Take your Bibles if you will, and open them. The first Timothy chapter one. We will spend a little bit of our time in this passage this morning and then we will continue into a number of other passages throughout our study this morning and tonight we are going to be discussing this topic. The King eternal immortal, invisible. Paul writes to Timothy and as he addresses Timothy,
most likely Timothy at this time is in Ephesus and he is, they’re separated from Paul. Paul is writing to him as a young preacher. He is encouraging him. He is exhorting him, he is continuing to instruct him and he reminds Timothy of his own past. He reminds Timothy of what he used to be Saul of Tarsus, the one who was going about seeking to destroy the church,
seeking to demolish this sect of the Jews as he saw them. This group of people who had departed from Moses had the parted from the law, had departed from the tradition of the elders in his mind who had departed from the Lord and was doing what he thought was right Then as he was headed to Damascus, as he was journeying down the road to Damascus with papers,
with the authority to put Christians in prison, in jail, and even bring them to death. A light shines down from heaven And he is confronted by someone who he knows is the Lord, But knows nothing beyond that<inaudible> And he is confronted concerning the things that he is doing and it is stated, it is hard to kick against the pricks. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried that,
but in a culture that predominantly wore sandals, can you imagine the idea in sandals of kicking thorn bushes and how painful and frustrating that would be? And that’s what Jesus says Saul of Tarsus is doing when he’s trying to defeat him. He questions the Lord. Well, who art thou Lord Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecute us. In Matthew chapter 28 Jesus reveals to his apostles as he is preparing to back into heaven that all authority has been given unto him in heaven and on earth.
Yeah, We live in a society that doesn’t quite appreciate that statement. There is an ongoing dispute in our, in our culture and in our government right now about the possibility of impeaching a president not going to get into the politics of it. I just want you to note one significant fact. It’s possible within our culture to impeach a president. It’s possible under our laws to take the person who’s in the highest office and remove them And generally speaking,
that’s not true of a King. The nature of the King in a standard monarchy in the view of of old Testament and new Testament monarchies, the nature of the King is the King is the highest official in view of God. The King is the giver of laws. Matter of fact, one of the things that we find Moses described as in Christ described as is a law giver.<inaudible> The King.
The King was the highest authority. And so as we begin this morning, noticing this idea, the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, we want to begin with this idea of the King. We’re getting to eternal, immortal, invisible this afternoon. But as we were, as I was studying for this lesson, as I was focusing on these three words that describe the King,
it dawned on me, Aaron, you’ve kind of just jumped past one of the most fundamental aspects, and that is who’s the King and why? Yeah, So that’s what we’re going to spend our time on this morning, the King who he is and why. As we notice this first part, we notice what Paul says here in verse 17 now to the King.
This is a declaration. This is a, a blessing. This. This is a recognition of glory to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible to God alone who is wise beyond her and glory forever and ever. Amen. Now in these passages in a number of the passages that reference God and the King. It’s interesting to look at it because it seems as though won’t maybe God the father’s the one being talked about the goal in the first Timothy Chapter one and let’s read a little further back as we did in our,
in our, uh, scripture reading verse 12. And I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me in the mint, into the ministry. Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in on belief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love,
which are in Christ Jesus twice already. He’s referenced Christ Jesus twice already. He’s referenced our Lord, verse 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief three times now, Christ Jesus. It’s important to realize that the name Christ is not a name. It is a position.
It is a designation of a position. It is the Messiah, the word from the old Testament. Jesus Emmanuelle is his name. Christ is his authority, but then notice he says, however, for this reason I obtained mercy that in me, Jesus Christ might show all long suffering as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life.
They’re going to believe on who on Christ the antecedent, the nearest antecedent of the next verse is Christ. Now to the King Who’s the King. That’s where we’re going to begin this morning. Notice first and foremost, Matthew chapter two as we trace back this idea of the kingship of Christ, the kingship of Christ. Notice Matthew chapter two beginning in verse one now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of Herod the King, but hold wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, where is he? Who has been born King of the Jews? Now, it’s an interesting thing because when a child was born to a King, they weren’t King. They, they were the child of the King. They might’ve been in line to inherit the throne,
but they weren’t King. And yet here come these wise men from the East and they’re searching for the one who noticed the phrase was born King of the Jews. He’s born. He’s King. From that moment is what their understanding is not the King to be the King who is, but none of notice what we read, who’s been born King of the Jews,
for we have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him. They’re not coming to find this King so that they might be able to live under his rule to be able to live as a, as a member of the Jewish society. They are coming because they know this King is not just an earthly King. But then notice further, when Herod the King heard this,
he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes, uh, ascribed to the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ Was to be born. These men come from the East and they’re looking for the King of the Jews. And immediately he doesn’t go. What does the old Testament say about a King coming?
He goes, what does the old Desmond say about the Christ coming? The one who is the Messiah, the one who is of the lineage of David, the King who was coming one in the same thing and even Herod knows it, but then notice we read, they said to him in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet,
but you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah are not believe are not the least among the rulers of Judah. For out of you shall come, a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod when he had sir secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared and he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and search carefully for the young child and when you have found him bring back word to me that I may come and worship him.
Also when they heard the King, they departed and behold the star which they had seen in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding joy and when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother and fell down and worshiped him and when they opened their treasures,
they presented gifts to him. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod. They departed for their own country. Another way. Notice a number of important details in view of a coming holiday. A couple of details that are significant. Number one, no manger. Number two, no reference to how many wise men.
Number three, The child isn’t a baby anymore, he’s a child and there’s a significant difference in that Apparently the time of the birth and the time of their travel and all of these factors come in. They’re not arriving the day of his birth like the shepherds did. They’re not arriving in the night that he was born. They’re arriving when he is now a child.
The idea there is a toddler, A young child, not a baby, So they come to where Jesus is. They come to, by the way, the house, again, not a manger where Jesus is and they immediately upon seeing him fall down and worship him. If they were worshiping a man, they would have been sinning If they were worshiping an angel And we’ll get to this before we’re done.
They would have been sending but they weren’t. They were worshiping God. They were worshiping the Christ, they were worshiping the King. The wise men know who the King is, they know of his kingship, but then notice the prophets spoke of it. This is most obviously right, Why the wise men know concerning this, but let’s go to Matthew chapter 21 Matthew chapter 21 Beginning in verse one going down through verse five Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethpage at the Mount of olives,
then Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, go into the village opposite you and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a cold with her. Lose them and bring them to me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say the Lord has need of them and immediately he will send them all this was done, that it might be fulfilled,
which was spoken by the prophet saying, tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming to you. Lonely and sitting on a donkey, a Colt the foal of a donkey. So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded. Now turn to Isaiah chapter 62 Here we have a quotation from the old Testament. Isaiah chapter 62 is one of the passages from wins.
It comes Isaiah chapter 62 verse 10 go through, go through the Gates, prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway, take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples. Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world, say to the daughter of Zion, Shirley, your salvation is coming, but hold his reward is with him and his work before him.
Here’s the declaration, the cry out to Zion, that G that Matthew references. But then notice Zechariah chapter Denying as Zechariah is writing, he writes to the people. Well, he writes in this prophecy, and by the way, Zechariah is one of those books that when you get to the latter parts of the book of Zechariah, you better be strapped in.
You better be prepared for some interpretation and some, some difficulty and understanding everything that’s stated. But some of the passages we have very clear explanations. We have very clear connections and this is one of them. Zechariah chapter nine beginning in verse nine we read rejoice greatly. O daughter of Zion. Shout O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your King is coming to you.
He is just and having salvation lowly and riding on a donkey, a Colt the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot for me, for him and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle though shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.
Notice here comes the King. He doesn’t come with a sword. He doesn’t come on a horse. He doesn’t come in battle. He doesn’t come raining and victorious defeating all of the enemies of the earth. He comes Speaking peace, speaking peace to those who are around them. He comes to bring peace. So then John chapter 12 John chapter 12 beginning in verse 14 John’s reference to this event.
Here we read. Then Jesus, when he had found a young donkey sat on it as it is written, fear not daughter of Zion. Behold your King is coming sitting on a donkey. His disciples did not understand these things at first, But when Jesus was glorified, that means when he was resurrected and ascended back to heaven when he was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him and that he had done or that they had done these things to him.
Notice the prophets spoke concerning Christ as King. The wise men knew the King had come. The prophets spoke Concerning the King. Jesus was aware of this. We’ll get into that more in a minute, but even afterwards, only afterwards do the apostles come to realize the connection with all of these details, but then notice his father gave it to him. Matthew chapter 25 Matthew chapter 25 beginning in verse 34 Jesus is in the midst of giving a number of parables speaking concerning the kingdom and in Matthew chapter 25 verse 34 as he speaks concerning judgment,
he says this, then the King will say to those on his right hand. Now let’s back up to verse 31 let’s get a little bit of context. When the son of man comes in his glory and all the Holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats and he will set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right hand, come you blessed of my father. Notice this phrase, come you bless them, my father. Here’s the King. The King is reigning on his throne. The King is judging as a King and yet he says, calm. You blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Who prepared the kingdom,
who made the kingdom and prepared the kingdom for the King to reign? Yeah, The father did. The father is the one who gave it. Verse 40 and the King will answer and say to them, assuredly, I say to you in as much as you did it to one of the least of these, my brother, and you did it too Me Multiple times here in this passage,
Christ is The King And he’s reigning over a kingdom given to him by his father, but then as well, in spite of many skeptics who claim that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah and Jesus never claimed to be the son of God, Jesus never claimed to be this and claimed to be that apparently their struggle with reading is great. John chapter 18 beginning in verse 37 pilot therefore said to him,
Jesus is on trial before pilot. Are you a King? Then Jesus answered. You say rightly that I am a King. Yeah. Pilot says, well, they’ve accused you of claiming to be a cane. Are you? Yes, you’ve spoken rightly, but then notice what he says. Notice how he replies to him. You’ve spoken Reilly, that I am a for this cause.
I was born. I came into a world for this purpose. Not only am I a King, I was born To be a King, but then notice what he says for this cause. I’ve come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. I am a King and those who I reign over,
Those who are citizens in my kingdom are the hearers of truth. Pilot said to him, what is truth? Pilot’s skepticism is a parent in the passage, but then notice also Luke chapter 23 Luke chapter 23 in Luke’s account of this, we read in verse 38<inaudible> As Jesus has taken to the cross as Jesus is put on the cross because the Jews were offered a choice.
Do you want me to give you back your King or do you want me to give you back a murderer or a robber? A thief. A an insurgent? Barabis they say, give us Barabis. Crucify him. Okay, So pilot will wash his hands of the Dean and he will send him to be crucified. He will give him back to the Jews.
The day might crucify him. And notice verse 38 though he writes an inscription. It was common in the days of crucifixion that above the head of the individual being crucified was their sentence. What were they guilty of? What is it they had done wrong? Why were they being crucified? And in Jesus’s case, the answer came from pilot. This is the King of the Jews.
Pilot said, this one’s being crucified because He’s the King of the Jews. Jesus definitely claimed to be King. Jesus affirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was the King, but then consider as well that the apostles believed it. And acts chapter one, sorry, John, chapter one, going all the way back to the beginning of Jesus’s ministry.
We find this in John chapter one beginning in verse 49 Nathaniel has interacted with Christ and he has come as a result of what Philip has hold him, but then Philip will be uh, or excuse me, Jesus will tell Nathaniel verse 47 behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no deceit. Nathaniel said To him, how do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him before Phillip called you when you were under the fig tree,
I saw you. Nathaniel answered and said to him, rabbi, you are the son of God. You are the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said to him, because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree. Do you believe you will see greater things than these? And he said to him, most of surely I say to you here after you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man,
not only do we find here one of the apostles confidence that Jesus was the King of Israel, but we will find Jesus declaring that all of his apostles will see evidence. They will see proof. They will see assurance That he is the King. They will know that he is who Profits claimed he would be. But then turn, if you will, to acts chapter 17 Paul preached it.
Paul preach that Jesus Christ was the King in acts chapter 17 he’s in Thesla Nikah and we read this now when they had passed the rim, pithy, listen Apollonia they came with vessel and I go where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was went into them and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures explaining and demonstrating That the Christ,
okay. Remember when the men from the East, the wise men from the East came looking for the King? Herod knew they were looking for the Christ, Okay. Explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead and saying, this Jesus, whom I preached to you is the Christ. But then notice the accusation when the Jews are fed up with this.
When the Jews accused Paul of bringing this doctrine that’s turning the world upside down into the vessel. Anika, we read in verse seven Jason has harbored them. They’re accusing Jason of this and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar. Caesar saying there is another King. Well, who were they saying is the King Jesus. Jesus is the one that Paul was preaching as the King.
He was preaching him as the Christ. He was preaching him as the Messiah. Okay, But then This, Not only is it clear that the prophets knew Jesus would be the King And that the wise men knew that the King had come And that Jesus claimed to be the King and was put on the cross because of being the King and that the apostles were assured that he was the King and that even Paul one born out of due season knew and preached that he was the King,
but also consider that Satan was defeated because he was the King. Revelation chapter 17 One of these days we’re going to do a study of the book of revelation. It is my probably my favorite book in all of the new Testament in revelation chapter 17 and in verse well we read the 10 horns which you saw are 10 Kings, whoever received no kingdom as yet,
but they received authority for one hour as Kings from with the beast. These are of one mind and they will give their power and authority to the beast. So just a little bit of back story. You’ve got the beast who’s risen up, who’s defying God, who’s blaspheming God? Who’s opposing the lamb? Who’s opposing God, the father, and now he’s giving a 42 these Kings of the earth.
He’s instilling these Kings of the earth with this authority. But then notice verse 14 these will make war with the lamb. The lamb is introduced to us in chapter five he’s the lamb who appears to be slain and yet he is standing. He’s alive, yet he appears to have been killed. He’s the Christ. He’s the Messiah who died, who’s not dead.
He’s the one who’s alive forever more chapter one then notice what we read. These will make over the lamb and the lamb will overcome them. For he is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Those who are with him are called chosen and faithful. The bees will make war with the King But he won’t win. But turn to Deuteronomy chapter 10 before we move back into revelation,
you might keep your finger over there for a minute. We’ll be back in chapter 19 in a moment, but in Deuteronomy chapter 10 we have The precursor to This reference. Deuteronomy chapter 10 beginning in verse 17 we read for the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of Lords. Okay, This is Moses speaking to Israel, preparing them to receive the inheritance,
preparing them to go through the Jordan river to go into the land to receive what God has been promising them for 400 years And he reminds them your God is a God of gods and Lord of Lords. He says, the great God, all mighty and awesome who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the father, was in the widows and loves the stranger giving him food and clothing.
Therefore love the stranger. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and to him you shall hold fast and take owes in his name. He is your praise and he is your God who has done for you these great and awesome things which you have your which your eyes have seen. Your father’s went down to Egypt with 70 persons and now the Lord your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude.
Moses declares your God is the God of gods. Your Lord is the Lord of Lords and you’ve seen his deliverance. It’s Now to the first century to the church. John writes to the church that’s going through the midst of persecution that’s facing the trouble that’s coming at them from every direction that’s dying for the name of Christ. He reminds them Just as Moses did,
your God is the God of gods. Your Lord is the Lord of Lords. You fear him. You listen to him, you follow him. The lamb will defeat the beast. Turn over to revelation chapter 19 when we find this Jesus Christ is the King. Yeah. Everything that we’ve said thus far declares Jesus Christ is The King and because of it,
we ought to worship him just as the wise men did. Revelation Chapter 19 Yeah, Beginning in verse nine we read. Then he said to me, this is an angel saying to John, right? Blessed are those who were called to the marriage supper of the lamb, and he said to me, these are the true sayings of gone, and I fell at his feet to worship him,
but he said to me, see that you do not do that. I am your fellow servant and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The angels here, the angel declares this to John and John falls down in the midst of these things going on and he worships the angel. The angel tells him,
no, don’t do that. You remember how we said with the wise men came in, if they were worshiping a man, they would have seen if they were worshiping. An angel, they would have seen but they weren’t. They were worshiping God. Okay, Jesus, the Christ The King. And so the angel says to John, get up. I’m just another servant.
I am just a servant the same way you are. But then notice verse 11 now I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he who sat on him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and makes war. What’s that? That’s a King. Verse 12 verse 12 his eyes were like a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns.
What’s that? A King. He had had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood. He’s a victorious King. His name is called the word of God. Now you hold onto that phrase for this afternoon. His name is called the word of God, and the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, followed him on white horses. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword and that with it, he should strike the nations and he himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He himself treads the wine press of the fear, fierceness and wrath of almighty God. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name Written King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Jesus Christ, isn’t it Kane? And when John falls down to worship the angel, the angel says, no, don’t you do it. Okay. And the next thing John C Is the King. All of the implications clear. There’s the one you worship. There’s the one you serve. There’s the one you follow. His name’s the word of God Out of his comes a sharp sword.
So then what does all this mean for us? He’s the King. So what? He’s the King of those who hear the truth. John chapter 17 verse 17 he said, sanctify them by thy truth. Thy word is truth. He called upon those who would believe on him to be one. He called upon them to hear his voice. He called upon all those who would hear the truth to become his citizens,
And that includes you and me. Our choice is to either serve the King Or be judged by the King. Now we come from a society that may look at that and think, that’s, that’s not the way it ought to be. I ought to have freedom. You do. You have freedom to choose whether or not you will serve The King, But you also have freedom to choose to be judged.
The choice is yours. He won’t keep you from making the choice, but he did say, by my words, you will be judged, but I hope you’ll come back this afternoon for the three words because the picture of the King, eternal immortal, and I’ll bet you don’t actually know what that one means. The King eternal, immortal and invisible Is waiting to reign in your life and mind,
But is he okay? Are you fearing him and obeying his voice today? If you’re outside the body of Christ, you’re not because the body of Christ, the church of Christ, the people, the assembly that make up his body Are those whom he rules. They are his kingdom. If you are outside the body of Christ this morning, why? Because you’re outside all the blessings that the King has to offer.
We’ll talk about those this afternoon, but if you’re here this morning and you have need of responding to the invitation, whether as a Christian who’s turned away as a citizen who’s turned his back on the King or one outside of the body of Christ, who needs to put his King on in baptism, dying to his old self, dying to his old sovereign,
dying to his old ruler of sin and rising again out of that watery grave to walk in newness of life, A citizen of the kingdom. You’ve not done that. Why not do that today? Do you have need of the invitation? Why not come as we stand in as we sing.