Christ as Our King

Introduction: Christ's Threefold Office and the Focus on His Kingship

0:01 The Lord Jesus Christ, in all the glory of His person and in all the perfection of His work, is the grand theme and focal point of the Scriptures. Peter, preaching to the household of Cornelius, said that to him, speaking of Christ, bear all the prophets witness. He is the great theme of the Scriptures. To believe on Him is to commit oneself to Him in the glory of His person and in the perfection of His work as He is set before us in the Gospel.

0:42 All that He is in the glory of His person and all that He has and is doing in the perfection of His work is most comprehensively set forth in considering Him in His threefold offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king. What does it mean to believe in Christ? The Scripture declares, He that believeth on Him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already. And so to know the true nature of faith and to know the object of our faith is no light or inconsequential thing.

1:18 It's a matter of life and of death. And so we are considering the great object of faith, even the Lord Jesus, in the glory of His person. And the perfection of His work as He is set before us in the Gospel, prophet to teach us, priest to forgive and intercede for us, and king to rule us. We have already in this series of Sunday morning studies considered Him as our prophet.

1:46 Last week or two weeks ago we concluded our consideration of Him as our priest in both His earthly and heavenly work of priesthood. The earthly work being the work of God. The work of sacrifice. The heavenly work being that of intercession and representation of His people.

2:05 Now this morning the Holy Spirit enabling us and the Scriptures guiding us, we will seek to behold Him as our king. And as we look at our Lord Jesus as prophet, priest, and king, we are thinking of Him particularly in His work as a mediator. We could consider the Lord Jesus as the eternal word by whom all things work. We could consider the Lord Jesus as the eternal word by whom all things work.

2:30 And certainly in that sense all that He made was under His government. But we are not thinking of Him before He became the God-man, the mediator of God's people. But we want to consider Him as a king in terms of His work as a mediator. 1 Timothy 2.5 declares there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2.5 declares there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus. And so as we seek to behold Him this morning as a king, we are thinking of Him as a mediator king, His kingship in relationship to His saving work.

Establishing the Fact of Christ's Kingly Office

3:10 And now to think our way through, we will first of all establish the fact of His kingly office, secondly, the functions of His kingly office, and then thirdly, some of the implications of His kingly office. 1 Timothy 2.5 declares there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus. And so as we seek to behold Him this morning as a king, where does the scripture set forth that Jesus Christ, the only Savior of sinners, is offered as a king?

3:38 Well, to think our way through this matter of the fact of His kingly office, first of all let us consider He is king by the prophecies that preceded His coming, then by the pronouncements that attended His coming, by the position given to Him following His coming, and by the particular titles conferred. The prophecies that preceded the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ declare that He would come as a king. You remember in the 24th chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, following the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, He was walking with two men, two disciples, on the road to Emmaus. And we read in Luke 24 and verse 27 these words. Luke 24, 27.

4:30 And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. Beginning from Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. Now notice verse 44, the same chapter. And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the Psalms concerning me.

5:11 The three great divisions of the Old Testament are Moses, the first five books, the prophets, and the Psalms. Sometimes there's just the two-fold division, Moses and the prophets, and all of the Old Testament revelation is comprehended under that two-fold description. Now as we seek to establish the fact of our Lord's kingly office, we want to look at the prophecies that preceded His coming. But there are so many that what we must do is take one or two representative prophecies from Moses, from the Psalms, and then the prophets.

Prophecies Preceding Christ's Coming (Moses, Psalms, Prophets)

5:49 And perhaps we'll have a little sample of what our Lord did. We don't know exactly how He went about this, but it says that He opened unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. And it says, And He opened unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. If He came as a prophet, priest, and king, then I have no doubt in my own mind, but what He established before these people, His kingship on the basis of the Old Testament scriptures.

6:13 Now turning to Moses, we find in Genesis 49 this marvelous prophecy. Genesis chapter 49 and verse 10.

6:28 Jacob is giving these prophetic utterances concerning his sons and the place of the Lord. The place they will occupy and the purpose of God. When he comes to speak of his son Judah, we read in verse 10 the following words. Genesis 49, 10.

6:46 And the scepter, the symbol of rule, shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the obedience of the people be. I'm reading from the American Standard Version. The rendering here is more accurate. And here is a prophecy that out of Judah, there would come one to whom the people would render obedience as a sovereign.

7:17 One of the clearest prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the coming of Messiah. And now in the book of Numbers, another indication from Moses,

7:31 that the coming Messiah would be a king. Numbers chapter 24, in the prophecy of Balaam,

7:43 we find another clear reference to the coming Messiah who would come as a king. Numbers 24 and verse 17. I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not nigh.

8:00 There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Tumult. A scepter shall rise out of Israel. The scepter again being the symbol of kingly rule and authority. And this prophecy declares that the one who should come of Israel's line would come wielding a scepter.

8:30 How do we know Christ is a king? By the prophecies that preceded his coming. In the book of Moses, the scepter shall not depart out of Judah until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be. I see him, but not nigh, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.

8:50 Now turning to the Psalms, two representative Psalms, Psalm 2, where we have one of the clearest prophecies of the coming of Messiah and what he will do as God's anointed Messiah.

9:08 And we read these words in verses 5 through 9 Then he will he speak unto them in his wrath Jehovah speaking to those who would rebel against his rule and vex them in his sore displeasure yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will tell of the decree. The Lord said unto me thou art my son this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. And so we have the clear prophecy that God will set his king upon his holy hill of Zion. And so whoever Messiah is to be he must not only be a prophet and a priest but he must be a king if he is to be the long promised Messiah as set forth in the Old Testament Scriptures. And then in Psalm 72 verses 8 through 11 we find, we find a similar reference Psalm 72 verses 8 through 11 the whole theme of this psalm is the reign of the righteous king Solomon the type Christ the great fulfillment of that type and we read in verses 8 to 11 he shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth

10:36 they that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him and his enemies shall lick the dust the kings of Tarshish and the isles shall render tribute the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts yea all kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him he shall have dominion God will give unto him a sphere of rule and authority so we see that not only is he king because of the prophecies of Moses and of the Psalms but now looking briefly at two prophecies from the prophets that well-known Christmas prophecy Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6 Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6 and 7 for unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given and the first thing declared about him is this and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful counselor mighty counselor mighty God everlasting father prince of peace of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end and upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

12:04 from henceforth even forevermore so here is the great prophecy of that son given the child born and the whole focal point of that prophecy is that the son given in the child born shall have the right of government upon his shoulders whoever he is to be he will come as a king and then the unique prophecy of the book of Zechariah one of the strangest and yet most wonderful prophecies concerning the coming one Zechariah 6 verses 12 and 13 Zechariah 6 verses 12 and 13 thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying behold the man whose name is the branch and he shall grow up out of his place and shall build the temple of the Lord even he shall build the temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and shall be a priest upon his throne and the council of peace shall be between them both something utterly unique is going to happen the coming one will be a priest but upon a throne he will not only perform the office of a priest

13:28 in offering oblation and intercession but he will assume the role of a king to rule and to reign so the only Christ foretold by the Old Testament scriptures is one who was promised as a king just as surely as God said in Deuteronomy he would be a prophet the Lord God shall raise up a prophet like unto me Moses said just as surely as Isaiah declared in chapter 53 that the coming Messiah would be a prince so Moses the Psalms and the prophets declared that the Christ of God would come in the office and function of a king but not only do we know that he's a king by the prophecies that preceded his coming but by the pronouncements that attended his coming now I've used the word pronouncement not simply to have another P that would be a help to your memory but something pronounced is different from something announced when the preacher stands at the front of the church with the young man and the young woman what does he say I now announce you man and wife or husband and wife no what does he say I now pronounce you now there's a difference there's a difference when a judge comes forth to give a verdict some of you little junior lawyers may have been reading with interest the Carl Coppolino trial and when the judge comes forth to give a verdict the judge came forth to give the verdict what did he say he didn't say I announce

Pronouncements Attending Christ's Coming

14:57 he says what I pronounce him what guilty or innocent you see a pronouncement is an official declaration with authority and so we know that Jesus Christ is a king not only because of the prophecies that preceded his coming but by the pronouncements that attended his coming at his very conception there was a pronouncement made officially by an angel from heaven notice in Luke chapter 1 this official pronouncement made by the angel who came to Mary verses beginning with verse 26 now the sixth month the angel Gabriel God's special messenger was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and the virgin's name was Mary and he came in unto her and said hail thou that it highly favored the Lord is with thee and Mary is troubled and then he tells her not to be afraid verse 31 behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great and shall be called the son of the most high and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there shall be no more there shall be no end

16:26 notice those three significant words the Lord God shall give him a throne he shall reign and of his kingdom there shall be no end so the official pronouncement made at his very conception is this Mary the one who's to be conceived in your womb by the miraculous operation of the spirit is destined to be a king he will be Jesus the only savior of men but he will perform that work of a savior as a king he shall reign he shall have a throne then at his birth what was the pronouncement of the angels Luke 2 and verse 10 unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior who is Christ the Lord the only savior of men is born a Lord a sovereign a despot the one destined to rule and to reign the wise men who somehow had to them revealed that this is the way that this one was born came to Jerusalem saying where is he that is born king of the Jews where is he that is born king we know that he's king not only by virtue of the prophecies that preceded his coming but by these pronouncements that attended his coming at his conception at his birth at the very beginning of his ministry we read in Mark chapter one that as our Lord began his public ministry

17:54 these were the first words that he pronounced Mark chapter one verses fourteen and fifteen now after John was delivered up Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God and saying the time is fulfilled the kingdom of God is at hand the official pronouncement of the Lord Jesus at his own coming in the inception of his ministry is as I move out to preach and teach and lay my claim to the Lord to men the kingdom of God draws nigh the sphere of the rule and reign of God over which I preside as king and as sovereign and then we know that he's king not only because of the prophecies preceding the pronouncements attending his coming but by the position given to him following his coming where is our Lord Jesus Christ now what position has he assumed as the reward of his sufferings and his death and the reward and the first sermon preached after the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ God declares to the world officially where his son is and the position that he occupies and would to God that the professing church would learn the simple issue where is Jesus Christ at this very hour Acts chapter 2 Peter says in verse 33

Position Given to Christ Following His Coming and Particular Titles Conferred

19:21 back up to verse 32 this Jesus did God raise up whereof we are all witnesses and we are being therefore by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit he hath poured forth this which ye now see and hear he's been exalted to the right hand of the Father in what position verse 36 let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom ye crucified and who is his present position following his coming following his ministry amongst men Peter says God is exalted into a place where he is Lord he is sovereign he is ruler similar reference in Acts 5 God has exalted him with his right hand to be a prince and a savior the second chapter of Philippians wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name and then a beautiful description in Revelation 12 and verse 5 which says in a beautifully summarized way the position God has given to him and she was delivered of a son a man child who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up unto God

20:51 and unto his throne our Lord Jesus has been caught up unto God and to his throne so the Lord Jesus is a king we establish that fact by the prophecies that preceded him by the pronouncements that attended him by the position now given to him and then by the particular titles conferred upon him we won't look at all the passages but very quickly let me mention just several he is called in Matthew 2 2 king of the Jews Acts 5 he is called the prince Revelation 17 14 in 19 16 he is called king of the Jews king of kings and lord of lords Colossians 1.13 speaks of the kingdom of his dear son and dear ones that's not something out in the future I object to this concept of our coming king he is our present king that's where he is seated at the right hand of the majesty on high a king by God's decree and God's appointment and so we see from these passages that to conceive of Jesus Christ the Christ who is the only savior of sinners to conceive of him in any other way as one who is a king with a right and authority to rule is to think of him inadequately

Functions of Christ's Kingly Office: Universal Government

22:18 to believe in a Christ who is something less than a king is to believe defectively and to preach a Christ who is less than a king is to preach inaccurately and so this morning if we think of Christ in any way any other way than a way that gives him his rightful place of exaltation our thinking is inadequate if we believe on a Christ who is anything less than a reigning Lord we are believing defectively and if we preach a Christ who is less than absolute sovereign we are preaching him inaccurately now having established the fact of his kingly office what are the functions of that office well if we had to summarize everything in one sentence we could say that basically the work that he performs as a king is a work of conquering and subduing his enemies and defending and protecting his subjects but we want to be a bit more specific than that what does he do as a king exalted to the right hand of the father with the government upon his shoulder reigning now in power and in glory first of all the scripture tells us that his throne is a throne of universal government you remember the prophecy in Isaiah and the government shall be upon his shoulders and of his kingdom there shall be no end in Matthew 28 18

23:47 Jesus said all authority now notice did he say will be given to me at my second coming no he said all authority hath been given unto me right now now see there is a sense in which the rule of Christ will not be given it will not be fully manifested until some time in the future as far as its full display before all the nations of men but let us not allow that aspect of truth to be cloud this glorious truth that Jesus Christ right now occupies a throne of universal government all authority in heaven and in earth has been given unto him and the scripture tells us that right now he rules over all things in the universe and he rules notice Ephesians chapter 1 where the rule of Christ over all things right now is set forth in language that seems as though the apostle just about bled his vocabulary dry Ephesians chapter 1 he says in verse 20 which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places far above the world all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come

25:15 and he hath put all things in subjection under his feet past tense he's put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all oh dear ones that's where our lord is today seated upon a king's throne a kingly throne a throne of universal government that encompasses all things first Corinthians 1521 declares the same thing he hath put all things under his feet Hebrews 2 and verse 8 the same truth all things put under his feet not only does he govern all things principalities and powers in a in a general sense but the scripture says that in that place of universal government he governs all men in John 17 Jesus declared thou hast given him authority over all flesh that's human beings thou hast given him authority over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him in Matthew 13 41 Jesus speaks of that time coming when the angels shall go out and gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and do commit iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire here the world of saved and unsaved men is called

26:44 the kingdom of Jesus Christ this world is his kingdom in the sense that he sits ruling and reigning far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion every name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come so it's a throne of universal government encompassing all things and all men but in a peculiar way he rules and governs his own those who by willing consent have owned him as king in Matthew 11 28 the gracious invitation come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you a Christian is a man who has been yoked to Jesus Christ by the free desire of his renewed for the first consciousness any sinner has that the breath of the spirit is swept across his rebel heart is that he finds a disposition drawing to a glad subjection to Christ my friend listen to me if God the Holy Ghost has ever swept across your heart the only proof you have is that you find this morning a glad disposition to own the yoke of Christ and if there is no disposition to own his yoke you're a stranger to grace and he rolls over you in the sense of his absolute sovereignty controlling all things but you know nothing of that rule

28:14 of willing consent that is the portion of those who've heard his invitation and have been partakers of his effectual call for is that not precisely what a man declares in baptism Jesus said make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe what I have commanded you what is baptism but the open of all among other things that Jesus Christ is my gladly owned sovereign and now by making this confession of my subjection to him I identify myself with Christ and his people to be his willing bondservant and through the ministry of the local assembly and its teaching and preaching ministry I submit myself to King Jesus to be taught of him and to walk in his ways that's the significance of it and so Christ ruled over his own by their own willing consent Ephesians using the picture of marriage as a figure of Christ in his church says and as Christ is the head of the church so the husband is the head of the wife how does Christ become the head of the church well the same way a woman gets a head she stands there and says I do now she may not keep her words sometimes and the child of God may at times rebel against his head but that is entered into by contract and so the way

29:44 Christ becomes the head of his church is as individual members are brought into covenant relationship with him and they own him as their sovereign and bow their neck to him and commit themselves to the heavenly bridegroom so he rules over his own by the willing consent that they give to him he rules over his own by the constraint of their love to him for Jesus said in John 14 he that loveth me he that loveeth me keepeth my commandments he said in that same chapter he that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me for the Holy Spirit has opened our eyes to see a beauty in King Jesus before the Spirit opened our eyes the thought of Christ upon a throne was distasteful to us for we know that it's a throne of purity and holiness a throne of righteousness and equity and in our depraved state loving sin and darkness the thought of the King who would command us and his commands would lead us in ways of purity of holiness of godliness we did not like that so the cry of our hearts was what we will not have this man to reign over us not loving him we refuse to obey him but oh when the Spirit opens our blinded eyes and we behold the glory of God in the face of Christ we see that his commands are not grievous that all that he issues by way of commands is a king they are not grievous his

31:13 yoke is easy his burden is light and so we not only obey him because of a willing consent but because of the constraint of love but he rules over others who do not want his reign the scripture declares that even the heart of kings is in the hands of the Lord and he turns it as the water courses Proverbs 23 and verse 1 every man is under the rule of Christ the difference is some love

31:42 his rule some of you love that rule some of you hate it some of you are under that rule you're simply a creature on God's earth and because it's his earth he's going to rule it and therefore you come under that rule others of you are under that rule because the spirit has swept across your heart change that basic disposition of rebellion and indifference to one of glad submission which are you do you love his rule do you love his reign do you love his yoke have you found his commandments to be not grievous can you sing that song his yoke is easy his burden is light I found it so I found it so or do you count his commands grievous his command be holy for I am holy you count that a grievous thing or have you found that there's an

32:44 in the path of holiness to be found in no other path have you found it so have you found it so I'm not asking do you believe it so but have you found it so have you found it so the scripture says righteousness and peace have kissed each other there is no peace out of the way of righteousness have you found that so his command to confess him before men even though at times you're ashamed and you mourn failures do you count it a delight to let the world know you're the property of Jesus Christ by your actions and reactions by what you say and don't say by where you go and don't love his rule Jesus Christ sits upon a throne of absolute authority he governs all things and all men he governs his own by their willing consent and the constraint of love he governs all others by his sovereign power and blessed be God one day and I don't understand how it all fits into the picture the scripture says in Revelation 11 15 the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever this world and feeling the effects of proud man and I will rule and God sits back as it were and says all right I'll let you see

34:13 how utterly futile is your rule one day God will take the reins of the entire world into his hands and Jesus Christ will reign forever and ever an absolute dominion over the entire world I don't know but when I turn on my handles Messiah and hear that chorus singing and he shall reign forever and ever I don't particularly get disturbed because I don't know how it fits into the prophetic scheme but I know one day he's going to rule and he's going to reign that's the Christ whom the gospel sets before you not a weak Jesus who needs the sympathy of the ascended sovereign Lord who demands your submission that's the Christ of God of universal government the second function of his kingly office

Functions of Christ's Kingly Office: Sovereign Grace

35:15 sovereign grace I shall never forget back about a year ago or so when this phrase that I had read for years suddenly burned its way into my soul very familiar many of you could quote the entire verse Hebrews 4 in verse 60 let us therefore draw on this unto the what of grace unto the what of grace now what it says now wait a minute what's he talking about well you see you can't separate Christ the priest for that prophet in Zechariah that prophecy said what and he shall sit out as exalted into his right hand so whatever he does as a priest he does as a sovereign so the throne not only one of universal government but of sovereign omnipotence the complete uniqueness of our Lord Jesus is that these two offices combined in the priest and the prophet at one time Saul the anointed king I mean the prophet and the priest and the king

36:43 we're reading in Joel's Bible story the other night how Saul when Samuel delayed his coming you remember that account some of you will Saul was king of Israel and Samuel said in seven days I'll come and offer sacrifices and we'll pray to God if he'll give us deliverance from the Philistines and Saul got impatient and said well he's not coming it's past time he hasn't kept his appointment so Saul himself took the place of a priest and offered sacrifices and when Samuel came back he said Saul you've disobeyed God he said the kingdom will be taken from your line God does not have so much pleasure in sacrifices is in obedience and what made that disobedience so terrible was that Saul was assuming a position that God did not want to give to any

37:33 those things are beautifully tied together and set forth in the gospel so Jesus Christ upon a throne of grace dispenses grace as a sovereign king that's why Acts 531 declares he's been appointed to be a prince and a savior to give repentance and remission of sins all dispenses of his grace he dispenses in the exercise of his sovereignty his majesty and his power so he's able to say I will build church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it you see a priest does not have that power of himself it's the position and function of a king to defend and conquer defend his own and conquer his enemies so the Lord Jesus can declare as he does in Matthew 16 I will build my church why for I will build it not only I will be supplying grace to my people and power but I will do it as a king exercising every right necessary to accomplish my saving purposes and think what that means for according to Psalm 2 all the nations are gathered together against who against the Lord and against his anointed and they say let us break their bands asunder cast away their cords from us

39:06 have come to places of power to terminate the church of Christ what has happened he's built his church why because his throne is a throne of sovereign grace and anything necessary that needs to be done in the way of exerting power and moving nations and kingdoms to build his church Jesus Christ said I will build it and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it so when he has to open a door he opens it he says in revelation 3 10 I open and no man shut I shut and no man opens that what he says God wanted to open the door to China to outside missionaries beloved he could do it three minutes from now if he chose to do so I get a little bit disturbed when people think that the church is extinct because American missionaries aren't

40:07 spending an hour but little groups that meet in basements at the fear and risk of their own life knowing that their brethren have been dragged off by the dozens and hundreds and slain for the testimony of Jesus Christ and he's building his church in China and all the rest shall not prevail against it he sits upon a throne of sovereign grace dispensing grace able to subdue and conquer his enemies open and close doors open and close hearts but oh remember that his grace and his government go together you want grace from Christ there's only one place to get it at a throne of grace you can't have his grace without his government oh there be multitudes who want the grace of his forgiveness who don't want the government of his law comfort without the government of his demands you can't find grace apart from his government it's a throne of grace and all the grace that sinners will need to be taken from a state of nature and brought into a state of glory is invested in the Lord Jesus but it funnels down from a throne of grace and until you're brought to that place where you welcome his throne you'll never know the supplies of his grace Matthew Poole great

41:37 old commentator said these words many would have Christ to be their savior but not their prince such as will not have Christ to be their king to rule over them shall never have his blood to save them I'm sorry that was Thomas Watson I was reading from Matthew Poole and I thought it was Poole but I have in my notes that was Watson many many many would have Christ to be their savior but not their prince but such as will not have Christ to be their king to rule over them shall never have his blood to save them that says something very plain to some of you there are some of you who know that you need grace you've begun to feel the self inflicted pain of your rebellion and alienation from God the sense of emptiness purposelessness and in the throes and jaws and vice like grip of circumstances that leave you feeling like a poor little bark tempest driven sea God's letting you feel a little bit of the emptiness of life apart from Christ and you say oh I need grace I need grace to give me stability in the midst of all this confusion I need grace to give me purpose in the midst of my purposelessness my friend listen you'll never find that grace except at a throne of grace the reason you're feeling this sting of your own sin and rebellion and

43:06 alienation is because you're a rebel against God and all the mess you're in is a result of your foul revolt to his government and there's no way back to that peace and rest which God intends for those who are who come unto God by him but by way of that throne of grace if you're not willing to bow at that throne and kiss the scepter of Jesus Christ there's no mercy there's no mercy maybe this is why some of you tried I want mercy I feel my need of mercy and you may even cry for mercy but you have tried to obtain mercy without his government grace and government go together and if you'd have his grace you've got to bow to his government and child of God this is true at every step in our Christian experience would you know greater supplies of his grace then you must know a greater measure of his government would you have his grace pour out in measures then you must in a more extensive and intensive way walk in the light of his government for does not the scripture say in Acts 5 that he gives the Holy Spirit to those who what obey him those who walk under his government know the supplies of his grace and so the principle of grace and government being inseparable is a word of exhortation to both saint and sinner but I want to give a word of comfort to the saint

Functions of Christ's Kingly Office: Universal Judgment

44:35 this morning as well the fact that his throne is a throne of sovereign grace oh what boldness it should give you when you pray remember the words of that hymn thou art coming to a king large petitions to him bring for his grace and power such none can ever ask too much thou art coming to a king large petitions would thee bring for his grace and power such none can ever ask too much what is his function as a king one of universal government secondly a throne of sovereign grace thirdly a throne of universal judgment in revelation 1916 where our lord is described as coming upon a white horse it says that he has a name written upon him king of kings and lord of lords and it says he shall smite the nations with a rod of iron and shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel what a vivid description

45:37 mighty exertion of his kingship as he comes as a king to destroy his enemies it's the picture of that vessel some of you fellas at susque remember what it was like you baked that thing in the kiln and you were getting ready to take it home and somebody knocked it off the thing onto the floor and it dashed into a hundred pieces that's what our lord is going to do at his coming when as a king he will dash in pieces his enemies then he will set his throne of judgment in Matthew 25 31 says the son of man shall come in his glory and sit upon his throne and in verses 33 and 40 you have this interesting note it says then shall the king say to them on his left hand then shall the king say to them on his right hand

Implications for Believers: Worship, Comfort, Constraint

46:30 his creatures oh my friend this is the Christ whom God summons you to embrace the Christ who not only sits on a throne of universal government of sovereign grace but of universal judgment and this has some tremendously important implications to us those of us who are savingly joined to Jesus Christ oh how the thought of his kingship should be the source of adoring worship why am I a Christian if I'm a Christian it's because my prophet priest and king exercise the rights of his kingship to bring me to grace one of the old Puritans used an interesting analogy he said as Peter lay between the two soldiers in the prison in Acts 8 and the angel came and smote him and his chains fell off and he rose and went free he said so King Jesus found us found us

47:30 and they fell off and as Wesley says I rose went forth and followed thee what a source of adoring worship it should be that in the exercise of his sovereign rights as a king with all authority in heaven and earth under his feet it was he who brought us out of the kingdom of darkness Colossians 113 and brought us into the kingdom of his dear son the devil wasn't about to vote for your release and by nature you love your sin and darkness more than light you weren't about to vote for your release how come you released king Jesus said I determined the release of that son and the devil in the flesh and your wicked nature not withstanding he sweetly drew you to embrace his son oh what a source of adoring worship should be the contemplation of the

48:27 priest to whom I come who suckers and sympathizes is an omnipotent priest with all the authority and power of a king and this should give me abundant comfort it should be a source of abiding constraint I'm under authority the one who has covered me with his grace stands over me with his crown the one whose benefits through the cross I lovingly embrace is the one whose demands as a crown I must daily acknowledge and the recognition of Christ as king should not only be a source of adoring worship and abundant comfort but a source of abiding constraint I'm not my own I'm bought with a price I'm a man under authority Lord what will thou have me to do in my personal life in my family life in my church life in my business life I'm under the

Implications for Unbelievers: Command to Kiss the Son

49:27 holiness do you acknowledge his kingship over every area of life and in closing I say to those of you who are not savingly joined to Christ the thought of the kingship of Christ the contemplation of his kingship should cause you to listen with attention to God's command uttered through the prophet David speaking as a prophet listen now therefore be wise oh ye kings be instructed ye judges of the earth oh listen those of you not saving me joined to Christ those of you who do not love his rule those of you who do not delightfully embrace his kingship here's God's word to you kiss the son kiss the son God says my son is a king and he holds out a golden scepter of peace kiss his scepter bow before his rule from his hand that's the command but then it's followed with a warning kiss the son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way for his wrath will soon be kindled there's a time coming when the son of God will no longer hold forth the golden rod the golden scepter of mercy but he'll hold the iron rod of judgment

50:54 and oh my dear friend you who've been able young person and adult to hold up high your stiff proud neck and defy the overtures of grace the pleadings of God's servants perhaps even accounting them a little bit deranged and a little bit overboard that they should earnestly entreat you to repent and bow to Christ my friend listen though the tender extension of that golden scepter of mercy has not bowed your neck to King Jesus when he holds the rod of I confess and every knee shall bow to God while the door of mercy is open while the King is still a priest extending mercy may God grant that you young people and adults will flee to Christ and find that it is a throne of grace and the moment you bow you'll find what a gracious gracious throne it is let us pray