JESUS CHRIST, THE KING
CHRISTMAS EVE
DR. JIM DIXON
MATTHEW 1:18-25 & LUKE 1:26-38
DECEMBER 24, 1995
Last week we saw that the title Messiah comes from a Hebrew word, meaning ‘the anointed.’ We saw that the title Messiah is identical to the title Christ, which comes from a Greek word meaning ‘the anointed.’ We saw that there were three anointed offices in Israel: the office of prophet, the office of priest, and the office of king. All three offices were anointed by God, and a person only entered those offices through the anointing of oil and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We saw that the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed, was expected to fulfill all three offices: prophet, priest, and king.
Thus, the angel of the Lord announced to shepherds on a Judean hillside, “Behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which shall come to all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ, Messiah, the anointed, prophet, priest, and king. Last week we examined what it means to call Christ the prophet. And this morning, on this Christmas Eve morning, we will focus on what it means to call Christ the King.
I have three teachings concerning Christ’s kingdom this morning, and the first teaching is this: Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. Now, of course, this is what our Lord Jesus said to Pontius Pilate shortly before going to Calvary’s cross, “This kingdom, My kingdom is not of this world.”
Now, Cecil B. DeMille was a famous Hollywood director and producer, and he directed and produced the movie King of Kings, which was highly acclaimed by both critics and clergy. Of course, this movie King of Kings portrayed the life of Jesus Christ. The movie took much longer to film than DeMille had projected, months longer. So, by the time they got around to filming the crucifixion, it was Christmas Eve Day, December 24th, and Cecil DeMille said it was very strange indeed to have everyone there on this barren hill with three crosses about to re-enact the death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ at the very time when people all over the world were getting ready to celebrate his birth. And Cecil DeMille said that he did something that day as they were on that barren hill with those three crosses on that Christmas Eve. He did something he had never done before. He called all of the actors and all of the directors and all the photographers and everybody to attention, and he said, “Let’s have a few moments of prayer in honor of Christ the King.”
He saw some people smirk. He saw some people roll their eyes. DeMille thought, “You know, I’ve made a horrible mistake. They’re just going to fade off and have a drink or smoke a cigarette.” But he closed his eyes and he began to pray. It wasn’t long before he heard someone begin to sing Oh Little Town of Bethlehem. He kept his eyes closed as everybody joined in singing Oh Little Town of Bethlehem. One Christmas Carol led to another. When Cecil DeMille opened his eyes, he was stunned to see that everybody, all the actors, all the photographers, everybody associated with the movie, they were all on their knees. They were all on their knees facing the cross of Christ. Some people had tears in their eyes and Cecil DeMille then got on his knees and he later said, that was the greatest day. That Christmas Eve was the greatest day of my life.
Well, it’s a nice story and it’s really a beautiful picture with Hollywood actors and Hollywood directors and producers kneeling in honor of Christ the King. But I think we all know, I think we all know that Jesus Christ does not reign in Hollywood. He did not reign in the days of Cecil B. DeMille, and He does not reign in Hollywood today. Jesus Christ does not reign in Denver. He does not reign in any city on this earth, not even in Rome, not even in Jerusalem, not even in Washington, DC. Jesus Christ does not reign in any city or any nation of this world. The Bible tells us there is someone who reigns on this earth. The Bible tells us that that person is named Satan.
Jesus Christ tells us that Satan is the “archon,” the Greek word meaning ruler of this world. Satan is the ruler of this world, and we need to understand what the Bible means when it says that Satan rules this world. It doesn’t mean that people of this world worship in Satanic churches. Of course, the Church of Satan in America was founded by Anton LaVey in San Francisco in the year 1966. There are a few thousand people who do worship Satan, but the primary expression of Satan’s rule and reign on this earth is not the Satanic churches. That’s just the lunatic fringe.
You see, the primary expression of Satan’s reign and rule on this earth is the practice of self-enthronement. I mean, it was Satan who enthroned himself in the beginning as recorded in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, when Satan said, “I shall ascend above the stars of God. I shall set my throne on high. I shall make myself like the Most High God.” And when the devil came to Adam and even Eden, that was his temptation, self-enthronement. Don’t listen to what God says. Don’t do what God says. Don’t follow God’s will. Do what you will. Do what you want. Set your own rules, self-enthronement. And you see, self-enthronement is now practiced all over the world because Satan is the “archon,” the ruler of this world, and his philosophies have infused this world.
Philosophies the Bible calls the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Philosophies of materialism, philosophies of hedonism, philosophies of egoism and ascension, all of these isms are pandemic on the earth because Satan is the ruler of this world. Men and women the world over are in bondage to sin and death. So why, why do we sing at Christmas time Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King? Why do we sing Joy to the word, the Lord has come, let earth receive her King?
Well, this leads us to our second teaching this morning. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, but His kingdom has invaded this world. You see, the kingdom of Jesus Christ has invaded the kingdom of Satan. The kingdom of Jesus Christ has invaded this world. Really, that’s what Christmas is all about; the invasion of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Now during World War II, much of Europe was controlled by Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany, and the Axis powers. But on June 6th, 1944, American and Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in the largest seaborn invasion in the history of the world. It was D-Day and 176,000 soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy that day. By the end of June, more than 1 million soldiers had joined the invasion. 5,000 ships were involved in that invasion, from mine sweepers to battle cruisers, some ships carrying troops, some ships carrying tanks and artillery, 10,000 planes involved in that invasion, some planes carrying paratroopers, some planes carrying supplies, some carrying bombs, some flying reconnaissance.
You see, it was one of the greatest invasions this world has ever seen, and it changed the course of history. But that invasion, that invasion pales when compared to the invasion that took place on Christmas Day when the kingdom of Jesus Christ invaded this world and invaded the kingdom of Satan. For God, it was D-Day. This world was occupied by the enemy, controlled, ruled by Satan, permeated by hostile powers, men and women in bondage to sin and death. But in the fullness of time, God invaded the world. All that could be heard that Christmas day was the gentle breathing of a little baby sleeping in his mother’s arms.
Napoleon had said, “God is always on the side of the army with the biggest battalions.” Napoleon was wrong. I mean, all God needed was this little baby, but this little baby was not a normal baby, not a normal baby. In the prophetic passage of Isaiah, chapter 9, the Bible says “Unto us, a child is born. Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders. His name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, father of eternity, prince of peace, and of the increase of his kingdom and of its peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David to establish it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
In the messianic psalm, Psalm, chapter 2, the Bible says, “Thou art my beloved son. Today I have begotten thee. Ask of me and I will make the nation’s your heritage, the ends of the earth your possession. You shall rule the earth with a rod of iron. For I have set my king on Zion. Of course, the angel announced to Mary, “He shall be great, this child born, he shall be great and shall be called the son of the most high, and the Lord will give to him the throne of his father David. And he shall rule over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom, and of its increase of his kingdom there shall be no end. No normal baby.
Christ, the king, the king of heaven, had come to earth. And the ruler of this world confronted him. You remember Luke, chapter 4, as Jesus is about to enter into His public ministry, He goes into the Judean wilderness to pray and to fast led of the Holy Spirit. As He is there, Satan comes to Him, the ruler of this world, the “archon,” the king of this world, comes to Christ. And he shows him, the Bible tells us, all the kingdoms of the world in a moment in time. He said “All of this, the earth itself, I will give to you if you but fall down and worship me.” You see, he invited the king of heaven to bend the knee to the king of earth, and Christ would not.
The battle continues today. I mean, the war continues today. If you believe in Jesus Christ, if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior, then you’ve joined this struggle and you’re part of this battle. The Bible says, “We are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principality, against the powers, against the spiritual, the host of wickedness in the heavenly places, against the world rulers of this present darkness.” You see, there is a battle going on. Wherever the gospel is preached and wherever the love of Christ is manifested, lives are transformed, victories are won.
Perhaps you’ve heard of Pitcairn Island. Pitcairn Island is a small island in the South Pacific Ocean, and it is near the Tropic of Capricorn. It’s about 5,000 miles east of Australia. The island is so very small, it’s only two miles square. Yet, it rises about 820 feet above the surface of the ocean. It’s a rugged little island, but very fertile with 80 inches of rain a year. Of course, the island, Pitcairn Island is most famous as the home of the mutineers from that British naval vessel called the H.M.S. Bounty. It was Fletcher Christian who brought eight other mutineers and six Tahitian men and 12 Tahitian women.
They were 27 people in all, and they came to Pitcairn Island in 1790. The island had no one on it. When they arrived, they had it to themselves. It wasn’t a paradise. I mean, it wasn’t anything like a paradise for them. Those weeks and months and years, it became a kind of microcosm of hell filled with racism as the European white mutineers hated the Tahitian men and the Tahitian men hated the European men. it became a place of lust and violence as the men raped the women. It became a place of drunkenness as they learned how to ferment alcohol from some of the native plants. It became a place of murder as they began to kill one another.
By the year 1800, only one, just 10 years after they landed on Pitcairn Island, only one of those mutineers from the bounty remained. It was a man named Alexander Smith, who later took the name John Adams. Just that man, a few of the Tahitian women, and 25 children that had been born. But something amazing happened. Alexander Smith, who called himself John Adams, as he was rummaging through some of the remains that had been on the ship long ago, he came upon a Bible. He began to read that Bible. As he began to read that Bible, the king of heaven invaded his life. As he began to read that bible, the king of heaven began to invade his world. He heard the gospel as he read, and he gave his heart, he gave his life to Jesus Christ and he embraced the reign of Christ. Then, he began to share what he read in the Bible with the Tahitian women and with the 25 children and the entire community was changed.
When a European vessel arrived in 1808, the people were amazed to find that on Pitcairn Island there was a productive, peaceful community. No more alcoholism, no more violence. Prayer meetings and Bible studies twice a day, and to this day, if you visit Pitcairn Island, there’s about 60 people on the island today mostly descended from the original mutineers and they are devout Christians. It’s just a little microcosm of what happens when the kingdom of Christ invades the kingdom of Satan.
You see, all over this world, the gospel goes forth. All over the world, the light and the love of Christ permeates the darkness and the hatred of Satan. This is the great battle that is being waged. The day will come when Christ will conquer this world and He will conquer the kingdom of Satan, not through our effort, though we are called to make effort, but by His return and by His second coming. He will conquer this world and He will conquer the kingdom of Satan.
The Bible tells us that when Jesus Christ comes from heaven in power and great glory and all of his angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne and before Him shall be gathered all the nations, and He shall separate them one from the other as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The Bible says, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds. Every eye shall see Him, everyone who pierced Him and all the nations of the earth will cry out on account of Him. Jesus Christ says, “Behold, I’m coming soon, bringing my recompense to repay everyone for what he has done. I’m the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. You see, He is the king of heaven and He will one day be the king of earth. His kingdom is not of this world, but His kingdom has invaded this world, and one day will conquer this world, that child born in Bethlehem
One final teaching, His kingdom now reigns over the church. His kingdom is not of this world. It has invaded this world and will one day conquer it, and His kingdom now reigns over the church. On the plaque, on the cornerstone of this building as you enter the lobby, you see this great scripture passage where our Lord Jesus Christ is quoting, saying, “I will build My church.” “I will build My church, and the powers of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Four years ago, on Christmas day, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as president of the USSR. In the poorly attended final meeting of the Supreme Soviet, voted itself out of existence and the sickle and hammer flag was lowered over the Kremlin for the very last time. For the first time, for the first time in 74 years, the sound of Christmas bells rang across Red Square on Christmas day. This nation, called the Evil Empire, had collapsed, had fallen, and really one of history’s bloodiest and most vicious persecutions of the church of Jesus Christ had come to an end. For those 74 years, when communists ruled Russia, 50,000 ministers, priests, and nuns were executed…50,000. More than 2 million lay Christians were killed. Today in Russia, 70 million men and women profess belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, 70 million.
You see, you can’t kill the church. You can’t kill the church. I mean, China had proved that long before Russia. You can’t kill the church of Jesus Christ. Christ said, “I will build My church and the powers of hell will not prevail against it.” On this Christmas Eve morning, Christ just wants to ask you this question: are you part of His church? Are you part of His church? Have you embraced His reign?
He’s really not so much concerned with whether or not you are part of this church, Cherry Hills Community Church, or any other visible expression of His kingdom. His concern is this: have you embraced His reign? Have you entered the true church? You see, the church of Jesus Christ exists the world over wherever and whenever an individual places Christ on the throne of his or her life. I mean, it’s been said many times ‘Christmas isn’t Christmas until it happens in your heart.’ You see, in your heart, there’s a throne. And the question Christ asks us this morning is simply, who’s on the throne? Who’s on the throne? Are you self-enthroned as Satan is, or is Christ on the throne? There’s really no decision more important than this, no decision more important than this. Eternity itself hangs in the balance. I mean, Christ is the greatest treasure on earth. No one can offer you what Jesus Christ, the king of heaven, offers you. No one.
Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which a person found and covered up and in their joy went and sold everything they had and bought the field. You see, the kingdom of Jesus Christ is worth everything you have, everything so valuable.
You know, at the Yalta Conference in February of 1945, at the famous Black Sea Resort, Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill gathered. Three of the most powerful men on this planet, they gathered there at the Yalta Conference in February of 1945. The decisions, the agreements that they came to, would affect the course of nations and would affect the course of history. There was a man at that conference named Harry Hopkins. Harry Hopkins was the personal assistant to Franklin Roosevelt. He had an unusual request of these three great dignitaries. He wanted their autograph. He said he wanted their autograph for his son, for his little boy. Of course, that’s what grown people always say, grown-up people, when they want an autograph. The only thing convenient in terms of getting their autograph was a one ruble note.
So, the three leaders of these three nations signed that note. The note was only worth $8 at the time. But in 1987, that note sold for $42,000. I suppose it is true that the names of some people have value. I mean, some names have power, some names have value, but there is no name with more power, no name with more value than the name of Jesus Christ. “You shall call his name Jesus, for He shall save his people from their sins.” The Bible says, “There is no other name under heaven given among mankind whereby we may be saved.” No other name. You see, at the name of Jesus, the Bible tells us, one day “every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
The only question that is important for us this morning is, have we embraced that name? Have we accepted His reign? Have we invited Him to be Lord and Savior? His kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom has invaded this world and will one day conquer it, and His kingdom even now reigns over the church. This morning, He invites you to be part of his church. Let’s close with a word of prayer.