Week 4 Kingdom Come

Pastoral Introduction

If we have not met I am pastor Lewis I serve as one of the pastors here at Ankeny First. I want to welcome you if you are worshiping online with us either today on Sunday morning or any other time. and I want welcome you here in the room as well.

Introduction to Children’s Program

This time the advent season we have been anticipate the king and the kingdom that has come. But the people thought that the king would come bring justice and peace, to do what is right in the land, A king that would come in power and triumph. But our king came in an unexpected way to an unsuspecting people. So in a moment I am going to be quiet and sit back with you all and hear some of our youngest disciples share with us just who this king was and just what kingdom might be coming.

Transition to Music

Litany Prayer

Loving Father,

We gather to celebrate your presence with us;

to offer You our praise and our prayers,

our love and our obedience.

Through the gift of Your own Spirit,

You abide with us

and in us.

We rejoice in Your love for us,

and in the life we have been given

through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Open our eyes to recognize Your presence here among us;

open our hearts to the love that You have for us;

open our minds to the truth You would reveal to us.

Lord in your mercy; Hear our Prayer

Help us to remember

that your kingdom has come,

that it is growing among us now,

and that the time will come

when it fills the world with justice and love.

And so we pray for your coming,

to those around the world

whose poverty, pain, trauma, and grief

make your kingdom feel like a distant dream;

Lord in your mercy; Hear our Prayer

to those in our community

who long to see your love and justice

expressed through your followers;

to those in your Church

who seek to be faithful and to make a difference

while juggling the needs of themselves and their families;

and to us,

who long to know you more,

and to live as citizens of your kingdom

in this place and time.

Lord in your mercy; Hear our Prayer

We pray for peace:

Give peace to the world

Give peace to the victims of war, the refugees, the widowed and the orphans.

Give peace to family and friends; to those who have quarreled and need to be reconciled.

Give peace in our own divided hearts.

Help us to be peacemakers in our own homes, at our work or wherever we meet people, so that

the peace and goodwill of this season can find a place in the hearts of all.

Lord in your mercy; Hear our Prayer

We pray for friends and family who are ill at this time, and remember them in the quietness of our hearts. We bring them to you

in the confidence that you love them and know their every need and that your healing power is still the same today. Bless all that is

being done for their recovery and answer our prayers

Lord in your mercy; Hear our Prayer

We pray also for the person we so often neglect to pray for, ourselves

We remember the words of a hymn let peace begin on earth and let it begin with me

Oh God as we prepare our hearts and minds for your manger,

may the hope, love, joy, and peace that we know defines your kingdom, define our kingdom also.

We cry out to you both in praise as lament as we bring our selves before you in this moment of silent worship

Lord let your light shine through us so that others can know you

(10 seconds of silence)

Lord in your mercy; Hear our Prayer

Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay;

give new courage to your people, who trust in your love.

By your coming, raise us to share in the joy of your kingdom

on earth as in heaven,

where you live and reign with the Father and the Spirit,

And in that spirit we pray the prayer that you taught us saying....

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.

And 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.

Celebration

Reach Beyond Update

began at 1.8 mil

1,358,775 has been given by 403 households

We should be under a half million by the end of the year far ahead of the goal

A Night In Bethlehem

-families gathered last Sunday night for the advent celebration

-over 200 were counted in the "census"

-families visited the Bethlehem marketplace in biblical attire

-"paid taxes" of canned goods (over 200 collected for DMARC)

-sang congregational Christmas carols and enjoyed a special performance by KidZone

-assembled nativity crafts as they experienced the events of Jesus' birth

Respond/Offering

Review that our offering on Xmas eve is missional

review the three recipients of xmas eve offering

Bidwell Riverside - Des Moines

Malawi - International

New Horizon’s - local to our community

Sermon

The week in wrap

Overview

We are anticipating a king

A king that truly might change the way that we do everyday life here in Ankeny Iowa

If we are anticipating a king we are also preparing to be part of the kingdom

We say here on earth as it is in heaven

to make earth look like

to actually think about being a small part in shifting what the kingdom of the earth is to what heaven must be like

That is a God sized dream

That is a miracle

And that is why we are preparing for a miracle

We aren’t just waiting for another Christmas Eve we are preparing ourselves once again to stand in awe and worship of the King Jesus

Week 1- the king comes to do what is right and just

Week 2 - that the king comes not in judgement over others, but in forgiveness for them

Week 3 - The king comes to rescue us and to hold us close. Pastor Angie put it that it is like a mother comforting their child saying it’s going to be alright

Candle of Peace

You know as much as I wish I could say that this season is categorized by peace I don’t also what I expect out of this Christmas season

I expect business, and gathering, and events to attend

When I think our world it doesn’t seem so peaceful

Peace seems to be a rare commodity, or perhaps our Christmas peace was effected by supply chain problems

maybe our peace is on a container ship somewhere in the ocean.

The problem is in the definition

But this seems to be the disconnect

And I think it is because I so often think of peace as a lack of conflict

If someone asks me are you at peace so and so I quickly think about if I have had any disagreements with them.

But our king doesn’t bring that type of peace

King Jesus doesn’t solve the conflicts and erase them.

but there is a different type of peace that categorizes this kingdom.

Intro to Micah

Micah is calling out all of the injustices of the pharoahs

Micah 5:2 NRSV

But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

Micah 5:4–5 NRSV

And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace. If the Assyrians come into our land and tread upon our soil, we will raise against them seven shepherds and eight installed as rulers.

Intro to the John passage

Right as Jesus is about to leave his followers

John 14:27 NRSV

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

You can be at peace even if you are not in peace

This time of year is often a blue Christmas for many

We often think of peace as a lack of conflict, violence, or opposition

But peace is a frame of mind that is in the midst of conflict and violence

The fact that Jesus gives peace not as the world gives it is telling

The world gives avoidance and escape Jesus offers us peace that surpass our understanding

Beyond Circumstances

Sometimes we enter into the Christmas season because we think that it will be one glimpse or glimmer of a break from everything else

Christ was not in peace but Christ was at peace

This is coming to the disciples as Jesus is leaving them for good

Jesus is telling his friends that he’s leaving

What you understand about kingdom, but we are going to receive a different type of king

Common funeral passage - God’s peace is offered to us when we are grieving

The King comes from unexpected places to bring peace

Unexpected peace – look at the church that brings peace0

The church is where we expect God’s peace to live, but what if the Kingdom of God was not just for the church, but also for the world

Keep your eyes peeled

Benediction

Christmas we often think of as a pause for us, a reprie, but actually the peace that Christ offers is one that changes us up, restores us, and sends us back out to do the work of the kingdom of God. So beloved children go fourth in the peace that Christ offers us, to shine the light of love, hope, joy, and peace in that you do.