Sermon

November 26, 2006
End Times 4b - Christ the King
Daniel 7:13-14
Pastor Ben Berger

Behold, the Son of Man, Your King!

Do you remember what happened to Jesus after his conversation with Pontius Pilate? We heard that conversation in our Gospel reading a few minutes ago. Pilate asked Jesus if he was a king; Jesus said his kingdom was of another world. Pilate tried to release Jesus a couple of times, but the people kept shouting for his crucifixion. Finally, Pilate brought Jesus before the crowd. He was wearing a crown of thorns and purple robe, blood running down his face and back from being beaten and flogged. Then Pilate said to the Jews, "Here is your king" (John 19:14). Do you remember what the people said? They shouted, "Take him away! Crucify him! We have no king but Caesar!" (John 19:15). Jesus' own people rejected him as king. Today, the Holy Spirit again presents Jesus to us as King. Will we reject him as unbelievers or receive him as believers? Before we answer the question, Daniel shares his vision of Christ the King. He calls us to attention. Behold, the Son of Man, Your King! 1) He approaches God humbly. 2) He receives the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

It will help us understand the verses before us, the end of Daniel's vision, if we go back to review the beginning of his vision. It would really be best if you would go home and read all of chapter seven to help you get the whole picture. At the beginning of Daniel's vision he saw four beasts. These four beasts looked intimidating and terrifying. The beasts were all strong animals: a lion, a bear, a leopard and one unnamed beast more terrifying than all the others. Each of the beasts devoured its enemies, showing no care or concern. The last beast also had a blasphemous talking horn that acted like he was God. An angel told Daniel that these four beasts represented four earthly kingdoms. Most agree that the four kingdoms were Babylon, the Medes and Persians, Greece and Rome - with Rome being the last, most vicious and blasphemous.

Then Daniel saw the Ancient of Days, God himself. He took his seat among the thrones. His clothes and hair were white like perfect snow. His throne had wheels and was flaming with fire. He also had a river of fire flowing before him. He was surrounded by thousands and ten thousands of angels serving him. He opened the books and the court was seated. God dethroned the four earthly beasts or kingdoms. He stripped them of their power and took control. He even threw the fourth beast, whose body was slain and destroyed, into the blazing fire.

Then the Son of Man entered. This is where our verses pick up. The Son of Man looked so different from the beasts; he looked like a man. And he was a man, the Son of Man. He wasn't a strong, intimidating animal like a lion, bear or leopard. He didn't have wings or iron teeth. He didn't trample and destroy his enemies or his subjects. The Son of Man looked humble.

And the Son of Man approached God, the Ancient of Days, humbly. Permit me to paint the picture in your mind's eye. No one, not even on earth, walks right up to the king or president or ruler. The book of Esther tells us that not even Queen Esther was allowed to enter the king's presence without an invitation. If she did, she risked execution. And so the Son of Man approaches humbly. But the angels lead him into God's presence. Why was he allowed?

The Son of Man brought gifts. First, he brought a life of perfect obedience. Jesus is the only Son of Man who was ever born without sin and who ever lived an entire life without sin. He presented to God the perfect, holy and righteous life that God demands to enter into his presence. Second, Jesus brought the gift of a sacrifice. He presented his blood, the blood of the Son of God, as payment for the sins of the world. God accepted his gifts of obedience and sacrifice and invited Jesus to sit with him on the throne as King.

Again today, as he does every day and every week, the Son of Man invites us to approach and come into his presence. This very moment we are in God's presence, as symbolized by altar, font and pulpit. What is our attitude toward this invitation? Are we proud? Do we think that we deserve to come into God's presence because we're such good people? Are we lackadaisical, thinking that if we can make it that's fine, but if not, that's OK too? Are we over casual, saying, "Hey God, what's up? Want some of my slurpee?" Or do we approach humbly, just as the Son of Man approached the Ancient of Days?

We all need to remember that we do not deserve to approach God or stand in his presence. We do not deserve to be in God's presence right now and we certainly do not deserve to be in God's presence for eternity. We cannot offer the proper gifts. We were not born without sin and we certainly haven't lived lives without sin. We try to offer our good deeds, but instead have only sinful weeds. We cannot pay the price for our sins either. We could suffer in hell forever and still not pay the full price because we sacrifice only sinful blood. Therefore, we deserve nothing less than the same fate of the four beasts, especially the last beast. We deserve to be slain and destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire forever.

Instead, Jesus invites us into his presence. This doesn't make any sense. He does the exact opposite of what we deserve. That's because he has already cleared the way for us. Jesus did not offer perfect obedience and innocent sacrifice for himself; he offered those gifts for us. And God accepted those gifts on our behalf. Now Jesus prepares us to enter into God's presence. He uses his blood to wash us clean of all our sins. Then he takes off our old, dirty clothes, our sinful nature, and covers us in the perfect white robe of his righteousness. He grabs our hand and leads us up to the throne.

How will we approach God's throne? Humbly. As we do every week at the beginning of every worship service, we will confess our sin. We kneel and beg for mercy, not even looking up at the king. And the entire time, we'll stand behind Jesus, clinging to and trusting in him.

As we approach God humbly with the Son of Man, we'll see him receive the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

After the Son of Man approached God humbly, God exalted him by giving him the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (14). This, of course, points to the Last Day. Yet, God has already exalted Jesus. He exalted Jesus when Jesus descended into hell to proclaim his victory over sin, death and the devil. He exalted Jesus when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand after ascending into heaven. Now Daniel shows us how God will exalt Jesus again on the Last Day.

On the Last Day God will exalt Jesus before all people. Right now, even though Jesus is already exalted and sitting on his throne in heaven, not everyone sees him as king and therefore not everyone worships him as king. However, on the Last Day all nations, peoples and languages will worship Jesus, the Son of Man, as King. The difference will be their attitude when worshipping.

Some will be forced to worship and others will worship willingly. Those who know and trust in Jesus as their Savior, believers, will willingly worship Jesus as their King. Those who rejected Jesus as Savior will also reject him as king. Yet, all will worship him on the Last Day; they won't have a choice.

Today, you still have a choice. Will you worship Jesus as your King? We all have to admit that part of us doesn't want to. A part in all of us, our sinful nature, wants to worship self as king. Another part wants to worship the world and its pleasures as king. If we worship self or the world as king, we're really worshipping the Devil. We've already seen what happens to those who worship self, world or devil as king. They are dethroned and condemned to hell. Whom we worship now will determine our eternal future.

At the same time, Jesus doesn't want us to worship him out of fear or by force. Jesus isn't like other kings. Before he asks us to worship and serve him, he serves us. That's why he became the Son of Man. He came to earth to become one of us. He first lived under his own law and then sacrificed for all who broke the law. After he became our Savior and invited us to receive his gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation, then he invited us to worship him as our King. And on the Last Day, he will also invite all believers to worship with him in an eternal kingdom that cannot and will not be destroyed.

So, what's your choice? Will you now worship Jesus willingly as your Savior-King or will you later be forced to worship him? Do not reject Jesus as your King as the Jews did when Pilate presented him. Do not send him away to be crucified again. Instead, remember that Jesus has already lived, died and rose from the dead for you. He now rules all things for your good. And on the Last Day, if not before, he will invite you to rule with him. Now give Jesus the kingdom and the glory and the power forever so that later he will share them with you. Behold, Jesus, the Son of Man, is your King!

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