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ANGLICAN PARISH OF ATWELL/SUCCESS THE CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION Sunday Bulletin Christ the King – 22th November 2009 |
Christ the King
The word king is likely to bring to mind images of great wealth, great power and great possessions. The king is someone who is the real boss, someone in control of lots of land, possessions and people. Another image is the coronation of a king or queen where there is a crown and great pomp and ceremony. It is with some irony then that Pilate asks Jesus if he is the King of the Jews. He asks this in a mocking way, yet Jesus stands firm and keeps his dignity and in so doing maintains the moral high ground and causes Pilate to dictate the action that follows. The celebration of Christ the King is really about the post resurrection and the ascent of Jesus into heaven where he sits at his Father’s right hand judging the world. It is the resurrection that gives Jesus his high status as king. We can also look at this picture of Jesus as the servant of all being raised up to the exulted position that was done after him coming to earth and taking on human form.
In the modern information age where absolute monarchies are a thing of the past and the world is working towards all countries being democracies and being free from absolute rule, what type of image does the one f Christ the King really represent? The secret in this is to actually think of a king who does have power and one who does rule over all aspects of life. If we submit to Jesus and all he asks of us and be totally subjected to him then we are letting Jesus rule our lives. The result is not oppression but rather freedom and the key to eternal life that is what we are celebrating today in the feast of Christ the King.
Fr Clive
Sentence
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing. Revelation 5.12
Prayer of the day
Everlasting God, whose will is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son,
our Lord and King: grant that the people of earth, now divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his gentle and loving rule;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading: 2 Samuel 23:1-7
Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man whom God exalted, the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favorite of the Strong One of Israel:The spirit of the Lord speaks through me,
his word is upon my tongue. The God of Israel has spoken, the Rock of Israel has said to me: One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
gleaming from the rain on the grassy land. Is not my house like this with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away; for they cannot be picked up with the hand; to touch them one uses an iron bar or the shaft of a spear. And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot.
For the word of the Lord; thanks be to God.
Psalm 132: 1-12
1 Lord, remember David and all his trouble:
how he swore an oath to the Lord, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob;
2 “I will not enter the shelter of my house:
nor climb into the comfort of my bed;
3 “I will not give sleep to my eyes:
or slumber to my eyelids,
4 “Till I find out a place for the ark of the Lord:
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”?
5 Lo, we heard of it at Ephrathah:
we found it in the fields of Ja-ar.
6 Let us go to the place of his dwelling:
let us fall upon our knees before his footstool.
7 Arise, O Lord, into your resting-place:
you, and the ark of your might.
8 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness:
and let your faithful ones shout for joy.
9 For the sake of David your servant:
do not turn away the face of your anointed.
10 The Lord has sworn to David:
an oath which he will not break;
11 “One who is the fruit of your body:
I will set upon your throne.
12 “If your children will keep my covenant and the commands which I teach them:
their children also shall sit upon your throne for ever”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion for himself:
he has desired it for his habitation.
14 “This shall be my resting-place for ever:
here will I dwell, for my delight is in her.
15 “I will bless her provisions with abundance:
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 “I will clothe her priests with salvation:
and her faithful ones shall shout for joy.
17 “There will I make a horn to sprout for the family of David:
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 “As for his enemies, I will cover them with shame:
but upon his head shall his crown be bright.”
Second Reading: Revelation 1:4-8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. ”I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
For the word of the Lord; thanks be to God.
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John 18:33-37
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
| Intercessions
This Parish: Fr Clive, Diane and Karen. Diocese: Archbishop Roger Herft, Bp Brian Kyme, Parish of North Perth. Mission Plan Prayer: Thank you, God, for people with big new ideas for mission; connect them with the helpers who will make the visions into reality. Province: Parishes of Jerramungup and Kalbarri. Anglican Church: Archbishop Rowan Williams, Archbishop Phillip Aspinall; Diocese of Willochra, Bp Garry Wetherill, clergy and people. Anglican Community: Church in Sudan. Those in need:
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NOTICES
Today: We welcome Fr Clive McCallum to preside and preach.
Carol Service Sunday 13th December here at 5.00pm
Please stay for a cuppa after the service.
Readings Next Sunday, First Sunday of Advent (P), 29 Nov 2009.
Jer 33:14-16; Psalm: 25:1-10; 1 Thess 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-38
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