1-3-3-1-Christ the King

1-3-3-Christ the King

The throne in a man's life can either be occupied by Christ or by Satan, but never by both at once.  Obviously only ONE King can rule at the same time.

The Lord's Prayer teaches us that the Kingdom of Heaven is set up on earth when Christ is on the throne and ruling in the lives of those who do the will of Jesus the king, instead of their own will.

The following list will help you daily to find and obey the will of God for your life, so that Jesus may rule over everything:

(a) Careful daily reading of God's Word, the Bible.
(b) Prayer.
(c) Asking for and expecting the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
(d) Asking other Christians for their advice and prayers.

Think of examples from your own experience of ways in which you have found out what is the will of God for you, and be prepared to share these:

When the Kingdom of Heaven comes in power into our lives, and we let Jesus rule over every part, wonderful things begin to happen.  After reading Romans 14:17, write in what the Kingdom of God is:

In Galatians 5:16-17 Paul describes this constant struggle in the life of a believer, between our own will and that of Christ.  In these verses he calls: our own self-will the sinful nature and the will of Christ the spirit.

So you can see that as members of Christ's Kingdom we are engaged in a spiritual battle.  Sometimes we can fall by letting SELF-WILL get the upper hand again.

IF I fall into this trap, what steps should I take to correct it?  How can I keep it from happening again?

a.  Say to the Lord that I'm sorry and ask him to forgive me, and restore me, believing that he will.

b.  Ask, and make sure, that Jesus comes back on the throne of my life, and is ruling over everything again.

c.  Try not to let self-will get the upper hand again.

d.  Lift the shield of faith; faith in God's great love and power.

In Matthew 6:33 Jesus gives us some very good advice.  He says "Seek first his Kingdom."  To seek first the Kingdom of God means: to be ready to do Christ's will always, in thought, word and deed.

Christ, our king, died so that we should live no more for ourselves but FOR HIM.  Therefore, whether we are eating, sleeping, traveling, praying, or even just breathing, it must be for him.

The five steps in Jesus' life is closely associated with a special place and semesters:

1. Infancy - Bethlehem - 3rd Semester-Year 1

2. Year of Preparation - Nazareth - 1st Semester-Year 2

3. Year of Popularity - Capernaum - 2nd semester-Year2

4. Year of Passion - Jerusalem - 3rd Semester-Year 2

5. Resurrected Life-All Nations - 1st Semester-Year 3

6. Christ's Church-All Nations - 2nd Semester-Year 3.

The Jewish World

Historical Background

It is impossible to fully understand the New Testament without a knowledge of the times in which it was written.  Political control of Palestine had changed hands several times since the days of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.  At the time of Christ, the rulers of the world were the emperors of Rome - Caesar Augustus, Tiberius Caesar (Luke 2:1, 3:1), and their successors.  

Between the prophet Malachi and the New Testament writers there elapsed over four hundred years - silent years to one who reads only the Bible.  The world felt the impact of a great Greek culture during the intertestamental period.  It was "Hellenized."  The Hellenistic influence was pervasive, touching language and customs.

Judaism

The term "Judaism" spells out rules of conduct between man and man and between man and nature, in addition to regulations for man's spiritual relationship with God.  Thus, Judaism includes cultural, ethical, and spiritual factors.

A turning point in the history of religion occurred in 587/586 B.C.  Before that point we properly refer to the religion of Israel.  The term "Judaism" is used to designate the religion of Israel which had been changed because of the change in the circumstances of the people resulting from the exile to Babylon.

The Diaspora

The word "diaspora" means, literally, "scattering abroad of seed" (as seed is sown in a field).  It refers to the scattering of the Jews from their homeland (Palestine) into many foreign countries in the sixth century B.C.  Following the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar and the deportation to Babylon, the Jews found themselves in new circumstances.  They were living among people whose religious concepts, culture, and language differed from their own.  This condition was painful for many, and overwhelming for others - they capitulated.

After Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 B.C., the Jews were permitted to return to Palestine.  The Second Temple was completed in 515 B.C., and Jerusalem was re-established as the center of Jewish life and religion (Ezra 6:14-22).  Relatively few Jews chose to return to Palestine (Ezra 2:64-65).  The only place of sacrifice was in Jerusalem, but there were many centers of study and prayer in the diaspora.

Key Institutions

Two key institutions of Judaism between 58 B.C. and A.D. 70 were the Temple and the synagogue.  There was only one Temple, which was in Jerusalem, but there were many synagogues throughout Palestine and the lands of the dispersion.

The Second Temple was built by Zerubbabel.  It was enlarged and beautified by Herod the Great beginning in 19 B.C.  It was sacred, the place of worship and sacrifice.  Here the priests officiated services, the religious festivals were observed, the Scriptures were read, and prayers were offered.  In addition, the Temple served as a treasury for tax money, offerings, and private fortunes.  The outer court was almost a place of commerce.  Buying and selling, money-changing,  and other traffic were carried on (see John 2:14; Mark 11:15).

The synagogue served to "cement" the scattered people.  Through synagogue instruction, love of the law has been inculcated in the people through generations.  The meaning of the word "synagogue," a gathering (of people) or a place of gathering, indicates that it was initially a communal institution.  It served as: (1) a center for reading and institution in the law (Luke 4:16-21) in addition to praise and prayer; (2) a place of judgment (Matt. 10:17); (3) a school, and (4) a community social center, especially outside Palestine.

Key Sects or Parties

According to Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian of the first century A.D., there were three sects among the Jews: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes.  In another work, he mentions a fourth sect called the Zealots, founded by Judas of Galilee.  There were approximately 6,000 Pharisees and 4,000 Essenes.  The Sadducees were not numerous.  Compared to the total population of Palestine in the first century, approximately 500,000, these sects represented a small but influential percentage of the total population.

The Sadducees and the Pharisees occupied the leading positions of public influence.  The Essenes were ascetics, living in communities separated from society.  The Zealots formed a fanatical resistance movement which opposed the Roman regime.  On the basis of other (Jewish) writings, we know that there were many great and noble persons among them.

The Pharisees were mainly concerned with religious observance including the Torah and the Oral Tradition of the rabbis, which led them to separate themselves from all sources of defilement - unclean things and persons.  Their key tenets of belief include: predestination and free will (*God controls history, but man has a responsibility to fulfill His will); resurrection of the body, final judgment, and the reward of eternal life, the messianic  hope and the expectation of the kingdom of God.

The Sadducees denied the authority of the Oral Tradition, which embodied a complex series of interpretations and applications of the law of Moses.  The Sadducees were mainly concerned with politics.  They were the conservatives of the day in both politics and religion.  Holding only to the law of Moses (the Torah), they rejected the Pharisaic interpretations and denied the idea of predestination or the afterlife.

Apparently most of the Sadducees came from priestly families.  In the New Testament times they held the leadership of the Sanhedrin (the supreme council or court of Palestine).  Their influence rested mainly among the wealthy, and they attempted to maintain good relations with their political overlords (being pro-Roman in this period).

The Essene sect was composed of priestly members.  Many today believe that this sect included the ascetic community living on the shores of the Dead Sea, just east of Jerusalem.  If the people of Qumran (the name of the center rediscovered by archaeologists since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947) were in fact Essenes, our knowledge of the latter has been considerably increased.  We see them as a closely knit community of dedicated, contemplative persons, very concerned with ceremonial purity and the study and preservation of the Scriptures.  They looked intently toward the coming  of a Deliverer, and believed they would have a key place in establishing the kingdom of God upon earth.

The Zealots, on the other hand, were militant patriots, bitterly opposed to the Roman rule.  They believed that God alone was their Master.

Jonathan Edwards was one man who made a difference. Born in 1703, he was perhaps the most brilliant mind America ever produced. A pastor, writer, and later, president of Princeton, he and his wife had eleven children. Of his known male descendants:

More than 300 became pastors, missionaries, or theological professors;

120 were professors at various universities;

110 became attorneys;

60 were prominent authors;

30 were judges;

14 served as president of universities and colleges;

3 served in the U.S. Congress, and one became vice-president of the United States.

Jonathan Edwards... was just one man, but he positively affected hundreds of thousands of people.

The destiny of future generations is in your hands. The choices you make today will determine the quality of life in peoples lives for generations to come. That’s why one person can make a difference.

(From Point Man by Steve Farrar)

You can make a difference in peoples lives by serving God and dedicating your life to his service. Share about what has most affected your life for the Lord. Help instill a vision for service in the kingdom of God. Then share how they can pass along that vision.

The Literature

The literature of Judaism may be divided into two main groups: (1) the canonical writings, namely, the Scriptures (for the Christian, the "Old Testament"), and (2) the noncanonical books namely the Apocrypha.

Josephus counted twenty-two books in the Bible.  In the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras (14:45) the number of books given is twenty-four.  Both counts represent the same thirty-nine books known to us today; the difference is simply a question of grouping.  For example, in the Hebrew Bible the twelve minor prophets are called "the Twelve" (one book); First and Second Samuel are one book, as are First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles, and Ezra and Nehemiah.

Most of this literature was originally written in the Hebrew language, with some short sections (as in Ezra and Daniel) in Aramaic (the language of Abram-Syria).  But few could read these books, for after the Babylonian Captivity the Jews began to use Aramaic and lost their knowledge of Hebrew.  Thus, an undertaking of great significance was the translation of the Bible into Greek during the second and first centuries B.C. in Alexandria (Egypt).  In those days, Greek was the linua franca (the common tongue) of the world.  This translation, called the Septuagint (meaning "seventy"), made the message available to aa great segment of humanity.

The second group of writings was not regarded by  the Jews as canonical.  Including about twenty-five (or more) books, they were written during the period 200 B.C.-A.D. 100.  The word "apocrypha" means "hidden things."

This collection is of great importance to a study of Jewish thought during the intertestamental period.  These works reflect the ideas and hopes of the Jewish people during this period of "great distress in Israel, such as had not been since  the time that prophets ceased to appear among them" (1 Macc. 9:27).

Read 2 Kings 24:17-25:21 and 2 Chronicles 36:11-21 concerning the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity.  What are the causes for this judgment listed in these passages?  Is the Church today guilty of some of these sins?

Read Daniel 1.  How would you respond given the same circumstances?  Do you thing Daniel's actions were typical of the Jews in captivity, or were he and his three friends an exception?

Read Ezra 4-6:12 and Nehemiah 4-6.  What difficulties did the returning Jews face in rebuilding the temple and walls of Jerusalem?

The Pharisees were careful to observe the oral traditions of the Jewish Rabbis.  Read the following Scriptures  and note the different ways the New Testament speaks of tradition.  Matthew 15:2-6; 1 Peter 1:18; Colossians 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6.

Read the following statements, and label each corresponding blank true by checking the box.

Over four hundred years elapsed between the prophet Malachi and the New Testament writings.

The intertestamental years refer to the silent period between the Old and new Testament.

The term "Judaism" applies to the religion of the Jews since the time of the Babylonian Captivity.

Herod had his troops begin the rebuilding of the Temple in approximately 20-19 B.C.

The Zealots were among one of the key sects of the Jews.

Pharisees and Sadducees were distinguished mainly in their attitudes toward the Oral Tradition.

The Pseudepigrapha is the Greek translation of the Jewish Bible.

The leading religious party members of the day quickly labeled Jesus an adversary because He had the capacity to do the one thing that terrified them most: expose the inner person. They were reasonably good people, but they put a premium on decorating the exterior of life with words, robes, and rituals and camouflaging the interior of life where the scenery was spoiled.

But others were actually drawn to Him because they sensed an overriding safety in being transparent with Him. Instead of heaping shame upon them as others did. he gave grace. That’s it: self-disclosure always resulted in grace in the presence of Jesus. And grace meant reclamation from spoiledness. Grace meant a new start...

A powerful example of this is Zacchaeus, the Jericho tax collector who climbed a tree to be above the crowd and get a glimpse of Jesus. Why did the Lord stop and choose to visit at Zacchaeus’s house that day? It’s clear that He saw what no one else could see: the man known for his exploitation of people was ready to acknowledge the inner spoiledness that, in this case, was out-and-out greed. The grace of Christ was drawn to the openness of the sinner.

What is the point of all this? That Christ-following always involves exposure and renovation of the inner life. And not just a small part of the inner life, but an ever-enlarging section of it.

(From Christ Followers in the Real World by Gordon MacDonald)

The Nazirites followed special rules to be closer in mind and spirit to God. They provide examples for us of dedication to God. Religious rules should only be followed by people who have a sincere heart. We do not need to become Nazirites to serve Christ. Follow God’s Word and pray for God’s wisdom so you can better serve him. Find a way to say to someone today, “God cares about you.”

Testimony

TES:Testimony of Sadi G. Profes
(Sadi is a Jewish believer in Brazil who is a product of earnest
missionary endeavor. His conversion shows that Jews can be reached for
Christ. He is a fluent speaker and witness, and an effective national
worker who recently visited the States.)
Please forgive my mistakes in English. I speak Spanish, Portuguese,
and bad English. But I am very thankful to the American people, for I
am a direct result of missionary work. American Christians sent a
missionary to my home town of Porto Alegre, Brazil, and that missionary
started a Baptist church a few blocks from my house.
I met two young men from that church who were interested in me and
they gave me some tracts and preached the gospel to ne. They invited me
to come and attend the services of the church, so I went. This was the
first time in my life to attend services in a Baptist church. I knew
nothing about this kind of church, for most people in my country are
Catholics, and I didn't know the difference. I felt that if a person
was not a Jew, he was a Catholic.
For the first time in my life I went to a Baptist church, and when I
looked around, I saw no statues! The "priest" of that church was
married, and so that really was different to me. But I discovered that
the people like me, for they said, "Oh, so you are a Jew! We like
Jews." This was different to me also, because I had found that a lot of
people just didn't like Jews.
When I went to that church, I could feel the love; and that love of
Christ held me, and made me stay in that church for six months. I
started to learn the Bible, and I learned about the Messiah, that Jesus
is the true Jewish Messiah...and I accepted Christ as my own personal
Messiah when I was fifteen years old.
I am now thirty-two years old, and for eight years I have been a
missionary with the International Board of Jewish Missions. Let me ask
you to pray for Brazil. We are having many problems now, and inflation
keeps going up all the time. Four years ago I bought a house and
financed the loan through a bank. At that time the cost of my house was
forty million cruzeiros, in Brazilian money. Now, just four years
later, I can buy a pizza for that amount! Does that make sense to you?
I know that such a thing sounds strange to you here, but that has
actually happened in my country and we have many other problems, as
well. So I ask you to pray about this.
And as we serve the Saviour, we need help. Please pray for Brazil,
because there are many thousands to reach. We have forty million
people, and we have 150,000 Jews in Sao Paulo, unsaved Jews who need
Christ. Pray for God to send more missionaries who can reach the
unsaved. Thank you.
The Everlasting Nation International Board of Jewish Missions Box
3307 Chattanooga, TN 37404