but what they could sense of His power and authority— they were deeply moved by the KING of the kingdom!

I. JESUS IS THE KING OF THE KINGDOM!

THESE WORDS (THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT) ARE VALID ONLY IN THE VALIDITY OF THE ONE WHO SPOKE THEM.

  1. He proved it by His AUTHORITY: "Ye have heard it said, but I say unto you...!"

    Christ's kingdom, the POWER to make it work, and the GLORY which sets it apart from all other pretenders to universal authority, springs from the authority and command of Christ's own Person. "All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth!"

  2. He proves it by His CHARACTER: The Beatitudes are a profile of the character of the King of the righteous kingdom.

    Every kingdom must have a sovereign. And in an absolute monarchy, the character of the realm takes on the character of the ruler.

    Jesus Christ embodies the spirit and truth of the Sermon on the Mount. If we want to see what heaven will be like; if we have the faith to see 'the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord' here on earth, and wonder what that will be like: here is the key, the clue: IT WILL BE LIKE JESUS!

II. JESUS WAS KING AS HE WALKED THE EARTH IN THE DAYS OF HIS HUMILIATION

Even then His glory shone through, and could not be denied:

I (we) cannot fully imagine what the humanity-deity of Jesus involved in His own consciousness, or how He appeared to His disciples. But from the very beginning of the incarnation, this glory shone through on significant occasions.

III. JESUS IS KING JUST NOW

...IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH MILITANT

  1. This glory, coming from the REGAL AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST, fell on the Church at Pentecost:
    • tongues of fire (the symbol— each saw on the other's heads!)
  2. JESUS was the central theme of GLORY that inaugural day of the Church; He was the theme of Peter's sermon when 3,000 believed and identified with the Church
  3. This same GLORY is available to the Church, if we are in contact with the living King, for we are in the Pentecost Age. The Spirit is available to those who want Him more than anything else.

    God is not capricious. Jesus said: "All authority is given to Me: Tarry YE in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with POWER from on high!"

IV. JESUS IS THE ETERNAL KING!

WE HAVE JUST A GLIMPSE INTO THE REGAL GLORY THAT SHALL YET BE REVEALED:

The Bible gives us a glimpse into the glory of Jesus Christ yet to be revealed.

  1. We may speak lightly or casually about the Second Coming, but if we were suddenly to be ushered into the Presence of the Risen Savior we would experience something very close to excruciating pain along with the joy; for we would see an almost unbearable glory! - and certainly it would be unspeakable! it would be something beyond our casual or 'take-it-for-granted' egalitarian attitudes.
  2. In Revelation 1:8-17 we get just a hint at what we are in for when we see Jesus.

    Here is John, the beloved, the one who knew Jesus best, humanly speaking. "The disciple Jesus loved!" When he glimpses the risen, glorified King he wrote: "I fell at His feet as a dead man!"

CONCLUSION:

What may we do about this Savior who spoke with authority?

  1. We may worship Him!

    How seriously do we take our public worship? Do we think first NOT as to what it does for US, but how together we honor the KING?

    We cannot truly have the kingdom, and leave out the KING from the absolute center of our lives.

    This is my quarrel with "Marches for Peace" and "Walks for Hunger"— and all the other GOOD things that are scheduled in conflict with the traditional times of worship, almost as if by design the WORSHIP is superseded by "something more important for the moment," —as if our week-by-week worship is not the most important corporate act that we. the church, can offer to the King!

  2. We may swear to Him our allegiance forever! Psalm 2 says: "Kiss the Son!"

    Jesus came by the lakeside where Peter and Andrew were washing their nets and said: "Follow Me!" It cost them their reputations, their routine, their comfort— and their very lives. But they saw in Jesus the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and they followed Him, and they see Him in His glory!

Has Jesus come by the place where YOU labor? Will YOU follow Him, and own Him as YOUR King forever? He will be absolute Ruler of all this Universe! You can depend on it! Can He be Ruler of YOUR life this day?

[EH] #52 Ye Servants of God