SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 22, March 14, 2010

Who do you say that I am?
Jesus, the King of Kings and LORD of lords

Theme Verse: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15
Readings: Deuteronomy 17:14-20; 1 Samuel 8:1-22; Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21: 1-11
Optional: 1 Chronicles 17:11-14; Luke 1: 26-33; John 18: 33-37; Isaiah 9:6-7
Memory Verse: "I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever." Psalm 145:1

INTRODUCTION: What does it mean to be a king? What do you think of when you hear the word "king"? One dictionary defines a king as "a male sovereign ruler of a kingdom," while that same dictionary defines a kingdom as "the territory, people, state, or realm ruled by a king." Two other words are important for us to consider: Sovereign- "exercising or possessing supreme jurisdiction or power; free, independent, autonomous." Authority- from the Greek word exousia, which has "the basic idea of freedom of choice". One who has the most authority therefore has the most freedom of will. It is fair to say that these two words apply well to our concept of a king. C.S. Lewis applies these words to God, in that "the freedom of God consists in the fact that no cause other than himself produces his acts and no external obstacles impede them". God can do what he wants. But we must learn what it is that he wants.

THE CONCEPT OF "KING" IN THE BIBLE: In Old Testament times, a king was a leader of his people, a protector, and a permanent military leader. He was expected to lead his people into battle and be victorious, to negotiate terms of victory or loss, and to manage and insure the peace otherwise. The Book of Exodus, chapter 15, records what is known as "The Song of Triumph" (notice the language of a battle). Moses and the people of Israel sing "Who is like you O LORD among the gods? Majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?" Later in v.18 they sing "The LORD will reign for ever and ever!" Sung by a People who have been held in captivity for hundreds of years, and now delivered from the most powerful earthly king, is it any wonder that the song speaks of God as King? The LORD is indeed sovereign, with authority even over the waters of the earth and the most powerful human rulers, and a great protector and leader of his chosen people. The Israelites held God as the Most High King, the LORD God Almighty. He was leading them to the Promised Land. (Compare this with Jesus going to prepare a place for us in John 15; see also John 10:10 and 14:1-3.)

GOD'S PROVISION FOR A KING: After the Israelites have been delivered out of the grasp of Pharaoh but were not yet in the land God had promised to give them, God makes provision for an earthly king to lead them. See Dt 17. What precedes this section in Dt is the LORD's warning to the Israelites not to worship other gods. Somehow, too, the LORD seems to know that his people will ask for a king. But he warns them that it must be a king "from among your own brothers". There is then a list of things the king must follow or not do. In essence, he will be expected to submit to God's higher moral authority and will and not exalt himself above his fellow citizens. This is unlike any other king! Compare this to Jesus in Phil 2:5-11 ("every knee shall bow", a common salutatory greeting to a king) and John 5:19. See also the consequences of a king who does not hold to God's authority (David in 2 Samuel 12: 1-15).

ISRAEL EXERCISES THE PROVISION: The time of the Judges in Israel was about 1,100 B.C. The Israelites became increasingly interested in their neighbors and how those neighbors lived. They also became increasingly desirous of a king. Why do you think they wanted a king? In 1 Samuel 8:5 the elders demand that Samuel appoint them a king. How does this compare with God's words to them as recorded in Dt 17? Was not the king to be of God's choosing? They also wanted to be "like other nations". The word "nations" is "goyim" in the Hebrew, or Gentiles. For us, it literally means "non-believers". The Israelites were finding their self-esteem in how the non-believers lived and ordered their lives. Are we any different today? In v.6 the leading elders again tell Samuel "give us a king to lead us", which was a clear rejection of God who had been their leader, protector, and king. V. 7. (Compare this to Isaiah 43:15 and Isaiah 44:6- "protector" means literally "kinsman redeemer" *see note at end of lesson.) Samuel bluntly reports what they can expect in a king- he holds nothing back. Vv.11-18. The people do not care; they want a king! And so God provided a king. In 1 Samuel 10, Samuel anoints Israel's first king- Saul. "Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his inheritance?" (Jesus is known as the Christ- from the Latin Christos- meaning "the Anointed One") How is Jesus different from these earthly kings of Israel?

GOD'S ULTIMATE PROVISION: JESUS- God begins to lay the groundwork for the Messiah by prophecies. In 1 Chronicles 17: 11-14. God declares to David that "I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father and he will be my son." In the well-known prophecy from Isaiah 9: 6-7, God proclaims that "he will reign on David's throne…from that time on and forever." The child to be born will be called Wonderful Counselor (a more literal translation is "extraordinary strategist"), Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace". See also Isaiah 11: 1-5. God sent an angel to Mary, recorded in Luke 1: 26-33, where the angel proclaims that "The LORD God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Jesus himself makes a public declaration of his kingship in Matthew 21: 1-11 that fulfills a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. After his resurrection, he assures his disciples that "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me….surely I am with you always." He would be for the disciples and is for us our King, our LORD, our protector, our extraordinary strategist, our Redeemer, for all time! This is confirmed in John's vision recorded in Revelation 19: 11-16. Jesus is THE King of kings and LORD of lords!!

Read Isaiah 55:6 and James 4:8. Is Jesus able to be your king, your sovereign LORD? Do you want to be part of his kingdom? We will look more closely at his kingdom in next week's lesson.

WORDS FOR THE CLASS: Read Matthew 13: 24-30

"He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'" (Matthew 13:28) A word received: I want my people to understand my plan for their salvation and their part in it. I want them to deal with sin and falsehood my way -- by telling the truth that is in my word.

"But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them." (Matthew 13:29) A word received: It is not my will that any of my lambs should be lost.

"Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'" (Matthew 13:30) A word received: Don't rush to judgment; test the fruit. Look to me for guidance -- I AM King.

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" (Matthew 21:4-5 A word received: That is how I still come to you: lowly and humble. Look for me in the quiet places. Come spend time with me.

NOTE:

*What is a kinsman-redeemer? The definition of "kinsman" is "nearest male blood relative. If anyone from poverty was unable to redeem his inheritance, it was the duty of the kinsman to redeem it." The Hebrew word for "kinsman" is "goel." "Redeemer" is defined as "one charged with the duty of restoring the rights of another and avenging his wrongs." The Hebrew word for Redeemer is also "goel." God as protector of the Israelites served to lead them into their inheritance- the Promised Land. For us, Jesus is our King and Redeemer, the one who makes it possible for us to be in relationship with God the Father, and have a place in His Kingdom.