This coming Sunday is the very last Sunday in the Season of Pentecost. Pentecost is the longest season in the Church's liturgical year. The reason is that we need to be reminded that we are a people waiting, actively waiting. Our waiting is a walking in the Spirit, empowered to continue to do the ministry of Jesus till He comes again. we are God's workmanship, St. Pauls states, created in Christ Jesus for good works that we are meant to do as a matter of life and call from God. Our waiting has a purpose and it is anything but sitting around "clock-watching" as we wait.

 

We are waiting for a promise Jesus made to be fulfilled. We know it will be fulfilled because Jesus made it. His promise was to come again and to receive us to Himself. He will, in the blink of an eye, transform our mortal bodies to be like His own eternal Resurrection Body. He take us to the Home He has been preparing for us, at last to be with Him forever.

 

His first coming was in great humility. The Sovereign over all creation laid aside His glory, not His Deity, and became a man...full man and yet still fully God. When He comes again, it will not be in obscurity. Every eye will see Him when He returns. He will come as the Conquering King of kings and Lord of lords. He will come revealing Himself as He has eternally been. Almighty God the Son. He will come in power and infinite glory. All injustice will be redressed. All evil will be done away with forever. Death itself will die and the grave will know utter defeat. Sin will be obliterated. We will see fulfilled in us the promise of God that having begun a good work in us He will bring it to completion, perfection...the perfection of Grace!

 

This last Sunday of Pentecost is known as Christ the King Sunday. Our Kind has eternally been King. He was not a heir in waiting, He did not replace another dynasty. There has never been another King. His Throne is from everlasting to everlasting and shall never pass away. Earthly kings come and go. Dynasties flourish and then are gone like the morning dew. Some are overthrown to be replaced.

 

Our King will never abdicate, never be threatened by some celestial coup, is not subject to any Parliament and is answerable to no one. Our King is eternally holy, just, good, merciful, kind, patient, loving, gracious, perfect, omnipotent (almighty), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere at once. He is to wise to ever make a mistake and to good to ever do anything wrong. He alone is the objective reference for what is True...eternally True.

 

This is our King. His Name is above every name, both in this present age and in the age to come. At His name every knee will one day bow and every tongue, tribe, nation and people group will proclaim that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

 

The Gospel this Sunday is the record of Jesus Crucifixion. The lectionary reading is not a mistake. "...so take Thy Cross, O Lord, and reign!" go the words of a hymn. Jesus said, "If I am lifted up, I will draw all people to Myself." His death on the Cross settles an ancient question: "Who has right to me?" By His death, He has tasted death fully for ALL humanity. He died the death we deserved, drank the infinite and holy wrath of God to the dregs and broke the power of sin to keep us slaves to futility and eternal death. Jesus is the King who by right of creation has right to all we are. By right of Redemption, He has right to all we are. His right to rule is not opressive,,,EVER...it is a liberation of Love and Grace for all who will believe and receive the Good News that our King reigns! 

 

Knowing this makes our active waiting, active ministry and active mission anything but optional.

 

Waiting with you,

 

Fr. Mark+