Kingship - Hope
A Sermon by Pastor R. D. Johnson
Preached at the Ann Arbor, MI Free Methodist Church
Scripture Text: Exodus 19:5-6 November 28, 2010 Sermon #0229
What is the greatest form of Government? I know that may seem an odd question to begin a sermon in Advent with, but considering Anarchy, Monarchy, Empires, Dictators, Socialism,
Communism, and Democracy. Which is the greatest? I’ll give you a hint. It’s a trick question.
We live in a country that began as a great experiment. We were not the first democracy in the world, but we were the first that took its foundations from a Biblical worldview. And we have the greatest form of government man has ever created. But it is not the greatest.
Our Scripture this morning comes from Exodus 19:5-6. God had rescued His people and said:
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
– Exodus 19:5-6
This morning, on the first week of Advent, we travel west aboard a ship called king.
The word "advent" comes from a Latin word (adventus) which means "arrival" or "coming," particularly of something having great importance. Advent marks the beginning of the church year and it has come to represent the arrival of Jesus as a baby. But that is not what it meant for more than a 1000 years.
For Eastern Orthodox churches which still use the Julian calendar, Advent begins earlier, on
November 15, and lasts 40 days rather than four weeks and it is known as the Nativity Fast.
The celebration of Advent began sometime after the 4th century as a time of preparation for
Epiphany , and not in anticipation of Christmas. Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of
Christ by remembering the visit of the wise men and, in some traditions, the Baptism of
Jesus. At this time new Christians were baptized and received into the faith, and so the early church instituted a 40-day period of fasting and repentance, which the Eastern Orthodox church continues to remember.

It wasn’t until the 6th century that St. Gregory the Great began to associate this season of
Advent with the coming of Christ. Even then, it wasn’t a celebration of His birth but rather the anticipation of His Second Coming.
Finally, during the Middle Ages, the church extended the celebration of Advent to include the coming of Christ through his birth in Bethlehem, his future coming at the end of time, and his presence among us through the promised Holy Spirit.
While December 25 th was celebrated as the birthday of Jesus as early as the 4 th century, it was not the focus of Advent. In fact, some early Christians, most notably Origen of Alexandria, strongly opposed the celebration of Christ's birth. Pointing out that only Pharaoh and Herod celebrate their birthdays in the Bible, Origen argued that birthdays were for pagans, not
Christians.
If the birth of Jesus was not significant for more than a thousand years, then what is the purpose of Advent? Preparation.
To better understand this preparation, we must go West aboard the King-ship.
We saw His Star in the East
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
– Matthew 2:1-2
This was the early focal point of the Advent season. January 6, Epiphany, is celebrated as the day these Wise men finished their travels west to find this King. This visit was not about His birth, but about His identity.
Consider the three things the wise men said:
King of the Jews His star To worship Him
For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
– Psalms 22:28
I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
– Isaiah 43:15
Advent begins then, not focused on a birthday, but the arrival of a King.

The Kingship of God – The Hope of Glory
Advent was a period of preparation for new believers to really understand what they were committing to. Understanding who they were choosing to follow. The first thing we learn is that Jesus is the crowned prince of an eternal kingdom.
As a king, Jesus has complete authority over all the subjects of His kingdom. In studying for this week, I looked up the difference between a king and a dictator.
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Both have supreme authority
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A king and dictator are fundamentally different: o A king represents his people, whereas a dictator is imposed on the people.
Consider the prayer Jesus taught us to pray:
Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done , on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
– Matthew 6:9-13
Jesus identified the Father’s government with a kingdom and taught us that God is interested in out welfare. His will must outweigh ours, He provides for us, He forgives, and He leads.
But the Lord’s Prayer as we know it today does not end as Jesus ended it.
The church added a tag to His prayer that was taken from a prayer of King David:
Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said:
"Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O
LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.
– I Chronicles 29:10-11
When the church understood the authority of God and its responsibility to follow His will, we agreed to become subjects of His Kingdom and to give Him all power and glory.
Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! For the
LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
– Psalms 149:2-4
Again, God said to His people:
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
– Exodus 19:5-6

Citizens of a Kingdom
The difference between a king and a dictator is subtle because both kings and dictators have absolute and complete power. Kings, however, have some legitimate claim to the power, either because of a religious anointing, or because they descendants of the previous kings.
Dictators on the other hand took their power by force and have no legitimate grounds to the power, other than they have greater strength than their adversaries.
A king claims legitimacy from God. A dictator claims legitimacy with force.
There are only two nations that a person can be a citizen of, only one of two master’s we can serve. God’s kingdom, where He reigns, or the Devil’s dictatorship, where he reigns.
If you choose to accept God’s offer to transfer your citizenship, your membership, from
Satan’s Dictatorship to His Kingdom you MUST accept His authority.
The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
– Psalms 103:19
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
– Exodus 19:5-6
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
– Hebrews 12:28-29