Elements from this morning’s gathering

Call to Worship

Psalm 93

The Lord is king!
He is robed in majesty.
Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.
You yourself are from the everlasting past.

The floods have risen up, O Lord.
The floods have roared like thunder;
the floods have lifted their pounding waves.

But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore—
the Lord above is mightier than these!

Your royal laws cannot be changed.
Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.

Lectio Divina on John 18:37

On this Christ the King Sunday, we’ll take a few moments to let our imaginations usher us into the world of Scripture. Today’s Gospel Reading comes from John 18. It captures a conversation between Jesus and Pontius Pilate, just before Jesus is sentenced to death. 

The question on Pilate’s mind is this: is Jesus really a king?
Because he sure doesn’t seem to be acting like one. 

He asks him, “are you really the King of the Jews?” 

And Jesus replies:
“My kingdom doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight… But I’m not that kind of king – I’m not the world’s kind of king.”

Pilate is bewildered, perhaps a bit unsettled, at this man who seems non-defensive… trusting… self-giving… even to the end. Here, sitting several feet apart, are two men – both hold great power  – but they hold it in very different ways.

Now, begin to imagine yourself sitting in the room alongside Pilate and Jesus. 

Hear Pilate ask Jesus again – “so are you a king or not?”

And Jesus replies:

“You tell me. You say that I am a king – and for this I have come into the world: to demonstrate the power of truth. All who love the truth listen to my voice.”

Let’s listen to Jesus’ words again.This time, see if  any particular words, phrases, or images are highlighted for you. Don’t overthink it – just notice if anything stands out. 

“You say that I am a king – and for this I have come into the world: to demonstrate the power of truth. All who love the truth listen to my voice.” 

Finally, take a moment to talk and listen God about whatever comes up for you. 

Scripture Readings

Readings from Matthew 2, 5, & 6

From that time Jesus began to announce:
“Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of the heavens!”

His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them. 

‘Flourishing are the poor and dependent,
  because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs.

You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who harass you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father is perfect…

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy,
may your Kingdom come, may your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven…

For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

A Reading from Revelation 5

Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?”

But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 

But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David’s tree, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll…”

Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne… He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne… The moment he took the scroll… they sang a new song:

Worthy! Take the scroll, open its seals…

I looked again. I heard a company… ten thousand times ten thousand their number, thousand after thousand after thousand in full song:

The slain Lamb is worthy!
Take the power, the wealth, the wisdom, the strength!
Take the honor, the glory, the blessing!

Then I heard every creature in Heaven and earth, in underworld and sea, join in, all voices in all places, singing:

To the One on the Throne! To the Lamb!
The blessing, the honor, the glory, the strength,
For age after age after age.