ALL RISE! The Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Jeff R. Hawkins is presiding.

A KING CHANGES EVERYTHING!

THE NATURE OF ROYALTY Kings Compared to American Judges

Judges – American Royalty Elevated Bench Distinguished Robe “ALL RISE!” Contempt of Court Sanctions “May it please the Court.” The “Prayer” Authority over life, liberty, & families

Israel’s Judges Moses appointed subordinate judges God micromanaged some judges Samuel appointed his sons to judge, but they became corrupt The people demanded a king

Earthly Kings’ Expectations [God:] “Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.” So Samuel said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.

Earthly Kings’ Expectations Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.

Earthly Kings’ Expectations He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

Earthly Kings’ Expectations But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” 1 Samuel 8:10-22 (NIV)

THE RULE OF ROYALTY The Throne’s Source of Power God Ordained Kings

Saul’s Selection The Lord had revealed this to Samuel: “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.” When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.” 1 Samuel 9:15-17 (NIV).

Faithful Kings Corrupt Kings Wickedness & Depravity Hall of Fame God Ordained Kings Faithful Kings Corrupt Kings Wickedness & Depravity Hall of Fame

God Ordained King Jesus Isaiah, c 740 - 681 BC: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

God Ordained King Jesus Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV).

Kingdom Heirs, Duty & Legacy Jesus’ Description of Kingdom Heirs: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. * * * * Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Kingdom Heirs: Humble Servants Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5: 3-12 (NIV).

Kingdom Heirs’ Royal Duty Prince Charles’ duties: The main part of The Prince of Wales's role as Heir to The Throne is to support Her Majesty The Queen as the focal point for national pride, unity and allegiance and bringing people together across all sections of society, representing stability and continuity, highlighting achievement, and emphasising the importance of service and the voluntary sector by encouragement and example.

Kingdom Heirs’ Royal Duty Kingdom Heirs’ Royal Duty: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18:20 (NIV).

Royal Legacy A royal family usually inherits royal status, but God bestowed royal status upon us: Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14:23-24 (NIV).

Reality of the Kingdom Legacy I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead… Ephesians 1:18-21 (NIV).

The Supernatural Kingdom Legacy If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 1 Corinthians 6:1-3 (NIV).

Supernatural Kingdom Legacy …the Lord’s people will judge the world… AND …we will judge angels!

ROYAL FAMILY - SONS & DAUGHTERS I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6: 18 (NIV).

ROYAL FAMILY - THE KING’S EMBRACE Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

ROYAL FAMILY - THE KING’S EMBRACE You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 15:13-16 (NIV).

J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Four hobbits joined a quest to defeat a purely evil emperor by destroying his enchanted ring. In a moving scene near the movie’s end, the victorious hobbits encounter their warrior friend for the first time as their newly coronated king. When the Hobbits bow to the King, the King says, “My friends, you bow to no one,” and then the king and everyone else bows to the Hobbits. [See the scene on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URmQXIeVpN8]

J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Make no mistake that our King will not bow to us, but imagine the scene that Paul describes, in which we judge angels and other heavenly beings! I can only guess that it may seem to us as surreal as the Hobbits’ experience when everyone honored them!

The King’s Invitation is Ours Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14 (NIV). The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:17 (NIV).

The King’s Invitation Requires Action Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

The King’s Invitation Requires Action For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:1-7 (NIV).

The Time For Action The invitation is open to all who believe and desire life with Christ from now to eternity. Procrastination is a deadly game! Wash your robes in the waters of baptism, enjoy the tree of life, and enter through the gates into the Holy City. Respond now and begin eternal life as royalty today!

A KING CHANGES EVERYTHING!