"Christ the King!”

"Christ the King!”
Ephesians 1:15-23

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear Friends in Christ,
This Scripture passage is one grand prayer of the Apostle Paul for the Congregation at
Ephesus. He prays that in the midst of all trials and persecution, they might not forget who they
are: children of the King, Jesus Christ! For even though it always appears that the world, the
devil, and our own flesh are winning the battle against the Kingdom of Heaven, it can never be
so, for Christ has already won! Yet this, too, is an article of faith, which must be believed, but
cannot be seen in this life! In essence, then, the Apostle encourages the saints with the ultimate
good news: our Lord Jesus Christ is the King of heaven and earth, and He is even now ruling all
things for our good. Rejoice and be glad in Christ the King for:

I. Jesus Christ is the Only King whom God Himself has Crowned!

A. Because of His suffering and death. (Phil. 2:6-11) “Although He existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a
bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
1. Far from being defeated in these things, He actually gained His victory
through them. (Heb. 2:14-15) “Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He
Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him
who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of
death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
2. This was the Father’s plan all along. (John 10:17-18) "For this reason the Father
loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. "No one has taken it away from
Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have
authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
a. To accomplish what we could not.
b. To purchase for Himself a Bride!

B. By means of His resurrection, ascension and seating at the Right Hand of God. (vs.
20)
1. Thus “He led captivity captive”! (Eph. 4:8) Therefore it says, "When He ascended
on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men."
a. This is “the working of the strength of His might.” (vs. 19b)
b. This is “the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”
(vs. 19a)
2. Thus He established that our God is God our Savior! (Is. 43:10-15 O.T. lesson)

II. "Christ the King” Rules All Things!!

A. In the spiritual realm. (vs. 21) “...far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.”
1. In this age.
2. In the age to come.
B. In this world. (vs. 22a)
1. Now, as He sits at the Right Hand of His Father in heaven.
a. A man rules the universe!
(1) (Ps. 110:1-2)
(2) (Matt. 22:42-45) "What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?"
They said to Him, "The son of David." He said to them, "Then how does
David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at
My right hand, Until I put Thine enemies beneath Thy feet"'? "If David then
calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his son?"
b. He rules it entirely for the sake of the Gospel. (Matt. 24:14) "And this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the
nations, and then the end shall come.”
2. In The End, when His awesome power is fully revealed to everyone.
a. Then He shall return to earth “coming on the clouds, with power and
great glory!” (Matt. 24:30)
(1) Then “He will shatter kings in the Day of His wrath.” (Ps. 110:5)
(2) And He will judge all men. (Matt. 25:31)
b. But “He will gather together His elect (saints)” to take them to heaven
forever. (Matt. 24:31) "And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet
and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky
to the other.”

III. "Christ the King” Rules All Things in the Interest of His Church!!!

A. She to whom He has been given as her Head, i.e., her Bridegroom! (vs. 22b)
1. For whom He died. (Eph. 5:23-25) For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ
also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is
subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands,
love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
2. In order to purify her for Himself. (Eph. 5:26-27) that He might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself
the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should
be holy and blameless.
a. This is the ultimate wisdom and revelation of God. (vs. 17)
b. This is “The hope of His calling, and the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints.” (vs. 18)
B. She who is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all!!! (vs. 23)
1. As branches fill out the Vine. (John 15:5, 8) "I am the vine, you are the branches;
he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
"By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
2. As a woman is a man’s glory. (1 Cor. 11:7) For a man ought not to have his head
covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.”
a. So we will glorify Him in heaven. (John 17:24) "Father, I desire that they
also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may
behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the
foundation of the world.
b. All of which will be fully revealed only when He returns. (Col. 3:4)
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in
glory.

St. Paul prayed for the saints at Ephesus “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened,
so that you may know what is the hope..., the riches..., and the power of Christ toward us. For
he knew that the more and the better we know these things and trust in them, the more we will
eagerly look for Jesus’ return. And the more we think about that great Day, the more we will be
moved to speak His saving Name to the rest of the world while we wait, as David said, “Thy
people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power!” (Ps. 110:3) May He grant that it be so
among us both now and forever. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts & minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

"Not the word of men... but the Word of God!"

"Not the word of men... but the Word of God!"
1 Thessalonians 2:1-6, 13

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dearly Beloved in Christ,
We suffer in our day from having too much information coming at us to comprehend. This forces us to become extremely selective in what we read, watch and listen to. Unfortunately, we naturally select the easier material to digest in place of solid, substantive material. But we Christians, of all people, ought to make and take time for the Word of God, because no other message can possibly do us so much good in so little time!

Thus faithful preachers refuse to cut down on the Word of God, because God's people increasingly need more of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not less. For we "Believe, teach and confess" in our Church: "Not the word of men... but the Word of God!"

I. We preach the Word of God, not the word of men.

A. Because man's word is never completely right about anything.
1. The creation we contemplate is temporal because of sin.
a. Thus the "laws" which govern our universe are not really universal! (Time, space, matter,
energy, gravity, etc.)
b. So even Christians who are alive at Christ's return must be changed before they can enter
heaven. (1 Cor. 15:50-53)

2. Our human logic is flawed by sin.
a. So that even in the realm of science, yesterday’s “truths” are today’s laughing-stock.
b. Today’s scientific “truths” are just as vulnerable. Those who hook their star to such will be
disappointed.

3. Our natural minds cannot even comprehend a perfect God!
a. (1 Cor. 2:14) "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised!”
b. Which is why false prophets can so easily deceive people. (Isa. 52:5)

B. Because God's Word is always perfectly true and accurate.

1. God cannot lie.
a. This does not deny His omnipotence, but is a natural corollary of it.
b. His very Name, “I AM that I AM,” declares this truth! (Ps. 119:89)

2. He has told us all we need to know about us and Himself.
a. That we are helplessly stuck in this thing called sin – so deeply that we cannot even
understand that we are, until His Word reveals it to us by His Law!
b. That He Himself is the only reasonable object of trust. (vss. 6 & 9)

3. Human beings can understand & communicate what God says.
a. 1 Cor. 2:14-16 (Repeat 14 and add 16) "A natural man does not accept the things of the
Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they
are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is
appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should
instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ!"
b. How? 1 Cor. 2:12-13 "We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from
God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak,
not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual
thoughts with spiritual words." (vs. 13)

II. We preach salvation in Jesus Christ alone.

A. Because it is God's greatest revelation of Himself.
1. That He cares about us sinners.
a. Greater than the 1st Article, though that, too, is true and necessary.
b. Greater than the 3rd Article, without which we could not know it.

2. That He has come in Christ to suffer and die for us. (1 Thess. 1:9-10; Matt. 16:16-17)

3. That He has risen from the dead, returned to His heavenly home, and will soon return for us!
a. The Christian Church Year begins celebrating His 1st coming and ends preparing for His 2nd
coming!
b. When? “Soon,” say the Scriptures. “Any moment now” repeats God’s Word over and over.

B. Because only this Word changes human beings from damned sinners to blessed saints.
1. Such as are willing to preach this Word of God, not for gain, nor to please men, but for Christ!

2. Such as are willing to suffer al things for the sake of this Kingdom, no matter how persecuted.

3. Such as are wiling to listen to and learn the Word of God! (vs. 13)

No other message on earth can do what this Word of God does – save souls for eternity! No other message can reduce our frustration or calm our hearts like Scripture. For there is no one but God who is daily, constantly in control of our lives and destinies. Therefore, no other message is as worthwhile for human beings as this one.

Remember that Jesus promised that when "This Gospel of the Kingdom has been preached in the whole world for a witness to the nations, (only) then shall The End come!" (Matt. 24:14) This is what Isaiah foresaw, c. 700 B.C., saying, “Our SAVIOR has bared His holy Arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God!” (Isa. 53:10)
Jesus is that holy Arm of God, who is also the very Word of God by which alone you may be saved. Therefore, may He make you among those who increasingly want to hear it, and who are also privileged to do so throughout their lives, to His glory and to your salvation. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts & minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.