WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:05.280 Well, we are beginning a brand new series this morning called A King and His Kingdom. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:10.640 And it's it's actually kind of ironic that this starts today because it's fourth, it's 4th of July weekend. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:12.160 And I didn't plan it this way. 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:18.160 I'm actually a horrible planner, so every time I start a series, if you ask me when will this series be done, I'll just say I don't really know. 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:24.480 Um I think a couple of months, but I always like to leave room to see if there's something that we really want to focus on, give extra time to. 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:28.239 So I never really know exactly when a series is going to end. 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:30.320 I know sort of when it's going to end. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:36.880 And so when we started our last series on spiritual warfare, I had no idea that it would finish last week, and our new series would start today. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:42.159 And I just think it's funny because the whole theme of this series is that Jesus is our king. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:45.759 And we're beginning that on 4th of July weekend. 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:52.159 And there is nothing, there is nothing less American than the idea of having a king. 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:53.920 I guess 4th of July, right? 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:59.359 4th of July, it's a it's a holiday that exists because essentially, as a nation, we said we don't want a king. 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:00.560 We don't need a king. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.439 England, you can take your king, you can you can leave him. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:05.680 We're gonna do our own thing. 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:07.519 America, right? 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:15.599 So having a king, that is not a concept that as Americans, we really we really grasp. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:19.280 And if we did have a king, we wouldn't even be good at it. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:22.799 Because like, because we're not good at at revering our leaders. 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:24.560 That's not what we're about as a country. 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:25.439 Am I right? 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:26.719 That's just not what we do. 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:28.159 That's not in our DNA. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.000 We don't revere the people that we elect, we mock them. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:33.280 That's what we're best at. 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:34.879 That's our national pastime. 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:43.200 We basically elect someone into office so that we can mock them for a number of years, and then we vote someone else in, we rinse, we repeat. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:45.200 That's what we do because we're Americans. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:48.959 I I grew up watching iconic impersonations of our presidents. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:52.640 And I almost remember the impersonations as much as I remember the president. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:56.400 So, like when I was really young, you had Dana Carvey doing doing George Bush. 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:57.519 You guys remember that one? 00:01:57.760 --> 00:01:58.400 You know? 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:09.280 That's the beautiful thing about America, is every single day you can go online, you can turn on the TV, and someone is just is just ruthlessly making fun of the person that we've elected to lead us. 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:10.479 That's what we do. 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:20.080 And then after that, you had you had Phil Hartman doing Bill Clinton, and then you had you had Daryl Hammond doing Bill Clinton because Clinton gave us a lot of material. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:27.439 Um and then you had like Will Farrell being being George W, which was just super iconic, you know. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:32.800 I don't think there was ever really an iconic Obama impersonation. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:39.360 But but now we have Alec Baldwin doing Donald Trump, and so that's just that's the nation we live in. 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:47.120 We we make fun of our leaders, we mock them, we despise them, we elect them, and then we despise them. 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:48.639 That's what we do. 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:52.400 We're a democratic republic, we have that right. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:03:12.000 So it's a very, very big stretch for us to consider what it would be like to have a king, a king who we are beholden to, a king who has absolute power, a king whose power is not is not on loan from us because that's what an elected official has, right? 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.159 Like they have power, but it's power that we've given them. 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:17.280 Hey, we voted for you, we gave you that power, we can take it away. 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:19.039 It's not how kings work. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:26.560 It's a very big stretch for us as Americans to think about what it would be like to have a king. 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:27.840 We just, we don't know that. 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:30.560 That is literally foreign to us. 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:36.719 And that creates an interesting framework for us as American Christians. 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:41.120 I know not everyone in the room considers yourself a Jesus follower. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:45.680 But for those of us who do, we have a king. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:49.120 Jesus, he's not, he's not our elected representative. 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:53.360 Jesus is not who he is because we we gave him his power. 00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:58.879 It's not because of our support that Jesus is who he is. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:00.639 He's not our president. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:03.759 You ever hear someone talk about how they love it if Jesus would be president? 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:06.319 About every four years when there's an election, I'll hear people talk about that. 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:09.039 Like, man, wouldn't it be awesome if Jesus was president? 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:10.319 He wouldn't run. 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:14.400 Because that would be a demotion for him. 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:16.800 He's a king. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:19.199 He's a king. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:27.360 The central theme in Jesus' teachings is the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:30.879 It is the central theme in all of his teachings. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:33.519 Matthew chapter 4, verse 17. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:38.639 Very early in his ministry, it says, From then on, Jesus began to preach. 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.399 And this gives us basically the thesis statement of Jesus' teaching. 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:48.240 Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the kingdom of heaven is near. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:50.800 Some translations say is at hand. 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:56.800 If you read the teachings of Jesus, you see him talk constantly about the kingdom. 00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:58.720 He'll use illustrations. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:01.279 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a garden. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:03.920 The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who is sowing seeds. 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:08.160 The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who is on the lookout for a pearl of great price. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:13.040 You see him constantly talking about the kingdom, the kingdom, the kingdom. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:17.279 And if you're wondering whose kingdom he's talking about, it's his. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:19.600 It's his kingdom. 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:24.079 In John chapter 18, Jesus says, My kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:29.120 If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.480 But my kingdom is not of this world. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:35.199 Jesus is a king and he has a kingdom. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:38.800 And if we call ourselves Jesus' followers, we're part of it. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:40.879 We're part of it. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:42.160 We have a king. 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:46.879 And we're part of this kingdom that starts and ends with him. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:51.120 But like I said a few minutes ago, that's that's kind of a hard thing for us to grasp. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:52.959 Number one, because his kingdom is not of this world. 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:55.680 It doesn't work the way that the kingdoms of this world work. 00:05:55.839 --> 00:06:02.399 Number two, because, well, we're not particularly well versed in what it means to have a king. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:09.120 But over the course of the next few months, we're going to study the kingdom of heaven. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:13.920 We're going to study what it really means to live with Jesus as our king. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:15.120 And I'm so excited about this. 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:19.120 There's really two main questions that are going to guide us as we go through this study. 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:23.680 Number one, is Jesus my king? 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:28.000 And that is a personal question that all of us have to answer. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:34.000 Do I see Jesus as my king, or am I just a fan of Jesus? 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:36.800 That's different. 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:43.680 I guess it's one thing to agree with Jesus, but it's another thing to surrender to Jesus. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:46.240 Do I see Jesus as my king? 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:54.240 So much so that I see myself first as a citizen of heaven and a distant second a citizen of this world. 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:55.680 That's the first question. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:56.879 Is Jesus my king? 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:00.879 The second question is this: do I understand his kingdom? 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:03.360 Do I understand the way that it operates? 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:07.439 Do I understand what the values are, what the goals are? 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:13.199 Because how can I live effectively in his kingdom if I don't get the way his kingdom works? 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:19.120 And look, Jesus spent a lot of time teaching about his kingdom because it doesn't work the way that we think things should work. 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:22.959 It's often described as an upside-down kingdom. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:28.399 I'm so excited for us to go through this together for the next few months. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:38.319 Because I'll say this, I believe that a lot of the things that we struggle with as Jesus followers, those of us who say we're Jesus followers, the things that we struggle with often are the result of misplaced allegiance. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:44.800 Because if I place my allegiance in anything less than Jesus, I'm missing it. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:52.800 If anyone else's desires for life outrank the desires that Jesus has for my life, I'm missing it. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:54.879 And that includes myself. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:07.199 If every single time I want something and it contrasts with what Jesus would want for me, but I choose what I want over what he wants, that means I'm not living as though Jesus is my king. 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:10.560 I'm living as though I'm my own king. 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:13.839 And misplaced allegiance leads to ruin. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:22.160 I think we also struggle so often because we don't understand what his kingdom's all about. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:31.759 It's kind of common for modern Christians in our nation to be very familiar with what Jesus did, but not so familiar with what he said. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:34.080 So we all know the stories of Jesus. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:38.879 We know that he walked on water, he healed people, he did incredible miracles, he rose from the dead. 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:41.120 We know those stories, but do we know what he taught? 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:43.840 How familiar are we with the teachings of Jesus? 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:49.600 And if we're gonna be Jesus' followers, we should know what he said, not just what he did. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:52.159 Because what Jesus says matters. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:57.519 And so we're gonna become very familiar with the teachings of Jesus through this series. 00:08:57.679 --> 00:08:59.440 I'm so excited about this. 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:02.799 Because Jesus is my king. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:07.759 It's kind of hard to think of Jesus as a king, though. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:12.559 Because he's not a king like we could ever imagine. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:14.799 He's a different kind of king. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:18.240 Like when I when I think of a prototypical king, I think of Henry VIII. 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:19.919 That's who my mind always goes to. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:23.440 I don't know if you guys are history buffs, if you know much about Henry VIII. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:25.360 Interesting dude. 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:27.600 Interesting, interesting dude. 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:33.919 Keep in mind that artists were supposed to paint paintings to flatter you, you know, and I guess that was. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:37.039 So Henry VIII, this is this is the thing about him. 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:41.600 Very interesting if you know your your history, 1500s, king of England, um, did some unique things. 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:43.840 Number one, he was married six times. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:45.360 Six times. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:49.759 Um let's see, he he divorced two of his wives. 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:55.200 One of his wives died of childbirth, uh, during childbirth. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:58.480 Another wife um he executed. 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:01.200 Oh no, two wives he executed, that's right. 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:03.279 And then the sixth one outlived him. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:06.559 And so being a wife of Henry VIII was not an enjoyable experience. 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:10.080 Like you didn't you didn't really have good fortunes if you were married to Henry VIII. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:16.399 Uh, interestingly enough, his very first wife, a woman named Catherine, he wanted to divorce her so he could marry this other woman named Anne Boleyn. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:18.320 You might be familiar with this story. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:23.759 The problem was England was was part of the Catholic Church, just like every other nation in Europe. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:29.039 And the Pope wouldn't let Henry divorce Catherine because there were no grounds for divorce. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:34.159 And so Henry wants to divorce Catherine, he's the king, he wants to marry Anne, and the Pope says, no, you can't do that. 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:37.039 And so Henry says, All right, we just won't be Catholic anymore. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:45.840 And so he actually created an entirely different church called the Church of England, made himself the Pope of the Church of England just so he could divorce his wife. 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.440 That's Henry VIII. 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:52.480 And then that woman that he divorced his wife to marry, he had her head chopped off two or three years later. 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:54.960 Because that's what kings do. 00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:58.240 He was notoriously egotistical. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:10:59.759 Like in a way that you can't imagine. 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:07.600 There are actual stories, multiple stories, of the fact that Henry was just enamored with his calf muscles. 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:11.200 It's a very specific thing to be enamored with. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:20.559 But the stories go that when foreign dignitaries would come and visit, he would often roll up his stockings and have them marvel at his calf muscles. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:25.039 And he would ask them, had they ever seen a more glorious calf than his? 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:35.600 And because he was the king, they would have to say, no, your calves are majestic, magnificent. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:39.759 I believe these are the calves of a God, not a man, right? 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:42.799 Just imagine that's what kings do. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:47.759 When I think of a king, that's the kind of person that I think about. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:50.879 That's such a far cry from Jesus. 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:52.720 He's nothing like that. 00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:54.000 Thank goodness. 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:59.840 Jesus was humble while he was on this earth. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:01.840 He served. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:05.759 He was kind, he was generous. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:11.360 I love what he says in Mark chapter 10, verses 42 through 45. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:18.559 He says, You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them, but among you it will be different. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:24.399 Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:30.879 For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:32.879 That is our king. 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:37.600 He humbled himself to serve. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:41.519 He didn't demand from people, but he gave his life. 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:43.759 He gave of himself. 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:56.080 He was so opposite of everything we would imagine an earthly king being like that that sometimes we can we can forget that he is a king. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:02.480 Like sometimes that that fact can be forgotten because he doesn't act like any king that we see. 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:05.600 It's easy sometimes to forget that that's exactly who he is. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.159 Jesus is the king. 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:11.519 And he knew it. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:16.320 He was humble, he was a servant. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:24.799 But on this earth, he never forgot or lost sight of who he is. 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:30.639 For 33 years, Jesus was a man. 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:36.159 But for all of eternity before and for all of eternity after, he is the king. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:40.639 There's a story actually in Matthew chapter 16. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:46.080 Jesus and his disciples come to the region of Caesarea Philippi, which is a very important city in their region. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:50.480 And he asked his disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:55.360 That phrase Son of Man, that was the favorite title that Jesus would use to describe himself. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:14:00.639 Well, they replied, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:03.200 And then he asked them, But who do you say that I am? 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:07.919 And Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:11.360 We'll park right there for a second. 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:12.879 It's interesting. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:20.240 Because notice that in this interaction, when Jesus says, Hey, who do people say that I am? 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:23.600 Everything that they say, it's a good thing. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:27.679 Like no one responds, ah, Jesus, I mean, people say you're crazy. 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:30.240 Everyone says you're a little like wacky. 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:33.360 No, they they all they all give compliments. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:34.399 Who do people say I am? 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:36.080 They say that you're like Elijah. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:39.679 Elijah is one of the greatest prophets in the history of God's people. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:45.600 Like I've had people come up to me after after church and say, hey, you remind me of someone. 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:48.000 It's never been Elijah, you know. 00:14:50.960 --> 00:15:00.480 Like Elijah is Elijah's like a giant in the story of Scripture, this incredible prophet who did who did miracles and and all kinds of crazy things. 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:04.480 And people are saying that Jesus must be Elijah. 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:05.840 Come back. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.720 Or Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:19.039 Like, notice that the people have a very high opinion of Jesus, that the things that they're saying about him, they're good, but also notice that that doesn't seem to fill Jesus with any satisfaction. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:22.320 Notice that Jesus is not touched. 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:22.879 He's like, really? 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:23.840 Elijah? 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:25.279 Wow. 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:27.120 That's pretty cool. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:31.919 That it's like those compliments, they don't penetrate. 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:36.639 Because they're so much lesser than who he actually is. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:40.000 So he asks a second question, who do you say that I am? 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:42.240 That's a question that every one of us has to answer. 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:44.240 Who do you say that I am? 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:52.320 And Peter has the boldness to say, I say that you are the Messiah. 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:55.519 Messiah, the word Christ, same same thing. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:56.240 Messiah. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:57.519 It means anointed one. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:15:59.440 You are the Son of God. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:01.519 You are divine. 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:03.120 You are God. 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:07.519 And that's when Jesus says, You are correct. 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:08.799 That is who I am. 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:15.039 Jesus never lost sight of the fact that he is a king, that he has authority, he has power. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:15.759 He knew that. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:17.759 He actually talked about it pretty often. 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:21.759 Jesus was the master at dropping hints, pretty big hints. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:27.759 To make sure everyone knew that he was very clear on who he was and what he was here to do. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:32.720 So, for example, that phrase, son of man. 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:35.840 We just read that a few times in those stories. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:40.000 Jesus would often call himself the son of man, and that's kind of an interesting title. 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:45.440 In the Hebrew language, the words son of they really mean the same as. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:56.080 So, for example, in the Old Testament, you had Elijah, who was a prophet, and he had this kind of understudy named Elisha, and then there was this group of people that we see in their story that are called the sons of the prophets. 00:16:56.240 --> 00:17:00.000 Well, they weren't the prophets' biological children. 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:05.119 It meant that they were a group of prophets in the same vein as Elijah and Elisha. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:06.559 They were the sons of. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:09.279 They were the same. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:18.319 When Jesus called two of his disciples the sons of thunder, he was not saying that you were actually birthed when lightning struck the earth and the sound of thunder roared, then you sprang up. 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.920 No, he's saying you're like thunder. 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:23.920 You're the same as that. 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:27.599 You're boisterous, you're loud, you're powerful. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:32.079 That's what the phrase son of meant in the Hebrew scriptures. 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:37.279 When we say Jesus is the son of God, that's us saying that you are God. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:39.119 You are the same. 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:43.200 Well, Jesus usually called himself the son of man. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:52.160 And you could actually literally translate that in Hebrew, it's ben Adam, which means human being, the son of man. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:57.440 Now, some people have said, some scholars have said, the reason Jesus called himself son of man was because he wanted to emphasize his humanity. 00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:00.240 He wanted to remind everyone that, hey, I'm just a person. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.680 I'm human like you. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:02.480 Jesus is unique. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:05.680 He is both 100% God and 100% human being. 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:11.519 And I don't really think that's what he was doing, because I don't think he would have needed to do that. 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:16.880 In his early ministry, Jesus did not need to convince people that he was a person. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:22.559 Like when he talked with his family members, he didn't have to walk in the room and be like, hey, I'm a human being. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:26.000 And they're like, oh, we didn't know. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:27.519 This is good news. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:33.039 He had no need on earth to remind people that he was a person. 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:45.200 Now when he when he used that phrase, son of man, he was, I heard a pastor talk about it this way, he was hyperlinking to a very, very specific prophecy in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:49.680 The people that Jesus was talking to, these would have been people that were very familiar with the Hebrew scriptures. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:54.799 And there were certain phrases that you would say and it would immediately trigger a thought. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:56.000 You couldn't deny it. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:58.720 It's kind of like for us, if we ever said the phrase forbidden fruit. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:04.319 Any of us that know the story of Scripture, if you hear forbidden fruit, it like hyperlinks you to the story of the Garden of Eden. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:10.079 Well, the phrase Son of Man, it was one of those phrases, it was a loaded phrase. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:12.400 And it came from the prophet Daniel. 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:18.720 Daniel's one of the foremost prophets in the Old Testament who actually prophesied about the coming Messiah. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:22.319 He had visions, and in Daniel chapter 7, he has this really intense vision. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:30.000 And it's a vision about the future, but it includes in the vision at the very end this interesting character called a son of man. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.160 Daniel chapter 7, verse 13. 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:39.839 He writes, As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:43.359 He approached the ancient one and was led into his presence. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:50.799 He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that the people of every race and nation and language would obey him. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:55.440 His rule is eternal, it will never end, his kingdom will never be destroyed. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:20:03.759 When Jesus says, I'm the Son of Man, that is what everyone around him would have thought about. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:12.240 And just in case, just in case we're not convinced, there's other times where Jesus talks and he borrows the same language from Daniel. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:21.680 For example, in Mark chapter 13, he's prophesying about a different time, and Jesus says, Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and glory. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:27.440 And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world, from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:31.680 You see the coming on the clouds, same exact language that Daniel uses. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:44.960 When Jesus is resurrected, right before he gives us the great commission where he tells us to go and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Jesus says, I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:52.880 Daniel 7, 14, he was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:00.880 So when Jesus uses this phrase, Son of Man, he's hyperlinking back to that vision. 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:03.200 And the implications. 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:06.480 The implications are obvious. 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:08.720 He's saying, I'm that one. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:11.839 I'm the one who will reign. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:14.640 I'm the one who will have all authority. 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:17.039 And my kingdom will never end. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:20.079 Jesus is declaring that he is the king. 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:22.480 He's the king. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.039 We never lost sight of that. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:30.160 And it's so important for us that we don't lose sight of that either. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:33.359 We're Americans. 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:36.319 And we have a king. 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:39.839 If we call ourselves Jesus followers, but what a king we have. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:42.720 In Philippians chapter 2. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:48.480 It says though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.799 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:54.720 He took the humble position of a slave, something, by the way, no king does. 00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:59.759 He was born as a human being, and when he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.559 To God, and he died a criminal's death on a cross. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:16.880 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:18.640 Do you see the will of God there? 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:22.480 The will of God is not that the world would recognize Jesus as a good man. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:27.839 The will of God is not, is not that the world would see Jesus as a profound teacher. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:37.440 The will of God is not that the world would see Jesus and respect him, that the world would see Jesus and recognize that he has important things to say. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:41.920 The will of God is not that the world would see Jesus and say, now that is how you should live life. 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:43.680 That selflessly, that good. 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:45.039 That is not the will of God. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:54.640 The will of God is that the world would see Jesus and we would bow and we would declare with our mouths and our hearts that he's the king of the universe, that he's the God of gods, that he's the Lord of Lords. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:55.759 That's the will of God. 00:22:55.920 --> 00:23:04.880 That Jesus is the King of kings, the Lord of Lords, and every knee, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that he is exactly who he says he is. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:08.480 He is the Son of Man, He is the Messiah, He is the King. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:13.359 And we have the privilege of recognizing that right now. 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:16.720 Because one day everyone will recognize that. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:23.519 The will of God is that Jesus is given glory and honor. 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:25.920 Do you see that in the prophecies that Daniel had? 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:28.400 That the Son of Man will come and what? 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:31.920 He'll be given all authority in heaven and on earth. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:37.519 If you're a Jesus follower, you have a king and you have the most amazing king that you could ever imagine. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:39.440 You have Jesus. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:43.599 And we live in a world that doesn't necessarily like Jesus. 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:44.720 I don't care. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:47.440 I'm so proud to stand with Jesus. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:51.599 We live in a world right now where the name of Jesus is not necessarily glorified. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:24:02.480 I always laugh when people of other faiths get offended when their faith is like, I don't know, stepped on or abused, whatever you want to say, because in my in my world, my my God's name is a cuss word. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:08.880 We live in a world right now where if someone were to proclaim the name of Jesus on television, they'd be cut off the air. 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:10.079 And by the way, that's happened. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:17.200 But at the same time, if if those same television shows want to use the name of my God as a as a curse word, they're allowed to do that. 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:18.640 And I don't really care. 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:21.920 It doesn't bother me, it doesn't offend me, it hurts me. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:25.599 But I don't care because I stand with Jesus. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:27.039 He is God, He is the King of God. 00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:29.680 I'll stand with Him until the day that I die because He's my king. 00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:31.359 That's what you do with the King. 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:35.039 We should be so proud of our King. 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:40.160 And we're gonna spend the next several months talking about what it means to be part of His kingdom. 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:43.759 It's a beautiful kingdom, it's upside down from everything in this world. 00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:46.799 His kingdom is about love, it's about grace, it's about peace. 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:49.599 His kingdom is a kingdom unlike any other. 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:52.559 It's a kingdom that doesn't have to be spread by force. 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:54.480 It never has had to be spread by force. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:56.319 It's the only kingdom of its kind. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:25:00.799 It's unstoppable, it's amazing. 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:03.039 It changes lives left and right. 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:06.799 We get to be part of it, but we need to understand what his kingdom is all about. 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:12.079 Because if we don't, we'll have a really hard time living in that kingdom as we should. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:18.480 So I hope that you're here for the next several months as we as we unpack what his kingdom is about. 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:20.720 But today is about one really simple thing. 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:23.200 Do you see Jesus as your king? 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:26.720 Are you proud to call him your king? 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:31.839 What I mean by that, it's a challenge. 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:36.960 By the way, these are the worst messages to write because it's extremely challenging because I have to ask these questions of myself. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:39.599 Like, like, am I a fan of Jesus? 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:42.400 Or do I follow Jesus? 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:45.279 Do I obey Jesus? 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:48.240 Do I do what he says? 00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:52.160 We have two people getting baptized, which is exciting. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:55.440 And one of the things I love about baptisms is it's just a simple step of obedience. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:56.160 And it's funny. 00:25:56.240 --> 00:25:58.079 Like, get dunked in water. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:01.599 You know, we we follow Jesus and he says, Hey, first thing I want you to do is get dunked in water. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:02.079 Like, why? 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:06.160 That seems like a silly thing to do at the very beginning. 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:15.039 But I've learned that if I can't follow Jesus and obey him on the simple things, then how could he trust me to obey him with the big things? 00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:19.359 So just follow him, just simple obedience. 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:24.160 Do I do I do I think Jesus is awesome, or have I surrendered my life to him? 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.920 Do I treat him as my king? 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:31.359 Or do I treat him as someone who gives me good advice that I may or may not take? 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:36.559 I so often fall short of treating Jesus as my king. 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:38.720 He's not my advisor. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.680 He's my king. 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:48.880 And before anything else, I have to bow to him and honor him and worship him as he is. 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:50.000 That's what today's about. 00:26:50.160 --> 00:27:02.400 It's a challenge and an encouragement to all of us to treat him as our king, to remember that while on this earth we may live in a democracy, thank God we do, because earthly kings do no good. 00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:06.559 For all of eternity, we will live in a monarchy. 00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:17.119 We have the king of kings who leads us, who provides for us, who saves us. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:22.559 Years ago there was a pastor named S. 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:22.720 M. 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:26.000 Lockridge, and he's an amazing, amazing pastor. 00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:27.920 He's a big part of the civil rights movement. 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:34.880 He pastored a single church, one church, from the year 1952 to the year 1993, which is really amazing. 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:40.319 Because I've been here for 13 years, and that's like that would be me going, all right, just you know, 30 more, and I'm there. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:43.519 Like that's a really incredible thing. 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:45.599 He's an amazing preacher. 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:55.200 I don't know if you have something that you're good at, and then you meet someone else who's like really good at something you're good at, and you're like, oh, that's what it's like to be really good at that. 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:57.279 You know, sometimes that happens to me. 00:27:57.359 --> 00:28:02.480 I'll like I'll listen to a message that another pastor gives, and I'll be like, oh, that's what a preacher does. 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:05.039 Okay, like that's pretty awesome. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:12.960