Let’s Review:
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God promised the people of ___________________ a Messiah.
The Israelites expected a ________________ who would fulfill the ________________ covenant.
God does promise that one of Messiah’s roles will be to _________________ on the throne of His father David.
But God also promised this:
My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected–a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!
This prophecy of Messiah does not sound like a conquering ________________. But it does sound like what happened to ________________.
The way this promise works out is that Messiah comes twice to Earth.
The first time he _____________________ for sin. and dies.
The second time he comes as a _________________________ king.
“It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud. As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!” Acts 1:9-11 NLT
We need forgiveness of sin so that when He returns we will be able to go _____________ Him to His Kingdom of ________________.
Now in Your Groups:
1. Why do you think Jesus didn’t just take over as King after he rose from the dead? Can you come up with Scriptures to prove your point?
2. Why do you suppose Jesus had to suffer so much. Why could he just have a quick death like getting shot by an arrow?
3. Isaiah 53 says Jesus was a man of sorrows. What do you think were some of Jesus’ sorrows while he was on Earth? Do you think He is still a man of sorrows?
Question of the Week: When Jesus returns as Conquering King what do you think he will say to America? What do you think He will say to you
Reinventing the We'll 
This is, of course, assuming America is still around to be spoken to when Jesus returns. I am not convinced. If we take the order of Revelation as chronological in the events that will unfold during the End Times, then it is very clear that after the Tribulation, Jesus will return in the Second Coming as Conqueror. Looking at the world around me, and reading these passages I can come to only one conclusion: The world will undoubtedly set up a New World Order, a global government to control all aspects of life including the economy and military. Revelation 13 makes it clear that, “He (the anti-christ) was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” This seems very clear to me that the implication is a One World Government and that the anti-christ will be the head.
Having said this, I’m not sure Jesus will have an America to address, much less chastise. However, (assuming the State of America hasn’t been broken and completely destroyed; will Jesus speak to the Persians, or Mongols?) I don’t think Christ will look happily upon our nation. We have not exactly promoted God, followed His direction, or (in recent years) treated Israel with as much support as we probably should have.
As far as what Jesus will say to me, I’m not sure I will be honored to be spoken to directly by Him when He first arrives. This also depends on your interpretation of Revelation. Will the Church already be raptured away into heaven before the Tribulation? If so, then I would have already been through the Judgment Seat of Christ, and so Christ would already have spoken to me about my failures and accomplishments and rewards (and lack thereof) in heaven. If I have been on Earth through the Tribulation, and survived (good luck!) then Jesus will separate all who are left into those who will be allowed into the Millennial Kingdom, and those who will not be allowed.
In any event, what I think you were getting at (which I may have picked apart a little ad nauseum): What Christ will have to say to me about my life. I think he will be extremely disappointed in me over failed opportunities, sin, and all the souls that I could have reached that I didn’t. I hope that He will also be filled with joy that I chose Him as my Savior, and did make the nearly the best I could of my life and tried hard to move his Kingdom forward.
Again an excellent reply Zach. Perhaps you have read Driven By Eternity by John Bevere? It is a book which inspires me to action. 500,000 points
I THINK HE WILL TELL US TO REPENT BEFOR DOING WHAT HIS PLANE FOR AMERICA AND I THINK HE WILL SAY TO ME THANK U FOR STAYING FATHFUL TO YOUR LORD AND JESUS
A Great and to the point answer Jake. 450,000 Points for your team. I wonder what God will say to those appointed to lead our nation through the years. I think some will have much to answer for!
uestion of the Week: When Jesus returns as Conquering King what do you think he will say to America? What do you think He will say to you
When Jesus returns as the Conquering King to remove the world of its sin, He will look upon America and tell us “I gave you a nation rich with bounty, it was rich with gold and jewels, it could grow more food than all its people could eat, and its livestock were fat and numerous. I gave you all this and you never once gave me thanks. You were a nation founded by religious pilgrims, but you have forgotten that. You have forgotten me. You have become a nation of people who seek pleasures of the flesh, you are greedy and gluttonous. You have mocked and persecuted my people, you have allowed the worship of false gods. You are a nation of sin.”
And what will Jesus say to you? A good answer 500,000 points.
No wait, I wrote the other half where is it? I accidentaly posted that half before I was done wiritng! I worte down the other half! I know i posted it! You can even ask Josh Lewis, I wrote it right in front of him, he saw me make the mistake and then post the whole thing.
I believe that Jesus will look upon America as a teacher looks upon a student who, although they had much potential, slacked off and didn’t get a passing grade for the end of the year.
When Jesus looks upon me I hope that he looks as a teacher would look upon a student who had a bad year and although they tried as hard as they could to do well, they came up short, but because of the student’s willingness to try the teacher gives the student an extra point to help them pass on.
A very interesting answer Josh! 500,000 points
1. There were prophecies that had yet to be fulfilled. Until those prophecies were/are fulfilled, Jesus can’t (and therefore at the time could not) return. To name a few…In Matthew 24:22, describing world conditions prior to His second coming, Jesus said that “if that time of troubles were not cut short, no living thing could survive; but for the sake of God’s chosen it will be cut short” (Revised English Bible). In other words, either when there is a time when humans can kill each other completely or when the world is in a position when all will be lost, Jesus will intervene. Within the last 50 years it’s become clear that with the vast supply of nuclear weapons in the world, if in the wrong hands, human extermination is a very real possibility. Another (though less reliable reason) is the possibility of Global Warming actually careening out of control and causing harsh and uninhabitable conditions on the planet. (I do not think this will happen any time soon: how would Jesus set up his Kingdom for a thousand years on Earth if it was burning up?).
In Luke 21, Jesus said, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near . . . For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (verses 20-22). And In Zechariah 12:2-3 God says: “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah [the Jews inhabiting the land of Israel] and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” In verse 9 He adds, “It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” This means that there will both have to be a nation of Israel (how long had it been before the Jews returned to Israel?) which became reality in May of 1948. Another thing that became a reality in 1948 (ONE day after the commemoration of Israel) 5 Arab nations declared war on Israel, and invaded with more than triple the amount of troops. Israel won. And it is clear even now that other Arab countries are attempting to seize technology to build nuclear weapons, and even America is slowly retracting its full support of Israel.
In Matthew 24, Jesus also notes that, “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (verse 14). The amount of missionaries reaching obscure parts of the planet is daunting. Even so, as you mentioned last night, an even greater percentage of the world knows little to nothing about the Bible and Jesus.
Finally in Revelation 11 John speaks about the two witnesses. After their death he says, “Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth” (verses 3, 7-10). Pay attention to the words “nations” and “those who dwell on earth”. This implicates that everyone on earth will have the ability to see these two witnesses dead in the street. This also, was not possible in Jesus’ time, but only now through the power of satellite and internet and live streaming.
2. Jesus took on the entire sin of the world that day! To think of taking on world’s sin for ONE day is scary but he did it for all the past, present, and future. So powerful was this sin that even God looked away from Jesus in that moment. Plus, it was the final test for Jesus. He COULD call down legions of angels from heaven. He COULD have vanquished every last Roman who laughed, who jeered, who whipped, and how drove nails into his body relentlessly. But He did not. This is like a person dying in the ocean, and knowing that all they have to do is raise their hand and they will be saved, but they do not. Jesus did not do this because He knew that by His death, it would bring life to all of mankind who chose it. He paid the ULTIMATE price for His people, and if He had done it any other way (suicide, an arrow, a beheading) it would not have given the true message: I have suffered the worst of torments for My people. While He was innocent, and the very Son of God, he endured for you and me.
3. Jesus had to walk around on earth and watch people sin, reject God (perhaps without realizing it), and ultimately reject Him. I would imagine that this would create such a sorrow inside of Him. Not many people have read it, but the Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker does such a wonderful job of personifying Jesus as (in the first book) a small boy who creates the world. He is named Elyon (instead of Jesus) and He creates humans. The main character meets this boy on the side of a cliff. Surrounded by lions, Elyon speaks like a man full of wisdom, imagination, and love. When Evil finally creeps its way into His world, later, as the main character passes those cliffs again he hears the chilling sound of a boy crying, weeping, grieving, and knew it was Elyon. In other words, I can only imagine what it must have been like to not only know Evil was prowling through the earth, but actually seeing it embraced and cradled like a small child by a vast majority of people. His grief must have been immense. To be more specific, I think He must have been filled with sorrow to know that Judas would betray Him, one of His own, and also the Roman soldiers who put Him on the cross. He said himself “Forgive them for they know not what they do.” He must have been filled with sorrow for the two men on either side of Him, and then Joy when the one man embraces Jesus’ words with acceptance and conviction.
Very eloquently put Zach. Thank you for all you do! 1,500,000 points!
I decided I am going to answer the questions at different times…cause it’s late 😛
2. Why do you suppose Jesus had to suffer so much. Why could he just have a quick death like getting shot by an arrow?
The way Jesus died shows how much he cares for us. Simply getting shot with an arrow or another way would have made him seem like He was an ordinary man. But He was far from that 🙂 Also, I don’t think that being shot with an arrow or being instantly killed with any weapon, for that matter, would make up for what Jesus did that day. He took our sins once and for all, and it was not an easy thing to do. Therefore, there was much suffering on His part.
Thanks PJ 🙂
Excellent reply Naomi! 500,000 points.
1. Why do you think Jesus didn’t just take over as King after he rose from the dead? Can you come up with Scriptures to prove your point?
The time hadn’t come yet for Jesus to take over as King when He rose from the dead. Jesus in Acts 1:8 told the disciples to wait until they had received the power of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit couldn’t be released until Jesus ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of God. Paul in Romans 11:25 speaks of the full number of gentiles coming in before Israel is saved. Jesus also described the things that needed take place before He would rule and reign.
2. Why do you suppose Jesus had to suffer so much. Why could he just have a quick death like getting shot by an arrow?
In Luke 24:46 Jesus speaks about this suffering these things before entering His glory. Hosea and Isaiah spoke prophecy about Jesus’ suffering before His future glory. God’s word must be fulfilled. He also needed to be a sacrifice for us because the only way to purify our sins is by blood.
3. Isaiah 53 says Jesus was a man of sorrows. What do you think were some of Jesus’ sorrows while he was on Earth? Do you think He is still a man of sorrows?
I believe some of his sorrow was due do His people rejecting Him although they had the Word of God and knew the Messiah was coming and what he would be like and what the signs were. I believe He sorrowed at the state of the world He created, seeing how far it had fallen, the evil that was rampant and the lack of faith in God. I don’t believe He is now a man of sorrows. He is now the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and is returning for His bride. He is seated at the right hand of God and knows the outcome of the coming events.
Question of the Week: When Jesus returns as Conquering King what do you think he will say to America? What do you think He will say to you?
I believe AMerica will be judged harshly and we deserve to be judged harshly. He has blessed us immeasurable and we have rejected Him and turned from the true purpose we were created for, and have turned away from God.
I pray He will say well done good and faithful servant.
Thanks Pastor J for your dedication to sharing the truth of God’s word.
L&P
Charlotte
Excellent comments Charlotte! You are an inspiration to me. Thank you for all you do. 2,000,000 points! :>)
1. Why do you think Jesus didn’t just take over as King after he rose from the dead? Can you come up with Scriptures to prove your point?
I don’t think Jesus took over as King after he rose from the dead because He wanted to give the world the chance to repent. If He had just become King right then and there, the people in the next hundreds of years wouldn’t have had to make the decision of whether or not Jesus really was the Messiah and if He really did come, and there would be no real test of faith. By waiting until the judgement of the world, He can find those who truly believed in him and would be committed to following Him.
2. Why do you suppose Jesus had to suffer so much. Why couldn’t he just have a quick death like getting shot by an arrow?
If Jesus had just had a quick death with no suffering, that wouldn’t have meant nearly as much. By Him suffering it shows that He endured SO much pain for us, and that He loves us that much. Also, if it had been a quick death, it wouldn’t have seemed like such a terrible price had been paid.
3. Isaiah 53 says Jesus was a man of sorrows. What do you think were some of Jesus’ sorrows while he was on Earth? Do you think He is still a man of sorrows?
Jesus had so much love for everyone around Him. He was living in a world filled with people who were lost and sinful, which caused Him to feel sorrow for them. He was sorrowful because he cared, but some still wouldn’t listen and believe. I think that He is still sorrowful for those who are lost, but He also has joy knowing of all of those people who have found the Way and who love Him.
Question of the Week: When Jesus returns as Conquering King what do you think he will say to America? What do you think He will say to you?
When Jesus returns as the Conquering King, I believe He will tell America that they have not trusted in Him and have denied His name and power, and that they will suffer for their actions. He will tell those who have not followed Him that He doesn’t not know them and that they will pay the price. To me and the followers who have remained faithful and committed to living for Him, He will commend us and we will spend eternity with him.
Good answers Shannon. I like your answer to question number 2. I think Jesus suffering gives us an answer to why sometimes we have to go through things so hard here on Earth. If the Son of God could not evade such great suffering who are we to think that we will not have to go through tough processes here on Earth? 2,000,000 points