THE SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE ADVENT
CHRIST THE KING
22nd November 2025
Greetings,
Christ is the King O friends rejoice!
Tomorrow, at the culmination of the church's year we celebrate the kingship of Christ. As a Christian festival it's a relatively modern one, a 20th century riposte to dictators such as Stalin and Hitler who declared humanity to be master of its own destiny and derided Christianity for its weakness. That was hardly new. In the Roman Empire Christians were scorned for their worship of one who had died on a cross, suffering a shameful and humiliating end. In worldly terms it made no sense which explains the irony in the words of Pontius Pilate when he presented Jesus to the crowd saying Behold the King of the Jews.
In worldy terms the kingship of Christ is a nonsense. The statements Jesus is Lord and Christ is King are steeped in irony for in him lordship and sovereignty were redefined, culminating in his 'coronation', death on a cross. It only makes sense if, through the eyes of faith we can see the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as declaring what God is like. God is not, as commonly perceived, the puppet master on high who has to be cajoled into acting for us. St. John the Evangelist declared God is love, the vulnerable and sustaining presence indwelling all creation and in the resurrection of Jesus we see the affirmation that, even in the face of death, love will not be defeated.
Of course, we get it all wrong and cast God in the image of worldly power, kings emperors and worse. But, from time to time our false perception is pierced by the light of faith. At this dark time of the year the manifold darkness of the world seems especially ominous and in worship we invoke the light of the crucified and risen Lord. May that light dispel our false perception and grant us peace and joy as disciples of Christ the King whatever the challenges we face.
Blessings,
Charles Booth
The Pew Sheet is attached with readings and notices.
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