OceanSide church of Christ

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JESUS:  KING OF THE INDIVIDUAL

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   When Jesus ascended to the right hand of God (Acts 1:10-11), He received a kingdom and was honored as the King of kings (Dan. 7:13-14).

 

And there was given unto him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him:  his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

 

B.    In our study of Jesus as King over the course of 2013, we have seen that He is the King over all nations and He is the King of the home.

 

C.   Today, the title of our lesson is:  “Jesus:  King of the Individual.”

 

I.           THE KING LONGS TO RULE OUR LIVES

 

A.   He calls men to come to Him (Matt. 11:28).

 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 

B.    He seeks man (Luke 19:10).

 

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

C.   He stands at the door of man’s heart and knocks (Rev. 3:20).

 

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:  if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

 

D.   He makes man wonderful promises (John 10:10).

 

The thief cometh not, but for the steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

 

E.    He offers a heavenly reward (Matt. 19:21).

 

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:  and come and follow me.

 

II.         SUBJECTION TO THE KING IS VOLUNTARY

 

A.   Many kings take over individuals by force.  They, then, force individuals to serve them by intimidation and violence.

 

 

B.    Not so with Jesus.

1.     He calls, but allows man to answer.

2.     He knocks, but waits on man to open the door.

 

C.   Saul of Tarsus was not forced.  He was given a choice.

1.     The Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-4).  He told him to go into the city and wait for instructions (Acts 9:6).  He was told to arise and be baptized in order to have his sins washed away (Acts 22:16).

2.     In light of all this, the choice was his to make.  He was not forced to obey (Acts 26:19).

 

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

 

D.   He will not force us to make Him our King.  He merely asks us to choose (Deut. 30:19; Josh. 24:15; Ps. 25:12; Prov. 1:29; Isa. 65:12).

 

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:  therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed my live.

 

III.       THE KING MUST CONTROL ALL

 

A.   I Corinthians 6:20

 

For ye are bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

B.    There are numerous areas of our lives that Jesus must control as our King:  mind, body, behavior, attitude, choices, relationships, and environments.

 

C.   This control comes through the Word of God.

1.     Two verses:

a.     Proverbs 6:23 (see also Prov. 4:4)

 

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.

 

1)     The emphasis for us is on the words “…are the way of life.”

2)     When we submit to the King, our way of life revolves around the commandments, the law, and the instructions of the King.

 

b.    II Timothy 3:16-17

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

 

 

 

2.     Examples:

a.     Mind (Phil. 2:5; 4:8)

 

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

 

 

b.    Words (Eph. 4:29; Col. 4:6)

 

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

 

c.    Relationships (I Cor. 15:33)

 

Be not deceived:  evil communications corrupt good manners.

 

IV.        REBELLION AGAINST THE KING IS POSSIBLE

 

A.   The psalmist presents us with a picture of those who rebelled against God and against His anointed (Ps. 2:1-3).

 

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

 

B.    There are at least three ways that we can rebel against our King.

1.     Overt rebellion.  This rebellion is outwardly displayed.  It is not hidden from view.  There is no pretense toward loyalty.  It says:  “I will not be subject to the authority of the King” (Jer. 6:16-17).

 

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.  But they say, We will not walk therein.  Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet.  But they say, We will not hearken.

 

2.     Partial obedience.  This rebellion does not obey in all things.  It obeys enough to convince itself that it has done enough to be acceptable to the King, but it is not (Jer. 7:23).

 

But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people:  and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

 

3.     Lukewarm obedience.  This is “on again” and “off again” obedience.  There is no zeal or fervor in one’s service.  The person is neither hot nor cold (Rev. 3:14-15).

 

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:  I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because that are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Satan will allow us to sit upon the throne of our heart as the king because he knows that as long as Christ is not the king, he is.  (It is similar to a small child sitting in the lap of his parent while driving a car).

 

B.    A paradox:  To be a king, I must submit to the King.  As long as I try to be the king, I can never be king (See Rev. 1:6).

 

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.

 

C.   If we will submit to Jesus as King, He has promised to reward us in the hereafter by making us rulers over many things (Matt. 25:21, 23).

 

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant:  thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:  enter into the joy of thy lord.