Christ Is King/Based on Colossians 1:11-20 / Delivered on November 20, 2016 to CCH

Christ Is King/Based on Colossians 1:11-20 / Delivered on November 20, 2016 to CCH

Hymns: Precious Lord, Take My Hand, Crown Him with Many Crowns, O Worship the King

Colossians 1:11-20

1:11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully

1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

1:13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

1:16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers--all things have been created through him and for him.

1:17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

1:18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.

1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

1:20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

This Sunday is the final of our church year.  Next Sunday we move into Advent and begin a new cycle of lectionary scripture.  We will begin the process of Advent to welcome Jesus into our hearts as a human child in Mary’s arms.  This final Sunday has a different focus.  It is called Christ the King Sunday.  It invites us to acknowledge Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Right in between these two Sundays is Thanksgiving!

Lots of things to explore. 

The three topics I’m focusing on this morning are:

Be prepared to endure

We are reconciled to God

Christ is King

Be prepared to endure

The scripture for today starts right off with a reminder that we are not given peace on earth right now.  We must be prepared to endure.  We are strengthened by God, but it is still our task to endure, and add in that it should be in patience and joy.  “1:11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 1:12 giving thanks to the Father.”

When Jesus rose to be a leader on earth there were many who expected him to lead them into battle with Rome.  Their prayers were focused on the need that was right before them.  God’s answer to that prayer was - I love you and will never leave you.  In the Old Testament story of Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den God’s love didn’t prevent it from happening.  Instead God was with him in the den.  In the Old Testament story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being thrown into a fiery furnace.  Personally, my prayer would have been to be saved from that event – instead God saved them within that event.

As I was pondering this scripture the image that came to me was of an endurance athlete.  The Apostle Paul often talked of the Christian life as running a race.  The difference between a normal athletic event and an endurance athletic event is that in the later you must eat during the event because your body’s store of energy is fully consumed in the effort.  For us to endure we must pull in the strength God is offering often!  The other part of this image that made me smile was the fact endurance athletes do these events on purpose.  They are not running from something.  They are running to meet their goals and they tend to do so with a smile on their face and joyful excitement in their hearts even through the physical pain that such events bring.

I have done a lot of praying in my past to have God remove struggles from my path.  God’s word to us today is a reminder that a better response to times of trouble is to pray for God’s strength as we pass through those struggles.  Precious Lord take my hand is the right prayer to pray.  Remember God loves us and will never leave us.  We are offered His strength to refuel us when our store of energy has been depleted. 

We are reconciled to God

Verse 12 goes on to say God “has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.  He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

We can endure our hardships with joy and thanksgiving when remembering the bigger battle is already won for us.  Verse 20, through Jesus “God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.”

One of the definitions of the word “reconcile” is “cause to coexist in harmony; make or show to be compatible”.  Many of you know I have a love of music to this definition spoke to me.  The word discord in musical terms means you are out of harmony.  Discord also means disagreement, strife, conflict, friction, and hostility.  Jesus death on the cross brought me into harmony with God.  If I am feeling discord surround me that means I’m listening to the wrong song.

Christ is King

It was back in 1928 when this Sunday was designated as “Christ the King”.  It was a time of great political unrest in Europe.  The pope set apart this last Sunday in the Christian year to remember Christ in his position as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  It is just as relevant today as it was in 1928.  The Kings of this world have a temporary place in leadership.  Christ is our shepherd King for all time.

This letter to the Colossians states it without a doubt.

1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

1:16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers--all things have been created through him and for him.

1:17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

1:18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.

The segment of Hallelujah Chorus came to mind.

The kingdom of this world is become

The Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ

And of His Christ, and of His Christ

And He shall reign for ever and ever

Today we honor Christ as King.  Next Sunday we honor him as God’s son come as a baby in a manger.  His life with us made God visible.  The scripture doesn’t say his is like God, it says “He is the image of the invisible God.”

Endure.  Endure like an athlete that is running with joy and excitement to reach a goal.  Pull strength from God as you need because this is an endurance event which means you must replenish during the journey.  Pain is a part of the path, but be confident you can pass through it with God by your side.

If you find yourself with feelings of disagreement, strife, conflict, friction, and hostility stop and consider you may be aligning yourself with the wrong song and that is why you are feeling this discord.  Christ has brought us into harmony with God.  Tune yourself to Christ’s voice and you will sense the discord ease.

Finally, remember who’s you are.  You are a child of God.  You are a member of Christ’s Kingdom.  I believe this kingdom is among us now.  Scripture supports this.  Christ is our King and our Lord now and forever.  Do not let your heart be troubled.  Worship the King, our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend.

I wish you a Happy Christian New Year, happy Thanksgiving, and a warm welcome to the season of Advent.  Blessings to you on your journey.

Amen