John 18: 33 – 37 (Christ the King)

“Jesus Rules”

It had all come down to “Who is Jesus?” It usually does. Those who understand and believe in him to be the only Son of God, the Savior from sin, the only Way unto salvation, have saving faith. Those who stand to judge Christ on earthly terms, and desire to make him less than what he truly is, will miss the boat spiritually and eternally. Jesus rules. Not as an earthly coup against the Roman government, but as one to whom has been given “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Today, the last Sunday of the Church Year we celebrate Christ as King.

 

1. His Kingdom is out of this world.

By now most people could have gathered that Jesus was something beyond their earthly understanding. Even the doubters who had followed John the Baptist, had been instructed to see “the blind receive their sight, the lamb walk, the leprosy healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached” (Luke 7: 23 ).

Jesus explained to Pilate, “You are right in saying that I am a King. My Kingdom is not of this world.” He was not interested in being physically rescued from the hands of his killers. That would have been true had he come to save the Jews from Romans tyranny. But he had come to save his people from their sins. He was interested in facing the death that would accomplish that.

Jesus does rule. The wind and waves obeyed him. The water changed to wine. Lazarus came out of the tomb after four days of death. The demons went flying over the cliff in a herd of pigs. He certainly demonstrated his divine authority. He could have called down legions of angels in the Garden of Gethsemane , but instead he instructed Peter to put away his sword. He was interested in a spiritual kingdom. It would be a kingdom of forgiveness, a Kingdom of spiritual peace between God and man, a kingdom of truth.

He was interested in you and me. He wanted subjects of grace. He wanted servants of the truth. For this reason he came into the world.

 

2. We are subjects of his truth.

Jesus instructed us saying, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21). He taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come.” (Luke 11:2). Luther reminds us that “God’s kingdom comes, even without our asking, but we pray in this petition that it comes to us and to many others.”

God’s kingdom is the kingdom of believers. It is based on truth. One primary truth of his kingdom is that we were all objects of his wrath. (Ephesians 2: 3). Because of our sinfulness and our natural desires to disobey God, we do not belong to the kingdom by our choosing. Stop and think about the times we thought we could get away with disobedience when no one was looking. Stop and think about the thoughts we thought we could have without anyone knowing our thoughts. How foolish to think that we could get to a place where the King of the Universe did not exist or could not follow. How foolish to think that there is a place we can go to sin, that is outside of his ruling!

Thankfully the other primary truth of his kingdom is that objects of his wrath are subjects of his grace. “God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ.” The Lamb went uncomplaining forth so that his sacrifice could account for the atonement of all sin. The King died for his subjects. He gave up his divine authority only to take it back up again. He is the One Son of Man from Daniel’s vision who by his death and resurrection governs all people, nations and is worshiped by every language of men. His dominion will not pass away, and his kingdom is the one that will never be destroyed (Daniel 7:14 ).

He established Truth. “And every one on the side of truth listens to him.” The kingdom of heaven is within you. He has redeemed us with his holy precious blood. By faith you have been brought into the kingdom of eternal truth. All this he does that I should be his own a d serve him with everlasting righteousness innocence and blessedness. Jesus rules. He rules over all things. He rules in your heart through the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17 ).

Jesus does rule. He rules the world with power and grace. He rules in our hearts with his Word. He watches over us as everything is placed under his control. Serving and ruling an eternal kingdom, a kingdom that is out of this world, he will keep us in faith until his glorious return and lead us into the life prepared for us by his Father. Until that day we are glad subjects of the kingdom which he rules, now and for eternity.

Amen.