a few days ago. It's a list of what are called
the worst headlines from actual newspapers in
North America. These are the worst headlines,
and as I read them you'll understand why they
fit this bill. One headline said this, something
went wrong in jet crash, expert says. Now there's
great insight for you. Another headline said,
police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers.
They deserve it. Safety experts say passengers
should be belted. All right? Maybe that'll help.
Farmer Bill dies in house. Now, you've got to
think about that one a moment. Farmer Bill dies
in house. Enraged cow injures farmer with axe.
I'm not sure who had the axe, but somebody was
hurt. Cold wave linked to temperatures. Now that
had to be Minnesota. That had to be Minnesota.
And then I think my favorite says, new study
of obesity looks for larger test group. Well,
I think I could fit that bill. If we were to
get a headline for what we're going to read in
Luke chapter 1 it might be son of the highest
comes for the lowest The angel said to Mary verse
30 do not be afraid Mary You have found favor
with God You will be with child and give birth
to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus
He will be great and will be called the son of
the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his father David, and he will reign
over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom
will never end. The name with Christmas glory
that we see in verse 32 is Son of the Most High.
This name captures the unique nature of Messiah
and establishes his solitary right to rule over
humanity. A point that I hope will grip your
heart and mind today is this, that the Son of
the Most High has the right to be the ruler of
your life and mine. The Son of the Most High
has the right to be the ruler of your life and
mine. I want you to see that Jesus Christ has
that right and that you could have no greater
privilege or hope than to give Him the throne
of your life today. There are two truths that
flow out of this name for Messiah, the Son of
the Most High. The first truth is this, that
He, the Messiah, is God's co -equal. That's what
the name means. that he, the Messiah, is God's
co -equal. This name most high that we see in
verse 32 is the Greek equivalent to the Old Testament
Hebrew name for God, Elyon, E -L -Y -O -N, as
we would spell it. That name reveals that God,
the true God, is the one who is of supreme might
and power. It is a name for God that means that
He has no equal. El Yon is used in the Old Testament
49 times. And in the New Testament we see the
name Most High 9 times. We see it in verse 32,
again in verse 35. The angel says the Holy Spirit
will come upon you and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you. in verse 76. It says,
and you, my child, will be called a prophet of
the Most High. That is Zachariah's song regarding
his son to be born, who was called John the Baptist.
Luke again uses this term for God, Most High,
twice in his gospel, one of which we'll see a
little bit later. This name El Yon is a derivative
from a Hebrew verb, Allah, which means to go
up, to go up. It is a noun taken from that and
it is used of persons or things to indicate their
elevation above others. When it's applied to
God, it means that he is the lifted up one. He
is the exalted one who is above all gods. and
all men. Think of some of the occurrences of
this term in the Old Testament, ones that may
be familiar to you. Psalm 91 verse 1, he who
dwells in the shelter of the, what? The Most
High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Later in that same Psalm it says, if you make
the Most High Your dwelling even the Lord who
is my refuge then no harm will befall you no
disaster will come near your tent in Psalm 92
it begins by saying it is good to praise the
Lord and to make music to your name almost high
It is a name that's also used in the book of
Daniel in Daniel chapter 4 We have these words
of the great Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised
my eyes toward heaven and my sanity was restored.
Then I praised the Most High. Here's the most
powerful man in the world in his generation who
has been humbled by God. in a period of several
years of living out insanity. And he says, I
lifted up my eyes and I praised the one who has
exalted above me the most high. In Daniel chapter
5 recounting that, it says, he, Nebuchadnezzar,
was driven away from people and given the mind
of an animal. He lived with the wild donkeys
and ate grass like cattle and his body was drenched
with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged
that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms
of men and sets over them anyone he wishes. El
Yom, Most High. And here we see that this one
who is to be born of Mary will be called the
son of the Most High. Now when we use that expression,
the son of, we in our Western thinking often
imagine that this is one who is generated by
the Most High, as we generate our children, we
produce our children. And so somehow we imagine
that that's what this name means, but it doesn't.
In Oriental Semitic thought, a son is more than
a descendant. To call someone a son in oriental
thinking is to call that person the exact representation
of the other. For example, in Genesis chapter
5, it says regarding Adam, when he had lived
130 years, he begat, now in the English translations
they insert, a son, but that's not in the Hebrew.
It says, he beget in his own likeness in his
own image. Those two phrases equal sun. So the
word sun is unnecessary in the Hebrew thinking.
Adam beget one who is in his own image, who is
in his own likeness. That's a sun. And so when
we see this title that the Christ is the Son
of the Most High. What it's saying is that this
one possesses all of the qualities of the other.
This one who is to be named Jesus but who will
be called the Son of the Most High possesses
all of the qualities of the Most High himself.
It is a name that clearly establishes the equality
in nature. between God the Father and God the
Son, who is coming to be born of Mary. The writer
of Hebrews captures this same idea when he says,
the Son is the radiance of God's glory and the
exact representation of His being. The exact
representation of His being. That phrase expresses
the fact that the son is personally distinct
from the father, yet he is literally equal to
the father. It means that he is the adequate
imprint of all that the father is. That word
exact representation in the original language
is the word character. Character, it's a Greek
word, but we use it in English, too, don't we?
Character. That term first meant a tool that
was used to engrave, like you would use a tool
to engrave in wood, for example. Then it came
to mean a stamp or an impress, as in a coin or
a seal. Some of you enjoy making Christmas cookies
and to do that you roll out the dough and then
you get out the cookie cutter and You press that
cutter down upon that dough and you you you form
a piece of dough That's the exact representation
of that cookie cutter Now that's a crude and
simple illustration, but it's the idea here of
character Jesus Christ is the exact impress of
God in human flesh, so that when you see Him,
you see exactly what God is like. There is no
name that clearly reveals the deity of Jesus
more than this one. He is, in His very essence,
all that deity is. That's clearly stated in the
Bible. But it took the church literally hundreds
of years to figure out how to say that, how to
communicate it in human terms, to take this biblical
concept and to put it out there in language that
we could all grasp and agree on. That was done
in a final fashion. in the fourth century, in
what is called the Nicene Creed. Although it
was not a creed that was fashioned in its final
form in Nicea, or Nicaea, however that's to be
pronounced, it was done in Constantinople. Nonetheless,
the leaders of the church in the fourth century,
in 381, gathered together and they agreed upon
this statement in the Nicene Creed. We believe...
in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son
of God, begotten of the Father before all the
ages, light of light, true God of true God, begotten
not made, then here's the phrase I'm pointing
toward, of one substance with the Father. Of
one substance through the Father. With the Father,
rather. Now, although it was clearly stated then,
it continued to be debated for a number of decades.
And in 451, a group of church leaders again met
in the East and in the Chalcedonian definition
of the faith. They made this declaration again.
Therefore, following the Holy Fathers, all of
us teach unanimously that everyone must confess.
that our Lord Jesus Christ is one single and
same Son who is perfect according to divinity
and perfect according to humanity, truly God
and truly man, composed of reasonable soul and
a body. And then here's the key phrase that I'm
looking towards today. Consubstantial with the
Father. according to divinity, and consubstantial
with us according to humanity. That word consubstantial
is a theological term that means he is of the
same essence in his nature. In other words, in
his nature, he is of the same essence as God
himself, and he is of the same essence as man,
the God -man. Well, I can almost hear some of
you say, well, doesn't everybody believe that?
And the answer is no. Not everyone does. I wish
everyone did. It is denied by cults like the
Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons, as well as
by our Jewish friends and Muslim friends. It
is a truth that is denied by Christian churches
that are apostate, that have fallen away from
the faith and who deny this truth. This teaching
that I'm bringing to you this morning is one
that is under growing assault in our culture's
pluralistic and tolerant mindset. You will see
these days the Unitarians getting a lot of favorable
press. especially in the Minneapolis newspaper,
because there's a very large Unitarian congregation
in Minneapolis, maybe several of them. They deny
what I'm saying to you this morning regarding
Jesus Christ. That's one reason they're so popular
to the press right now, because they uphold pluralism
and tolerance as they define it. When you don't
believe in anything, it's easy to be tolerant.
Now, because what I have said is true regarding
the nature of Jesus Christ, it is under assault
today. And I'll tell you why. Because it undermines
tolerance as it's defined in our culture. And
because it establishes that there is absolute
truth that is measured by the person of Jesus
Christ. And our age of relativism does not want
to admit that there is any truth that is absolute.
And a third reason it's under assault is because
it assures, this truth assures that there is
a future judgment. And our age does not want
to face judgment. Everything is acceptable. Everything
is okay. It all passes muster according to our
age. But because Jesus Christ is the God of man
Who came into the world to die for our sins and
because he was resurrected from the dead He has
been appointed by God one day to judge all men
This truth of who Jesus is according to the Bible
Cannot coexist with the lies of a godless culture
like we are living in. One or the other is going
to dominate our culture. That's why it is so
important at this Christmas season for us to
reiterate and reaffirm the truth of God's Word
that the Messiah is God's co -equal. We must
never yield ground regarding the unique nature
of Jesus. Believers for 2 ,000 years have at
times confessed this truth with the shedding
of their own blood, if necessary. And we must
be willing to do no less than that. This name,
the Son of the Most High, means that Jesus is
co -equal with God as the Messiah. But there's
a second truth that comes out of this. that I
hasten on to, and that is that the Messiah is
God's King. Not only is He God's co -equal, He
is God's King. God's King. That means two things.
First it means that all things in heaven and
earth are under His authority. You may recall
that in Genesis chapter 14, Abraham returned
victorious from the battle where he went to rescue
Lot, and he was met by a man who was the king
of Salem, as it was called in that day. Later
it was called Jerusalem. So it was a pagan, gentile
city in that day. He was met by Melchizedek,
this king, this king priest of Salem. And he
offered to him... tithes of all, and calls him
the priest of the Most High God." Notice that
title. The priest of the Most High. Now here's
a man who is a Gentile, who by God's providence
and God's design down through the generations
had come to believe in the Most High God at the
same time as Abraham. There were no Jews yet.
There was no Israel yet. Abraham was still there.
He had not produced a seed yet. And here is this
man who is a priest of the Most High God. That
name is El Elion. It's a compound name. El, the
name for God. And then Elion. God the Most High.
and he is called there the possessor of heaven
and earth. The possessor of heaven and earth.
That's why I say to you that Jesus Christ, who
is Elyon, is Messiah's King, and that all things
in heaven and earth are under his authority.
In Deuteronomy 32 and verse 8, It says that El
Yon possesses the earth and divided the nations
among their assigned territories. Well, that's
an interesting idea. What does it mean? El Yon
possessed the earth and divided the nations,
their assigned territories. Well, it's reflecting
back on Genesis chapter 10. Chronologically,
Genesis chapter 11 comes before chapter 10. And
in chapter 11, you have the power of Babel and
the scattering of humanity as a part of God's
judgment. In chapter 10, you have the record
of where the descendants of Noah then lived.
According to Ham, Japheth first, then Ham. and
then sham for the Semites. And so it was the
Lord who decided where these descendants of the
sons of Noah would live once they had been scattered.
He assigned to them their territories, their
boundaries. He has the right to do that. He is
Elyon. And then in the book of Daniel, as we
pointed out earlier, this book of Gentile Prophecy,
This name El Yon is used a number of times including
in Daniel 425 where it says seven times will
pass by you until you acknowledge that the Most
High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and
gives them to anyone he wishes. Are you tracking
with me? I'm saying to you that El Yon is the
one who possesses heaven and earth, and as a
result of that, he has a right to give it to
whomever he wishes. And Jesus Christ is El Yom.
He is the Son of the Most High. He rules over
all things on the earth, and not only on the
earth, but in heaven as well, the invisible heavenlies.
That other realm that is all around us, the invisible
realm of the angels is a realm that must obey
his authority. Only on two occasions in the New
Testament record was Jesus called the Son of
the Most High. And both of these times it was
spoken by angelic creatures. We read one here
in Luke where the angel Gabriel used that term.
calling him the son of the Most High. You may
be surprised where the other time occurs. It's
also in Luke chapter 8 this time, and verse 28.
Jesus and his disciples sailed to the region
of the Gasserines, which is across the lake from
Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met
by a demon -possessed man from the town. For
a long time, this man had not worn clothes or
lived in a house, but had lived in tombs. When
he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet,
shouting at the top of his voice, What do you
want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God?
Now who is this that is speaking? It is the demon.
the fallen angel within this man. And he is the
one who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of
the Most High God. Only here, and in Luke chapter
1, is Jesus given this name, Son of the Most
High. And both times it is confessed by angelic
creatures. Now because he is Messiah's king and
he rules in the invisible realm of heaven, and
the visible realm of earth. It is not surprising
to hear him say, just before he goes back into
heaven, to his disciples, all authority is given
to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and
make disciples of all nations. There's the king
speaking. All authority is mine, he says. And
now I delegate authority to you. You go and make
disciples of all nations." It's a wonderful thought.
A wonderful thought. He is God's King. And it
means, first of all, that all things in heaven
and earth are under His authority. But secondly,
it means that He will Himself one day return
and rule over the earth in fulfillment of the
Old Testament prophecies. Notice in Luke chapter
1 that it says, he will be great and be called
the son of the Most High. The Lord God will give
him the throne of his father David, and he will
reign over the house of Jacob forever. Now this
goes back to that covenant that God made in the
Old Testament with David. Remember David wanted
to build God a house. God said no David your
hands are covered with blood. You're a man of
war but David I So appreciate your heart That
I'm going to build a house for you And he didn't
mean a physical structure he meant a dynasty
a line of Kings a household And he says now I
will make your name great like the names of the
greatest men of the earth. I will provide a place
for my people Israel. We'll plant them so that
they can have a home of their own and no longer
be disturbed. I will also give you rest from
your enemies. The Lord declares to you that the
Lord Himself will establish a house for you.
When your days are over and you rest with your
fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed
you. You will come who will come from your own
body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is
the one who will build a house for my name, and
I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
I will be his father, and he will be my son."
Now, that's an amazing statement. Remember, this
is oriental thinking. Here, God is not merely
saying, he will be my servant. God is saying,
regarding David's son, he will be my son. And
I will be his father." And we know that this
covenant, this statement in the covenant was
partially fulfilled in Solomon, David's son,
who did build that magnificent temple in Jerusalem.
But there is meaning here beyond that, because
there is one who is greater than Solomon who
came. and who is the son of David, and that is
the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is he, David's
son, who will reign over the house of Jacob,
that is Israel, forever and forever. In Psalm
2, God declares this to be true. I have established
my king on Zion, my holy hill. And the King says,
I will proclaim the decrees of the Lord. He said
to me, you are my son. Today I have become your
father. But now the Davidic King, one of David's
sons, could say that in one sense. But there
is one who can say it in the ultimate sense,
and who in the New Testament is said to be the
fulfillment of those words. To whom God said,
you are my son. Today I have become your father.
and that is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the
Son of David, and He will return and rule over
the earth in fulfillment of all of these prophecies
to David and others. And so Messiah is not only
God's co -equal, but Messiah is His King, and
that's what the name the Son of the Most High
means. What can be our response to this? None
other than what Psalm 2 says. Therefore you kings,
this is now Messiah speaking to the kings, other
kings of the earth. You kings, be wise. Be warned,
you rulers of the earth. First thing he says
is, wisen up. Be instructed. He goes on to say,
serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the son. Kiss the son. lest he be angry
with you and you be destroyed in your way, for
his wrath can flare up in a moment. To kiss the
Son is the picture of one coming before a mighty
King and bowing down and kissing his ring or
kissing his feet. There's a picture of reverence,
a picture of submission to this great King. So
Messiah says, kiss the Son. Lest the wrath of
God come upon you. Matthew Henry said, blessed
will be those in the day of wrath who by trusting
in Christ have made Him their refuge and patron.
Have you taken refuge in the Lord? Have you made
Him your protector? Have you come to Him for
salvation? You see this term, the Son of the
Highest, demands a commitment from us. We have
to make a choice. We have to choose either to
live as a willing subject of this kingdom, by
taking refuge in Christ, or to live as a condemned
rebel outside of his kingdom, only to be destroyed.
by his wrath. And every one of us faces that
decision, whether we will willingly subject ourselves
to him, that is, as it were, come to this king
and kiss him, or if we will turn and go our own
way to our own destruction. The son of the Most
High has David's throne, but I'll tell you something.
Today, the throne he's looking for is the throne
of your heart. That's the throne he wants to
have. And that's the throne he deserves to have
because he's the son of the Most High who came
for the lowest of us and died on the cross. so
that God can now forgive us if we will kiss the
son and give our lives to him. Let's pray together.
Friend, have you come to that place in your own
spiritual pilgrimage? This one who is the son
of the Most High longs to be the king who sits
on the throne of your heart. And let me be clear,
your heart represents the real you. It's where
you do business. It's where your decisions are
made. It's where your values are fashioned. It's
where you decide what is important. There in
that heart, Jesus Christ desires and deserves
to be king. Will you let him come into your heart?
establish His rule there. There is no greater
privilege, no higher honor that you can have
than to allow Him to so rule. And you can do
that right now just by asking Him to come in
and giving Him your heart, telling Him to take
the throne of your life. Will you do that? Lord
Jesus. What a name is this for you? It is a name
filled with glory. And we give you glory and
praise today that you, the son of the highest,
came born of a virgin for those of us who are
the lowest among men. And you came that you might
raise us to reign with yourself. We bless your
name, and we adore you today. Would you stand
with me please with your head down? Let's sing
together.