As we celebrate 90 years on air, this episode of International Gospel Hour takes listeners through a thoughtful exploration of the prophetic, priestly, and kingly aspects of Jesus Christ. Discover how each role contributes to our understanding of salvation and divine guidance. Learn how Christ’s teachings maintain relevance in today’s world, witnessing his profound impact as the mediator between God and humanity.
A gracious hymn expresses perfectly about Jesus when it says, Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever. Crown him, crown him, prophet and priest and king. Ah, that’s a great subject, and it’s just ahead on the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.
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Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. For 90 years, churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through International Gospel Hour. You are about to listen to another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, starting now.
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I am bound for the promised land.
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Well, greetings to everyone, and thank you for being with us once again for our studies of the Word of God from the International Gospel Hour. We’ve been on the air or online since 1934, friends. As of this recording, we’re into our 90th year, and we thank you for helping us continue to make history with every broadcast we bring forth. It was the late V.E. Howard who penned the phrase, Are You Listening? He would capture the attention of many a listener through the early years of radio. But the Winford Claiborne in 1995 took the work and through Internet expanded it even more. My immediate predecessor, Jody Apple, many of you heard Jody through his lessons, social media, and things of that nature. And we continue to grow. Matter of fact, check out our history, a little bit more about us, at our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Take a few moments and peruse our website. Go back and listen to some previous broadcasts. Even check out our Hispanic podcast with our beloved friend Marlon Ratana of SpanishBibleSchool.org. You know, friends, there were three major distinct offices among the people of Israel of old. the prophet or the one that would speak God’s words to the people, such as Nathan, as we see in 2 Samuel 7 and verse 2. You had the priest, for example, who would offer sacrifices and prayers and praises to God. A good example is Abiathar in 1 Samuel 30 and verse 7. The priest would represent the people of God as well. Then you had kings who ruled over the people as God’s representative, such as King David in 2 Samuel 5 and verse 3. Well, friends, today we have Jesus Christ, who is our prophet, priest, and king. That’s our study today, but first… Let’s hear a little bit more about our labors at International Gospel Hour for our newer listeners, and then we’ll come back and we’ll study Jesus, prophet, priest, and king.
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Did you know since 1934 the IGH has been heard over the radio? We are one of the longest running weekly religious programs in the history of American radio. We are blessed to remain on the air through gracious giving of congregations of churches of Christ, faithful Christians, and devoted friends. That’s why you will never hear us asking for money from you, our listeners. Our study material is free, always has been, always will be. Thank you for listening.
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And again, friends, please check out our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Let’s talk about Jesus as prophet. A prophet of God is someone who reveals God, speaks for God, and communicates to people the truths that God wants them to know. And unquestionably, Jesus did this when he came to do the will of the Father, as we note the words of the Savior in the garden in Luke 22, verse 42, to reveal the Father, according to Matthew 11, verse 27, and to communicate the things of the Father, as Jesus said in John 8, verse 28. Might we also add John 12, verse 49, For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak. Hear this, friends. Moses’ prophecy in Deuteronomy 18, 15 was fulfilled in Jesus according to Acts 3, 22 and 23 that says, For Moses truly said to the fathers, The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things whatever he says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. Friends, Jesus Christ is our prophet today. There are no other prophets walking on this earth in whom we can trust. If an individual, a mere human, declares themselves to be a prophet, then we do not need to listen to them. We need to listen to Jesus through His Word, the Holy Bible, as He is our prophet. Second, Jesus is our priest. Now the priests were the ones in the Old Testament who offered sacrifices to God in order to cleanse the people of sin, to make a remembrance of those sins, as we note from Hebrews chapter 9. Now ultimately, friends, all such priests were representations of Jesus, who is the true priest who offered himself as a once-for-all-time sacrifice. This is affirmed in such text as Ephesians 5 and verse 2, and Hebrews 9, 26 and 27, and Hebrews 10 and verse 12. Jesus Christ is the sacrifice once and for all. Let’s consider the Hebrews 9, 26 and 27 text. I love that text. He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world. But now, once at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. He put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. We learn in Hebrews 10 and verse 4 that the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin. All the sacrifices offered in obedience unto God were to cleanse the people or to make that remembrance of sin. Jesus Christ gave himself once and for all. He will cleanse the Christian continually of his or her sin. In 1 John 1 and verse 7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. The assurance there of the Christian confessing their sins to be forgiven in 1 John 1 and verse 9. 1 John 1 and verse 9 is not a command to one to confess sin in order to be saved. This is the blessing of the one walking in the light, confessing their sins as they are saved. And to God be the glory for that continual cleansing blood of the Christ. Jesus has gone into the heavenly equivalent of the Holy of Holies. The very presence of God is affirmed in Hebrews 6, 19 and 20. Therefore, he continually leads the saved and the redeemed into God’s presence. So, friends, we no longer need the Jerusalem temple. That’s affirmed in Hebrews 9 and verse 24. He is our mediator, 1 Timothy 2 and verse 4. He is our intercessor, Hebrews 7, 24 through 26. And when we go to the Father in prayer as His children, as Christians, He hears us through the Son who is our priest who continues to offer for us. How about third and finally, Jesus as king? Now, as we note, a king is someone who has authority to rule and to reign over a group of people. And Jesus is just such a king. Now, he’s called the king of the Jews by the Magi in Matthew 2 and verse 2, the wise men. Yet… He refused any attempt by people to make him an earthly king. We note that from John 6 verse 15 and John 18, 36 and 37. Indeed, Christ has a kingdom for he is a king. He is affirmed in 1 Timothy 6 and verse 15 as the king of kings and the Lord of lords. Now let’s think about this for a moment. A kingdom must have a territory. Well, Jesus said in Luke 17, 21, Neither shall they say, Lo here or lo there, for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. So if Jesus is indeed a king over a kingdom, he has the territory of one’s heart who is the subject and the servant unto Jesus. Romans 6, 17 and 18. Now second, a kingdom must have subjects who obey the law of the king and his power. And when Jesus gave the great commission from the Father through the Son in Matthew 28, 18-20, He affirmed the power of the authority was given unto Him in both heaven and on earth, and what the subjects, His followers, should do to go and tell other people about the Christ, as we’re doing here on this broadcast. How about a kingdom must have a law? Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6 and verse 2. We must be guided by the scripture, his law, his word. And you know, friends, one may be added to that kingdom. You see, the kingdom is not something that’s going to come down on earth and reign for a thousand years. That’s a whole another study, friends. But I submit to you, there were those added to the kingdom in the first century. That’s affirmed in Colossians 1 and verse 13. and when an individual obeys the gospel of Christ, and we’re added to the church of Christ, the church that He promised to build in Matthew 16, 18, and that we can be part of that kingdom that He stated in Matthew 16, in verse 19. He is King of kings and Lord of lords, and if His territory, if He reigns in our hearts, we are His subjects, we abide by His law, friends, we are already in His kingdom, and to God be the glory. Have we given you some things to think about, friends? Well, Let’s help you a little further. You know, our well-received, well, I tell you what, J-Web will have more to say about that, but friends, our Bible study course by mail is requested quite often. Here’s the details of how you can receive it absolutely free.
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Our well-received Bible study course by mail is available to everyone absolutely free. Would you like to try it? All you do is call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, Home Study. That’s it. That’s all you have to do. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the Contact tab and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Home Study in the message box. At your own pace, you can study the Bible in your own home. Again, it’s free. Give it a try. And it’s from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.
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Jesus as prophet, priest, and king, and to God be the glory, that we can be obedient unto Jesus, learning of his teaching of the command of faith in John 8, 24, repentance in Luke 13, 3, confession in Matthew 10, 32 and 33, and baptism, Mark 16, 16, and walking faithful for him, Revelation 2 and verse 10. A very special thanks to our friend and brother Mark Posey and his work, Pulpit Preview, for initiating and accelerating our thoughts for this study today. And let’s continue our studies at another time. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, as always, keep listening.
