Weekly Sermon Insights: Christ as King

Is He my King?

August 30, 2026

Paul Johnson

Message Notes

Study Notes: Christ as King

Big Idea

Jesus Christ is the true King — not merely one of many earthly rulers, but the eternal, righteous, and universal King who reigns over all the earth. Human kings are limited, corruptible, and temporary; Christ's kingship is humble, righteous, and everlasting.

Lesson Aim

To recognize that Christ is King even now, to understand the contrast between human and divine kingship, and to personally answer the question: Is He my King?

Scripture Map

Scripture	Passage Summary
Genesis 10:6–10	Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord; the first mention of a "kingdom" — Babel, Erech, Accad, Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
John 17:5, 24	Jesus' priestly prayer references the glory He had with the Father before the world was, and the Father's love before the foundation of the world — suggesting a pre-creation hierarchy and a royal gift of glory.
Psalm 2	The centerpiece passage. Earthly kings and rulers plot against the Lord and His Anointed; God laughs. He declares: "I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain." A decree: "Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee." The nations are His inheritance. Kings are warned to worship the Son with reverence.
Genesis 14:1–2	Kings proliferate rapidly after the flood — Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, Tidal, Bera, Birsha, Shinab, Shemeber, and the king of Bela. Kings are everywhere, fighting among themselves.
Zechariah 9:9	The Messiah comes not on a white stallion but humble, mounted on a donkey — a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Jeremiah 23:5–6	The Lord promises to raise up for David a righteous Branch who will reign as King, act wisely, and do justice and righteousness. His name: "The Lord our Righteousness."
Psalm 47:2	"The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth" — not just Israel, but all nations.
Zechariah 14:16	After the final war, survivors from all nations will go up year by year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and celebrate the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem.

Main Outline

1. The Origin and Nature of Human Kingship

·       Where did the idea of a king come from? Was it pride — "my way is better than your way"?

·       The speaker notes that before the flood, there is no mention of kings in Scripture.

·       Nimrod (Genesis 10:8–10) is the first figure associated with a "kingdom." He is described as a mighty hunter before the Lord, and his kingdom began with Babel and other cities in Shinar.

·       It is unclear whether Nimrod was literally the first king, but his is the first kingdom mentioned in Scripture.

·       The concept of kingship may have originated from people gathering in groups and needing a leader, or from individuals asserting superiority over others.

2. The Failure and Limits of Earthly Kings

·       Kings proliferated quickly. By Genesis 14, kings are everywhere — every town, every group of people had one. They fought among themselves constantly.

·       This explains why Israel wanted a king — "all the other nations had one" (referencing Greg's message from the prior week).

·       Limitations of human kings:

o   Corruptibility: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It goes to their heads.

o   Limited knowledge: A king may be good at one or two things but unqualified to rule a nation. This is why kings need wise advisors (e.g., Daniel).

o   Always challenged: There is always someone around the corner who thinks they can do better, wanting to take the king's place.

o   Temporary: Human kings don't last. They wear out, fade, and are replaced.

3. The Eternal Kingship of Christ

·       Some form of hierarchy and kingship existed before creation. In John 17:5, Jesus prays: "Glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was."

·       In John 17:24, Jesus speaks of the glory the Father gave Him — a royal, love gift — and that the Father loved Him "before the foundation of the world."

·       There is a Father-Son relationship with a positional hierarchy, a love gift of glory given to the Son.

·       Psalm 2 is the centerpiece of the message:

o   Earthly rulers plot against the Lord and His Anointed, trying to break free from God's authority.

o   God laughs. The speaker notes that this is one of four places in Scripture where God laughs — He scoffs at human attempts at self-rule.

o   God declares: "I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain."

o   The decree: "Thou art My Son; today I have begotten Thee."

o   The nations are given as His inheritance; the ends of the earth are His possession.

o   Kings and judges are warned: worship the Son with reverence and trembling, lest He become angry and they perish.

4. The Coming Righteous Reign

·       Zechariah 9:9 — The King comes humble, on a donkey's colt, not a white stallion. Not what you'd expect of a king.

·       Jeremiah 23:5–6 — A righteous Branch from the line of David will reign as King. Unlike David, Solomon, and the kings who followed (who were unrighteous), this King is truly righteous. His name: "The Lord our Righteousness."

·       Psalm 47:2 — He is not just King of Israel but "a great King over all the earth." All nations will worship Him.

·       Zechariah 14:16 — After evil and Satan are dealt with, survivors from all nations will go up year by year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, in Jerusalem, celebrating the Feast of Booths.

·       A true new world order:

o   No billions wasted on political campaigns.

o   No trillions wasted by bureaucratic mismanagement.

o   No back-room deals or special interest groups exploiting the majority.

o   No wars — not even the possibility of future wars.

o   World peace brought by a King who is truly a King.

o   He won't be a political activist, a community organizer, or a career politician — He will be King.

5. Personal Application: "Is He My King?"

·       The central question of the message: Is Jesus Christ your King?

·       The speaker references the movie Troy, where a king offers his scepter to Achilles, and Achilles responds: "He's not my king." The pointed parallel: Is Christ your King, or not?

·       The hymn "The King of My Life, I Crown Thee Now" — do we crown Him every day?

·       Do we sometimes think we have a better idea than the King? Or do we trust that He has His reasons?

·       The speaker shares about Marlene going to be with the Lord, and Adam's response: "He must have a reason. I don't know what it is, but He must have a reason." Adam didn't blame or question God.

·       Do we say "I think He knows best," or do we say "I know He knows best"?

·       Is He our King? Is He my King?

Key Contrasts

	Human Kings	Christ the King
Origin	Post-flood, possibly from pride or need for leadership	Eternal — before the foundation of the world
Character	Corruptible, proud, limited in knowledge	Righteous, humble, and wise
Scope	Local or regional; fought with other kings	King over all the earth — all nations
Duration	Temporary; always replaced	Eternal; reigns forever
Entry	White stallion, great array, hereditary line	Donkey's colt, humble, yet from the line of David
Power	Absolute power, but limited knowledge	Righteous, just, and wise reign

Important Themes

1.      The laugh of God — God laughs at human attempts to rule themselves apart from Him (Psalm 2). It is both comforting and terrifying.

2.     Humble kingship — Christ's kingship is marked by humility (donkey, not stallion; righteousness, not power grabs).

3.     The Righteous Branch — Unlike the kings of David's line who failed, this King is truly righteous.

4.     Universal reign — Not just Israel, but all the earth and all nations.

5.     The coming new world order — A genuine new world order of peace, justice, and worship, not the political version the world imagines.

6.     Personal submission — The message is not just theological; it is deeply personal. Is He your King?

Discussion Questions

1.      Where does the concept of kingship seem to originate in Scripture, and what might that tell us about human vs. divine kingship?

2.     Why do you think God laughs in Psalm 2? What does that reveal about how He views human power and self-rule?

3.     What are the key differences between how earthly kings arrive in power and how Christ comes as King (Zechariah 9:9)?

4.     Jeremiah 23:5–6 calls the coming King "The Lord our Righteousness." How does this contrast with the kings of David's line?

5.     What will life look like under Christ's eternal reign according to Zechariah 14? How does this compare to the world's idea of a "new world order"?

6.     The speaker asks, "Is He your King?" What does it look like practically to crown Christ as King of your life each day?

Personal Application

·       Do I crown Christ as King of my life daily, or do I sometimes think I have a better idea?

·       When difficult things happen, do I say "He must have His reasons" — trusting without blaming God?

·       Do I say "I think He knows best" (uncertain) or "I know He knows best" (confident)?

·       Is Jesus Christ truly my King?

Closing Prayer Focus

Father, we thank You for the King — the One who came and who is to come. Help us to realize that He is King even now. Make Him King of our lives. In Jesus' name. Amen.