King Jesus

Many seem to think that when Adam and Eve committed the heinous act of eating the forbidden fruit, that God found Himself in a terrible dilemma that He hadn’t foreseen.  It’s as though He was forced back to the planning table to devise a rescue mission for His fallen creation.  Nothing could be further from the truth however, as God knew that in creating us in His image, with free will, there would be a catastrophic collision of His perfect justice with His immeasurable grace and mercy.  So God did not find Himself with a dilemma, for as Paul said, “long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love” (Eph. 1:4 Msg).  

There are few passages in all of Scripture that give us as concise an overview of God’s eternal plan as Ephesians 1.  It’s interesting to note that in the original language of Ephesians 1, that verses 4-14 consist of one sentence.  It’s almost like a young child that is so excited about the story he wants to tell you that he hardly stops for a breath.  Paul paints this picture of God’s plan that truly is awe inspiring from beginning to its culmination.  

There are some words in this passage that have caused many to stumble, words such as “He chose us” and “He predestined us,” leading some to conclude that God chose who would be saved and likewise, chose those who wouldn’t be.  Remember however, that Paul is writing to Gentile believers, and in verse 13 clarifies that the onus is on the individual to believe the good news and receive Jesus.

“having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise”
– Eph. 1:13 NLT

The image Paul paints for us here is that Christ came to earth on the greatest rescue mission in all of history. Everyone reading this blog could quote John 3:16, but can you quote verses 17 and 18 from memory, because they are just as important as verse 16.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 
– John 3:16-18 NASB

Verse 18 tells us that the world is in a state of judgement because of sin, and Jesus came to set us free from judgement, came to rescue us.  Back to Ephesians 1, Paul tells us that not only did God devise a plan of saving us from our sinful condition, but part of His plan was to adopt us as His Children.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.”
– Ephesians 1:5 NLT

In Colossians 1:13, 14, in very similar language to his letter to the Ephesians, Paul uses “Kingdom” terminology:

“For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into The Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”

Not only did He save us and forgive our sins, but he “transferred us into His Kingdom,” we are actually sons and daughters of the King. Now back to Ephesians 1, and to what was referred to earlier as the “culmination” of God’s plan.  Since the creation of man, and the ongoing revelation of God’s plan, Paul finally explains the plan God has had from before the foundations of the earth:

God has now revealed to us His mysterious will regarding Christ . . . and this is the plan: At the right time, He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth.”
– Ephesians 1:10 NLT

We seem to be in a season of elections and new administrations.  On Remembrance Day I took part in a Remembrance Day service which concluded with us singing “God Save the King.”  All of us present had to make a conscious effort to not accidentally sing “God save the Queen.”  It’s because we were so accustomed to one administration, we have to adjust to the new administration.  An election has just concluded in the US, and people are getting ready for a new administration there, as they know it means change. 

The mystery that God had only given glimpses of but revealed fully after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is that a day is coming when all darkness will be done away with, and a new Kingdom will be established. It’s as though all of history has been moving toward, focusing on this glorious goal. But what does this new administration look like?  There are many people in the US, as they approach their new administration who are asking the same question.  Many are thrilled with the outcome and others are terrified.  But for us, what is this new Kingdom that we have to look forward to going to look like.

First of all, we know that there will be complete unity.  Verse 10b in the NIV says His plan is “to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”  Later on in Ephesians, Paul says,

“This is God’s plan:  Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally
In the riches inherited by God’s children.  Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy
the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.”

– Ephesians 3:6 NLT

A significant quality of this Kingdom is the perfect unity of all people.  “Both Gentiles and Jews” includes all people groups on the earth.  There’s nothing more unifying than to call on the name of the Lord and know you’ve been made brothers and sisters with everyone under His Kingship.  It’s grieving when we see people attacked because they’re of a “different ethnic group,’ but thank God, under this administration, that will end for all of eternity.  This King loves all equally.  It should be noted here that Ephesians 3:6 makes it very clear that it’s those “who believe the Good News [that] share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children.”  Some have adopted a Universalistic thinking that believes that ultimately everyone is going to be saved in the end.  After all, they would say, when it says “He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth,” it must mean everything and everyone.  Some even go so far as to believe that even the demons will be redeemed.  If you were to go to a funeral in Vancouver, you’d think everyone was going to heaven, but in Ephesians 1, Paul qualifies over and over that he is writing to “God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus” (verse 1), “who are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (verse 3).  It is quite obvious that the qualification to be a citizen of this Kingdom is to declare Him as your King.

At Coastal Church over the years, we’ve listened to a clip from a great sermon preached almost 50 years called “That’s My King!”  It’s impossible in words to describe our King, but here are a few lines from that message:

He supplies strength to the weak
He’s available for the tempted and tried
He sympathizes and He saves
He strengthens and sustains
He guards and He guides
He heals the sick
He forgives sinners
He delivers the captives
He defends the feeble
He blesses the young
He serves the unfortunate
He regards the aged
He rewards the diligent
He beautifies the meek

THAT’S MY KING!