THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

Who runs the church?  Is it a pastor, or maybe the elders, or perhaps the deacons, or some combination—who is in charge?

It better be Jesus!  He is “the head of His body, the church.”  Now, many local congregations may not behave accordingly, but in so doing they are in rebellion against God!

There would be no church without Him. His resurrection as “the firstborn from the dead,” birthed the church in His atoning work through the crucifixion and resurrection. Now, He claims absolute authority, “that in everything he might be preeminent.”

I heard the story of an old African chieftain.  He sat before his hut, bent over, weariness on his face, skin wrinkled from advanced age.  One of the strong young warriors came up to him and challenged him, “It is time for you to step aside. We need a man of strength to lead  this tribe. What gives you the right to rule over us?”  The elderly man answered, “There was a time you do not remember, for your father was a child. A lion came into the village. He would have killed many, including your father. I thrust my arms into the lion’s mouth, broke his jaws, and killed it with my bare hands. Then raising himself up, his voice resounding with authority, he lifted his arms to reveal many scars from battling the beast, and said, “By my wounds I demand the right to rule over you!”

So, Jesus lifts His hands, shows the scars from His battle on Calvary, and says, “By my wounds I demand the right to rule over you!”  Surely as a preacher, and as a church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will submit to Him who saved us by His sacrifice!

CHRIST’S REIGN: This Age and Ages to Come

Read Ephesians 1:15-23; 2:4-7.

“Jesus is Lord.”  That has been the universal confession of the church for the last 2000 years.

Jesus is Lord in this age. He has conquered death, risen in glory and power, and ascended to heaven where He reigns. All things are beneath His feet, in that He is working out His will. In particular, the church, as His body is under His Lordship. Paul prays that the eyes of the saints will be opened to understand the extent of our inheritance, that we share because of our identity in Christ.  We have been spiritually made alive together with Christ.  We have risen together with Christ in new life. We are spiritually so identified with Him that in this age we are seated with Him in Heavenly places.  All things are under His feet—so remember this today: there is nothing over your head that is under His feet!

Jesus will be Lord in the ages to come. That which is a spiritual reality will someday become a literal fulfillment. It is obvious that having new life in Christ has not actually made us glorified in the absolute sense.  We still live in this material world full of sin. We still live in this physical form that is decaying and dying. We still live in the battle zone where Satan is on the prowl. Yet, when Christ returns, the manifestation of our inheritance and actualization of our hope will be experienced. The dead in Christ will rise with new bodies, and the living saints will be changed into a glorified state. His kingdom reign will be extended over all the earth. Righteousness will reign on the globe. Satan will be bound—imprisoned in the bottomless pit. Happy day!  My heart sings, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

CHRIST’S REIGN: The Manifestation of Sovereignty

Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-28.

There has never been a time that Jesus has not been Lord, nor a time that He will not be. As the Second Person of the Godhead, He reigns as God eternally. The incarnation did not make Him less than fully God, rather it made Him fully man.

In His crucifixion, He died as man, but in His resurrection, He rose as glorified humanity. In doing so, He conquered death and crushed the serpent’s head. Satan is still dangerous in his death throes, however, as a snake can inject venom as it writhes in dying. The devil has been cast down, but not cast out—not yet.

Christ has ascended, and is extending His reign spiritually as He calls the elect to salvation. Each time a sinner repents of his rebellion and bows at the feet of the Savior, His reign is extended on earth.

The full manifestation of that awaits the future. Christ’s resurrection is the prototype of those whom He will raise from death. There is an order in the resurrection, as Paul  notes here. The dead in Christ will rise at the rapture of the church, to be joined by the living saints, transformed and taken up to glory. Following seven years of tribulation judgments on earth, Christ returns with His bride to reign. The Old Testament saints and tribulation martyrs will be raised to share in a thousand years of Christ’s reign on the earth. Following that the wicked will be raised and judged. Then Christ delivers over the kingdom to the Father and the Eternal State of new heavens and a new earth begins.

“And He shall reign forever and ever! Hallelujah!”

CHRIST’S REIGN: The Victory of Calvary

Read John 12:31-33. 

The popularity of Christ among the masses was diminishing. The tide had turned.  Most of the religious leaders had rejected Him, and now the common people were following suit.  Christ had come as their rightful Ruler, but because He was not the kind of king they were looking for, they would crown Him with thorns, rather than gold. 

Yet, in judging Him unworthy to reign over them, they were actually judging themselves unworthy of His kingdom. Their act of rejecting Him on earth would bring His rejection of them in eternity.  The only way to evade judgment for sin is to receive by faith the Savior’s work on the cross.  To refuse to bow at His nail-scarred feet is to endure judgment for sin which is deserved.

In the apparent defeat of Christ in His death, was actually accomplished the true victory over death. The ruler of this world—Satan—was overthrown. This fulfills the first prophecy concerning Jesus in Genesis 3:15. Sin had entered the world, as the serpent seduced Adam and Eve, but God already had a plan of redemption in place. “I will put enmity between you [the serpent, Satan], and the woman [Christ would be born of a virgin—the Seed of a woman, rather than man], and between your seed and her Seed [the spiritual warfare between sinners and saints seen in the hostility of the world rejecting Christ]; He shall bruise your head [the death of Jesus, crushing the serpent’s head], and you shall bruise His heel [the suffering for sin Christ bore].”

The cross, far from ending Christ’s claim as Lord, assured it!  The message of the cross will have a magnetic effect on all people. The Jews rejected their Messiah, but the result would be people from every nation will have opportunity to bow to the Lord and Savior.  An old rugged cross would become a royal throne!  He would not be a victim, but the Victor!

THE KING IS COMING!

And they anointed David king over Israel.  (2 Samuel 5:3b) 

The life of David is prophetic of the life of the Son of David—Jesus Christ—in many ways.  David’s life can be divided into two parts: the first was one of humiliation and rejection of David the shepherd; the second part was one of exaltation and reign of David the sovereign.  So, Jesus came the first time as the Good Shepherd—in humiliation and rejection.  In his second advent, He will come as the Chief Shepherd—in exaltation and reign.  There are some parallels in the fifth chapter of 2 Samuel between David’s coronation and the Son of David’s eventual one.  Of course, we do not have to wait to enthrone Christ, but can do so now in our heart.  His kingdom can come to the individual and extend to every facet of life—and it should.  If Jesus is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all! 

Let us note the coronation of a shepherd (v.1-5).  David was readied for his reign by humble service.  He shepherded his father’s flock in preparation for leading the people of Israel.  All those experiences of being despised by his brothers, hated by the leaders, and marked out for death were preparing him to wear the crown.  Jesus would wear a crown in His first coming, but it would be a crown of thorns.  The Good Shepherd would be misunderstood by his own brothers, rejected by both the secular and spiritual leaders, and sentenced to death.  Yet, as with David—in God’s time—He will be crowned with glory, as His forefather was crowned with gold.  Those who will be subjects of that coming kingdom must have a coronation of Christ in submission now.  This happens when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Just as the Jews became tired of their old master (Saul) and bowed to a new master (David), so we spurn our old master (sin) and surrender to the new Master (Jesus) in repentance.  As David forgave those who rejected him at the first, so Jesus forgives and welcomes former rebels. 

We next observe the conquest of a stronghold (v.6-10).  Jerusalem seemed an unconquerable fortress, but the city would be taken and be known hence as “the City of David.”  When Christ comes to a heart fortified by sin, where the Devil is firmly entrenched, we know He can overcome and capture our heart, as He drives out the enemy.  Ultimately, the city that withstood Christ’s offer of peace at His first coming, will become the place of His reign at His second coming.  Jerusalem that rejected Him first, will receive Him as Lord! 

Finally, we see the confirmation of a sovereign (v.11-12).  Other kings would recognize David’s sovereignty.  In this example, it is Hiram, the king of Tyre.  When Christ comes to reign in our hearts, His rule extends to every area. This anticipates the time when Christ returns as King of kings and Lord of lords.  Then, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord!  What a day that will be!  My heart cries, “Come, Lord Jesus!” 

When Christ returns, some will bow madly—enemies forced to bow; some will bow sadly—who meant to become His subjects but continued to serve sin.  Hell will be a place for each, where both teeth are gnashed in anger and wails are raised in anguish.  I will bow gladly in eternity, for I have submitted to Christ on earth.  Have you?

THE GREAT SHEPHERD

 

The LORD is my shepherd….  (Psalm 23:1a)

In John 10, Jesus identified Himself as the shepherd of our souls.  He spoke of His goodness in laying down His life for the sheep, but he also spoke of His greatness saying, “I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”  (v.17b-18a)  On the cross Jesus gave His life for the sheep, but on the third day, He arose from the tomb. He has ascended and ever lives to make intercession for us.

HE IS A POWERFUL SHEPHERD.  Focus on the first two words, “The LORD.”  Scripture presents Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords.  He is the Lord God Almighty, the one who in eternity spoke and the worlds came into existence.  Yet, His power was never more vividly demonstrated than when He reached out a lifeless hand and seized life and pulled it back into Himself.  The earth quaked and strong soldiers fainted and the stone was rolled away and out came Jesus swinging the keys of death and hell. Believe Him when He says, “Because I live, you shall live also.” (John 14:19b) 

HE IS A PERSONAL SHEPHERD.  Look at the first three words.  David says, “The LORD is,” not was.  Buddha, Confucius, Mohammed—each one was, but only The Lord Jesus is!  Then consider the first five words, “The LORD is my shepherd….”   David didn’t say, “He is a Shepherd to the world” but “He’s mine.”  If He is a Shepherd to no one else, He is to me.  He knows me by name; He cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me. As sheep prone to wander we may wander outside His will, but never outside His care. Jesus knows our trials, tears and temptations. We must be able to claim Him as our personal shepherd.  Can you?

HE IS A PROVIDING SHEPHERD.  The next phrase says,  “I shall not want.”

I SHALL NOT WANT IN LIFE (v.2-3).  Sheep will not lie down when hungry.  Jesus provides green pastures for us—physical and spiritual nourishment.  What refreshment is found beside still waters!  There He restores our soul and gives the strength we need to follow Him.  He leads us in right paths.  The guidance of the Shepherd is stressed here. Thank God for the times we are led through great blessing, but sometimes the right paths are hard paths.  We may be sure the road leads to glory—and that is the main thing!

I SHALL NOT WANT IN DEATH (v.4).  Jesus died such a death that we will never have to die like that.  He trod the winepress alone, that we might walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death.  The Psalmist describes death as a shadow. We need not fear a shadow.  It is just a dark valley we must pass through—but note you go through—light into brief darkness and into the light of eternity! 

I SHALL NOT WANT IN ETERNITY  (v.5-6).  Goodness and mercy in this life brings us into glory and majesty in the world to come.  Christ has a banquet table spread and is waiting for the marriage supper.  How long is forever?  Our home awaits.  Come, Great Shepherd and take your flock to that eternal sheepfold!