TEXT: Psalm 24:10

SUBJECT: Watson on the Offices of Christ #3

This evening, with God’s help, we’ll finish the Puritan study we started a couple of weeks ago. It’s called Thomas Watson on the Offices of Christ.

A quick word about the Offices. To save us from our sin and misery, the Lord Jesus took up three offices—prophet, priest, and king. As our Prophet, He reveals the mind of God to us—and enables us to understand, believe, and act on it. As our Priest, He offered Himself to God in our place on the cross, and now, in heaven He prays for us. These are the first two offices. In the first, Christ brings God to us; in the second, He brings us to God.

But there is one more office—the office of a king. Brought to God by the blood of His cross and knowing God’s will for our lives are necessary—but we need more. We need Someone to rule us and to defend us from our many cunning and ferocious enemies. That’s what our King does for us.

Who is that King? Psalm 24:10 leaves no doubt,

Many other verses teach the same thing. Some predict the Lord’s kingship; others say it’s in effect right now! Two passages come to mind. The first is Isaiah 9:6-8,

All Christians agree that the first part of the passage refers to Christ—to the gift of God in giving Christ to us. But if the first part refers to Him, then so does the second part. This Divine Gift is more than a Gift or a Favor from heaven. He is also a King—the Son of God, the Father of His Nation, the One who now sits on the Throne of David.

The second Scripture is John 19:37. It’s part of the examination the Lord had with Pontius Pilate. The Roman is the first speaker; the Lord answers him,

It’s hard to get plainer than that—both on the fact of His kingship and also on its time. He doesn’t say "I will be a king during the Millennium", but "I am a king--right now".

Watson fills in some of the details,

The Church has never doubted His Kingship. Trying to summarize the first Christians’ message, the Jews of Thessalonica say,

We cannot respect their motives, but we have to admit they got the message right. That is exactly what Paul and the first Christians were saying!

Ever since, the Church has confessed its belief in the Kingship of its Savior. No matter what kind of church you go to, it won’t be long till you’re singing a hymn to that effect. My favorite one starts this way,

In the last few decades, some have denied the Lord’s present Kingship or made it optional for Christians to submit to it. Their views, however many graduate degrees are attached to them, are way out of line with the universal teaching of the Church and the plain words of the Bible.

Christ is a King—right now.

How did He become king? Watson has a crisp answer for this one,

If you believe in the old Divine Right of Kings, then Christ is King—because God appointed Him to the office. If you believe in democracy, then Christ is also King—because His people wouldn’t have it any other way!

Jesus Christ is not only King, but the Rightful King.

Where does the Lord rule? He rules from heaven, of course—which is the most exalted place, high above any human throne or even superhuman throne—"Powers, principalities, spiritual wickedness in high places".

Although that’s true, it’s not what Watson is getting at here.

The Lord has brute power or sheer, irresistible force. But, in ruling His people, He doesn’t use it. He could make us do His will—and if He did, no one could fault Him. But, instead of making us, He gets us to do His will. He works from the inside out. Psalm 110 is a Royal Hymn, and about the Lord’s Rule, it says,

Newer versions say,

We don’t serve Him at gunpoint. We serve Him in love.

The Lord’s kingship is universal—nothing is excluded from His rule (but the Father and Holy Spirit). Every other being—human, angel, animal, etc., is subject to Him—whether they like it or not!

But the Lord’s rule—though universal—is not uniform. In other words, He rules friend and enemy alike, but He doesn’t rule them in the same way.

What does King Jesus do for His people? Watson says,

Christ governs His people or rules us. Some people chafe at the idea of others telling them what to do. If you’re this way, you’re no Christian! The Christian may be the boldest, most independent man in the world. But when it comes to Christ, He’s meek and ready to take orders,

Christ governs His people. He doesn’t want to or ask to, wish you’d let Him, but He rules. No one is perfectly submitted to Him; no one serves Him even as well as he thinks he should. But believers call Him Lord because we want to "do the things that He says".

There is a paradox in the Christian life. The more submissive we are to Christ, the freer we are. Because man was made to serve Christ from the heart, he never feels at liberty until he does. The Lord’s slave is the freest man in the world while the one who doesn’t serve Christ is a slave.

Christ not only rules His people, but He defends us. That’s what a good king does. In return for their loyalty, he promises to protect his people from their enemies, both foreign and domestic.

Not every king lived up to that obligation. Some think of their people as sheep—good for shearing and butchering—but not worth risking their neck for!

But Christ is not this kind of King. He is a King who loves His People, keeps a close eye on them, and promises to fight off anyone or anything that threatens them!

Think of the Lord Jesus fighting against the enemies of Israel—giving David victory over Goliath or drowning Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea. What He did for them visibly and spectacularly, He does for us every day, though more quietly.

How thankful we ought to be to have Christ on our side! And not only thankful, but brave,

Watson has given the big picture, let me fill in the details. Think of all the power, cunning, and malice of Satan. What could he do to you if he were given free reign? Saul made believers in Christ disown the Lord who bought them. If he could torture them into blasphemy, what could the devil get you to do? Or, more to the point, what couldn’t he get you to do?

What’s true of the devil is also true of the world and the flesh. Think of the brains and the money put into advertising and entertainment—most of which is aimed at getting you to take something that is not good for you. What if they had no brake on them? How would then live? Think of your own remaining sin—the lusts, the pride, the anger. Let it go and—no telling what happens to you.

But Christ does not give Satan or the world or the flesh free rein. No, He reins them in. He keeps them within boundaries. We may wish the reigns were tighter or the boundaries smaller, but He knows best,

As our King, the Lord Jesus Christ rules and defends us. Other kings may misrule their people or leave them exposed to danger, but not this King. He leads and takes care of us.

But what about others? Are the unsaved under the Rule of Christ? In one way, they’re not.

But that’s immaterial to the Lord’s Kingship. The Bible teaches that He is King of All. Although He doesn’t rule friend and enemy in the same way, make no mistake about it: He rules His worst enemies no less than His dearest disciples!

If you know the story of Nebuchadnezzar, the fiery furnace, and so on, you know that the Lord confounded the greatest king in the world—and his itty, bitty gods! Years later, he took the king’s mind away from him until Nebuchadnezzar confessed that there is a king in heaven who does whatever He pleases!

There is a similar story in Early Church history. For 300 years the Roman Empire was hostile to the Church. But when Constantine came to the throne, Christianity was declared the public religion of Rome. A few years later, though, Julian the Apostate became Emperor. And, as the name indicates, he sought to bring the Empire back to its former gods. But he fell in the field of battle, his last words being,

Now, the Lord rules His enemies in three ways (that I thought of):

He converts them. Think of Saul going up to Damacus to arrest the believers—only to be arrested himself—by the Lord Jesus Christ.

He restrains them. The wickedness they would do, they cannot do, not fully, at least. Hitler’s plan was not to kill 6,000,000 Jews—but to kill them all. As appalling as his holocaust was, it would have been worse if the Lord had not stopped him. In smaller ways, he restrains other men from doing their worst as well.

He turns their evil plans to His glory and the good of His people. What Joseph said to his brothers applies to other bad men, too,

This, in short, is the doctrine of our Lord’s Kingship.

Watson closes the chapter, though, not with the doctrine, but with the use we ought to put it to. He has a lot to say here, let me just highlight it.

• Don’t be embarrassed to serve Christ.

Watson has understated the case here. Not only is it no dishonor to serve a King, but, on the contrary, it is a great privilege to do it! Let’s remember that; that we’re on the King’s Business and we ought to be proud of it—not of ourselves, but of Him we serve!

• Obey Him.

This speaks for itself. A king doesn’t issues wishes, but orders. He’s not to be patronized, but obeyed! If Christ is your king, say, Yes Sir! To Him.

• Thank Him.

He couldn’t be more right. You used to be the devil’s abject slave. And, what’s worse, you liked it! But now, you’ve been freed from your cruel master and put into the service of a wise and forgiving King. Why don’t you thank Him from the heart? And mean it!

That’s it. Thomas Watson on the Offices of Christ. God make us know the doctrine better and love the Mediator more. Amen!