"Who Is This King of Glory?"
Psalms 24:1-10
Introduction: The 24th Psalm of David is the third of a trilogy of compositions by David that are Messianic in their theme. Psalm 22 is about the Cross; 23 is about the shepherd's Crook and the 24th is about the Crown; it's about a king but not just any king, he is "the king of glory," and twice the question is asked, "who is this king?" Have you ever heard the expression, "It takes one to know one?" David was the greatest King in the history of Israel and we can be confident that he knows what he is talking about. Who is this king of glory?" He is described as...the Lord mighty and strong, and the Lord of hosts! Many commentators both old and new think that this Psalm speaks of the resurrection of our Lord, and is thus to be understood. It is easy to apply it in this way: Jesus has conquered sin, Satan, and death, by dying. He now rises from the dead; and, as a mighty Conqueror, claims an entrance into the realms of glory, the kingdom which he has purchased by his blood; there to appear ever in the presence of God for us, to which he purposes to raise finally the innumerable hosts of his followers; for in reference to these, He is the Lord of hosts; and, in reference to his victory, He is the Lord mighty in battle. Clarke's Commentary This Psalms is a song of praise to the King. It would be good for us to remember that this morning. The baby in a manger left a throne to come to earth. When He left earth at His ascension He returned to his rightful place on the throne at the right hand of the Father.
Few nations today are ruled by a king and if there is a monarchy it is usually a figurehead so it is difficult for us in our day to grasp this concept of an all-powerful ruling monarch who is above all and over all of creation. But it is critical that we do for Jesus Christ is prophet, priest and king. This morning I want you to know something about this King that makes Him different from all other kings. He is the preeminent one, the King of all Kings. This means that there is no one above Him and that brings me to my first point.
I. He is a Sovereign King
1 Timothy 6:13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time--he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. ESV
a. His sovereignty is universal
When we use the word sovereignty what we are saying is that this King is not just a ruler of all things, He is in absolute control of everything, everywhere!
Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ESV
1. His control is macrobial (the visible) and microbial (the invisible).
An average galaxy contains between 10 to the power of 11 and 10 to the power of 12 stars. In other words, galaxies, on average have between 100 billion and 1 trillion numbers of stars. Now, how many galaxies are there? Astronomers estimate that there are approximately 100 billion to 1 trillion galaxies in the Universe. So if you multiply those two numbers together, you get between 10 to the power of 22 and 10 to the power of 24 stars in the Universe. How many stars? There are between 10 sextillion and 1 septillion stars in the Universe. That's a large number of stars.
On the other hand this King is in control of the microscopic world as well. Just take the human body for instance...
How many cells make up your body? It's actually not all that easy to answer that simple question. But recently, scientists have made a pretty good effort. And their final count is...37.2 trillion. The Smithsonian magazine Little wonder that the Psalmist declares that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made!"
b. His sovereignty is unilateral
This means that because this King is all-powerful that He is able to act on His own without a "by your leave" from anyone. He acts on His own prerogative. He doesn't need anyone permission to do what he does.
Throughout human history mankind has stood in awe before the mighty power of the natural elements--light so powerful it can blind us, water so powerful it can wash away whole civilizations, wind so powerful it can topple brick and steel buildings, fire so powerful it can melt rock. We know what power is.
Athletes are power conscious. Baseball has its power hitters, football its power runners, basketball its power forwards. Weight lifters may be billed as the most powerful men in the world. Athletes in nearly every sport are striving for greater power to establish new world records. Power is something with which we are all familiar. We can grasp its significance.
At least we think we can, until we come to God. Then suddenly our minds are boggled. He claims to be all-powerful, and that defies our imagination. Add the power of the world's greatest athletes to the power of the world's natural elements to the incredible power man has developed through science and technology, and the total does not even begin to approach God's power. In fact He himself is the source of all power, not only in the physical realm about which we have been talking, but in the spiritual realm as well, where the true nature and extent of power eludes our understanding. God is omnipotent! What does that mean? It means that God possesses infinite, complete, and perfect power. He can do anything He wants to do, absolutely anything. None of us can make that claim. Our capabilities are limited. But God is able to do everything He wills. The Bible.org
II. He is a Suffering King
This is the greatest contradiction of all. In this face of all this universal, unilateral power this king of glory is a sufferer. He experiences a degree and level of suffering that is beyond our comprehension. He doesn't suffer the effects of some dread disease or because of loss of his faculties but his suffering is vicarious. He suffers in the place of others.
a. The degree of his sufferings
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
b. The design of his sufferings
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
He Set It All Aside - By Dan Adkins And Tracy Dartt
Somewhere Upon A Distant Land
Long Ago, And Far Away
Was A Crown Of Gold And Precious Jewels
Still Unequaled To This Day
It Was A Crown Desired By Kings And Princes
Throughout The Years Of Time
But The King For Whom The Crown Was Made
For Love... Set His Crown Aside
So The Story Goes, This King Of Old
Sat Upon A Throne So Bright
Glowing Like A Rainbow In The Sky
And Around It Day And Night
Those Who Loved Him, Paid Him Tribute There
But They All Began To Cry
When The King For Whom The Throne Was Made
For Love... Set His Throne Aside
In That City Fair And Beautiful
Far Beyond The Dreams Of Men
Stood A Palace Of Majestic Grace
Never Rivaled, Now Or Then
It Was A Place Of Royal Adoration
But The Cheers Turned To A Cry
When The King For Whom It All Was Made
For Love... Set It All Aside
Chorus
He Set Aside A Golden Crown
For A Crown Of Thorns That Day
He Set Aside A Kingly Throne
And Received A Cross Of Shame
And He Traded Off The Palace Grand
For A Borrowed Tomb, You See
All He Gave Was All For Love
And The Love Was All For Me
III. He is a Saving King
The mockers cried, "come down and save yourself and us," but it is the fact that He did not come down that led to our salvation.
a. He comes to redeem us
Psalms 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
It is not who you are, but whose you are that matters. Our Savior, the One who has purchased us is the King of Kings!
1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
b. He comes to reconcile us
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
IV. He is a Serving King
We have another contradictory notion. You have the king washing the feet of His servants. What a picture this is. Not only that but He washes the feet of men who would desert him, deny him, and be disloyal to him.
John 13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
In this King:
a. The Master becomes the servant
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
b. The menial becomes significant
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Don't strive for success, strive instead for significance.
Conclusion: Two things stand out when we think of this King of glory. One, He is a different kind of king and His is a different kind of kingdom.
He is a sovereign king so that we can know that no matter what happens and whatever my situation or circumstances may be if Jesus is my king then I can be confident that all will be well.
When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot thou' has taught me to say
It is well it is well with my soul
My sin oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o' my soul
And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so it is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
Read more: Kutless - It Is Well Lyrics | MetroLyrics
He is the suffering king.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that left Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
He is a saving King. God crucified His one and only Son for you and me. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
He is a serving King.
NO KING BUT JESUS
Did you know that the colonialists wanted to make George Washington a king? But he refused. Because George and many of the colonists believed that there was only one king, and it was not King George III.
On April 22, 1774, before the Revolutionary War, a report was sent to King George III of England, and in it the governor of Boston exclaimed, "If you ask an American who is his master, he will tell you, he has none, nor any governor but Jesus Christ."
In April 1775, when a British major called the colonialists, villains and told them "lay down your arms, in the name of George, the sovereign king of England," the immediate response was "We recognize no Sovereign but God and no King but Jesus."
This became the battle cry and motto of the revolutionary war. No king but king Jesus.
(From a sermon by Michael Deutsch, The Beginning of the End, 8/29/2011)
