"WHAT KIND OF KING IS THIS, ANYWAY?"

Written and preached by David P. Nolte

ISAIAH 53:4-12

1. HE CAME TO BE A SERVANT KING:
1. He is called, "My righteous servant." The King of glory rendering service. Unthinkable. Kings are served, they don't serve. But Jesus was a servant King.
1. He served by healing the sick, casting out demons, and feeding the hungry.
2. He served by offering hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak, light to those in darkness, friendship and acceptance to the outcast and reject, forgiveness to the sinner.
3. He served by lifting the heavy burden of manmade rules and regulations and the oppressive load of legalism.
4. He served by bearing the sins of the world.
2. His entourage consisted of the adoring masses of plain folk. The crown He wore was one of thorns. His throne was a cross. His robes were burial cloths. His palace was a tomb. But He humbled Himself in that way to serve.
3. Jesus dignified service. He made it, though a lowly pursuit, a noble thing.
1. He said to those who argued about places of prominence in the kingdom, ""You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give My life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:26-28 (NLT).
2. Paul urges that same perspective upon us saying, "Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not demand and cling to His rights as God. He made Himself nothing; He took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form." Philippians 2:5-7 (NLT).
3. He came to serve. He made Himself nothing. He took the position of a slave. He was a servant King. Those who would be like Him, and who would please Him, must also serve.
4. The story has been told of a Polish king who was out hunting with friends when he disappeared. They looked for him four days without success. Then, shopping in the marketplace, one of them spotted the king - working as a mere servant, a porter in the market. They reprimanded him for serving in such a demeaning way, but the king responded: "Gentlemen, the load I have quitted is far heavier than the one you see me now carry. I have slept more in the last four nights than I have in all my reign. Elect whom you choose; for me it would be madness to return to court."

What kind of King is this? He was a Servant King. And further:

2. HE CAME TO BE A SUFFERING KING:
1. He was oppressed and treated harshly; He was led to the slaughter. From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But it was the Lord's good plan to crush Him and fill Him with grief." He was a suffering King.
2. Think about this:
1. He suffered mentally: can you imagine the stress of being daily being put to the test with questions asked to trip Him up?
2. He suffered emotionally: he was filled with grief, so much so that in Gethsemane he said, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me." Mark 14:34 (NLT).
3. He suffered physically for He knew weariness, thirst, hunger and pain.
4. He suffered spiritually, because on the Cross all the sins of the world hung on Him and God turned His face away.
3. Nobody (except kooks and masochists) truly enjoys suffering. But following Christ may entail suffering. At least we need to have the willingness to suffer if need be.
1. "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:16-17 (NASB).
2. "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake," Philippians 1:29 (NASB).
3. "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 2:3 (NASB).
4. Jesus suffered on the cross. Victims of crucifixion did not usually die for 2 or 3 days. But this was determined by the presence or absence of the seat and the foot rest, for a person suspended by his hands lost blood pressure quickly, and the pulse rate was increased. Usually the victim had been severely scourged before crucifixion took place. Total collapse through insufficient blood circulation to the brain and the heart would follow shortly. If the victim could ease his body by supporting himself with the seat and footrest, the blood could be returned to some degree of circulation in the upper part of his body. To fix the hands to the cross beam either cords or nails and cords were used; sometimes the feet were nailed also. When it was desired to bring the torture to an end, the victim's legs were broken below the knees with a club. It was then no longer possible for him to ease his weight, and the loss of blood circulation was accentuated. Coronary insufficiency followed shortly. Except for the broken bones, Jesus suffered that kind of death,.

What kind of King is this? He was a Servant King. He was a Suffering King. And in addition:

3. HE CAME TO BE A SAVING KING:
1. No one truly realized that He was dying for their sins - that He was suffering their punishment! Yet when He died, he made an offering for sin. He was satisfied, and the Father was satisfied by what was accomplished by His anguish. And because of what He has experienced, He has made it possible for all of us to be counted righteous, for He bore all our sins. He is a saving King.
2. What does it mean to be saved? The words used in the Bible carry these meanings:
1. Salvation is to be delivered from bondage.
2. Salvation is to be rescued or delivered or protected from danger or destruction.
3. Salvation is to be repaired or made whole. To be healed or cured.
4. Salvation is to be kept alive and preserved from perishing.
5. Salvation is to be delivered from penalty or punishment.
3. Jesus saves in all those ways. This is why the crowd lining the street heading into Jerusalem shouted, "Hosanna!" The word literally means, "save, we pray." As they used it that day it may have been an utterance of praise rather than of prayer, but originally, it was a cry for salvation. And of course, this is why Jesus came into the world:
1. He said to those who complained that He ate with tax-collectors and sinners, "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10 (NASB).
2. And "He wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth." 1 Timothy 2:4 (NLT).
3. "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." John 3:17 (NLT).
4. The cross of Jesus was enough to save the world. An elderly lady understood that. She approached a trellis of flowers, pulled out a lath supporting them, and broke it into two uneven pieces. The woman then tied the two strips of wood together and made a cross. Sticking it into the ground, she knelt down before it. An observer was not only indignant that the flowers had been disturbed, but was also angry because the lady appeared to be worshiping a manmade cross. Drawing near to listen to her mutterings, she realized that the old woman had deep spiritual understanding, for she was saying softly to herself, "Enough for God, enough for justice, and enough for me!" She sensed correctly the awful price our Lord had to pay for our sins. And the cross of Jesus was enough to bring salvation to all who believe.

Who would imagine that God would send His Son? Who would imagine that Jesus would lay down His life? Who could imagine that we can have eternal life because of what He did 2,000 years ago when He served and suffered and saved? Who would conceive of that boundless mercy and grace. But that's the good news. That's the kind of King this is. Is He King of your life? Is your heart His throne? Can you imagine Jesus standing here calling you? Can you hear Him saying, "I gave up heaven for you; will you give up the world for Me? I died for you, will you live for Me? I wore a crown of thorns for you, will you crown Me King of your life?" All that He did, He did because of grace. And even now, it is grace that calls you and grace that offers you hope and peace and life. Jesus calls. And if you hear Him, will you respond? This is the moment to decide as we sing our song "Only by grace" / "Amazing Grace."

Stories from various email sources, authors not mentioned.