The Washington herald., 1917-12-16
The Coming King.
By REV. DR. CHARLES r. sTEC

By REV. DR. CHARLES r. STECK.
The following sermon was written
especially for The Washington Her
aid by Rev. DIR. Charles +. Steck.
pastor Of the Lutheran Church of the
Epiphany, New Hampshire avenue
and u street northwest:
Text: Tell ye the daughter Of Zion,
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee. "
Matt. H:1-a
We have a king, even Jesus. con-
corning whom the Scriptures teach
that, as the Son of God, He was King
from all eternity; that, I'm the fullness
of time, He took upon Himself our
nature, In order that He might atone
for our sins and work out a redemp-
ton that should avail for every one
who came to believe on His name
and that He now comes, true God and
true man, to rule and reign as the
Savior in a kingdom established upon
His redemptive work and gathered
and governed by His word. The
Scripture Of which the text Is part
bears splendid testimony concerning
Him.
/. It witnesses to His omniscience
Tvs. I'D. Whence did our Lord obtain
this knowledge? No man impaired it
He had not been in the village where
the animals were tied. He had come
from the opposite direction, and had
sent no one in advance to make the
needful preparations. And yet He
knew just what the two disciples
would find. How? All! He knows al
things, the future as well as the past
He knows all our cares. all our sor-
rows, Affections and perpleXities. He
knows the very thoughts Of our
hearts. 1t Is even as the psalmisi
! says: Thou compassest my path
and my lying down, and art acquaint-
ed with all my ways" Surely 1t Is
great comfort to know that we have
an omniscient King.
2. 1t witnesses to His omnipotence
". 81. 1t is all very wonderful. The
Lord has need OF an ass colt. He does
not buy it, nor beg it, nor borrow It.
He appropriates 1t. and no man re-
Imonstrates or says Him nay. From
afar He influences the wills of men
and they supply His needs. Ours is
an almighty King. Question it not
All power is given unto Him in heaven
and on earth. His resources are un-
| limited. He is able to secure In some
way all that we require. He can give
US plenty, or make poverty endurable
| He can cure our diseases, or enable
/ US to suffer without complaint. He
can resolve our perplexities. anxieties
| and doubts, or cause us to rejoice
even in tribulation. He can supply al
our need. He is omnipotent With
Him nothing Is impossible.
5. It witnesses to His meekness "
81. Woe unto us If this omnlscient
omnipotent King came in wrath
| What but condemnation do we de.
| serve on account of our sins? Bein-
what He is, He knows all about Us
! and has the power to punish as un
tempered justice demands. Put liz
comes to save, not to condemn. \
King "meek" and full of love anC
| compassion He is. Mercy is His de
| light, judgment His strange work
He.is the forgiven of sins, the blotter.
out OF iniquities, the sharer of bdr,
dens, the Friend that sticketh close
| than a brother" OF ourselves, We
| are helpless; in ourselves, we ar,
/ hopeless; but we can do all things
| through Him as our strength, and Hi.
blood cleanseth US from all sin.
4. 1t witnesses concerning the pur.
| pose Of His coming Tvs. s. -. Gel
the scene before you. What a spec
! tacle it is-Jesus riding into the holy
| city amid the mIgnifying aCClama
| tiOns of 4 mighty thron-: "Hosanns
! 10 the Son of David; Hosanna in tn,
p, highest" Herein is Illustrated the
! purpose of our Lords coming. 1t /:
not merely to take away from Hi
| people their sorrows, but to fill then
! with joy. When He rode into Je-usa.
| lem He saw the cross looming before
! Him. He rode to His death, as well
! lie knew. But He went on to pay
! the full penalty of our sins and the
ransom price for our souls. He per-
formed the great task of redemption
| wrought out the forgiveness of sins
| and gained for each of US who will
| accept it the boon of eternal life
And now when, in His Church,
through word and sacrament, He
| comes TO His people. He offers and
inparts to them these sublime treas
ures, purchased with His own pre-
ctous blood. Wherever His word is,
there Christ is Himself; and the pur-
pose of His Presence Is always "a
bring joy and happiness to the hearts
of His people, and to fill their souls
with the hope Of eternal life.
As certainly as our blessed Lord
rode into Jerusalem at the time to
which our scripture directs us, Sc
certainly will He return in his glory
to this world. Your preacher has nc
theory as to the ''how" or the time
of the return. That there will be a re.
turn in glory, a return to judgment
! is a matter urged more frequently in
the epistles of the New Testament thar
any other doctrine to which their in
, spired authors turn their attention
The signs of such coming are no,
absent now. There are wars and ru.
mors Of wars. Nation has risen
against Nation and Kingdom agains,
Kingdom. There are famines and pcs.
tilences and fearful sights and great
wonders. There is the buying and
selling, the marrying and giving in
marriage that characterized the time
of Noah and Lot In the midst of the
bloodiest, most destructive war that