Colossians 1:13-20—Our lesson gives us the
scope of Christ’s kingdom. It is much needed because we think usually of Jesus
as king of the Jews only, or of Christians only, or of the individual’s heart.
Paul raises our sights and we see Jesus as king of the universe.
Look at your king; can you imagine the honor and
privilege of being a servant of a king of such great dimensions? If Jesus is
king of the cosmos, then He is not confined to one nation, race, or church. He
rules the world, and all the nations, and all the planets. Who is this King? He
is the creator of the vast universe - v.16.
He is the eternal king – v. 17. He is the Head of the
church – v.18. He is the reconciler and redeemer of the whole world – Vv.14,
20.
The end of the church year is so difficult from the
end of the calendar year. Newspapers carry articles on the ten most important
news stories of the New Year. The last calendar page is torn off, and we have
to remember to write the New Year on our checks. The year may end with some meaningless
parties, but that is no surprise, because the end of a year really is not big
deal at all.
But the end of the church year is a big deal. It
signals the end of the narration of the greatest story in all history and the
new beginning of the recitation of the story for people of faith. In majestic
words the Epistle tells us about Him who is the subject of the story and the object
of our praise, Jesus Christ. “Here is
your King!” it declares boldly.
Did you listen to the gospel? Most of those whom it quotes taunt Jesus and us with His humiliation. “This is your king, nailed to a cross and dying.” Both the triumph and the taunt go together. The crown with the cross is self-crowning. The cross without the crown is defeat. A cross and a crown – that is salvation. So, we look to King Jesus, for in Him we see bout “Taunt and Triumph.”
Almighty and merciful God, You break the power of
evil and make all things new in Your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the
universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim Your glory and never cease to
praise You. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and
reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen [2]
Collect for
Thursday of the week of Pentecost 22: O
Blessed Lord, who has commanded us to love one another, grant us grace that
having received Thine undeserved bounty, we may love everyone in Thee and for
Thee and with Thy love, true, abiding and deathless, unchanging and
unchangeable, Amen. (Anselm) [3] -17
November, 2022
[1] Christ
the King, © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Lutheran
Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
[3] Collect
for Thursday of the week of Pentecost 22, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For
and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau,
Delhi, NY
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