Messiah

The Weeping Humble King

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , , ,

There are many reasons that cause people to shed a tear: grief, pain, depression, even joy. Usually the cause is an event or experience that affects us personally. It is much less common for us to cry over the needs of others. Whether this is due to narcissism and selfishness or a lack of compassion and empathy, is hard to say. However, the fact remains that we are moved to a greater degree by our own condition than by the condition of others.

This is not the case with the Lord Jesus. As He completes His journey to the cross by entering Jerusalem on the first day of the Passover week, Luke’s readers are reminded of why the Messiah came and how deeply He is moved by His mission (Lk 19:28-44). As a matter of fact, after sovereignly preparing every detail for his mode of transportation and fulfilling prophecy, the disciples rejoice and praise God, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Lk 19:37-38; see also Zech 9:9). The reference to the one “who comes” is a reminder to the reader who Jesus is and why He has come (Lk 3:15-17; 7:19-23). Jesus has come to bring salvation and judgment, and these two purposes are inseparably linked.

On the one hand, Jesus – the once-and-for-all Passover Lamb – came to save the lost (Lk 19:10). He was fully obedient to the Father. His humble submission to His Heavenly Father is to be our example. Paul leaves no room for debate, when he points to Jesus as our model for humility and sacrifice:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but 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. (Philippians 2:5-8)

On the other hand, Jesus is the perfect judge who has the power to condemn. In offering Himself as the substitutionary sacrifice for rebellious sinners and as the propitiation for objects of wrath, the Savior becomes judge, jury, and redeemer. Those who are guilty and lost now have an invitation and hope. Rebels are now offered peace and freedom. However, the offer must be accepted and appropriated. The Apostle John puts it this way: “Whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (Jn 3:18). Every person must make a choice.

With the reality of the cross looming and eternal destinies standing on a knife’s edge, Jesus looked across the Kidron Valley toward Jerusalem, the city of peace, and began to weep. He knew the hearts of men and the plight of those in peril. He knew that the crowds that were laying palm branches before Him and shouting “Hosanna!” (Matt 21:8-9) would shout “Crucify, crucify him!” in just a few short days (Lk 23:20-21). He saw the horrific consequences that would result from their failure to recognize His kingdom. He realized the delay that this failure would cause in fulfilling the promises to God’s people. Jesus “audibly sobbed” because the ones He came to save had rejected His lavish love and peace-giving reign.

While the Bible is clear that God remains faithful to His covenant people, Israel, and has a future plan for their salvation, the Jews of Jesus’ time missed the day of His visitation. Since they did not believe, they were condemned. The gravity and urgency of the situation should break our hearts, fill us with compassion, and bring us to tears for those who need Jesus’ gracious visitation in their life. Don’t wait! Plead with the lost: “… now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). Pray for, talk to, and share the Gospel with those Jesus came to seek and save.

Isaiah 53:3-6 (ESV) – “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

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The Fatherly King, Forever

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

Dads can create quite a stir on the elementary school playground. Claims of “my dad can beat up your dad” and “my dad is smarter than your dad” swirl among the littles as they banter back and forth, taking pride in their dad, who – in their mind is bigger than life.

Similarly, the title, Everlasting Father, has created quite a bit of discussion around the theological watercooler. Isaiah uses it to describe the long-promised and long-awaited Messiah. Some interpret the title describing Jesus’ divine nature and eternal relationship to His creation (Jn 1:1-5; Col 1:16-17). Jesus is the “Father of Eternity”, who is beyond creation, over creation, as well as near creation. While this is certainly true, Isaiah likely had a much simpler and more intimate understanding in mind. “Jesus opens the way to God’s fatherly heart”[1] and functions like the neverending fatherly King. He is the “Forever Father” behaving like the perfect father. He is present, faithful, devoted, kind, gentle and so on.

The gospels demonstrate this dynamic by consistently showing Jesus’ kingly goodness in action as He provides and protects during His earthly ministry. He loves the unlovable, heals the sick, and forgives the guilt ridden. Moreover, in the Gospel of John, Jesus explains that He provides and protects like a good shepherd does his sheep (Jn 10:1-18). Jesus, the Good Shepherd leads (v. 4), enriches (v. 10), and welcomes (v. 16). All the while His everlasting fatherly heart is evident – active, reliable, generous, caring, and tender.

I give [my sheep] eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:28-30)

We are secure in our neverending fatherly King’s hands. According to Charles H. Spurgeon, “There is no unfathering Christ, and there is no unchilding us. He is a father to those who trust Him.”

John 1:1-5 (ESV) – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

[1] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 4, Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2008), 204-205

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The All-Powerful Valiant King

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

In days of yore kings and leaders were frequently given impressive names in connection to their character or accomplishments. For example, Richard I of England is commonly referred to as Richard “the Lionheart” because of his courage and cruelty. President Abraham Lincoln was sometimes called “The Ancient One” because of his sage wisdom. More recently, Margaret Thatcher, who served as Britain’s Prime Minister from 1979-1990, was known as the “Iron Lady” for her resolute politics and leadership style.

Similarly, in biblical times, ancient kings were described by names like those listed in Isaiah 9:6. The prophet wrote to warn Judah of God’s impending judgment as well as His promised salvation through an anointed king or messiah. Based on the descriptive terms listed in Isaiah 9:6, expectations looked forward to a king with extraordinary wisdom, great strength, and peaceful influence. This king would set all things straight upon his arrival, crushing enemies in the process. He would do this, because he would be chosen and empowered by God’s zeal (v. 7). So God’s people anticipated a king like Saul, imposing in stature, a king like David, mighty in battle, or a king like Solomon, amazingly wise. A political leader whose glory and might would eclipse even the most revered kings of Israel’s history. As one song writer put it, they thought he would “come with a crown of gold, a string of pearls, and a cashmere robe … [that he would] clinch an iron fist, and rain like fire on the politics.”[1] The title, Mighty God, only bolstered these expectations. The name brings to mind one deserving of great honor and fame as well as one exhibiting power in authority and leadership.

How unbelievable it must have been for the long-awaited king to be born in such a low estate. To think that the King who made all things, owns all things, sustains all things, and reflects the complete radiance of God’s glory (Heb 1:1-4), nevertheless took on the human journey as a vulnerable and dependent baby is astonishing (Isaiah 7:14)! Speaking of the incarnation of Jesus, Charles H. Spurgeon beautifully describes the union of the divine and the human, the extraordinary and the common:

They never cease to tell the astonishing story, and to tell it with increasing astonishment too, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of the Virgin Mary, and became a man.

Is He not rightly called Wonderful?

Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son.

Jesus is the Mighty God described in Isaiah 9:6. He is the Son of God and the Son of Man, fully divine and fully human. He is the Hero who was sent “to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isa 61:1-3). As God and man, King Jesus has the authority and capacity to reclaim sinners and pardon the condemned. Through His sinless life, sacrificial death, and bodily resurrection He satisfied the just demands of the Father, paid the debt that we owed and took the penalty we deserved (Col 2:13-15). He wins! Satan, sin, and death no longer have claim on those whose king is Jesus. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Matthew 1:21-23 (ESV) – “‘[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).”

[1] “Baby Son” by John Mark McMillan, 2018

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Advent: A Time To Remember

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , , , , ,

Advent is nearing and Christmas is just around the corner. As I walked through the church building this morning, there was delightful laughter and creative chatter filling every space. Lights, decorations, and greenery were going up, as glitter found places to eternally abide. Yet, for many, this season is filled with busyness, even stress. Still, Advent invites us to slow down. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming”… a translation of the Greek word parousia, which means “presence” or “arrival.” It is a time of preparation in anticipation of the arrival of Christ. It is a time to remember His story and rest in His presence.

As we come to the end of the year, the end of our “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” series, the end of the book of Malachi, and the end of the Old Testament, it feels as though we are standing at a place of tremendous importance. The closing verses of Malachi are burdened with the weight of the past and restless with the anticipation of the future. They form a connection between the Old and New Testament – a bridge between what God has said and done in the past and what He will say and do in the future. Here is what the prophet records in the final three verses of his message to God’s people:

Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction. (Malachi 4:4-6)

Malachi connects remembering God’s Word to the Messiah’s coming. Since the moment sin and the curse entered Creation, the promise of a Victor, Redeemer, and King ached in the hearts of men and caused Creation to groan with anticipation of its coming redemption (Rom 8:22-23). As the Old Testament unfolded over the centuries, the hope in the promised anointed King who would arrive and put this world – broken by sin – back together again seemed to turn into doubt. So, in God’s final oracle of the Old Testament, He reminds and reassures His people of His certain promises recorded in His Word: “The Messiah will come, and when He comes, hearts will be changed and evil will be destroyed!” What an incredible way to bridge the Old and New Testament!

So, here we are today. We find ourselves in the era between Savior Jesus’ first coming and King Jesus’ second coming. We need to remember the words of the angel as he spoke to Mary in Luke 1:31-32:

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus [which means “God saves”]. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.

This message is the Good News – the Gospel that is for all people! God has come “to seek and save” (Luke 19:10). The Good News is for Israel, for the lost sinner, and even for the follower of the Savior. Jesus’ first coming as the Suffering Servant reassures us of His return as the Glorious King! Let us then remember and prepare ourselves for His return. Spend time reading and meditating on His Word. This is what Advent asks us to do: simply remember, rest in His presence, and joyfully prepare for His return as the King to end all kings!

Joshua 1:7-9 (ESV) – “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

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The Good Shepherd

Matt Otto D-Groups , ,

There’s nothing like show-and-tell in kindergarten! Remember when you would carefully choose your favorite talking robot, your cooing baby doll, or a unique souvenir from your recent family vacation, strategically conceal it in a backpack or other bag, and bring it to class? The anticipation would be palpable leading up to revealing your treasure to the rest of your little peers. Suddenly, the classroom would be filled with an audible buzz – gasps, giggles, and exclamations – as the item came into view and you began to share its significance.

In the Old Testament, God occasionally used the prophets as object lessons to “show and tell” the nation of Israel His plans, pleasures, and disappointments. Jeremiah (Jer 13:1-11), Hosea (Hos 1:2-9), and Isaiah (Is 20:1-4) are just a few examples of God’s unique, even strange, way of inciting His people to follow and obey. Unfortunately, the “sign acts” often received less than stellar reviews or positive responses. Similar to other prophets, Zechariah acts out the part of a shepherd – props and all – to warn Israel of the threat of bad leadership and in anticipation of good leadership. By donning two staffs, one called Favor (or Grace) and one called Union, the prophet anticipates the coming Messiah, Jesus, tending to His exploited sheep (11:7), dismissing their failed shepherds (kings, priest, prophets; v. 8a), and ultimately being despised and rejected by the flock He came to lead (vv. 8b-10).

Sadly, all of God’s glorious promises to the nation of Israel were put on hold, because God’s people – the very people that God chose as His own – rejected the Messiah who came from their very midst! Jesus, the Messiah and Good Shepherd “came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11). The consequences of their rejection are frightening! In the familiar words of Paul we are told that “… the gospel, … is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom 1:16). Just a few verses later, Paul writes, “There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek” (Rom 2:9-10). In this context, the word “first” (proton) is not an indication of historical order or sequence, but rather of special relevance. In summary, as the word of the promised Messiah has gone “first” to the Jew, so does punishment for failure to respond to that word go “first” to the Jew.

Zechariah’s breaking of his staffs of Favor and Union are a painful picture of God’s rejection, but temporary! God’s temporary refusal to strive with Israel has opened the door for “other sheep” to be invited into the Good Shepherd’s fold. Also, God will not neglect or reject Israel forever. The Lord promises that He will “strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them” (Zech 10:6).

What a raw, yet wonderful picture of the Good Shepherd we find in Zechariah. It would be foolish not to listen to His voice and shameful to neglect showing Him off with our life.

John 10:10-11, 14-17 (NIV) – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…  I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.”

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