- From the Writings of the Early Church: Revelation 1:4b-8
- Psalm 34 (VU p.761)
- From the Gospel: John 18:33-37
The Hymns this week are:
- #710 Shall We Gather at the River
- #713 I See a New Heaven
- #688 O Day of God Draw Nigh
- #424 May the God of Hope Go With Us
The Sermon Title is: What Makes a Kingdom?
Early Thoughts: As people of faith we pray each week "Thy Kingdom come". What do we mean by that? What are the markers of a kingdom/realm/reign?
One of the accusations leveled at the Early Christians was that they were subversives. They were seen as disloyal and not ggod citizens. And the accusers were, to a large point, right!
From the beginning Christians have used language like Lord and Master and Kingdom to talk about God and Christ and the realm that is to come. And in the beginning these were clear ways of saying "God (or Christ) is Lord and therefore Ceasar is NOT". How much more subversive can you get?
Today we are called to the same loyalty. Is our loyalty to Canada or the US or some other nation or is our loyalty to the Reign/Realm/Kingdom or God? Who is Lord?
This last Sunday of the Church Year is called Reign of Christ or Christ the King Sunday. As such it is a day to ask that very question of loyalty. It is a day to ask wht it might mean to us today to say that Christ (or God) is Lord and OBama/Harper/other national leader is not.
We may not be called subversives anymore. But as people of faith we still profess a belief that there is a different realm to worry about. ANd just maybe we should be a little bit more subversive from time to time...
--Gord
interesting take, i'm doing some more reading before I decide direction, but I like this.
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