Reign Of Christ 2006

Intro: Today in our church Calendar we mark /no we celebrate the Reign of Christ.

Last of Pentecost (past 24 Sundays/6 months ) Sunday before advent The beginning of the church’s year.
hearing of and being encouraged through the scriptures & exegesis to be about following God’s will for us in the world as individuals/as a church and carrying the Good News message of Christ our Lord & King to the world outside these doors
How we think about Christ being our King/ and the prominence we give Him in our live will have a profound impact in our lives and on our actions both individually and corporately as a church family. How much Christ rules in our lives will determine how effective we will be showing Christ to the world.

Collect: Almighty & everlasting God, Whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, our Lord and King, grant that the peoples of the earth, now divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his gentile and loving rule;

When we think of Rulers, kings, Prime ministers, presedents, we would most likely think of the bad ones. The ones that make the headlines. Sadam Hussien, Taliban, Bush Mulruny, others throuout history. Men and women of immense power who are unafraid to issue orders and compel obedience. Unafraid to ask others, no - to command others, to die for their causes? Makers of Law whether democratically or by Order of Cabinet or Council or Decree and enforcers of their own wills and the will of the State they command? Sometimes with popular approval, and often without?
The scriptures are full of accounts of bad rulers/power seeking/little care for their subjects.
But the scriptures tell us in Rev 17:14 about Jesus, God’s anointed that he “is Lord of lords and King of kings”.
Through Christ all the peoples of the earth, now divided and enslaved by sin: (That is a good picture of the world today) this means everyone and anyone :“who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” They will be brought under Christ’s gentle and loving rule. No coercion/ nor rough stuff/
What a promise! Many people in Iraq, Afganistan, would long to live in a kingdom like that and a ruler like Jesus.

What’s it like to have Christ as King and Lord of our lives:

2nd Reading fro Samuel. David/1 of greatest kings in Isreal history/
Like the light of morning. What a blessing to catch that first glimmer of the morning light. I see it many mornings/seeing the darkness vanish and the light move in to take its place. In the night many things become fearful. ie: if sick through night there is some relief in morning. Like morning makes it a bit better.
Christ is like the sun rising on a cloudless morning /who is morning person/ Seeing the sun rise / rays become warm/ earth begins to come alive/
One gets the feeling of PEACE/AWE of God’s creation/sense of God all around us. We are assured at the very depth of our being that as God is with us what enemy can stand against us.
In Jesus our Joy will be complete. Jesus’ words in John 15:11 confirms this. Living in the joy of the lord can only come by way of his reign in our lives all parts of our lives. Home/family/work/ even the secret parts of our lives. Those parts that we conceal form others.

Our zeal for giving God a home in our hearts should be like David’s zeal to find home for the ark.

Describe the Ark of Covenant. Built by Moses/almost 4’x2.5x2.5’/lined by gold/rings of gold/ 2 Gold cherubim on top facing each other/contained the 2 tablets of the law/ later also gold container of manna/and arron’s staff.
God showed Himself to the people between the cherubim of the ark.
Went before the Israelites wherever they went even into battle.

1. I will not come under the roof of my house- (cozy,sheltered,warmth, etc.)

2. nor climb up into my bed- (cozy, comfortable)

3. I will not allow my eyes to sleep , nor my eyelids to slumber- there will be no rest for him until there was a home for the Ark(God’s presence)

· Here is the lesson for us: We aught not get comfortable in our thinking nor rest until we are sure we have invited God and His anointed (the ark if you will JESUS) into the home of our hearts.

· Next Sunday 1st advent. We begin to preparations as we remember the events leading up to Jesus coming into the world to redeem the world by his love and his sacrifice on the cross.

· We start by proclaiming him King. Giving Him rule over our lives by surrendering our wills to His.