CHRIST THE KING 24 11 24
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
NEW TESTAMENT READING: Revelation 1:4-8
GOSPEL READING John 18:33-37
‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ This what Jesus said when Pilate questioned him if he was a King.
This is the last Sunday of the liturgical year and we are concluding by celebrating Jesus the king and affirming that we are subjecting ourselves to his kingship and authority.
We heard some spectacular readings today. Daniel much before the time of Jesus saw a grand vision of Jesus, the Son of God as the king, he wrote his visions:
‘As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.’ This was a prophetic vision of the glory of Jesus as the king of all nations. His kingdom is everlasting.
It is quite amazing that the similar kind of vision was revealed to John, in his vision of Jesus as the King John saw: ‘To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen.’
John tells us that on the cross of calvary Jesus offered himself as a sacrificial lamb and by his blood made us as a kingdom and priests serving God. Jesus will be seen as a king as he comes in his glory.
We belong to the kingdom of Jesus, us and all those who believe in him. Jesus made it clear to Pilate that his kingdom is a heavenly kingdom and it is not like any earthly kingdom. This is a kingdom where people subject to his authority and his purposes.
We just now reminded ourselves as we sang,
‘The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never; I nothing lack if I am his, and he is mine forever.’
Jesus is our King, a king of love who shepherds us and keeps us safe and guides us in the path of life. Lovingly Jesus invites us to be part of his heavenly Kingdom, by being part of his kingdom we enjoy his heavenly kingdom in the here and now of our lives. He fills our lives with heavenly Joy and peace.
He is our king and we face suffering as he did, falsely condemned yet standing courageously, in his kingship even death has been overcome and eternal life is granted to all who believe in him.