Jesus Christ is both Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end. From Creation to Consummation Christ is both central and critical. And He is to be Celebrated! Christ is to be celebrated because He loves us. Christ is to be celebrated because He cares for us. Christ is to be celebrated because He saved us while we were yet sinners. From the rising of the sun until the setting of the same we are to praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For He rescues us when we are lost, redeems us when we are saturated in sin and restores our broken relationships with God.
He is Lord! He is Savior!! And He is King!!! This is Christ the King Sunday and make no mistake about it … Christ is King of an already present but not yet fully realized Kingdom! The Kingdom of God is at hand and Christ is large and He is in charge!
So it is my assignment this morning to encourage you to join me as we celebrate our Lord and our Saviour – Christ the King! So why don’t you turn to your neighbor, smile, shake their hand and say Christ is King!
Our text today comes from the book of Colossians. Colossians pure and simple is a letter about the greatness of Christ. Apostle Paul wrote the church at Colosse because there were some dangerous heresies floating around that sought to diminish the significance of Christ Jesus. Some of the Colossians had faith in angels, some had faith in rituals, and others had faith in the latest and greatest philosophies of the day. I know it seems incredible that Christians would be so easily swayed into putting their faith in something or someone other than Jesus Christ. But, before you look too far down your nose at the Colossians need I remind you that we have some of the same heresies reeking havoc in our society today.
We don’t have to look around too long, too hard or too far to see people being led astray, tossed to and fro because they seek someone other than Christ to be King of their life. ‘Theology as articulated by Oprah may be the most popular theology in the nation right now but that does not mean it is sound doctrine. Contrary to popular belief God is both infinite and intimate so there is no way the god of Deism and the god of New Age philosophy are the same God who has been revealed to Christians by the witness of Scripture and the witness of Jesus Christ in the flesh.’
The God I know and the God I love … knows and loves me! He is not uninterested in our lives as Deist proclaim. God cares all about our troubles … He hears our humble cries …. That’s why as long as I live and troubles rise I will hasten to His throne.
Paul wrote the Colossians then and us now to clarify any confusion we may have over the centrality and criticality of Christ! Colossians was written to proclaim Christ is God in the flesh and the only one sufficient to save us from sin!
Point #1 – Rejoice we have been Rescued & Redeemed!
13He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
When I was a child the most popular cartoon on Saturday mornings by far was Super Friends. Every week Superman, Batman & Robin, Aqua Man, Wonder Woman and all of the other characters from the Hall of Justice would rescue people from Lex Luther, Cheetah, Sinestro and the other Legion of Doom characters just in time. The Super friends used their powers for good whereas the Legion of Doom used their powers for evil. Now keep in mind they all had amazing powers they could fly, command the animals of the sea and use the latest technology to combat one another. Every week it would appear as though evil would prevail but just before the end of the show the Super Friends would get it together and vanquish there archenemies.
Well, I need you to understand that just at the right moment in history the LORD rescued all of humanity and creation itself from the forces of evil. He took us from the darkness of despair! … He snatched us from the depths of depravity!! and He saved us from death and destruction!!! … He moved us from darkness to the marvelous light of Christ Jesus.
Is there anybody in here who can remember when you were lost and Jesus rescued you if so you should rejoice! Is there anybody in here who can remember when you were trapped in sin and the Savior showed up and set you free if so you should rejoice! Is there anybody in here who can remember when Satan had you bound and the Lord delivered you if so you should rejoice! Is there anybody here that can remember when you were captivated by lust or held captive by greed and Christ set you free if so you should rejoice! As a matter of fact everyone under the sound of my voice who has been redeemed should rejoice! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so …
Jesus is able to rescue and redeem us because He is God! He is the creator and sustainer of the universe. He is able to rescue us because there is no darkness greater than the bright light of Christ Jesus. Troubles will come our way, storms are a part of life but Jesus is willing and able to take our troubles away and vanquish our storms.
Jesus rescues us from the storms of life just like he rescued the disciples one dark and stormy night on Lake Galilee. Jesus walked on water to rescue the disciples. He saved them for the same reason he has saved you and me. Jesus saved them because He loved them and he had a purpose for their lives. Christ the King wanted his faithful followers then and us now to spread the Gospel to the masses. To lift the name of Jesus Christ on High so that people of every nation would be drawn unto him. To lead anyone and everyone who is drowning in darkness to Christ so that they will be rescued. To guide those lost in sin to Christ so that they may find redemption. To encourage the least and the left out of our society to get connected to Christ so that they may be empowered by King Jesus.
Point #2 – Rejoice and bring up the Rear!!
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in* him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in* him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
Notice the language Paul uses to describe Christ in this passage of Scripture. He says, Christ is the firstborn of all creation; He is before all things; He is the head of the Church; He is the beginning; He is the firstborn of the dead. It should be abundantly clear to us that Christ goes before us all we have to do is follow! Christ is not like the typical human king, president or ruler. Most human kings, presidents or rulers send their followers out front to shield them from any danger, harm or alarm. President Bush our Commander and Chief might visit Iraq but he is not going to take up arms and go to the frontline to lead the troops in battle.
Whether it is war or politics our president is typical of most human leaders in that everyone and everything around him is expendable to save his physical and political life.
I love to play chess. I probably play it way too much. Don’t say amen too loud Sister Selena. In Chess every piece except the king is expendable. Once your king is trapped or mated you have lost. So to win in chess you use every piece you have your pawns, bishops, knights, rooks even your queen to protect your king. How sad it is that most people go through life playing chess with the people around them. Everyone in their life is expendable as long as they remain safe, secure and successful. They will sacrifice their co-workers, friends, relatives, children even their spouses just so that they are happy.
But, Christ our King is just the opposite of most human leaders. He goes ahead of those whom He loves to prepare the way. Jesus didn’t plea bargain with the Roman government and say hey why don’t you arrest and crucify my twelve disciples so that I may live. No, He took the punishment we deserved.
Can you imagine how our churches, communities and countries would be transformed if we followed and modeled our lives after Christ and loved one another sacrificially? If Christ is the head of the church then we should follow Him!
Unfortunately, most of us love capitalism more than we love Christ! We should never come into God’s house and complain about giving 10% of our treasure to His Church when He gave 100% of himself so that it would be a Church. We should never spend more time watching television than reading our Bibles. We should never spend more time shopping than praying. We should never spend more time hurting people with gossip than helping people by giving them the food, clothes, shelter, training, care and love that they need.
We should follow Christ example and stop being so self-centered. We should think more about faith, hope and love than me, myself and I. We should follow Christ because He is worthy to be followed. Christ is a glorious and giving King. We should rejoice that Christ goes before us to protect us and provide for us because He loves us. He doesn’t sacrifice us for His good He sacrificed himself for our good.
Point #3 – Rejoice you have been Reconciled!!!
19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
When we first place our trust in Christ’s work on the cross, God justifies us. In an instant, we are at peace, reconciled with God! Before we come into a saving knowledge of Christ we are in a state of discord and despair. But once our hearts have been strangely warmed by the justifying grace of Christ we are reconciled with our creator.
We can picture reconciliation as God joining hands with us: One hand of God extends to us from the cross and the other extends from heaven. This metaphor captures the dynamic nature of reconciliation. God’s work in the past on the cross establishes our present relationship with God; and his hand from heaven gives us hope that we will be raised to live forever with him on the last day.
When we think of the unmerited humiliation, pain, agony, suffering and death Christ experienced to that we would be reconciled we should rejoice.
I believe red should be every bodies favorite color. Not because it is a pretty color. Not because it is the color Santa Claus likes to wear but because Jesus Christ our King shed blood on Calvary’s Cross so that we would be reconciled. Because Christ stayed on the bloody, gory cross even unto to death … He is King and every knee will bow before His throne.
As I close, let me remind you that even though we have been rescued and redeemed from the dominion of darkness and placed in the Kingdom of Christ. There are still some spiritual battles to be fought in our lives, in the life of our congregation and the life of our community. But, Christ is our King and He is not a passive disinterested King. Christ loves all who are called by His name. So every time the enemy comes up against us we should pray Thy Kingdom Come. Every time the enemy tries to trap us we should pray Thy Kingdom Come. Every time the enemy tries to trouble us we should pray Thy Kingdom Come. Every time the enemy tries to discourage us we should pray Thy Kingdom Come.
Why? Because when the Kingdom of Christ is a reality in our lives there is joy unspeakable joy! When Christ Kingdom is a reality in our congregation there is peace that transcends all understanding!! When Christ Kingdom is a reality in our communities we will love God, we will love our neighbors and we will even love our enemies with our whole heart and soul!!!
When Christ is our King we will talk right!
When Christ is our King we will walk right!!
When Christ is our King everything will be all right!!!
When Christ is our King we can sing that old Negro Spiritual …
Ride on, King Jesus, Ride on
No man can a-hinder me
Ride on King Jesus, ride on
No man can a-hinder me
I was young when I begun
No man can a-hinder me
But now my race is almost run
No man can a-hinder me
King Jesus rides on a milk white horse
No man can a-hinder me
The river Jordan he did cross
No man can a-hinder me
If you want to find a way to God
No man can a-hinder me
The gospel highway must be trod
No man can a-hinder me
When I get to Heaven gonna wear a robe
No man can a-hinder me
Gonna see King Jesus sittin’ on the throne
No man can a-hinder me
Gonna walk over those streets of gold
No man can a-hinder me
Goin’ to a land where I’ll never grow old
