The King in a Manger

The King in the Manger

The night Jesus was born: Angels gathered giving praise. The Angels sent Shepherds… somebody go worship! When wisemen came to Jerusalem, their question was: Where is the King? When they found him: They fell down worshipped him.

What happened when Jesus was born: A King came into the world. A King who always existed.

We need a King that will do what no human king can do.

1. He will fight a war we could never win. (Satan, Sin.)

2. He will rule a timeline above human comprehension.

3. He will bring into submission things we would tremble before.

. . . He is the King we need. Our hearts long for, because we were made for him.

I. God made a

• This is called the “Davidic Covenant”
• God rejected Saul because of his severe disobedience. (1 Samuel 15)
• Sameul was sent to Bethlehem to seek a new King. This is the same city Jesus would be born in.
• 1 Samuel 13:14, Samuel said, “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart” Usually think of that in Heroic terms of David; that David was One with heart with God. That’s not quite Hebrew. It’s that: God by his sovereign will has chosen the man in his own heart. It’s not that God was impressed by David’s heart. It’s that in the confines of his Will, God chose the next King. The king came from God’s heart. This is important: GOD CHOOSES THE KING. It was in the heart of God.
• David was anointed King long before he became king. (1 Samue 16:12)
• There was the heart of a Warrior in this kid. (1 Samuel 16:12) After killing Goliath, David put is head outside Jerusalem, controlled by the Jebusites. Why? He was declaring that he would be back.
• The work of pulling a whole kingdom together difficult: Family of Saul tried to take control of the nation. The Tribe of Judah quickly anointed David. He had to fight for the Throne of Israel. 30 years old when he became King of Israel.
• 2 Samuel 5:10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
• Jerusalem would be the crown Jewl of the promised land.
• David moved the Ark to Jerusalem. After the Ark was settled in Jerusalem, David desired to not only have the Ark present, but to build a permanent house for the Lord.
• In about 1039BC, God made a covenant with David. This Covenant is called the, “Davidic Coveant.” (2 Samuel 7:1-10) The covenant is centered on the promise that there would be an eternal King who would rule on David’s throne.

II. What happened:

• After David, Solomon became King. Though wise and good in his early years, Solomon was unfaithful to God and worshipped foreign gods along with the Lord. (1 Kings 11:6)
• When Solomon died, the nation was rocked by a civil war that split the nation between “Israel” and “Judah.” Israel was controlled by the House of Omri while Judah maintained the Davidic line of kings.
• (Solomon) (Rehoboam) (Abijah) (Asa) (Jehoshaphat – Good) (Jehoram) (Uzziah) (Jotham) (Ahaz) (Hezekiah, also called: Good King Hezekiah) (Manasseh = Most wicked king. Sacrificed is son altar) Like old wood Roller coaster: (Up – down… whole time you kind of feel: This thing might collapse. Catch fire… Colossus) Good kings/bad kings. More bad than good. (Amon) (Josiah: Found the law, tried to bring reforms. Too late) (Jeconiah…. then Babylon came …. nation gone!)
• When the people came back from Babylon, they struggled to regain the national momentum they had on the other side of the Conquest.

III. In the darkest moment of history,

• It looked like David’s line was forgotten. (The Bible called it, “David’s Fallen Tent.”, Amos 9:11-12)
• In the midst of hopelessness, when David had no one on the throne, Israel was a puppet of Rome – the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. (Luke 1:32)
• 2 Samuel 7:8, God took David out of the pastures. The same pastures the Son of David would be born in.
• The Gospels are full of Jesus being delcared: The Son of David:

–Matt 12: Demon possessed man/blind: “Could this be son of David?”

–Matt. 20: Leaving Jericho, 2 blind men: Lord, Son David, have mercy on us!”

–Matt. 21: Ride Jerusalem. Throw cloaks: Hosanna son of David! Blessed name lord.

–Matt. 21: Clears temple. Blind/lame come. Children sing: Hosanna to Son David.

–Acts 2:29: Peter: David dead in his tomb. But Jesus: Rose again.

IV. What Does Jesus’ Kingship Show us of God?

1. He is a King who can

2. He is a King

• David was a warrior who would enlarge Israel’s borders.
• Jesus, the warrior of heaven, extended the borders of the Kingdom of God to all people. (Acts 15:16-17)

3. He is a King who (An Eternal King.)

• Isaiah 9:7
• Our salvation is secure because the King is eternal. The king in the manger was a king headed to the cross. What he did on the cross stands above time. He died for sins, past, present and future. The blood doesn’t dilute with time, it’s just as potent as the day Jesus died.

4. He is a King

• David fought enemies, but he was never able to permanently put an end to them. What was needed wa a king strong enough to destroy the entire forces of darkness.
• Revelation 5:5

He’s got to be a Personal King.