WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:13.359 Most of the greatest stories we tell, whether that's through books or movies or songs or poetry, even most of the greatest stories we tell include a king. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:20.079 There's a king or a ruler who has authority to do good or to do evil. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:22.399 This isn't just a thing in our culture. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:23.839 We see this everywhere. 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:29.120 We love stories about a king in the strip of the occasion. 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:35.679 We want to see someone stand the test and not falter or fail. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:40.880 Stay the course and prove that they are actually good. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:47.439 There's so many movies, so many stories and books about with these themes in them. 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:49.119 We love this. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:52.159 We love rescuing. 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:54.640 We love being rescued. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:58.159 Fighting off the bad, contending for the good. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:01.920 This resonates deeply with us. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:05.120 Even into adulthood. 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:08.480 Maybe even more so as adults. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:10.239 We want to be valiant. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:12.000 We want to be strong. 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:13.760 We want to protect. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:15.920 We want to do good. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:21.680 We want to be proven that we're not bad. 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:24.000 We want to be rescued. 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:28.079 I want to be rescued from my sin, obviously. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:33.599 But how many of us want to be rescued from so many other things? 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:42.480 Rescued from maybe a comment that someone made to you 20 years ago that still just rings in the back of your mind. 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:54.719 You want to be rescued from this narrative that you play in your head every time you're around a certain group of people, or this identity that you feel like you've been given from your family. 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:59.840 All kinds of other things, your fears, your insecurities. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:02.640 You want to be rescued from these things. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.480 Set free. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:11.199 Jesus Christ, Church, is the perfect King. 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:12.800 And he is real. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:16.159 And what he has done is real. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:19.280 And what he says is real. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:28.960 In the Gospel of Luke, this is the author of Luke is Luke the physician, the historian. 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:37.759 And he writes this letter so that we may be confident of who Jesus is. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:40.879 We long for a king. 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:41.840 We want a king. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:43.039 We want rescued. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:44.240 We want delivered. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:49.039 We want to be a part of a kingdom of light and strength and glory. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:50.800 We want all those things. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:55.840 And King Jesus is the one we look to. 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:59.840 He's the one that we follow. 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:05.199 Again, we'll be looking a lot in these chapters. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:13.360 The first thing I want us to see, the first thing that's helpful is that Jesus is the promised King. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:15.120 He's promised. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:18.800 In Genesis 3, we get the first hint of this. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:25.280 That the Son of Eve will come and crush the head of the serpent. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:32.240 In Isaiah 9, we read, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:44.719 The government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:52.639 In Micah 5, we hear about one who will come to rule Israel, one from of old. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:04:01.280 The people of Israel, God's covenant people, were waiting for a promised king to come. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:07.680 Look with me in Luke chapter 1, beginning in verse 30. 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:11.199 Luke 1, verse 30. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:18.720 And the angels said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:27.920 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:33.920 And he will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:43.360 And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:49.279 And his of his kingdom there will be no end. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:57.519 The angel is telling Mary, the Messiah, the promised one, is coming. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:03.839 Of the lineage of David, reign over the house of Jacob forever. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.000 Of his kingdom there will be no end. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:09.120 This is the promised king. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:12.800 The one the prophets spoke of. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:49.920 And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:06:00.480 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Christ, who is Christ the Lord. 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:03.279 And this will be a sign for you. 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:09.600 You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:26.720 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly ghosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom He has pleased. 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:43.519 Wasn't this kind of march in to Israel and to Jerusalem to subdue the Romans and take back their nation? 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:49.519 Wasn't this reinforcing? 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:52.480 Just do more, Israel. 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:55.600 Be better at following the law, Israel. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:57.439 No, a savior had come. 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:05.120 A promised king had come lowly, in a manger, to a virgin woman. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:09.839 And the first group that hears about this are shepherds. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:15.120 Those who are not necessarily in the upper class of society. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:28.399 But yet this king, this savior, this deliverer, this conqueror, this wonderful counselor, everlasting prince of peace has come. 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:34.399 See, the thing is, is that God keeps his promises. 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:40.079 For sure it was not in a way that anyone expected. 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:44.240 But God was faithful to keep his promises. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:47.600 Chapter 2, look at verse 25. 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:58.639 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:09.600 And the Holy Spirit was upon him, and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:12.879 And he came in the Spirit into the temple. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:31.920 And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:47.120 For my eyes have seen your salvation, that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people, Israel. 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:52.559 Simeon knew that God had made a promise. 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:58.320 One just in the covenant that he would bring about a Messiah, that he would deliver his people. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:05.200 But God had promised Simeon that he would not die until he saw this Messiah. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:14.320 And Simeon's response wasn't, well, Lord, I was kind of hoping to see him, you know, as an adult and like take over things. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:18.720 I was kind of hoping that I would see him, you know, defeat the Romans. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:24.399 I was kind of hoping I would see him go into the temple and set the Pharisees straight. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:27.679 Simeon was content. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:32.720 The Lord had made a promise, and the Lord had delivered on that promise. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:36.879 He is the promised king. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:43.840 And even the way that he is kind of brought about publicly is unique. 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:52.480 It begins with this guy who's in the wilderness eating weird things, dressing weird, and he's going around and calling everyone to repentance. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:54.080 Hey, you need to repent. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.159 You need to repent of your sin. 00:09:56.559 --> 00:09:58.480 This is in chapter 3. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.399 This is about John the Baptist. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:02.960 Look at verse 3 of Luke 3. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:11.440 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:19.519 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:36.639 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:42.960 And the flesh shall see the salvation of God. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:51.279 Here John the Baptist is fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy, declaring that the Messiah is coming. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:54.639 People are repenting. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.080 They're turning from their sin and they're asking. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:00.960 Tax collectors are asking, what must we do? 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:04.080 Soldiers are asking, what must we do? 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:07.600 This wasn't a repentance of formality. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:13.120 Just do a formal repentance, do your religious act, and then move on. 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:18.559 What John was calling people to is a radical turning from their sin. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.480 And it's genuine and real. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:25.440 When people ask the question, okay, how do I now live? 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:30.159 What's it look like to follow Jesus now that I've repented? 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:32.399 It's genuine. 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:34.559 This wasn't procedural. 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:37.440 This wasn't keeping some kind of law. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:41.279 These were hearts that wanted to follow the Messiah. 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:52.799 And then Jesus, this promised king, this anointed one, makes this public acknowledgement of who he is. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:55.919 Look at verse 21. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:56.559 Excuse me. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:58.639 Chapter 3. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:01.919 Excuse me. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:03.279 Yeah, 21. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:15.200 And then when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:25.600 And the Holy Spirit descended on them in on him in bodily form, like a dove, and a voice came from heaven. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:33.919 With you I am well pleased. 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:37.679 This is the promised king. 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:43.200 Imagine for a moment, here you are in Israel. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:49.519 You've grown up in this religious system, and you've known that you are God's people. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:57.039 But for 400 years, no prophet has come. 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:01.200 For 400 years, you're waiting and wondering. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:07.679 And in that time, the religious leaders are just expanding their rules and their laws. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:14.720 And you're waiting. 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:24.159 Then you hear the news about some guys in the wilderness coming around the villages calling people to repent, that the Messiah is on his way. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:40.639 And if you're there and you witness this, as Christ comes out of the water, and the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove, and you hear this voice from heaven speaking after all that silence, after all that confusion. 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:45.519 He doesn't say, It's going to be okay, Israel. 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:51.679 He says, You are my beloved Son. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:55.679 With you I am well pleased. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:59.440 The promised King has come. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:08.559 He's been affirmed, acknowledged by God the Father, in God the Spirit as God the Son. 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:17.360 And he begins into his earthly ministry, proving that he is the promised king and that he is the obedient king. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:20.559 He's an obedient king. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:28.000 In Luke chapter 4, we have the story of Jesus being taken into the wilderness and tempted. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:30.799 Verse 3 of chapter 4. 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:36.559 The devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:43.519 And Jesus answered him, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone. 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:52.159 And the devil took him up and showed him the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:15:02.879 And said to him, To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:06.720 If you then will worship me, it will be yours. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:16.799 And Jesus answered, It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:20.720 Verse 9. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:29.600 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:40.320 For it is written, I will command his angels concerning you to guard you, and on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:49.360 And Jesus answered him, It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:58.559 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:03.360 Jesus obeyed. 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:08.320 He's keeping these commandments. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:14.159 I think we can sometimes make a somewhat small deal of this. 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:19.440 And I do this, I'd imagine you do this at times. 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:24.080 You sin and you don't even realize it at first. 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:26.559 You sin and you don't realize it. 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:28.240 You weren't aware. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:33.519 And it wasn't just like a lack of knowledge, like I didn't know that was a sin. 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:37.759 But rather your heart is hardened. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:39.759 It was distracted. 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:41.759 It was callous. 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:48.559 And you didn't even realize that you had sinned in a moment until that moment had passed. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:50.799 Think about anger. 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.799 How quickly we fall into anger. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:00.399 And we know that with anger, there's there's kind of this threshold. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:03.200 Like I can be frustrated a little bit. 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:10.960 I can kind of be angry a little bit without sinning, but somewhere it crosses over into sin. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:15.039 And this, we're not talking about righteous anger, like anger over wickedness. 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:17.119 We're talking about fleshly anger. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:20.000 And so you cross over into anger. 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:21.359 You're angry. 00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:24.559 Maybe you don't even realize that you're sinning. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:27.200 Or we see this with apathy. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:28.880 You're apathetic. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:31.359 You care, but you don't really care much. 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:38.480 You don't realize the dullness of heart. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:42.000 And so we look to Jesus and his obedience, we think that's great. 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:42.640 It's wonderful. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:43.599 He's obeyed. 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:44.960 But we kind of expect it. 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:46.720 You know, he's God after all. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:48.960 Surely he would obey. 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:56.480 Jesus does what you cannot do, what I cannot do. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:57.039 You. 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:03.359 And then on the cross, he gives you credit for that. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:05.839 He gives me credit for that. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:12.880 So he obeys in a way that we couldn't obey, and then he credits that obedience to our behalf. 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:23.200 You know, in the old covenant, in the old testament, right before they're going into the promised land, God gave people, his people, instructions. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:27.599 When you go into the promised land, do these things. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:29.519 Don't do these things. 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:33.279 We see this in Deuteronomy 6, in Deuteronomy 8. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:35.279 He gives us instructions. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:40.079 Listen, Deuteronomy 8.3. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.359 Man does not live by bread alone. 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:50.799 But man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:54.000 That's what Jesus said to Satan. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:56.640 Deuteronomy 6, 13. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:01.279 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:03.200 Him you shall serve. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.359 And by his name you shall swear. 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:11.920 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the people who are around you. 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:15.920 This is what Jesus said to the temptation. 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:21.359 He said, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:25.519 Deuteronomy 6, 16. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:29.359 You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:34.400 Israel going into the promised land quickly fails. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:37.920 They quickly faltered and messed all these things up. 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:41.920 And you couldn't even begin to count all the ways they came up short. 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:50.400 But here Jesus taking the same test, standing in their place, is obedient. 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:59.200 Again and again, Jesus is obedient on your behalf. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.079 Because it's easy for us to look and say, well, Israel should have known better. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:06.720 You know, they had the law, they had these prophets. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:10.799 Like God parted the sea for them, they walked through on dry land. 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:12.559 How could they not obey? 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:14.400 Like, what more do they need? 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:20.799 Like, they do they need like God to come down in physical form and live on the earth for 30-some years? 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:24.720 We judge, don't we? 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.039 But yet we fall. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.720 Yet we fail. 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:38.319 We look to other things to sustain us and give us life for our hope, for our meaning and our purpose. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:42.559 We look to worship other things. 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:48.240 Sometimes we're honest, we even put God to the test. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:51.920 Lord, if you're really God, you need to do this. 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:56.640 God, if you really love me, then why isn't this person healed? 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:58.799 Or why haven't I found a spouse? 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:02.079 Or why aren't my children walking with the Lord? 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:05.680 I just want to be clear. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:14.799 There is a fine line at times between taking your petitions to the Lord and just unburdening your heart to God. 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:16.799 These are the things that are breaking your heart. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:20.400 And you're sharing these with your Father, who loves you and cares for you. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:25.279 And you're just sharing these things and you're asking him and you're wrestling with things. 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:26.960 That's normal. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:29.920 We see that as a pattern in Scripture. 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:40.559 But it's another thing altogether to present some kind of ultimatum or try to put God in a situation where he's got to obey or he's got to do what you want him to do. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:43.839 That's putting God to the test. 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:51.519 Jesus was the obedient king for us. 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:59.039 And as the obedient king, we follow the way that he goes. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.519 The way of the king. 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:10.640 Look at verse 4, beginning in verse, or chapter 4, excuse me, Luke chapter 4, beginning in verse 16. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:15.599 It says, Jesus in the synagogue. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:21.599 It says, And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, where he was raised. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:28.319 And as was his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:31.759 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:44.799 And he had unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:59.920 He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:06.319 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:10.960 And the eyes of the synagogue were fixed on him. 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:19.920 He began to say to them, Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:27.200 Jesus is establishing the authority and his throne. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:36.400 He has authority, power. 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:38.799 He has the throne. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:44.160 He recites Isaiah 61 here, establishing himself. 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:50.079 Establishing who he is and why he has come. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:53.519 He's come to do these things. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:24:02.640 And then in chapters 4 and 5, we have all kinds of stories of Jesus healing people and doing the very things he said has come to do. 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:18.559 How often you hear leaders with good intentions, particularly politicians, they'll tell you all the things they're going to do. 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:23.839 Or leaders of companies, they come and they say, This is what we're going to do, this is how it's going to go. 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:27.599 They're lucky if they get 10% of those things done. 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:29.359 They just don't have the authority. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:32.319 They don't have the power to do those things. 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:35.119 King Jesus does. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:40.400 He comes, he establishes his throne and his authority, and then he begins. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:43.759 Begins to heal, begins to set people free. 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:48.400 To bring liberty to those who are oppressed. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:56.480 And in that, what's then revealed is the brokenness of Israel. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:01.519 They want a king, they just don't want that king. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:03.119 They want a ruler. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:05.519 They just don't want that ruler. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:10.480 Look at chapter 6, beginning in verse 6. 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:14.720 Says, Luke 6, 6. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:19.599 On the another Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:24.000 And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:34.000 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:40.319 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, Come and stand here. 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:42.720 And he rose and stood there. 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:52.559 And Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm? 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:56.960 To save life or to destroy it? 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:01.920 And after looking around at them, he said to him, Stretch out your hand. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:03.359 And he did so. 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:05.279 His hand was restored. 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:14.480 But they were filled with fury and disgust with one another what they might do to Jesus. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:22.319 And it just reveals this brokenness, especially among the Pharisees, the religious elite, those who are zealous. 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:25.599 It reveals their heart. 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:30.079 Here the Messiah had come, God on earth. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:34.799 From Genesis 3, the curse had been happening. 00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:46.160 And there was a promise from when the curse began that there would become one who would free his people from the curse, who would conquer death, who would conquer disease and heartache and all these things. 00:26:46.319 --> 00:26:47.839 And here he had come. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:52.480 Their hearts were bitter. 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:57.119 They were not excited that the Messiah had come. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:26:59.519 Why was that? 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:02.000 Because they worshiped their own laws. 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:07.680 How dare the king come and tell them what's right? 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:15.920 How dare the king come and reveal to them the brokenness of their hearts? 00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:20.000 And this is a theme all throughout the gospel. 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:25.599 Jesus is revealing the way of the kingdom. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:27.359 Because he is the king. 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:28.640 It's his kingdom. 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:31.200 And he's saying, this is what it looks like. 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:37.279 And there is, it's met with bitterness, frustration, angst. 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:40.160 It's just wild. 00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:49.279 If you just lay this out in a real simple, logical format, mankind is sinful and without hope. 00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:52.720 You cannot be righteous on your own. 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:55.839 You're doomed. 00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:09.680 But yet you start to make laws and rules, all these things you have to do, so that maybe you're not righteous enough for God, but you're definitely more righteous than others. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:19.200 You start elevating yourself because at least I'm not like that person, at least I keep these laws, and I follow this diet, and I do all these things. 00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:23.119 You begin to make your own religion. 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:41.119 And then the creator of the universe, the one who actually can deliver you from your sin and can save you, and not only that, who wants to adopt you into his family, make you a co-heir with Christ, comes, and your response is no. 00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:44.400 Don't mess with my religious system. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:49.920 How ludicrous, how insane is that? 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:59.920 The only means for deliverance is being pushed away and scorned and eventually killed. 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:02.000 That's wild. 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:07.920 But what's true, we all know this, is that's in our heart. 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:10.880 We can be Pharisees in our own hearts. 00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:15.599 We can say, I want to be saved, but I don't want to be saved that way. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:22.960 I'll take some of Jesus, I'll take some of the king and some of the kingdom, but I'm also, I want my kingdom. 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:24.400 I want it my way. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:30.799 I'll share the throne with Jesus, but he can't sit exclusively on the throne. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:33.759 I need some kind of spot there. 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:36.480 I will not surrender to him. 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:42.559 What makes this wild is what Jesus says. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:44.480 I've come to bring life. 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:48.720 I've come that you might have life abundantly. 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:58.960 The fears that cripple you, the things that keep you awake at night, here to deliver you, the sin that so easily entangles you. 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:02.079 I've come that you might be free from those things. 00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:05.440 This is the Messiah, and this is his kingdom. 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:09.839 But our hearts, we want some of that. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:16.799 We also still want some of our kingdom, some of our world. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:20.960 But that is not the way of Christ. 00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:24.079 That is not the way of his kingdom. 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:29.839 His kingdom is foolishness to the ways of this world. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:37.359 For those who are following the wisdom of the world, Christianity seems ludicrous. 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:48.720 Look in chapter 6, verse 20. 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:53.440 Jesus has gathered his disciples around. 00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:56.480 There's a crowd there, but he's speaking to his disciples. 00:30:56.640 --> 00:31:06.880 He says, He lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, This is verse 20, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:13.200 Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:18.319 Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:31.839 Blessed are you when people hate you and they exclude you and revile you, and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:39.920 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:46.240 For so their fathers did to the prophets. 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:53.359 But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:57.359 Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. 00:31:58.240 --> 00:32:02.000 Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:12.240 Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:21.119 See the thing about the kingdom of Christ, it does seem ludicrous. 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:24.160 It does seem wild. 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:47.599 If this life is all we have, if the 80, 50, 35, 48, 100 years, whatever you've been given on this earth, if this is it, if this is all we have, all we have to live for, and once we die, it's just nothing, then Christianity is crazy. 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:51.039 Following Jesus is insane. 00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:55.680 But what Jesus is saying is that there is a life after death. 00:32:55.839 --> 00:33:00.559 There is eternity to think about, to deal with. 00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:06.960 So don't set your eyes on this earth and this time and your present situation. 00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:08.960 Look to eternity. 00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:11.359 Don't live for this day. 00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:14.400 Live for the next 10,000 years. 00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:16.720 Live for eternity. 00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:21.839 Because Christ's kingdom is eternal. 00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:32.000 Jesus begins to lay out what it looks like for those who are in his kingdom, what it means to follow him. 00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:36.880 We read this passage, Jimmy read it earlier. 00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:39.359 Verse 27. 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:47.279 But I say to you, love your enemies, and do good to those who hate you. 00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:50.880 Verse 32. 00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:55.759 If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? 00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:58.640 For even sinners love those who love them. 00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:02.960 Verse 37. 00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:05.920 Judge not and you will not be judged. 00:34:06.160 --> 00:34:09.280 Condemn not and you will not be condemned. 00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:10.719 Forgive. 00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:13.280 And you will be forgiven. 00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:17.039 Give and it will be given to you. 00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:33.360 Verse 42, how can you say to your brother, brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye. 00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:44.079 You hypocrites, hypocrites, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye. 00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:50.960 Jesus is teaching his disciples, those who would listen. 00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:55.519 This is a wild way to live. 00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:57.360 Loving your enemies. 00:34:57.760 --> 00:35:01.039 Not just people who like you, people who hate you. 00:35:03.119 --> 00:35:07.519 To not taking, not judging them, not taking your own standards. 00:35:07.840 --> 00:35:13.760 Saying you need to be more like this and you need to be more like that, because I said so. 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:20.320 Not looking to other people and just, wow, look at the sin in your life. 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:22.239 Look how messed up you are. 00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:24.400 Look how bad your theology is. 00:35:24.559 --> 00:35:26.559 Look how well you don't live. 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:32.000 While all at the same time, your pride is building. 00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:35.039 The blindness that's building in your heart. 00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:41.119 And the upside-downness of the kingdom of Christ. 00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:43.360 That love would compel us. 00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:47.039 This is a kind of love that can only come from God. 00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:50.159 You do not possess this love in and of yourself. 00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:52.559 It only comes from Him. 00:35:53.599 --> 00:36:01.119 This ability to humbly acknowledge our own sin comes from the work of the Lord in us. 00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:04.800 In chapter 6 closes. 00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:11.360 This is two examples of a fruit and a foundation. 00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:18.000