Beholding the Beauty of Our King, Jesus Christ
Summary
In the face of adversity, when the Assyrians threatened Jerusalem, the people of Judea saw their king, Hezekiah, in mourning. Yet, they were promised a future where their king would be adorned in joy and their land free from oppression. This historical narrative from Isaiah 33:17 serves as a profound metaphor for the spiritual journey of believers today. We have a greater king than Hezekiah—Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, who once wore the garments of sorrow but now reigns in glory and beauty.
Jesus, in His earthly life, was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, yet through His victory on the cross, He is now exalted, clothed in splendor, and crowned with glory. As His subjects, we are no longer bound by sin but are granted the liberty of the gospel. Our King, Jesus, is not only our sovereign by divine right but also by conquest, having redeemed us with His blood. His reign is not despotic but is marked by love and grace, and He is the source of all spiritual legislation within His church.
As believers, we are called to recognize Jesus as our King and to live in obedience to His commands. Our faith and actions must be rooted in Christ, acknowledging Him as the head of the church. In doing so, we see the King in His beauty, not with physical eyes, but through the eyes of faith. This spiritual sight is a source of joy and liberty, allowing us to experience the fullness of the covenant blessings.
The beauty of our King is not only in His divine nature and character but also in His position as our intercessor and conqueror. We see His beauty in moments of pardon, in the revelation of His eternal love, and in the assurance of His unchanging grace. As we meditate on His person and work, we are drawn closer to Him, longing for the day when we shall see Him face to face.
Key Takeaways:
- Jesus Christ, our King, has triumphed over sorrow and death, and now reigns in glory. His victory on the cross grants us spiritual liberty and the fullness of covenant blessings. We are called to live in the joy of His reign, recognizing His beauty and majesty. [03:14]
- Our King, Jesus, is sovereign by divine right and by conquest. He has redeemed us with His blood, and His reign is marked by love and grace. As His subjects, we are to live in obedience to His commands, acknowledging Him as the head of the church. [10:49]
- Seeing the King in His beauty is a spiritual sight, experienced through faith. This sight brings joy and liberty, allowing us to experience the fullness of the covenant blessings. It is a source of strength and assurance in our spiritual journey. [26:01]
- The beauty of our King is revealed in moments of pardon and in the assurance of His eternal love. As we meditate on His person and work, we are drawn closer to Him, longing for the day when we shall see Him face to face. [28:09]
- Our spiritual journey is a progression towards seeing the King in His beauty. As we grow in our understanding of Christ, we are less satisfied with superficial views and more drawn to the depths of His grace and love. This longing for deeper communion with Him is a hallmark of our faith. [30:21]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - The King in His Beauty
[00:26] - Hezekiah's Mourning and Promise
[01:22] - Liberation from Oppression
[02:03] - A Greater King: Jesus Christ
[03:14] - Boundless Gospel Liberty
[04:10] - Jesus: Our Sovereign King
[06:25] - The Rights of Christ's Reign
[09:39] - Jesus' Right of Conquest
[11:14] - Spiritual Legislation in Christ
[15:51] - Jesus: Captain of Our Warfare
[18:11] - The Beauty of Our King
[22:18] - The Glory of the Resurrected King
[26:01] - Seeing the King in His Beauty
[31:40] - The Sight of Christ in Death
[41:24] - Liberty Through Christ's Beauty
[44:35] - Invitation to See the King
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Isaiah 33:17
- Philippians 2:9-11
- Hebrews 12:2
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#### Observation Questions
1. What was the state of Jerusalem and its king, Hezekiah, when the Assyrians threatened the city? How did this situation change according to the promise given to them? [00:26]
2. How does the sermon describe Jesus' transition from a "man of sorrows" to a King "clothed in splendor"? [02:32]
3. What are the characteristics of Jesus' reign as described in the sermon? How does it differ from earthly kingship? [07:40]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest believers can "see the King in His beauty"? [26:01]
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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the promise of seeing "the King in His beauty" serve as a metaphor for the spiritual journey of believers today? [02:03]
2. What does it mean for Jesus to be both sovereign by divine right and by conquest, and how does this impact the believer's relationship with Him? [10:49]
3. How does the sermon explain the concept of spiritual liberty in the context of Jesus' victory and reign? [03:14]
4. What role does faith play in experiencing the beauty and majesty of Jesus as described in the sermon? [26:01]
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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt oppressed or burdened. How can the promise of Jesus' reign in glory provide comfort and hope in such situations? [03:14]
2. In what ways can you actively acknowledge Jesus as the head of your life and the church? What changes might this require in your daily actions or decisions? [10:49]
3. How can you cultivate a deeper spiritual sight to "see the King in His beauty"? Are there specific practices or habits you can adopt to enhance your faith? [26:01]
4. Consider moments in your life where you have experienced Jesus' pardon and love. How can these experiences strengthen your faith and relationship with Him? [28:09]
5. The sermon speaks of longing for deeper communion with Christ. What steps can you take to move beyond superficial views and engage more deeply with His grace and love? [30:21]
6. How can you share the beauty and majesty of Jesus with others in your community? What practical steps can you take to demonstrate His love and grace? [23:47]
7. Identify one area in your life where you struggle to live in obedience to Jesus' commands. What is one specific action you can take this week to align more closely with His teachings? [15:17]
Devotional
Day 1: Triumph Over Sorrow and Death
In the face of adversity, believers are reminded of the triumph of Jesus Christ over sorrow and death. Hezekiah's mourning in the face of the Assyrian threat serves as a historical backdrop to the greater victory achieved by Jesus. While Hezekiah was promised a future of joy and freedom from oppression, Jesus has already accomplished this through His victory on the cross. As believers, we are called to live in the joy of His reign, recognizing His beauty and majesty. This triumph grants us spiritual liberty and the fullness of covenant blessings, allowing us to experience the joy and freedom that comes from being under the reign of a victorious King. [03:14]
Isaiah 25:8-9 (ESV): "He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.'"
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to embrace the joy and freedom that comes from Christ's victory over sorrow and death? How can you actively live in the joy of His reign today?
Day 2: Sovereign by Divine Right and Conquest
Jesus Christ is our King, sovereign by divine right and by conquest. Unlike earthly kings, His reign is marked by love and grace, having redeemed us with His blood. As His subjects, we are called to live in obedience to His commands, acknowledging Him as the head of the church. This obedience is not burdensome but liberating, as it aligns us with His divine will and purpose. Recognizing Jesus as our sovereign King means submitting to His authority and allowing His love and grace to guide our lives. [10:49]
Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV): "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to submit to Jesus' authority? How can you begin to align this area with His will and purpose today?
Day 3: Spiritual Sight Through Faith
Seeing the King in His beauty is a spiritual sight, experienced through faith. This sight brings joy and liberty, allowing believers to experience the fullness of the covenant blessings. It is not a physical sight but a spiritual one, where the eyes of faith allow us to perceive the beauty and majesty of our King. This spiritual sight is a source of strength and assurance in our spiritual journey, helping us to navigate the challenges of life with confidence and hope. [26:01]
2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV): "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper spiritual sight to see the beauty of Christ in your daily life? What practices can help you focus on the unseen and eternal?
Day 4: Beauty in Pardon and Eternal Love
The beauty of our King is revealed in moments of pardon and in the assurance of His eternal love. As believers meditate on His person and work, they are drawn closer to Him, longing for the day when they shall see Him face to face. This beauty is not only in His divine nature and character but also in His role as our intercessor and conqueror. It is in these moments of pardon and love that we experience the depth of His grace and are reminded of His unchanging nature. [28:09]
Micah 7:18-19 (ESV): "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent moment when you experienced God's pardon and love. How did it draw you closer to Him, and how can you carry this experience into your daily walk with Christ?
Day 5: Longing for Deeper Communion
Our spiritual journey is a progression towards seeing the King in His beauty. As believers grow in their understanding of Christ, they become less satisfied with superficial views and more drawn to the depths of His grace and love. This longing for deeper communion with Him is a hallmark of faith, driving believers to seek a more intimate relationship with their King. It is through this deepening relationship that believers find true fulfillment and purpose in their spiritual journey. [30:21]
Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV): "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Reflection: What steps can you take to deepen your communion with Christ and move beyond superficial views of Him? How can you cultivate a longing for a more intimate relationship with your King?
Quotes
We have a nobler king than Hezekiah, he is the king of kings and lord of lords. We have seen our well-beloved monarch in the days of his flesh humiliated and sore vexed for he was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. [00:02:05]
Yet now in as much as he has triumphed over all the powers of darkness upon the bloody tree our faith beholds our king and his beauty, returning with dyed garments from Edom, robed in the splendor of victory. No longer does he wear the purple robe of mockery but he is clothed with a garment down to the foot. [00:02:42]
We also his joyful subjects who were once shut up and could not come forth are now possessed of boundless gospel liberty. Now that we see Jesus crowned with glory and honor we freely possess to its utmost bounds the covenant blessings which he has given to us. [00:03:09]
We hail Emmanuel as king, his right to royalty lies first in his exalted nature as the son of God. Who should be king but Jehovah and inasmuch as Jesus Christ is very God a very God, let him reign, let his kingdom come, let him in all things have the preeminence. [00:04:32]
Besides this and over and above the natural rights of Christ to reign, he governs by virtue of his headship of the mediatorial kingdom. He is not merely king because he is God but he is king in his complex nature as God and man. [00:06:38]
Moreover, our Lord Jesus is king and Zion by right of conquest. He has taken and carried by storm the hearts of his people and has slain their enemies who held them in cruel bondage. In the red sea of his own blood, our redeemer has drowned the pharaoh of our sins. [00:09:37]
We are that spoil, we are the trophies of his victory the treasure for which he lay down his life that he might redeem us unto himself. We therefore who have believed in him accept him to be king and do not for a moment question his right. [00:10:31]
We look upon the Lord Jesus as being to us the fountain of all spiritual legislation. He is a king in his own right, no limited monarch but an autocrat in the midst of his church, and in the church all laws proceed from Christ and Christ only. [00:11:26]
If Christ be king, we both receive laws from him and the force which makes the law its dominion over our consciences. If he be king my brethren it should be our joy to obey him, we have nothing to do with setting up our opinions and views and thoughts and tastes. [00:14:50]
We see the king in his beauty at this moment not with these eyes but with the far clearer spiritual eye of faith. Eyes are impediments to spiritual sight, faith is the true eyeball of the soul, confidence in God substantiated the things that are not seen. [00:26:05]
Let me say to you beloved the more you know about Christ, the less you are satisfied with superficial views of him, and the more you deeply study his transactions in the eternal covenant his engagements on your behalf is the eternal surety and the fullness of his grace which shines in all his offices. [00:29:58]
Lastly from the text it appears that this site of Christ eminently affords liberty to the soul. When we see not Christ we cannot receive the possession of the covenant, but when we get a view of the king in his beauty, then we see the land that is very far off. [00:41:24]
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