30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 23 01-05 THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM 05 Luke 23 02-05 Intimacy with Jesus
📖 Luke 23:1-5
Thu11Nov2021 – Intimacy with Jesus - Luke 23:01-05 - THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM (05) - Bible reading: Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus our King, went for us to the cross. He provided the way for us to be reconciled with God. In our relationship with the King and in His kingdom, every concern of ours is fully met and satisfied.
The wonderful plan was for us to have our rest in Him.
I’m altering the title of this study. The title for this study will be THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM.
Luke 23:2-5 And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King." (3) Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered him and said, "It is as you say." (4) So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no fault in this Man." (5) But they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place."
The Jews were becoming worried and angry that Pilate was not quickly delivering the verdict to have Jesus crucified. The trial was unnecessarily prolonged.
Pilate was the one who was on trial and Jesus allowed Pilate to surrender his life to Christ. Sadly, Pilate missed his chance.
Pilate gave the verdict of, ‘NOT GUILTY’, to Jesus. John 18:38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, " I find no fault in Him at all .
Pilate was the sitting judge in this hearing and he gave the verdict on the accused, unequivocally. The prisoner was NOT GUILTY.
The Jews must have gone into a frenzy. When we read the narrative in the gospel of John, we find that Pilate repeated the verdict of NOT GUILTY, thrice, not once, which is strange. A judge does not have to repeat his judgment.
We will take up this matter regarding the judgement given by Pilate, a little later, but let us consider Jesus being the King of the Jews and His kingdom.
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
This is a beautiful, larger picture, of the King and His kingdom. It is an overarching vision and mission statement of Jesus the King and His kingdom.
Though the kingdom of Jesus had consequences in every sphere of life, yet, the King and His kingdom began in the heart.
Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; (21) nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
The Lord was seeking to take Pilate to that place, where he could come into a relationship with Him as King and experience the blessing of the Kingdom.
Colossians 1:12-13 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. (13) He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
The King and His kingdom would cause a person to leave an earlier kingdom of darkness and move into the kingdom of His light. It involves a transition. We were once under a different rule and authority, we now move into the new authority of Jesus over us and we enter in and experience the effect of His rule over us.
There is a change of citizenship. This is an intentional choice that each individual must make. Pilate was allowed to shift citizenship but he refused.
When a person becomes a citizen of the kingdom of Jesus, there will be delightful effects.
Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The King and His kingdom cannot be separated. Jesus is our King, our Lord, our Master and in Him, we experience the fullness of His kingdom.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
This is an invitation to an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus, the King. When we are in this intimacy with the King, the consequences are experienced in every domain of our lives.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, " I am the way, the truth, and the life . No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The uniqueness here is that our King, Jesus, is both a person to whom we give our life and He is also our habitat. All of our well-being and aspirations are met in Him.
We will look more into our King, Jesus, and His kingdom.
Thought to ponder
Have you shifted citizenship? Or are you chasing dual citizenship with the world and with Jesus?