God & King In The Hands of Men | Matthew 27:27-31

Scripture

• Matthew 27:27–31

About this sermon

Introduction: The section we look at tonight is brief, but vitally important. Why do the gospel writers tell us of the treatment of Jesus during His trials and how He was treated on the way to His crucifixion? Why do they tell us that Jesus was mocked and brutalized? Why do they record for us the questions about Jesus as King, and the terrible treatment of Jesus that included the mockery of His royalty? They tell us about these things because what Jesus endured testifies to who Jesus truly was and is — the great King promised in Scripture — and these things also testify to us about our need for Him. THE TRUE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF MANKIND IS ON DISPLAY IN THE TREATMENT OF THE DIVINE KING. THE TRUE SAVING COMMITMENT OF THE DIVINE KING IS ON DISPLAY IN THE TREATMENT THAT GOD’S SON WILLINGLY ENDURED. BUT IF THESE TWO THINGS ARE TRUE, IF MAN KNOWS HATRED FOR GOD AND HIS KING, AND IF GOD AND HIS KING ALLOWED HATEFUL TREATMENT ON THE WAY TO CHRIST’S SAVING WORK, THEN THE END OF ALL THINGS, AND THE FINAL JUDGMENT AT THE HANDS OF THAT KING, IS ALSO PROVEN TO BE CERTAIN. If Jesus is the suffering servant and the only Savior, then He is also the sovereign judge. If you do a simple Bible search on your computer, looking for verses where God is referred to as King, you will see that this is no small theme in Scripture. God is the true king. Israel’s king is God. The world’s king is God. The church’s king is God. The believer’s king is God. You will also see that Jesus is the eternal Son of God (God in human flesh) and the promised King of Israel and of the World. God has determined to demonstrate His rule in and through His Son. GOD IS KING, AND GOD’S KING IS GOD’S SON. Psalm 2 is just one example. ESV Psalm 2:1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill." 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. The elements of that Psalm are instructive. Yahweh and His King (his anointed) are rebelled against and plotted against (vs.1-3) Yahweh and His King are not threatened nor defeated as a result (vs.4-9) The world and its kings are warned to serve the Lord and His King — to kiss the Son — before the day of judgment arrives (vs.10-12) THOSE THREE REALITIES WERE ON DISPLAY DURING THE EARTHLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. The humiliation of Christ was real, but the humiliation of Christ is not the end. The humiliation of Christ leads in God’s sovereign plan to the exaltation of Christ. The humiliation was necessary for salvation. The humiliation belongs to the mission of redemption. But the same one who embraced the shame will be exalted in glory. The one who suffered at the hands of human authorities did so according to the predetermined plan of God, and He will one day judge ALL MANKIND with ALL AUTHORITY in Heaven and on earth. The Holy Spirit of God, through the gospel writers, present us with the evidence of man’s guilt, Christ’s innocence, and therefore the CERTAINTY of Jesus of Nazareth as Savior and judge. ALL OF THIS IS ON DISPLAY, BUT IN OUR TEXT IT BEGINS WITH THIS RECOGNITION. HOW WOULD MANKIND TREAT GOD AND HIS KING IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT KING IN HIS HANDS? Our text tonight testifies. I. THE MOCKING OF THE DIVINE KING The answer to that question is seen in the treatment of Jesus. If God’s King is put into the hands of sinners, they will vent their hatred upon Him. MEN ARE HATERS OF GOD. AS A RESULT, THEY ARE ALSO HATERS OF EACH OTHER. NAS Romans 1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ESV Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.