Refocusing on Jesus: The True King This Christmas

"Now, one of the things, as I was preparing for our services over Christmas, I was really struck by how easily, just like the Christmas carols that we hear when we go to the shopping center and buy things, they're kind of like just, those words just sort of just go into the background. And it's almost like it's just background noise. And I guess this week, even for me personally, it was a challenge to consider how easily Christmas, it becomes this thing when we lose focus on who ultimately it's about." [00:03:54]

"And while this morning, what I want us to consider, despite of what it says on there, is we want to look at who is the true king, to consider. Who is the true king? And with that in mind, would you join with me in prayer? Lord Jesus, as you already know and hear the voices and thoughts and conversations, even the thoughts that are going on in our hearts and minds right now, would you still us and still our hearts and wills and thoughts to consider who you are as the one who is indeed the true king, the one who is indeed the true righteous king?" [00:04:45]

"The prophecies of Isaiah, you can look this up in any history book, took place in the Azarian Empire. They were posed as a great threat against the people of Israel and Judah. And actually, to the whole Near East. It's a time of humbling for the people of God. The Assyrians are there as a threat. And eventually, they would be taken into exile. And they were people who are now being humbled by God. And God uses this season to refine His people. And then also, in the midst of that, to encourage them." [00:08:36]

"And point them to something that is coming ahead. And in this chapter, we hear this and see this. I don't know if you saw that. In the previous chapter, there's this really striking image of God going and leveling a forest. And it's been completely leveled down. And then there's this picture and vision of hope that we hear in the first verse. It's an image that looks similar to this. It's a shoot from the stump of Jesse. A bud that will come up from the root. The very line of Jesse." [00:09:13]

"So, Jesse, if you look at the story of the Bible, is the father of King David. And in these words, Isaiah specifically uses that language. He doesn't even mention David the king or even Solomon. It's pointing towards what is to come. That is, a better king is to come, unlike the kings who have failed before. The one who will bear true, good and right fruit. And this king will look very different. So, if you have a pen or a highlighter, if you have a physical Bible or even on your app, you can do this." [00:09:49]

"The kings of old also, when they were anointed, would have the Spirit of the Lord come upon them. But this king, as it says in verse 2, the Spirit will rest on him. What we're seeing is, ultimately, who this Messiah is. And as you fast forward into the New Testament, we see the beautiful reality fulfilled in this at Jesus' baptism. And the Holy Spirit come and descends on Jesus. And we hear the most powerful and beautiful words from the Father saying, this is my son in whom I'm well pleased." [00:10:50]

"Jesus, as the Messiah, as the king, will rule with wisdom. Not like the earth. Not like the earthly wisdom the other kings do. Jesus, as the Messiah, will rule with wisdom. Messiah and king, the true king, will rule with greater, better counsel, unlike the other kings. He is the king who will show true, wonderful, just wisdom in all his decisions. He won't be swayed like the other kings of the old for their own political gain." [00:11:18]

"He is the king that will truly have the strength and ability to fulfill his plans and strategies because he's true and he will confront the oppressors by his word and he will always implement what is true and right and just, not just for one group, but according to do the Father's will because he is the true king and this is the language that he is loyal, ultimately, to his Father and to do the Father's will." [00:11:52]

"See, the kings throughout the story of the Bible are a reminder, they look amazing and then they all fail. They look amazing and they all fall short. They look amazing and they all fall short. Expressing the need that we need a better and true king. In verse 3, this Messiah, this true king, that is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, this language of fear in the Lord is a wonderful way of describing who he is." [00:12:27]

"Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the King who comes, one who's worthy to be worshipped, the one who humbles himself, the one whose life was lived out dependent on the Spirit to do the Father's will, to the Spirit rested on Him, the one who has full wisdom, full understanding, the one whose counsel is mighty and knowledge was right and delight was displayed in the way that He ministered to those, both the spiritually poor and physically poor, and He will deal with death and sin shown by His final breath when He says it is finished. He truly conquers sin and death and injustice, the King dies in order to rescue and offer rescue." [00:21:40]

"he goes to war to wrestle on our behalf and he's wounded for our sins for our rebellion and it is in him that he's the very signal the signpost the flag that we're all invited to look to and you see that language the nations will come it's a beautiful picture of what is to come and it's also a beautiful picture of what we're invited to that ultimately we will find our true resting place in him it's a glorious thing that he has bought true rest for us through his life his death and his resurrection and the promise of his return and he will draw people from the nations and this is why in all through the gospels the disciples are told this language all authority as the king who rules and reigns and risen all authority has been given to him then he says go and he says go and declare that jesus christ is the king do you know there's the idea of the gospel is declaring this good news yes but also declaring that there is a new king who's a ruler who reigns and he sends some whether if it's your very neighbors or as john talked about the christmas gatherings that you have the very christmas gathering and having those conversations with family friends or maybe for some of you who are in the church and you're in the church and you're some of us who will be to the ends of the earth inviting people to consider this king in whom they will find rest true rest from all their striving but they first need to surrender to his kingship friends if you're someone who's exploring the christian faith maybe you've been coming to church all throughout this year maybe you've been going through all the various events that we as a church runs which is wonderful" [00:22:30]

"so glad that you've taken the time to perhaps explore maybe even online but i want you to know at some point you and i will need to be confronted with this truth that there is only one true king and will you be in faith willing to submit to him and his loving rule because he will return and when he returns and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that christ is lord the question today for you and i is will you surround surrender to his loving rule and faith today followers of christ is jesus still the king of our lives not just on christmas daily at work at home in our season of retirement on our holidays did you know that when you go and take holidays this summer maybe there is someone that jesus wants you to share about his love and rule because it is who he is you but he dies he's risen and the one who has now sent us so you know one of the wonderful lines that jesus says in the gospels is that it is good for him to go because if he does and the helper will come the holy spirit and it follows of christ i want you to know we're not called into peace time yet we've been called into war into a battle and i wonder if the apostle paul had this passage in isaiah in his heart and head as he wrote to the ephesian church in ephesians 6 finally be" [00:24:22]