Our Prophet, Priest, and King #2

Why is it that you need a prophet? Why is it that you need Christ to fulfill this role? Why was it such an act of magnanimous grace from God to send Christ in this revealing role in His office as a prophet? We welcome you again to the Truth Pulpit with Don Green, founding pastor of Truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Hello again, I'm Bill Wright. Today we'll join Don for the second half of a message called Our Prophet, Priest and King, focusing this time on the role of King. Today's message will offer some wonderful insight into the biblical leadership role that Jesus provides believers in Him.

It's a reality that's sure to encourage you. So open your Bible to Philippians chapter 2 and let's get started. Here's Don in the Truth Pulpit. Look at the book of Hebrews chapter 7. Hebrews chapter 7, verse 25, He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Our Christ, our wonderful Lord Jesus, offered a sacrifice that was completely sufficient to atone for the sins of everyone who would ever believe in Him. Continuing out of that sacrifice was a different aspect of His priestly ministry, His intercession for us before the throne of God. So He represents us now before the throne of God, and Scripture pictures Him pleading for His people and praying for His people continually. We have a priest who has never stopped interceding on our behalf. He sacrificed, He raised from the dead, He ascended, and now He's continually interceding for us before God.

That's how great a priest He is on our behalf. And Scripture makes it plain that Christ is the only mediator. 1 Timothy 2.5 says there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

There is no other. Mary is no mediator. She needs a mediator herself. Mohammed is no mediator between a holy God and His people.

This is just utter darkness. But in Christ we have the light, in Christ we have a priest who successfully intercedes for us in our sin. Now, why do you need a priest?

I've kind of been saying this all along, haven't I? Why do you need a priest? Well, go back to Isaiah chapter 59. Isaiah chapter 59.

What prophet Isaiah said to the people of Israel are true to us today. You need a priest because in Isaiah chapter 59 verse 2, your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God. And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. Verse 3, for your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity. Your lips have spoken falsehood, your tongue mutters wickedness.

No one sues righteously and no one pleads honestly. They trust in confusion and speak lies. They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity. Beloved, it is very humbling to us to come to Scripture and have revealed to us God's assessment of who we are morally. To realize that we are culpable before Him. That the law of God condemns us for our guilt of not loving God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and not loving our neighbor as ourselves. And even if we haven't committed the physical acts of adultery and murder and theft, well, we've certainly been guilty of coveting and lust and unrighteous anger, haven't we?

Haven't you? And the holiness of God, the truth of God, cannot be violated by receiving such a one like that in His unaltered, unforgiven state. You cannot wash away your own guilt. You're like a leopard who cannot scrub away his own spots.

You're like the Ethiopian who cannot change the color of his skin. And so what are we to do in that helpless estate? Beloved, Christ came as a priest. Christ came to intercede for you and to do for you that which you could not do for yourself. You could not reconcile yourself to God because you had nothing to offer for your guilt.

Christ did. Christ had His own perfect, innocent blood to offer as a sacrifice, His own perfect life to offer unblemished to God as a sacrifice for sin. And in doing that, He was acting as a priest.

He was acting as one who was interceding for sinners like you before a holy God. And God, praise be to His name, accepted that sacrifice of His Son as shown by the fact that He raised Him from the dead. Penalty of sin is death. Christ paid the penalty of sin.

The penalty was fulfilled. Therefore, there was no barrier to Him living any further after He had borne our sins on our behalf. And therefore, Christ is raised from the dead showing the penalty of sin has been paid in full.

Beloved, what you need to see here is that there is a second fold fountain which should bubble up with inside you of praise, honor, worship, gratitude, reverence, fear to this Christ who interceded for you when you were helpless. That while we were still helpless, Christ died for us, Romans 5. While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through Him. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All of this being an exercise of His priestly office interceding for us and mediating between us and God because otherwise we were utterly without hope. And so why do you need a priest? Because you're guilty of sin and separated from God without Christ. And so what Christ does is as a priest, He stands between you and God eternally and has reconciled those who have come to Him in repentant faith. We have in Christ that which satisfies everything that God requires. If you try to get to God through any other way, you are doomed.

You cannot save yourselves. You cannot offer God your good works, so-called good works, because all of your works are tainted with the sin of the life that tries to do them. God is not asking for your good works. God is calling you to repent and believe in Christ. And those who put their faith in Christ alone find that God has accepted them because He accepts what His Son has done as a priest on their behalf. And so, as a prophet, Christ reveals God to us. As a priest, He intercedes for us. Thirdly, how is Christ our King? The role of a king, and it's foreign to us in our American representative democracy.

We're not used to this. It's a foreign idea that was intrinsic to people in the Old Testament. But it was the role of a king to rule over his people and to defend them from their enemies. The king ruled over the people, exercised judgment over them, and he defended them from their enemies. In Matthew chapter 2 verse 6, it refers to Christ as the ruler who would shepherd His people. And so how is Christ a king?

Let me remind you, without turning to specific Scripture, because we've alluded to this many times, that the charge that was laid against Christ, nailed above His head, as the reason for His crucifixion? King of the Jews. King of the Jews. That's why they crucified Him. They rejected Him as King.

Well, how does Christ execute the office of a king in relation to us as people? Well, think back to your sinful state before the Lord saved you. What were you? You were a rebel against God. You were rebellious against His will.

You were dead in trespasses and sins. You had no desire for Christ. You had no submission to Him in your heart. You know, maybe you had some kind of belief in God, but it wasn't a submissive, loving belief in Christ as He's revealed as prophet, priest, and king. You didn't know Him like that. You were with the Jews and the mockers.

I will not have this man reign over me. Well, how in that sinful, hostile state were you ever reconciled to God? Beloved, some of you may have the sense that, well, you know, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Well, how did that ever happen if you were so cold and hostile and dead in trespasses and sins?

How did it ever happen that your heart was changed to do that? Beloved, you must understand that Christ subdued you, that Christ, through the work of His Spirit in your heart, humbled you and brought you to a saving, believing faith in Christ. Ephesians 2, 8, and 9 says that faith is a gift of God, and God, by a powerful work in your heart, changed you and subdued your will to His. And now, as Christians, He rules over us as the head of the church. As Christians, He exercises His authority through His Word and in other means.

But Christ is ruling over us, exercising authority, making known His will that we are privileged and obligated to obey. And He defends us. He defends us from our enemies. He defends us from Satan. He defends us even from our own inbred proneness to wander from Him, to question Him. He holds us and keeps us in His hand throughout all of that.

Look at the Gospel of John again, John chapter 10. John chapter 10, as we see this defending, keeping work of Christ, and he says in verse 27, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. That is the power of a king being asserted, saying, I will protect my people, and I will protect them forever. That no enemy that rises up against them will succeed in separating them from me. Verse 29, 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. And so Christ subdues us to Himself. He rules and defends us. He restrains and conquers all of our enemies. He restrains and conquers those that are enemies to Him as well. What are the enemies that He defends us from?

Well, beloved, think about it. The ultimate enemy is death in one sense, and Christ has delivered us from death. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 in verse 25.

And actually, let's give ourselves a little more context, and we'll begin at verse 20. Paul is defending the historical reality of the resurrection. He says in verse 20, Now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also all in Christ will be made alive. But each in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, after that those who are Christ's that is coming. Then comes the end when he hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and authority and power.

The kingdom motif is there right in what we are looking at. It says in verse 25, He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. Christ reigning as King, reigning not merely over a physical realm, but reigning over the entirety of the invisible realm as well. Reigning even over the realm of death and conquering it on behalf of His people. And so that those of us that have died in Christ in this life and been raised to new life as pictured in the ordinance of baptism, those of us that are in Christ will experience the same victory over death that our King did. Our King died and rose again. Those of us that are in Him and united with Him will conquer death as well.

Because our King has defeated the enemy of death for us. We have another hostile enemy, don't we? We have another unseen enemy. Listen to 1 John 3, verse 8. We have this hostile adversary, the devil, who 1 Peter 5 says, prowls about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. And what does Christ do with that enemy of our souls? What has He done to that enemy of our souls? 1 John 3, verse 8. The Son of God appeared for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil. And 1 Peter 5, verse 8.

Let's go ahead and turn there. You can turn back a couple of pages in your Bible to 1 Peter 5, verse 8. The enemy is real, but we have a King who defends us against Him. 1 Peter 5, verse 6. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, your enemy, the one who wishes harm upon you, prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, here it is, beloved.

This is so sweet! The God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. Verse 11, to Him be dominion forever and ever.

Amen. And so, beloved, when we study these offices of Christ, prophet, priest, and King, we see that we have a King who has subdued us, subdued us in love and brought us to Himself. We have a King who defends us against our most mortal enemies. Satan is a supernatural foe. Set on your destruction, Christ as King says, you will not harm my people.

The reality of death, which we've tasted in our congregation just this week. Christ says, I will deliver you from that realm. You will have eternal life in my name.

I will keep you and no one will snatch you out of my hand. This King who has manifested that He has power over death through His own resurrection says, I will exercise that power as King on your behalf and protect you from that which is your enemy. So that it can all be summed up in Colossians chapter 1 verse 13, where speaking of Christ, it says, He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. God the Father working in the person of Jesus Christ rescued us from that domain of darkness where hostile forces enslaved you. 2 Timothy chapter 2 says that the devil holds unbelievers captive to do his will. Jesus said, you're of your father the devil.

You belong to his realm. Well, Christ steps into that as King and says, I will exercise power over these souls and I will transfer them from the kingdom of darkness into my kingdom because I am a King and these are my people and I love them and I will rescue them, I will subdue them and I will deliver them into the safety of the realm over which I eternally reign. And now Jesus Christ rules with absolute supremacy over all things. Turn back just a couple more pages to Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 1. These things are so important that Paul prayed that Christians would understand them because they are spiritually discerned, they are outside the realm of natural knowledge, they are made known to us by the revelation of the Word of God and so we need spiritual help even to just understand these things. So Paul prays in verse 18, he says, I pray that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of his might which he brought about in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. That is an absolutely comprehensive statement of supremacy pointing to the authority of Christ as King. And in verse 22, he put all things in subjection under his feet and gave him his head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all and all. Beloved we said, why do you need a prophet?

Because you're ignorant, we're ignorant. Why do you need a priest? Because you're sinful, you're guilty, you need someone to intercede for you. Why do you need a king? Why did you need a king to come and to transfer you from one kingdom into his?

Why did you need that? Why did you need a king with power? Because, beloved, you were helpless without him. You were weak. Death would have its final say over you left to your own power. You were helpless before Satan who held you captive to do his will. He has supernatural power and he's invisible. You're a creature of flesh with only natural power. There was no hope for you. Don't you see that in Jesus Christ in his offices of prophet, priest and king has addressed every area of your ignorance, guilt and weakness in a comprehensive way that shows his glory and shows unquestionably his love for his people.

You see that, right? Because these things are unanswerable from Scripture. And we realize that Christ was the only king with power to rescue us. He was the only priest with a sacrifice sufficient to reconcile us to God.

He was the only prophet who had the truth to speak it to us through his word, through his apostles. And so, beloved, when we consider Christ as our prophet, priest and king, what words can we render that would adequately describe the worth and the majesty of our king? What words could we render that would adequately give thanks for the priest and the sacrifice that rescued us from eternal damnation?

What thanks would we give from the bottom of our hearts for that life-giving water that we find in his word that gives us understanding and everything that we need for life and godliness? All coming to us through one. All coming to us through one, the God-man who exercised a triad of offices, prophet, priest and king, for us. The prophet who reveals God to us perfectly. Priest who reconciles us to God and intercedes for us perfectly.

The king who rules over us and defeats all of our enemies perfectly. If you're here apart from Christ, I just want to tell you, this great prophet, priest and king is calling you, calling you out of your sin, calling you out of the world, calling you out of your rebellion, and I urge you to see the majesty of him and the goodness that drips from his fingers as he extends his hands to you. His nail-scarred hands to you, dripping no longer with blood, but dripping with goodness, love, mercy, patience and kindness as he calls you. And says, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, be gentle and humble in heart, and you'll find rest for your souls.

There's no reason for you to reject him. And there is nothing in Christ that keeps you from walking out of this room today thoroughly reconciled to a holy God, and to own him as your prophet, priest and king. I urge you, on the authority of God's Word, I command you. On the authority of God's Word, I graciously call you and encourage you. Come to this Christ.

There's no one like him. There is no other name given to us under heaven by which you must be saved. That's Don Green with the most important invitation you and I will ever receive in our lifetimes. And friend, if you've answered that call, would you please let Don know you can send him a note to tell him that you've placed your trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. You do that by going to TheTruthPulpit.com and clicking on the Contact Us tab. Again, that's TheTruthPulpit.com. I'm Bill Wright, and we'll see you next time on The Truth Pulpit.