King of Kings
Prince Charles has indicated in the past that when he does ascend to the throne, he will become, in a gesture to his late grandfather, King George VII, rather than King Charles III.
His titles include at present Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland, Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Great Master and First and Principal Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight of the Order of Australia, Member of the Queen's Service Order, Lord of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty
The grand titles in our epistle today, sound similar, but even more grand…
Jesus is
· the image of the unseen God
· the firstborn of all creation
· creator of all things in heaven and earth, things visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, powers!
· He is before all things
· He holds everything together
· Head of the body, the church
· The Beginning
· The firstborn from the dead
· In him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell…
Take even one of these titles, and dwell upon it.
They are all awe inspiring. How marvellous this Jesus we believe in!
Not only is his life on earth the best catalogued amnd recorded, people who witnessed his life and death and rising, would have been still alive to object to those writings when they were written down, if they contained what was false.
His words, his deeds, his character, speak not of someone mad or evil or deluded; but his beauty shines through everything he did and said.
Prophecies were fulfilled at his coming, about thirty of them alone on the day of his death.
And what's more he is the living Lord in many people's lives and experiences today.
No other has claimed what he claimed himself to be; and disciples filled with his resurrection life and filled with his Spirit, described him in this way.
In our gospel, we see that the very death that claimed him, became the most beautiful proclamtion of love the world has ever known.
In the face of hatred and treachery, he prayed for those who mocked him and crucified him…
'Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.' He was 'True' to the end of his earthly life.
We are the king's servants: not kings ourselves as some would have us believe today. The Christian faith is about service, of lives laid down and surrendered, of carrying a cross.
Many believe today in Self: it's the in word at present…
Self-realisation, self-fulfilment, self-help, self-confidence, self-improvement, self-worth, self-esteem and self-love.
SELF- DENIAL however somehow just doesn’t get a look in!
The highest goal for people in this New Age of Spiritual Enlightenment is to find one's own happiness, satisfaction and success. To find oneself is to find God, they say.
Kneel to yourself. Honour and worship your own being. God dwells within as your own self.
This is not all that far from seeing yourself as God, as King, and so where is God?
His position has been usurped, and he is dethroned.
Today's trend is to pursue other kings and other kingdoms …many people turn to occult practices; spiritism, astrology, consulting the dead, spirit guides, sorcery, divination, spells…
Have you not noticed a darkness and dingyness about many shops today who deal in such wares?
Visit any leading bookstore today s and ask for the religious section, and you'll be directed to a new spirituality there… Mind and Body!
Is Jesus King of our hearts and minds or is he not? Does He rule in our lives?
It's time for us to wake from the dead and shake off all works of darkness and put on the light of Christ and make our stand for Him.
Wherever God rules over the human heart as King, this is where the kingdom of God is established. He must be restored to his rightful place, and we can do this when we cause his kingdom to grow in the hearts and our minds of people.
We've got to start blessing others, and lift them out of their darkness. There are too many who are lost, and who don't realise that the king is here, and wanting to be part of their lives.
It's when we worship our King, he is glorified and magnified, and his kingdom grows.
Handel was a composer who was greatly misunderstood. People thought his music, especially the Messiah was too profane for the church, and too sacred for the common places, yet he still persevered and played his inspirational music wherever he was allowed to.
Handel confided to a friend that while he had been writing the Messiah's Hallelujah Chorus, that he had a religious vision in which, he said, 'I did think I did see all Heaven before me - and the great God himself.
Eventually Handel appeared before the King himself, King George II, and played his music for him.
When it came to the part when the choir sang of the kingdoms of the world, some say the King stood bolt upright because he was shocked at the sudden volume and swell of the music and he was suddenly woken up from his sleep.
Others say that when the choir sang of kingdoms of the world, the king recognised he was in the presence of a higher King, and could not remain seated. He stood, and along with him everyone else, his subjects, naturally had to follow suit.
Even when we listen to this music today, it fills our hearts..Let us stand to affirm our faith in a new way this morning, in the presence of the King of all kings.
Jesus our Messiah, come reign in our hearts, come rule our lives as never before.
Play Handel's Hallelujah chorus for the creed.
Hallelujah6: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Hallelujah!7