From John F

It was King Charles’ birthday on Monday 14th November. “God save our gracious king…”
This Sunday (20th) many Christians celebrate the festival of “Christ the King”.
As we read the Bible, we discover much about kings and kingship. And we are challenged with two big questions: Firstly

WHO’S KING?
In Old Testament times, the people of Israel had a succession of kings. A few, like King David, were generally God-fearing and wise, seeking to fulfil God’s purpose. But many were self-seeking and unjust, disobeying God’s commands. In the 6th century BC, through the prophet Jeremiah, God promised “The days are coming when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
About 600 years later, God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary, to tell her that she would give birth to a son, to be called Jesus. “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:32-33)

“How God became King” is the title of an excellent book by Tom Wright. It is subtitled “Getting to the heart of the gospels.”   Wright shows that the gospels tell the story of “a Jesus who embodied the living God of Israel and whose cross & resurrection really did inaugurate the kingdom of that God”.
Do we believe that God is King on earth as well as in heaven? If God is really King, why is there still cancer? Why tsunamis? Why is there still tyranny, genocide, child abuse, massive corruption…?
Those issues lead us to the second big question:

WHOSE KING?
 The Bible affirms that, in Jesus Christ, the living God has become King – not just of individual believers, not just of the Church, but of the whole world. We learn that Christ “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:15-18)

However, some people may still refuse to acknowledge him as King. God has given us human beings the ability to choose: we can at present say “No” to his kingship. That is what sin really is: an attitude which says “Shove off, God. I‘m in charge. No to your rule.”
But for those who gladly honour Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords, our prayer is “Your kingdom come…on earth as in heaven.”

Prayer
Eternal Father, whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven that he might rule over all things as Lord and King:
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Category: The Bridge , Thought for the week