Sermon Central
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The Baby King
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Dec 13, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: Here we see a baby…yet in the same breath we’re hearing about a kingdom. The end times are mentioned even at the manger! Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Template + many more Christmas Sermons.
The Baby King
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http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/BabyKing.html
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Here we see a baby…yet in the same breath we’re hearing about a kingdom. We now know that kingdom to be set up at the 2nd coming of Christ, not the first. Jesus’ first visit as a baby did indeed spark a kingdom…a spiritual one. But the physical one is yet to come! The rapture, end times, millennial reign and eternal state are spoken of throughout the Bible in different contexts, and here we see it all mentioned even in the manger!
With the proclamation of the wise men, “Where is he that is born the king of the Jews?”, all the prophecies of the coming Messiah were brought to mind in the nation of Israel. From the first declaration of a coming deliverer to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 the hearts of men looked longingly for the Promised One. Each looked for something different in the Messiah. When Christ was born in Bethlehem, Israel did not receive what they were looking for from the newborn King, but they had the opportunity to receive far more.
Jesus was born during a time when the Jews were anticipating a great and mighty king that would come and deliver them from the oppression of the Romans. They expected Him to reign in Jerusalem and establish His kingdom on this earth. Yet, our Savior did not come as they thought He would. He did not come as a mighty king. He came as an innocent baby boy, born in a manger in Bethlehem, to die for us. He died so that we might be forgiven of our sins and might have a home in Heaven if we believe on Him. He came to make a way for us to live with Him eternally.
Jimmy, an eight-year old, was one of the best students in his Sunday school class. One day, the teacher asked her students to draw a picture of the baby Jesus. Jimmy worked and worked and came up with a picture of a modern jet airplane with four people inside. The teacher couldn’t figure it out although she thought maybe it was a modern rendering of the Christmas story. She asked, “Jimmy, this is a nice picture, but what is it?” “Why, that’s Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus on their flight into Egypt.” “But there are four people in there. Who is the fourth one?” “Why, that’s Pontius the Pilate!” [Dr. Paul Chappell]
Even as this little boy wasn’t sure of all the facts of Christ’s earthly ministry, many had misunderstood why Jesus had come to a lowly manger in Bethlehem. Revelation 19:16 says, “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Although He did not come to set up His physical kingdom when He came so long ago, He will one day come again to take all believers to Heaven with Him. He could not establish His kingdom without first providing a way for us to get to Heaven! And our flight won’t be to Egypt…we’re going past the moon to a new heaven and new earth!
One day He will bring peace. Finally there will be peace, but not until the Prince of Peace brings it! He will destroy all evil and establish His kingdom for all eternity. We have hope because we know that one day all those who believe on His name will reign with Him! Because He came and died for us, we can know that we will one day be with Him for all eternity if we accept Him as our Savior.
I. Consider for a moment what Israel was looking for in the Newborn King.
A. As the nation of Israel looked forward to the coming of the Messiah they were filled with hopes and expectations, as they were familiar with the many Old Testament prophecies concerning Him and His kingdom.
B. They looked for One Who would RESTORE the kingdom of David in its entire splendor.
God promised David in
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
