The King, The Cross, and the Empty Tomb

So what does that mean for us? Is that if Jesus is the king over the cross, it means that your sin doesn't have the final say. It means that your guilt and shame doesn't have the final say. It means that your past doesn't have the final say. It means that your suffering doesn't have the final say. Even death doesn't get the final word. The king gets the final say because he is reigning over it all. Because the king went to the cross so that your sin could be paid for. The king is on the cross to show a watching world what kind of king and God he is. And he is the king over the cross so that nothing gets the final word but him. [01:08:19] (57 seconds)

He shows the power to determine when things are finished because he is the one who utters from the cross, it is finished. The Romans weren't the ones who said it. The chief priests and the religious rulers were not the ones who determined when this was done. Jesus said, it is finished. He's not crying out like a victim, but rather this is the declaration of a victorious king. Because every other king in history takes life to a secure power. Every other king eliminates enemies and protects self at all costs. But this king gives his life, dies for his enemies, and absorbs the cost himself. [01:02:23] (53 seconds)

Every king, every ruler, every leader, their story ends the same. Death, but not this king. The stone was rolled away. The body wasn't there. History proves this out, and it was never refuted then or now. But we'd be remiss if we think that Easter is only about Jesus rising from the dead. That would be amazing. It would be worthy of celebrating and honoring, but we've actually seen this before. Jesus himself has raised three people from the dead during his ministry. But do you know what happened to all three of the people he rose from the dead during his ministry? They died again. [01:06:30] (51 seconds)

Because three days later, the stone wasn't rolled away just so that Jesus could get out. The stone was rolled away so that we could look in. So that like Peter on that first morning stooped and looked in, we could see what it says that he is not here. He has risen as he said. You know, every earthly king or leader's story has ended in death. Historically or famously or similarly in some ways, You got take John f Kennedy, for example, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander the Great. He conquered the world. He died. Caesar rose to power. He was assassinated. [01:05:34] (52 seconds)

This idea is so ubiquitous that every Disney movie with a princess or a prince or a king or a queen is going to have a castle central to its story. Go to Disney World. What's at the middle of it? A castle. This is what kings do. But king Jesus, no castle. A cross. A cross, he chose. Luke chapter nine says, when the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. [00:56:40] (40 seconds)

Because rather than build a self protecting castle, what did he do? He forgave. Luke 23 says that Jesus said from the cross, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Who forgives people that are actively killing them? Only a king who isn't losing control, but is accomplishing exactly what he set out to do. He shows what kind of king he is when he displays the authority to save other people when he says to the thief on the cross next to him, today, you will be with me in paradise. Do you wonder what the people listening thought? [01:01:22] (49 seconds)

Easter isn't just about Jesus rising from the dead. It is the confirmation and coronation of Jesus as the king. Because if he could do this, if he could predict, I'm going to rise from the dead and complete this, if he could do and be everything he said and did, then he didn't just survive the cross. He he didn't just, like, do some incredible thing and then die. No. He is the king over the cross. And what do we know about kings? We know that they have authority wherever they reign. Whatever is under their kingship, they have the final say about. So what does that mean for us? [01:07:28] (54 seconds)

If you look at the original meaning of the words for he set his face, it literally means to be determined and locked in. Jerusalem and awaiting cross was the plan. Not a backup plan, not a last ditch effort, not a resignation to some writing on the wall. This was the plan. He even told his followers explicitly that this is what was going to happen. What kind of king does this? The king went to the cross, but he didn't stop being the king once he got to the cross. [00:57:20] (45 seconds)