LENT 2021
“Little Do We Know What We Do Sometimes.”
Week 4
“They gave Jesus a staff”
(In mockery)
“They Knelt before Jesus”
(In mockery)
“They called Jesus King”
(In mockery)
But Jesus DOES rule.
Matthew 27:27-31
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
“Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.”
Staff/Scepter
[A symbol of Authority]
A Scepter is “rod” or “staff”.
It usually indicates authority.
A good example is in the book of Esther, when Queen Esther could only approach the king’s throne when he held out his royal scepter to her.
“Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.”
-Esther 8:4
If a Scepter/Rod/Staff is a symbol of authority and position, then a broken Scepter/Rod/Staff is a symbol of lost authority.
“The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution”
-Isaiah 14:5,6
The word Scepter/Rod/Staff is also used to symbolize God’s rule.
“Your throne, [Jesus is King of Kings] O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom”
-Psalm 45:6
When the Bible uses the word scepter as it pertains to God, it is talking about His absolute rule over His creation.
Prophetic verses about Jesus coming as Messiah to rule the nations use the word Scepter.
“A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter [A Ruler. This is a prophesy about Jesus] will rise out of Israel.”
-Numbers 24:17
The Scepter/Rod/Staff of God is a fearful thing to His enemies [Like those soldiers who mocked Jesus], But to us who believe in him scepter of God is the most comforting idea in the universe.
“The Lord is my shepherd, [with a rod and staff] I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
-Psalm 23
God reigns supreme and His scepter will never be defeated.
In the end, evil will not win out.
Be patient, God is in control.
“He [Jesus] will rule them with an iron scepter.”
-Revelation 19:15
Kneeling
[A symbol of Submission]
Kneeling is often associated with worshipping and praying.
“Come, let us worship and bow down, [In humility]
Let us kneel [In submission] before the LORD our Maker.”
-Psalm 95:6
The greatest example of kneeling in submission
Is in the Garden of Gethsemane
kneeled in submission to his Father’s authority when he asked if he could avoid the cross.
“He [Jesus] withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, kneltdown and prayed,
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; YET not my will, but yours be done.”
-Luke 22:41,4
“Hail, King of the Jews”
[They mocked him]
The soldiers may have thought that they were mocking Jesus as King, bu in allactuallity one day,
“… at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, [in submission] in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
-Philippians 2:10,11
“They [Anyone who is an enemy of Jesus] will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb [Jesus] will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
-Revelation 17:14
Little did the soldiers know that there was irony in their sarcastic actions mocking towards Jesus by kneeling, giving him a staff, and calling him “King”.
These soldiers unknowingly declared Jesus King to their own detriment.
Q: Where in your life might you be bowing, or giving authority to someone or something that, unaware to yourself, you are actually harming rather than helping yourself?
Often our actions result in the exact opposite of what we think they will provide.
Thank the Lord for his forgiveness for the things that we were not even fully aware that we were doing wrong.
This reminds me of what Jesus said on the cross about those who were crucifying him (who were not fully of their actions).
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
-Luke 23:33
Thank God, that we are forgiven as well.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be more aware of all that you may be doing in and through my life.
And help me to be who you have called me to be.
I want to be a good representative of you, the King of Kings.
Thank you for all that you do for me.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen!
Pastor Dave Word of Life Church 17525 W. Bell Rd. Surprise, AZ 85374
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