[Biblemat] A) "LORD OF LORDS"

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Monday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my files:

"LORD OF LORDS"

     "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the
days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came
to Jerusalem, saying 'Where is He who has been born King of
the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have
come to worship Him.'  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and 
all Jerusalem with him"  (Matt. 2:1-3).  The
question of the wise men to Herod upset the king.  Had the
wise men read Old Testament passages such as Dan. 2:44,
they would have known a king was coming.  Herod had access to the chief 
priest and scribes -- those who knew what
the Old Testament said.  And they quoted correctly about the
place of the Messiah's birth (Matt. 2:4-6).  Thirty years later,
John the Baptist arrived, announcing the nearness of the kingdom.  Soon, Jews 
was saying the same thing (Matt. 3:1,2;
4:17).

     Jesus is King.  The Kingdom has arrived.  But what do 
these things mean?  Our answer would include: "Jesus is King of my life."  Is 
there more?  As God's Son made His ad-
vent to earth, what consequences followed, not only for you
and me, but for the entire creation?

     When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon
Him in the form of a dove.  The ringing affirmation from heav-
en said: "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased"
(Lk. 3:21,22).  Baptism was used as a symbol of the horrend-
ous death Jesus was to die (Lk. 12:50).  But it was through
that baptism -- the shedding of His blood, that Christ conquer-
ed sin and death and Satan (Heb. 2:14,15).

     After His baptism, Jesus was set upon by Satan.  In this
fac-to-face encounter with the Devil, Jesus resisted each temptation.  He was 
superior in every way to anything that
would displace Him as the Savior.  Ancient kings, in order to
demonstrate their lordship, minted images or representations
of themselves, symbolizing their dominion.  The first man, 
Adam was made in the image of God; that first man failed.
The dominion granted to him ended with his sin.  It took the 
last Adam, Christ, to make right again the chaotic condition
of sin.  This He did through the seed of woman (Gen. 3:15).
The first battle between Satand and Adam has been replayed
over and over in the hearts of the sons and daughters of the
first couple.

     Yet, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, overcame temptation,
Christ ushered in the glorious purposes of the Father.  What
the first Adam failed in, the second Adam was victorious in
(Heb. 2:5-9).  That battle continues today.  The One who is
King died voluntarily for our sins.  He "disarmed principalities
and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing
over them in it" (Col. 2:15).  His Kingdom and the peace He
gives knows no end (Isa. 9:6).  The final victory has been won.  The Lord of 
lords and King of kings waits to share it
with all who will come to Him.  "Then the seventh angel sound-
ed: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The king-
doms  of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord
and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'" (Rev.
11:15).

     The wise men asked the question we must ask.  And when
we are given the answer we must then worship the Christ Who is Lord of all.   
---- Randy Harshbarger, Gospel Power,
Vol. 14, No. 38, Sept. 23, 2007.

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