Christ as King
REIGN OF CHRIST SUNDAY
November 21, 2021
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Thank you to Rev. Shirley Cochrane for leading our worship this Reign of Christ Sunday.
- We praise and thank God that Rev. Ena van Zoeren was able to have her surgery this past week and was kept safe in travel avoiding all the flooding and destruction of roads that cut off travel to and from Vancouver. We continue to pray for a speedy recovery and that Rev. Ena will be strengthened and renewed day by day by the hand of God.
- St. Andrew's remembers our shut-ins today and prays that this service will be a blessing to you and indeed to all who worship online today. May God bless and keep you!
CALL TO WORSHIP
Say among the nations, The Lord reigns.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The Lord is coming to judge the earth.
God will judge the world with righteousness and truth.
So, let us worship God with praise and honour.
We will offer our thanks and praise for all that God has done.
HYMN 103 O Lord thou art my God and King
PRAYER of ADORATION
God of Power and Possibility, In Jesus Christ, you have tipped the world upside down. You have revealed your strength through weakness and your power through his surrender to the Cross. The story of salvation you have told your people across the ages teaches us that nothing,
no seemingly dead end or hopeless situation, can prevent your glory from shining forth.
This day, we proclaim Jesus as King and offer you our love and loyalty. Turn the world upside down once more, so that your mercy prevails over those who would rule by force, and your truth triumphs over the world’s deceptions. All honour and blessing be yours, Holy God, world without end. In humility we pray before you saying ….
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Lord Jesus Christ,
we pray for the coming of your kingdom week by week,
but we confess we’re not exactly clear on what that means.
Will you come to set things straight in the world?
Will you come to judge us and show us where we’ve all gone wrong?
Will you bring all things to an end, or will you offer us a new beginning? Jesus, forgive us when we mix up our own desires
with your purposes for your people. Teach us how to live out your truth. In your name we pray AMEN
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Remember the promise Apostle Paul declares: “What will separate us from the love of Christ? Hardship? Distress? Peril or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through the God who loves us. Let us rejoice that, no matter what is happening around us,
no matter what we have done, God’s deep love will never let us go.”
THE PEACE
May the peace of the risen Christ be with you ….and also with you
HYMN 268 All hail King Jesus x2
All hail King Jesus.
All hail Emmanuel,
King of kings, Lord of lords,
bright Morning Star,
and throughout eternity
I'll sing your praises,
and I'll reign with you
throughout eternity.
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 93
1 The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength;
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved
2 Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.
3 The seas have lifted up, O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the Lord on high is mighty.
5 Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
holiness adorns your house
for endless days. O Lord
John 18: 33-37
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
SERMON Christ as King
May the words of may mouth and the mediation of all our hearts be acceptable in you sight O Lord Amen
The Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. 4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the Lord on high is mighty. The whole psalm we just heard provides us with a glimpse of the kingdom
The image in the psalm is intense! Many of us have seen the devastation this past week brought when the “rivers lift up their pounding waves.” - over the lower half of BC The churning waters are the very definition of chaos in a world gone crazy, Just as frightening to us as it was to ancient peoples Although I don’t think anyone here experienced first hand the fear and isolation floods and washouts created, I know we have all been affected in some way
The mighty waters - rivers in southern BC have certainly caused untold chaos and devastation this past week. I suspect the general population -even warned that a “weather bomb” was going to make landfall - had absolutely no idea what was on the doorstep of the province. No one was prepared to have the lower mainland completely isolated – and a province cast into panic. No one expects the “experts” , you or anyone else to be able to see clearly into the future.
Scripture assures us God controls even the most chaotic natural forces on the earth. Yet this does not mean God sends natural disasters. Just as with the rest of the universe, creation runs by a set of natural laws. Weather and climate changes all function by their own set rules. The problem comes with the growing human population. We no longer are migratory and we live complacently in places that sometimes receives the negative side of that natural order. These disasters are sometimes simply unexplainable. We remain completely unable to control the chaotic side of the creation. It appears this is one of the limits that is set for humans in the universe.
Today is “Christ the King” Sunday and for very good reason. It is the recognized year end for the church cycle. Advent begins a new church year It begins retelling the gospel story all over again Going into the Christmas season is the perfect time for us to remember who Christ really is and what Christ really did so that we can put his birth into proper perspective
“For this I was born.” Jesus has always known his purpose. The angel made this proclamation before his birth that he would "... save His people from their sins.”( Matt 1” 21) Throughout his life, this was foremost in His mind. He knew that He was born to die. The important issue of Christmas is not so much that Jesus came, but why He came. And it is important for us to fully realize going into Christmas what this purpose was and is !
All through scripture, the Messiah was foretold. - Christ was a long expected savior. However, not knowing what was “going to be in the box once it was opened,” the Jews dreamed of a conquering hero who would destroy all of their captors, set them free, and be the strongest military leader they had ever seen…that is exactly what they expected the Messiah to be.
Now enter Jesus. Think of what his life was like. He was a wanderer, a teacher, a man who insisted on turning the other cheek, a man who uplifted the meek and the mild. His earthly, or more accurately, political power was nil.
It just so happens that his war was a spiritual war rather than an earthly war with Rome. But the Chief Priests and other leaders of the day could not see that, - all they could see was their let down expectations and a trouble maker standing in front them. Solution - get rid of him - and wait for the true Messiah.
That is where we enter our text today: Jesus, on trial. Betrayed by one of his close disciples and accused by religious leaders, Jesus is being questioned in private by Pilate. Pilate asks a simple question. “Are you the King of Jews?” Jesus answers “Do you say this of your own accord, or do others say it to you about me?” Pilate rebuffs saying, “Am I a Jew? “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus replies, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
The Jews indeed had huge expectations, and Jesus did not live up to those expectations at all. Jesus does not deny being a king… but simply shows that if he is measured by earthly kings… he is a very poor king at that. So Pilate pushes him… Verse 37 - “You are a king then ?” Jesus answers, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Jesus says up front that the values of his kingdom are different from those of the current system. In other words, Jesus does not have to exercise the type of authority that seeks to be on top, which results in oppression, corruption of the judicial system, and precisely the kind of hypocrisy that Pilate exhibits in the interaction between him and Jesus.
Christ reigns and will reign for eternity however he is the kind of king who redefines our whole notion of kingship. We serve a king like no other - a king who is not seeking power and glory, but humble service to others. Jesus points us in the direction he intends for us, so that we may truly be the real church that our world so desperately needs.
As we enter advent - question yourself -- who do YOU expect Christ to be? What role do you see Jesus playing in your life? Even though we think ourselves much wiser and much better than the chief priests who got it all wrong… we too often find ourselves in the same boat. Many people today have strange and distorted expectations and understandings about who Christ is and what he did.
What does it mean for life in a society where selfishness ,chaos and death appear to hold the better hand?
So maybe the question is - Now what? Where are we headed? As a demonination we are struggling. As a people we continue to slog through the pandemic’s lethal and emotional devastation. Clergy preach to pews that are much emptier than they were when last year came to an end.
Perhaps the larger question for us at this time of year is this: What future do we imagine? Where is our story headed?
What is needed is permission to dream—to guide us into future discipleship, present consolation, and our realistic capacities.
Today is short on answers though long on questions. That’s because we’re talking about the future. At least we get to be part of it. We can give thanks we are blessed and we can be a blessing to others
On Christ the King Sunday, we are reminded that God’s commands and holiness are as constant as the natural order.
As we begin our journey into advent rejoice for we have a Messiah who conquered death and damnation for all who would believe in him.
Offer thanks to God because you’ve made it through this awful year. I’m not saying next year will be any better. But it can be different. So let us join the chorus of shouts “Jesus is King”; let us celebrate God and God’s great kingdom. AMEN
HYMN 275 Jesus shall reign wher’er the sun
- Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
does its successive journeys run;
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more. - For him shall endless prayer be made,
and praises throng to crown his head;
his name like fragrance sweet shall rise
with every morning sacrifice. - People and realms of every tongue
dwell on his love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his name. - Blessings abound where'er he reigns:
the prisoners leap to lose their chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest. - Let every creature rise and bring
the honours due our glorious King;
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the long Amen.
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OFFERING
On the Sunday of Reign of Christ, we declare our love and loyalty to Jesus by the gift of our praise and the offering of our lives. Let your gifts this day proclaim your commitment to him as our Lord and our friend.
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Almighty God, you rule in this world through your love. Receive our gifts as tokens of our love for you. Bless and multiply them through the power of the Spirit, so that they will spread your love in ways we have yet to imagine. Amen
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Sovereign God, who rules all creation, you sent Jesus to testify to your truth. Help us to hear Christ’s voice so that we can teach and work for his politics of justice, grace, peace and love.
Holy One, the Source, Story and Spirit of Love, We praise you for the signs of your reign among us: For hope overcoming despair, trust rising above hurt, love prevailing over hatred, and peace restoring harmony after discord.
God of Hope, We pray that you will comfort this broken world .May the vision of your peaceable kingdom take root—in your church, in our families, in our community, and in countries marked by violence and struggles for power.
God of Wholeness, We pray for a world where differences are overcome by understanding, and everyone can find a place of dignity and respect. Shape our hearts soft with the kindness of your Spirit so that all our relationships honour your image in each person, and our actions and attitudes help you mend the world you love.
We pray for women and girls who feel powerless, alone, hurt or unsafe as a result of witnessing or experiencing violence and trauma. We pray for an end to all forms of gender-based violence and oppression. We lift to you our schools, students, teachers, other staff from pre-school, kindergarten to colleges and university. Many have suffered through closures and uncertainty with cases of Covid. Bless them with good health and safety
God of Life Beyond Death, We pray for all those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, the loss of hope or the loss of a dream. Be present with each one living through a time of sadness or discouragement. Bring them comfort through your presence, and show us how to be good companions on the journey to renewed hope.
WE lift to you all the folks this past week who have gone through fear and distress with the enormous rain fall wiping out roads and highways, stranding people – disruption of rail service , causing hydro and gas failures and placing much of our province in distress. For farmers who have incredible losses of livestock , home, equipment and buildings in deep flooding. For the family who are grieving the death of their loved one in the mudslide and for the families with people still in the missing category
Healing God we pray for those whom we have named before you ….
We give thanks that Ena has come through surgery well and bless her cousin Maria ho is there to be with through all the pre and post op time
…………..
Again Lord we bless and thank you for hearing the prayers still silent in our hearts ………………..
As we honour Christ, the only King and head of the church, we pray for the continuation of Christ’s ministry through the church. We have faced many challenging months, separated by the pandemic and the divisions it has created among us. Send your Holy Spirit to knit the church together; bring renewed life and commitment to each congregation and parish; enliven ecumenical action on needs in every community; open minds and hearts that have experienced disagreement to mutual understanding; and refresh all who are tired out with a vision of the future you will create for us, with us and through us, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Saviour, who taught us to pray together:
THE LORD”S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
HYMN 742 Lead on O king Eternal
- Lead on, O King eternal:
the day of march has come;
hence forth in fields of battle
thy tents shall be our home:
through days of preparation
thy grace has made us strong,
and now, O King eternal,
we lift our battle-song. - Lead on, O King eternal,
till sin's fierce war shall cease,
and holiness shall whisper
the sweet Amen of peace;
for not with swords' loud clashing
nor roll of stirring drum,
but deeds of love and mercy,
thy reign of peace shall come. - Lead on, O King eternal:
we follow, not with fears,
for gladness breaks like morning
where'er thy face appears:
thy cross is lifted o'er us;
we journey in its light;
the crown awaits the conquest;
lead on, O God of might.
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BENEDICTION
We have a great High Priest and King who has passed trough earth and heaven so let us with boldness go out and share the gospel. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loves us and through grace gives us eternal comfort and good hope, and the Holy Spirit comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.
CLOSING SONG