Also raised for us
See, Jesus lived for us, and He died for us, but even better than that, he was also raised for us from the dead. Jesus would not stay dead because as He said, he had not only the power to lay down His life for us but to take it up again (John 10:17-18.)
Jesus is fully God and fully man, and He came out of the grave on the third day, being resurrected bodily to demonstrate His mastery over death. (Romans 6:9).
If He could take up His life again forever, never again to die, then He will do the same for His people. Those in Christ in like manner will also be raised bodily from the dead and be given a renewed resurrection body to live eternally with God in a new Heavens and a new Earth. (1 Corinthians 15:21-23; 42-49).
Resurrected creation
Resurrection is also the future state of the Creation. The world itself will be transformed into something perfect and more real than we've ever known, without sin, sadness, crying, or pain. Jesus says of the world, “Behold, I am making all things new!” (Revelation 21:1-5)
Aren't we all God's children?
And who will get to experience that new creation? Is it everyone? After all, aren't we all God's children?
No, the Bible never says that. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life are the children of God who God has singlehandedly adopted into His family (Galatians 3:27-4:7; Revelation 20.11-15.)
We all like sheep have gone astray; every one has turned aside to his own way (Isaiah 53:6). But Jesus says that “my sheep hear my voice.” Not all people are Jesus' sheep (John 10:25-28).
A future judgment
Revelation chapter 20 says this of the judgment we all will face:
"And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:12-15).
The Gospel according to Jesus – a Kingdom
The Gospel according to Jesus is, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2). What is this kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God he speaks about? Well, that's the whole point of this message.
After Jesus was resurrected, He spent 40 days appearing to people and then ascended to heaven, (Acts 1:9ff) being taken up into the clouds where the Bible says that he was seated at the right hand of God the Father, which is where he currently is ruling and reigning with full authority over heaven and this earth (Psalm 110:1ff; Psalm 2:4ff; Matthew 28:18).
What is the Kingdom?
The Kingdom of God is that territory wherever Jesus is acknowledged as King. When we say “Jesus is Lord,” we are saying, “Jesus is King.” The word “Christ” means “anointed King.”
Over all
So Jesus' Kingship is over all earthly powers and authorities. He is King over human hearts, but it doesn't just end there in some ethereal, spiritual, disembodied way. The Kingship of Jesus touches down. It's gonna mess somethings up in a glorious way. It also doesn't mean Jesus is King just in the church, but also Jesus is King in your government school. Jesus is King over your home. He is King over your workplace. Jesus is King over the courtroom. And the boardroom. Jesus is King over all earthly rulers. Jesus is King over every wicked despot and president and over every corrupt congressman and partisan judge. Jesus is King over the Supreme Court and every elite technocrat.
To destroy the works of the devil
1 John 3:8 says Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He said of his crucifixion that when He was lifted up on the cross, that He would draw all men to Himself (John 12:31-33) from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 5:9-10), but also that when that happened, the “ruler of the earth will be cast out.” That means that Satan has been cast down from his position of authority. Satan does not have sway over this earth anymore – Christ is King!
Jesus came to take the devil's stuff – He came to plunder Satan's house. Christ's Kingship means that he has authority to take back for Himself all that has been laid waste to sin.
Announcement: the Kingdom is now and advancing
This is the announcement. There is a Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and it is now, and it is advancing. You may not be able to see it coming, because it does not thunder in like the 82nd Airborne. It comes slowly, and quietly, and sometimes it takes a punch, and sometimes it looks like a regress, or a downhill slope, but little by little, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is advancing and will have the dominion over this world, even if it takes a thousand generations. God is not impatient. We are.
Why we do what we do
Christ the King Church exists because we love our neighbors and our local towns, and we are doing what any follower of Jesus should want to do: to bear witness to the announcement of this Kingdom. It is not a Kingdom from this world, but it is a Kingdom coming down from heaven. Jesus already has the victory. He is already seated at the Father's right hand. He is currently putting all His enemies under His feet. He already has all authority.
Our job here is to announce as a herald of that Kingdom that there is a King in heaven, and His authority is over you and over our neighborhoods. Maybe you haven't gotten than message before today. But the fact remains: Christ Jesus is your King. Come quietly. Repent – turn away from your sin. And put all your trust for this life - and the next - in King Jesus Christ.
We are here to help you
If you don't know what that looks like, please reach out to us. If you need prayer, please come see us. If you want to learn about the life and teachings of King Jesus, we want to give you a Bible and have you join us in our gatherings. We are praying for you that God would be regenerating your heart so that you can repent and believe in Jesus Christ and that you would bow your knee to His rule in your life so that you will move from death to life, and your children, and your children's children, would be blessed by God and not perish.
© 2026 Andrew C. Horvath. Please do not reproduce this text without permission.
It would be impossible to give attribution for all the various small turns of phrase that I have accumulated in this presentation, from decades of Gospel teaching by numerous faithful pastors. I am merely paying forward what I have learned in my sanctification.