Worshipping at Home 20th November 2022
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Christ the King - 20th November 2022 

The First Hymn
Welcome!

In Church life we are either recovering from a festival or looking forward to the next one! The cycle of festivals begins with Advent Sunday (next week), we then go through the year charting Jesus’ life, and then we always end on a triumphant note with the Feast of Christ the King. But it’s worth remembering that the Church’s year also helps us to see why our own lives are worth celebrating as well!

Psalm 95: 1-7

O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Acclamation

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy Name, 
in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity.

The Collect Prayer

Eternal Father, whose Son Jesus Christ 
ascended to the throne of heaven 
that he might rule over all things as Lord and King: 
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit 
and in the bond of peace, 
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet; 
who is alive and reigns with you, 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Sharing the Peace

We are the Family of God;
In the one Spirit we were all baptised
into one body.
Let us then pursue all that makes for peace
and builds up our common life.

(At this point please think of others
and in your heart send them
the message: Peace be with you.)

Bible Reading

Luke 23: 33-43 (The power of being heavenly minded.)

 

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.’ 

The soldiers also came up and mocked him.


They offered him wine vinegar and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

Thought for the Day

What would you like to have on your headstone? Over the years people have suggested both amusing and serious comments – from ‘Resting in the hope of resurrection’ to ‘I told you I was ill’. More seriously, can we think of a brief comment that would summarise our life? No headstone was prepared for Jesus. 

No words were chiselled on anything to honour him. But Pontius Pilate nailed some words to the cross that turned out to be more apt and eloquent than he had anticipated. Crucifixion was the means of publicly executing bandits and rebels who threatened the authority of Rome. It was customary to nail a brief description of the crime committed onto the cross to make it clear to any passer by what crime deserved such a death. And so the inscription on Jesus’ cross read, ‘This is the King of the Jews’ – a reminder to any would-be messiah that their trouble-making would not be tolerated. And yet, just like the cross itself, those words have taken on a glory over the centuries. First of all, the words remind us of the down to earth humanity of Jesus. Though he was divine, he was also human – a Jew, born into a culture and tradition. 

Secondly, the words make it clear that Jesus was seen as, indeed claimed to be, the longed for messiah – the King of the Jews. Sometimes we hear of people trying to spiritualise Jesus’ work, dissociating him from the social and political hopes that were centred on the Messiah. But it is difficult to ignore the many comments of Jesus about the Kingdom of God as a hoped for reality here on earth. Jesus said of himself that he had not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfil it. We could go further and say that he had not come to abolish people’s hopes, but to fulfil them. Jesus didn’t twist ancient prophecies to suit his own agenda. Jesus was the Messiah, the King of the Jews, the bringer of social, political and spiritual salvation. Thirdly, by nailing the words to the cross Pilate inadvertently made the cross the perfect place for us to see true kingship at work. The cross is the place where we see sacrificial servanthood at its perfect best. 

The cross is also where we see abusive power doing its worst…to no avail. The ultimate uselessness of violence is matched by the perfect expression of triumphant love. These days we summarise Pilate’s words in four letters ‘INRI’ – Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews (in Latin). What words would we like to see being used to summarise all our efforts? How about ‘Servant of the King’?

Let us Pray

Gracious and Sovereign Lord, we humble ourselves in the presence of your glorious majesty as we acknowledge you as King of Kings and Lord of all. You are the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, you hold all life together in this world and the next. Your all-pervading spirit sustains us and holds us all in life. We bow before you, and yet you also call us to stand up and to approach you with the delight of knowing we are your children. Help us in our daily lives to hold together in our hearts and minds the knowledge of you as both King and Father. Amen.

Today we give thanks for our life together – for friends, family, colleagues and neighbours. We give thanks for our common humanity. Inspire us by your divine wisdom to treat each other as equals, with compassion, justice and peace. Amen.

Holy God, our refuge and strength, you have redeemed your scattered children, gathering them from all the corners of the earth through your firstborn, the Christ, in whom all things are held together. Make of us a just and righteous people, worthy by grace to inherit with him the kingdom of light and peace where he reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

(Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.)
The Blessing

Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by you be plenteously rewarded; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always.


Amen.

 The Second Hymn

If you have any thoughts, questions or concerns, please contact us

Henley in Arden The incumbent/priest in charge John Ganjavi
telephone 01564 792570 or email Incumbent / Priest in charge

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I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you're grateful, you'll see God open up new doors.
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