Parousia and Kingdom Pt 5

Text: Revelation 19:15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule[c] them with a rod of iron.

 

Illustration: The right prescription…The Pill or the Lifestyle Change. 

A man goes to the doctor with high blood pressure, constant fatigue, and chest pain. He says, “Doc, just give me a pill to fix it.”

The doctor looks at the test results and says, “I could give you medication, but what you really need is a lifestyle change. You need to change your diet, start exercising, and get more rest. The pill might ease the symptoms, but it won’t fix the problem. You’re heading for a heart attack if you don’t change.”

The man is disappointed. He wanted something quick, easy, and painless. But what he wanted would only delay the crash. What he needed could actually save his life.

Application: When Jesus came the first time, the world wanted a quick fix—a “pill” to relieve their pain: freedom from Rome, better circumstances, easier lives. But Jesus came offering a complete transformation—a new heart, a new way of living, a new kingdom.

And when He comes again?
 He’s not coming back with prescriptions—He’s coming back to gather those who followed Him and submitted to Him to change their lives from the inside out.

The approach to medicine that incorporates lifestyle change is commonly called Lifestyle Medicine.

Lifestyle Medicine is a branch of medicine that focuses on:

●      Nutrition (whole-food, plant-predominant diet), Physical activity, Sleep, Stress management, Avoidance of risky substances

It treats the root causes of chronic diseases rather than just managing symptoms with medication. The idea is that many health conditions—like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and even some mental health issues—can be prevented, treated, or even reversed by adopting healthier habits.

“Jesus didn’t come the first time just to manage symptoms—He came to address the root cause. You could say He came to practice spiritual lifestyle medicine. He didn’t offer a temporary fix, but a total transformation.”

 

When Jesus entered and cleansed the temple, He began the work of saving them from themselves and not from Rome.

 

Hosanna – Lord save us now!

 

One week later – Give us Jesus Barabas and Crucify Jesus.

 

–        Barabbas is referred to as “Jesus Barabbas” (meaning “Jesus, son of Abba [Father]”).

–        The Son of Man – delivered from nations.

–        The Son of God – delivered from sin.

–        The choice was between Jesus, the Son of the Father, and Jesus, the Son of God.

–        Barnabus represented what they wanted for salvation.

–        But Jesus was what they needed

 

From a Donkey in Peace to a white horse, swords, and then the rod of iron?

1. Swords are for execution,
2. Rods are for correction and discipline.
   1. Enemies get the sword if they don’t bow to the rod.

 

3. Christ rules in the hearts of believers living on Earth during the Millennium with the firm, unbending iron rod of correction.

●      Psalms 23:4 (KJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

●      If you submit to the staff, the rod is not needed

 

Illustration: True story of a preacher who, many years ago, was ministering in New York City, and he asked one of his church members the question, “What is your solution to the present world unrest?” His answer was, “A dictator.” ”But,” argued the great preacher, “your Dictator would have to be a superman, one with perfect understanding of civic and economic problems, and with genius to meet the opposition and resolve the fears of those who doubted and opposed him.” “I know it,” was the quiet answer, “but we are looking for such a Man, and we have Him in view. His name is Jesus.” Commented Dr. Kelman, “The thrill of that answer will never leave me.”

 

Unfortunately, a dictator will arise.

●      One that the World would rather have than Jesus.

●      But when Jesus returns, he will squelch that antichrist–– which the apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4 calls the “man of lawlessness,” and the true Christ will reign.

 

     I.         What should Hosanna truly mean?

●      If our cry remains the same as those who shouted to Jesus almost 2000 years ago, Hosana: Save us now!

●      And the context for saying it then was, “Lord, save us from the Nations” (i.e, Rome).

Did Jesus answer that cry for Hosana in the first coming? No!

The first time he came in humble, his divine attributes were self-limited.

1. He was the fullness of the godhead bodily, and yet he self-limited his divine attributes.
2. Why? To undo the work of Adam and defeat sin, death, hell, and by the resurrection, present Himself as a High Priest for us to the Father:
   1. 1. Romans 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
3. Here are some of Jesus’ divine attributes that He humbled himself and thus was self-limited:
   1. Omnipotence – Jesus would rely on the power of the Spirit
      1. Did no miracles until the Holy Spirit filled Him in what the Bible says was “without measure.” John 3:34
   2. Omnipresence – Jesus would only be in one place at a time.
   3. Omniscience – Jesus did and said only what the Father did and said.
      1. Matthew 24:36 Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone
      2. Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in status and in favor with God and man.
      3. Hebrews 5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
   4. This self-limiting of Christ and humbling Himself from transcendence to immanence (on earth like us),  incarnate (born like us), indigenous (lived like us), Submissive (obedient unto death for us) – Gave us the perfect example in nature for conformity.
4. This is good news for us! Because the humbling Himself and Self-Limiting of Christ allowed HIm to take our place and become what Paul calls the second Adam.
   1. This self-limitation of His divine attributes is called Kenosis
   2. Kenosis is not about Jesus losing his divine essence, but about him voluntarily limiting the use of his divine attributes to become fully human for our sake. 
      1. Kenosis refers to the concept of Jesus Christ’s voluntary self-emptying, or humbling himself.
         1. Philippians 2:7 tells us that Jesus,“emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

 

     I.         So, what is the true cry of Hosana?

A.    Lord save us…from ourselves!

1.    Save us from our pride and ego!

2.    Lord, save me from me!

 

Before Jesus could save me from sin and hell, Jesus first had to come and take my place!

1. He could not do that unless He became a man like me,
   1. Be tempted in every way like me,
      1. And yet be without sin, unlike me,
      2. To die as a perfect man, unlike me,
         1. All for me to save me.

 

THIS IS THE TRUE CRY OF HOSANA!

1. And to answer it, Jesus humbled himself as a SERVANT.

1. 2. He lowered Himself and limited Himself to take my place in life and in death, and also in my sin.
      1. So that I could take his place in life and righteousness.
         1. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

 

II. How do I know I am walking in Hosana? Lord, Save Me?

1. I walk as Christ walked:
   1. Lower myself and humble myself
      1. I must self-limit or self-control my ego – Gal. 5:23. Humility and self-control are the fruit of the Spirit’s work in our life.
      2. Gentleness and humility are both translations of the fruit of the Spirit, and they both indicate a lack of grasping and self-absorption.

1. 2. 1. 2. The definition of humility is “self-forgetfulness, not self-deprication.”
            1. Humility is not thinking LESS of yourself—it is thinking of yourself less
   3. I must pick up my cross and follow Jesus, to, like Him, learn obedience unto death.
      1. Mat 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

 

III. Hosana – Lord, Save us now! Is a cry of MERCY 

 

If mercy is not getting what we do deserve

1. And grace is getting what we don’t deserve
   1. Then we all richly received both in His first coming on Palm Sunday.
   2. We deserved King Jesus coming the first time:
      1. On a white horse – to conquer me
      2. Eyes like flames of fire – to see right through me
      3. With a cloak dipped in blood – covered in my blood becuase I did not receive His.
      4. To face His judgment from a word that comes out of His mouth like a two-edged sword. – because I would not submit to and obey His word.
      5. To be struck by Him as He strikes the nations – because I resisted his dominion over me.
      6. To be ruled by him with an unbendable rod of iron. – Because I would not humble myself and obey.

 

We need mercy because our kingly nature makes us an enemy of God.

1. Jesus knew that our own very nature would destroy us and keep us from submitting.

1. 1. So God came the first time not as a sovereign but as a savior!
      1. Here I am, the King of Siam!
      2. Illustration – Dad’s chair is not my chair! I am in the wrong chair, and if I remain, I will pay the price.

 

1. 2. Matthew 10:28, Jesus states, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell,

 

V. The first time he entered Jerusalem, of all things, Jesus entered on a donkey.

1. Not the typical way you might expect a king to enter his territory, is it?
   1. You might expect that Jesus would have entered Jerusalem on a white horse.
   2. Maybe even a black horse. A polkadot horse. Any horse.
   3. But not a donkey.
2. But it was prophesied by Zechariah about 500 years before Jesus did that, that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem on a donkey.

 

 

It can be found in Zechariah 9:9: Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

 

1. Do we really know why that verse says to REJOICE and SHOUT?
   1. Will this be what humanity will be doing at the Second Coming?
2. Are we truly understanding that Jesus is our King?
   1. Coming to us both righteous and victorious? Over what?
   2. Over us!
   3. Our flesh, our carnal nature to rebel, our pride and arrogance to think we are the king of our own lives.
3. Can you see the goodness, the mercy, and the grace of your God coming to you LOWLY, to serve the Father in saving us!
4. What about on a Donkey? To leave us with peace as the Prince of Peace!

 

 

Jesus is using this moment to tell the people of Jerusalem a couple of things without using words:

1. That he is fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy, which they probably would have known about.
   1. Therefore, Jesus is claiming himself as the Messiah–he is accepting that role and his fate.
   2. Just as he did again in the Garden of Gethsemane.

2. He’s telling the people that he is not the warrior king that they were expecting him and treating him to be.
   1. Riding on a donkey was a symbol of peace.
   2. Riding a horse was the symbol of war.
      1. A white horse, specifically, was a symbol of triumph.
      2. And, the people laid before him the palm branches because the palm branches were traditionally used to lay down as a pathway for the entrance of a warrior king.
      3. And waving palm branches was used as a mark of rejoicing.

 

So, while the people are saying one thing–who they perceive Jesus to be–Jesus is saying another.

1. He is actually telling them, right in front of them, who he really is.
2. And who is he not!
3. Sound familiar? Things haven’t changed much, have they?

 

 

Aren’t you tired of hearing what people think Jesus is, regardless of who Jesus told us he actually is?

1. The Bible is the biggest-selling book of all time. It’s available everywhere. You can pick up a King James Bible for a dollar at Dollar Tree.
   1.  You can read any translation online for free.
   2. There are churches on every street corner.
   3. Access to preaching is available 24/7 on tv, on the radio, on satellite radio, and on the internet.
   4. Christian books and movies, and music are available to order at the touch of a button.
2. Jesus is telling us exactly who he is right in front of us, but our culture wants him to be someone else.
3. It reminds me of the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man. Remember, in the story, what Abraham told Lazarus?
   1. “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
   2. That was a prophetic statement Jesus gave about himself.
   3. Some people didn’t listen, even after he rose from the dead right in front of them.

 

Now, it’s become the complete opposite of what the people in Jerusalem thought 2000 years ago.

1. They wanted a warrior savior, but today, people don’t want or feel the need for, nor even know what a savior is.
2. But today, people don’t want a Jesus who is a messianic hero who has the power to save them from their sin and themselves,.
   1. They want a man who taught all about love and peace and acceptance and confirmation.
3. It’s as if Jesus’ life–even the Bible itself –can be summed up, in their opinion, to: Be nice. Be kind. Love one another.
   1. God loves you just the way you are. Don’t change a thing.
   2. No Messiah. No sin. No repentance. No judgment seat.
4. And to some, even the cross only means that even the nicest, best, most loving people have to suffer unjustly too.
   1. In today’s culture, Jesus has become whoever and whatever you want him to be. A good teacher, a rabbi, a rebel, but not God. Not Messiah. And certainly not judge.

 

VI. You wonder how people can carve idols and make their own god; they’re now doing that with Jesus.

1. And with that, coming back to the end times, you can see how people will want an Antichrist, a reverse Christ.
2. Someone who exemplifies what they want–a person of love without conviction.
3. Acceptance of all people, except those who have the conviction of the real Christ.
4. And someone who may promise peace, and will deliver peace until he has the whole world under his thumb.
5. This antichrist will be a Christ-like figure who will arise from a Godless people as a religious figure for a Godless people.
6. The antichrist will be a ruler for an antichrist society and will be cultivated by Satan.

.

 

Yes, Jesus is, and was, a man of peace; a man of love. He did ride into Jerusalem on a donkey as a symbol of peace, not conquest.

1. And John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
   1. But the promise that is coming is the promise of Jesus to return riding a white horse of conquest into Jerusalem.
   2. He will take back what is rightfully His.
   3. He will squelch the Antichrist and his followers.
   4. And Jesus will set up his rightful throne in Jerusalem–– in fact, a new Jerusalem.

 

I am ready for His return because He is not just my saviour, he is already my Lord.

1. “Already and Not Yet!”
2. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
3. He already rules in my heart, but not yet in the world.
4. His Kingdom is not yet fully in this world, but He has already saved me by becoming King of my heart.

 

When you said that salvation prayer, someone may have cheated you!

1. If you invited Jesus into your heart, you only prayed half the prayer!
   1. He is not a guest, guests are just invited.
   2. He is not just a resident; residents and tenants can be evicted.
   3. He is the owner, which means He is Lord.
   4. You don’t invite in an owner; you surrender and submit your heart to an owner.
   5. Because the owner is King, it already belongs to him.
   6. You CRY OUT HOSANNA to a King to show his power to dethrone you from the throne of your heart.