Heartland Events
December 20, 2020
8:30 am – 9:35 am Worship Service
9:50 am – 11:00 am Sunday School
10:00 am – 11:05 am Worship Service
December 22, 2020
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Celebrate Recovery
December 24, 2020
all day Office Closed
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Christmas Eve Service
December 25, 2020
all day Office Closed
December 27, 2020
9:00 am – 10:15 am Communion Svc.
Want to print the sermon notes? Here is the PDF printable version:
https://storage.snappages.site/P7SC73/assets/files/20-12-20-King-of-Kings-outline.pdf
King of Kings
Jesus Christ is the Lord of history (Revelation 1:17-18). He sets up kings and deposes them (Daniel 2:21). He ordains exact details of history (Acts 4:27) while preserving human freedom to make choices (I John 1:5; James 1:13). God used Queen Esther to save her people, but if she had refused, help would have come elsewhere (Esther 4:14).
Three Revelations Shown to Zechariah:
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“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David as he said through his holy prophets of long ago.” —Luke 1:68-70
The greatest event in history is the birth of Christ as it divided how we reckon time (BC & AD).
When the crowds waved branches and acknowledged Jesus as king, the Pharisees asked Jesus to quiet them. Jesus replied,
“If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” —Luke 19:40
Christ came to redeem his people by releasing them from bondage to sin, Satan, death, and hell. Over 300 prophecies predict Christ’s first coming beginning with Genesis 3:15.
Jesus “raised up a horn of salvation”. This pictures the Messiah as a large horned animal who lowers his horns and drives out his enemies. This is what Jesus did for us in setting us free from sin, Satan, death, and hell!
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“[He has come] to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” —Luke 1:72-75
The word “Israel” is found over 2000 times in the Old Testament and seventy times in the New Testament. What’s so special about Israel and the Jews? God promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his family line (Genesis 12:1-3), and they would be given an everlasting homeland (Genesis 15:18-20).
The Jews are the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8), bringing the light of salvation to the Gentile peoples (Isaiah 49:6; John 4:22). The Jews also authored, copied, treasured, and protected the Bible. Today you can visit the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem where many ancient manuscripts of Scripture are preserved.
Today Israel is a world leader in technology and medical advances. Jews consistently win over 20% of Nobel Prizes, with only 0.2% of the world population. Yet, the Jews have also suffered severely.
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” —John 1:11
The Jews rejected Jesus despite being given preferential treatment (Matthew 10:6; Romans 1:16). This broke Jesus’ heart (Luke 13:34) and brought God’s judgment upon them (Matthew 11:20-24).
There is an end to God’s patience. 37 years after Jesus was crucified, the Romans leveled Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. Jews have been driven from 79 nations culminating with the Holocaust where six million perished.
But God isn’t finished with the Jewish people. In fulfillment of prophecy, God has brought the Jews back to Israel, made them a nation, gave them Jerusalem as their capital, with growing numbers accepting Jesus as their Messiah! (Ezekiel 37).
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“Shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” —Luke 1:79
“My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” —Luke 2:30-32
By placing your faith in Israel’s Messiah, you are grafted into the Jewish olive tree (Romans 11:17). Many of Israel’s promises become yours, but not all.
When asked about the timing of a restored kingdom for Israel, Jesus replied that the timing of this is in God’s hand (Acts 1:6-7). According to Zechariah 14, the battle of Armageddon must happen first, followed by the return of Christ, and then the establishment of a kingdom after Israel’s enemies are destroyed. Both Jewish and Gentile believers have a great future! Are you ready to meet the King of Kings when he returns?