Tag Archives: Kingship

Sermon Wednesday – All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

Today, we continue our series on “Singing with the Understanding.”  We thank you all for the encouraging emails that you have sent us regarding this series.

Introduction:

Have you made Christ your king?  When someone is made the leader (be it of a city, state, or nation), they hold the office, even though some people may not recognize their authority.

Christ is indeed the King over all, but do you submit to that authority?  Have you made Christ the king in your life?

The song we will be looking at today deals with the power of Christ—His authority—and the recognition of it.

“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.”

Verse 1 – He has authority over the angels.

The song starts with its main theme:

All hail the power of Jesus’ name!

It means “Everyone, recognize the power of the authority of Christ!”  Jesus claimed all authority in heaven and on earth after His resurrection (Matthew 28:18-19).  The first three verses of this song express this truth in different areas. First…

Let angels prostrate fall

He has authority over the angels.  Though He was made to be a little lower than the angels by becoming man, through His death He took a place of authority over all (Hebrews 2:7-9).  The angels are subject to Him and are commanded to worship Him (Hebrews 1:4-6).  Angels are powerful beings, without question, but their power is subject to Christ (Revelation 22:16).

The phrase “Let angels prostrate fall” means “let angels bow down before Him.”

He is the royal ruler: King and Lord of all!

Bring forth the royal diadem

This is the crown of the king.  He is the Son of God (the King) and through inheritance has taken His rule with God as king (Hebrews 1:3-4).

And crown Him Lord of all.

He has been put over all things (Hebrews 2:7).  The angels are commanded to recognize Christ’s authority.  His authority stretches beyond heaven—but that’s described in the next verses.

Verse 2 – He has authority over God’s people.

The church is the recipient of the promises to Israel—we are spiritual Israel.

Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race.

Spiritual Israel is not the same as physical Israel:  For they are not all Israel who are of Israel (Romans 9:6).

The true Israel of God are the ones who follow His commands.  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy on the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).

The seed of Abraham to whom the promises were made are those who are his children by faith

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law works wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all (Romans 4:13-16, see also Romans 2:28-29).

The blood-bought ones should recognize Christ’s authority in all things.

Ye ransomed from the fall.

To be ransomed means to be purchased—bought back.  Christ has purchased us from sin with His blood (Acts 20:28).  The fall is our sinful state—for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Hail Him who saves you by His grace.

Christians—recognize Christ’s authority, for He is the One who saved you!  Christ’s saving work isn’t a one-time thing—He continually saves us.  When we are baptized, He saves us.  As we stumble on our walk with Him, He picks us up and dusts us off so long as we’re still trying.  As we repent of our sins, He keeps saving us (I John 1:9).

He has saved us by His grace.

“Grace” is a much-abused topic these days.  But we need to remember that if Christ didn’t want to save us, we couldn’t be saved.  There’s nothing that mankind did that made Jesus say, “wow! I have to save these people.”  It was completely His grace that made the way for us to be saved.  It was completely by His grace that He made that way known to everyone through His word.

We still have to accept it on His terms, but we can never forget that it is God’s grace that saves us.

And crown Him Lord of all.

All Christians must submit themselves to Christ.  And not just that, but recognize His complete sovereignty—His total rule over our lives.  Have you crowned Christ as the King of your life?

Verse 3 – Christ has authority over the entire human race.

This cannot be stressed enough—everyone is amenable to the rule and law of Jesus Christ!

There are some in the church who are trying to sidestep some of God’s laws by teaching that non-Christians aren’t amenable to the law of Christ.  By this, it is meant that the rules in the Bible don’t apply to anyone unless they’re Christians.

Here’s the problem with that reasoning—if they don’t apply to non-Christians, then non-Christians cannot be lost, because they aren’t under any law.  Where there is no law, there is no sin (Romans 4:15).

If this doctrine were true, there would be no point in evangelizing either—because we’d be bringing them into a law that they could possibly break and thus be eternally damned!

Let every kindred, every tribe on this terrestrial ball…

Everyone, regardless of their family, ethnic background, or location, is under consideration here.  Everyone on earth is subject to Christ.

Terrestrial ball = land-sphere, this earth.

To Him, all majesty ascribe.

Everyone on earth should recognize the authority of Jesus Christ and submit to it.  Part of that responsibility is ours—to take the message of Christ to others so that they know about it.

Everyone on earth—even non-Christians—need to recognize Christ as the one supreme King.  This is what it means to ascribe all majesty to Him.  It is to recognize His complete authority—that He is supreme.

And crown Him Lord of all.

Non-Christians—by definition—have not crowned Christ as their Lord and Savior.  If you’re not a Christian, then you are living in rebellion to the Supreme King and Judge, Jesus Christ.

Verse 4 –  The reward for submission to the king—heaven!

Why should we recognize and submit to the Kingship of Jesus Christ?  This verse describes it for us!

O that with yonder sacred throng…

This is to be with the saved in that great by and by in the sky.  This is to be with the redeemed, to hear our name when the roll is called up yonder.  This is the sacred (holy) throng (multitude of people) yonder (over there in heaven).

We at His feet may bow…

We will be able to worship Christ forever in heaven (Revelation 7:9-10).  We will be in His presence (you have to be in His presence to be able to bow at His feet).

Eternity in heaven with God and Christ—free from all care, happy and bright, Jesus is there, He is the light.

We’ll join the everlasting song…

Singing praises to God forever—continual joy, unending happiness.  In short, heaven!

When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less day to sing God’s praise than when we first begun!

Everlasting life in heaven, never to be separated again!

And praise Him Lord of all.

Those who submit to the authority of Christ here on earth will have the pleasure and desire to praise and thank Him for all eternity in heaven.

Conclusion

Christ Jesus is the King over all creation—of angels and of ALL people—including you!  Have you made Him king of YOUR life?  Have you acknowledged His authority and submitted to it so that you can go to heaven?

Christ has set forth His law, and it’s not hard.  Believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of God.  Repent of your sins.  Be Baptized in order to have your sins forgiven.  Then afterwards continue to do your best to serve your King.

-Bradley S. Cobb