Podcasts about his kingship

In Matthew 27:27-54 Christ is put to death. Everything in the narrative is ironic as Christ is mocked and humiliated for being the "King of the Jews." In reality, however, all that happens to Him, even in His death, proves His Kingship. Christ is the King who reigns from the cross.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the most pivotal week in human history—the final days of Jesus' life on earth. Riding on a donkey into Jerusalem, Jesus boldly declares His Kingship. Yet, Jesus came not to overthrow an empire, but to establish a Kingdom—one built on humility, sacrifice, and servant leadership. The King still reigns, and He is still calling. Are you listening? Will you be available? STAY CONNECTED Website: www.oasisphx.comFacebook: Oasis Community ChurchInstagram: @oasisphx

FAITH IS… with Pastor Rick Stevens – A reflection on the importance of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, highlighting Jesus's Triumphal Entry as more than a celebration—it was a declaration of His Kingship. Understanding civics helps us discern truth from error, but true discipleship means pledging our allegiance to Jesus, making Him sovereign in our lives, and standing firm in faith and truth.

Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Matthew 6:7–8Recall that Jesus used to go off by Himself at times and spend the whole night in prayer. Thus, it's clear that Jesus is in favor of long and sincere times of prayer, since He gave us His own example as a lesson. But there is clearly a difference between that which our Lord did all night and that which He criticized the pagans for doing when they “babble” with many words. After this criticism of the prayer of the pagans, Jesus gives us the “Our Father” prayer as a model for our personal prayer.The Our Father prayer begins by addressing God in a deeply personal way. That is, God is not just an all-powerful cosmic being. He is personal, familial—He is our Father. Jesus continues the prayer by instructing us to honor our Father by proclaiming His holiness, His hallowedness. God and God alone is the Holy One from which all holiness of life derives. As we acknowledge the holiness of the Father, we must also acknowledge Him as King and seek His Kingship for our lives and for the world. This is accomplished only when His perfect will is done “on earth as it is in Heaven.” This perfect prayer concludes by acknowledging that God is the source of all of our daily needs, including the forgiveness of our sins and protection from all evil.Upon the completion of this prayer of perfection, Jesus provides a context in which this and every prayer must be prayed. He says, “If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” Prayer will only be effective if we allow it to change us and make us more like the Father in Heaven. Therefore, if we want our prayer of forgiveness to be effective, then we must live what we pray for. We must also forgive others so that God will forgive us.Reflect, today, upon this perfect prayer, the Our Father. One temptation is that we can become so familiar with this prayer that we gloss over its true meaning. If that happens, then we will find that we are praying it more like the pagans who simply babble the words. But if we humbly and sincerely understand and mean every word, then we can be certain that our prayer will become more like that of our Lord's. Saint Ignatius of Loyola recommends pondering every word of that prayer very slowly, one word at a time. Try to pray this way, today, and allow the Our Father to move from babbling to authentic communication with the Father in Heaven. 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. Amen.  Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Jm kaelin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

March 2, 2025   —   This Morning Senior Pastor Rob Ginter Preached a Sermon “Corrections of His Kingship” John 12: 12-26  

Over the last 10 chapters of Luke, we've journeyed with Jesus to Jerusalem, and now, in Luke 19, He arrives. This marks the beginning of Passion Week, His final week before crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus' entry, riding a colt, fulfills Zechariah's prophecy and mirrors Solomon's coronation, signifying Jesus as the rightful heir and King. This act, seemingly humble, declares peace and shalom, contrasting with the image of a conquering king on a warhorse. It signals the arrival of true peace, not just for Israel, but for all nations. The disciples' joyous cries of “Blessed is the King” echo the angels' announcement in Luke 2, further emphasizing Jesus' messianic identity. The Pharisees, threatened by Jesus' claim to kingship, demand He silence His disciples. Their fear stems from a pragmatic agreement with Rome: maintain order and retain religious authority. Jesus' popularity and kingship challenge this delicate balance, risking Roman intervention. This highlights a core struggle many have with Jesus: accepting Him as King requires total allegiance, disrupting our own authority and self-rule. We often prefer Jesus as teacher or advisor, roles that don't demand surrender. Yet, true life and flourishing come only through bowing to His Kingship. Jesus' response to the Pharisees – “if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” – underscores that all creation recognizes and submits to God's rule. We, often blinded by our own desires, rebel, choosing self-inflicted misery over flourishing under His reign. Jesus' weeping over Jerusalem reveals His compassion. He grieves not out of anger, but from a deep love for His people, foreseeing the consequences of their rejection. This compassion culminates in His sacrifice on the cross, dying for those who rejected Him, offering forgiveness and shalom they don't deserve. This act of ultimate love demonstrates Jesus' unique kingship. Unlike earthly rulers who demand submission and take, Jesus gives everything, even His life, so we might willingly kneel in worship. His authority is exercised through love, His power wielded in service, and His rule expressed by sacrifice. This radical kingship extends an offer of abundant life and forgiveness even to those who crucified Him, as Peter proclaims in Acts 2. Therefore, friends, let us not be like the Pharisees, clinging to self-rule and rejecting the King who offers true shalom. Jesus' weeping reminds us of His deep love and the cost of our rebellion. Let us choose flourishing under His reign, embracing His authority and experiencing the abundant life He offers. This is the path to true peace, the shalom that only the King can bring. Let us willingly kneel before Him in worship and discover the joy of living under His loving and transformative rule.

What is the Galilean Ministry and why would Jesus start His ministry there? Who is the first person that Jesus reveals His Kingship to? Why were the Samaritans despised by the Jews? If God gives us a Word, when do we move on that Word? If Jesus had the wisdom to wait on the Spirit, even though He was already affirmed by God, how should we respond at a time when God gives any of us instruction? For answers to these and so many other questions, please listen to "The Light That Defeats Our Darkness," taught by Pastor Jamie.

This Christmas season, join us as we explore Jesus Christ, the King who has come! In our sermon series, "Here Comes the King!" Through heartfelt reflections and a journey through Scripture, we'll connect the Old Testament covenants to the birth of Jesus Christ, revealing His Kingship's rich context and significance. This isn't just about a baby in a manger-it's about the King of Kings who reigns in our hearts and is coming again to fulfill His glorious kingdom!

This Christmas season, join us as we explore Jesus Christ, the King who has come! In our sermon series, "Here Comes the King!" Through heartfelt reflections and a journey through Scripture, we'll connect the Old Testament covenants to the birth of Jesus Christ, revealing His Kingship's rich context and significance. This isn't just about a baby in a manger-it's about the King of Kings who reigns in our hearts and is coming again to fulfill His glorious kingdom!

Read OnlineJesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” John 18:36Today, on the final Sunday of our Church year, we celebrate the glorious Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Next Sunday begins Advent. On this day we profess the profound truth that our Lord is King! He is the King of all things. He is King of the Universe. And He is King of Heaven and all spiritual realities. However, in the Gospel passage quoted above, Jesus responds to Pilate who was questioning Him about whether or not He was the King of the Jews. Jesus is clear that He is a King, but that His Kingdom does not belong to this world. So where is His Kingdom?We can look at Jesus' statement from two points of view. First of all, if Jesus would have claimed that He were an earthly king, one with civil authority, then Pilate would have judged Him to be guilty of trying to overthrow the Roman authority. This would be unlawful and would be punishable by death. In that case, Jesus could have been found legally guilty of violating civil law.But Jesus was purely innocent. He was morally perfect in every way, and that included His obedience to all legitimate civil law. But Jesus was a King. He was The King of all Kings! Therefore, so as to exercise His Kingship, He declared that His Kingdom was not of this world. In other words, it was not a Kingdom that was in competition with the Roman authorities or any other civil authority. To that, Pilate did not know how to respond.Today and always, God desires that His glorious Kingdom reign in every way. God begins by reigning in our souls. He invites us to invite Him to enter in and take control of our lives. He desires to be the ruler of every passion, desire, thought and action that is ours. When this happens, His Kingdom is firmly established within us.It also needs to be pointed out that Jesus wants His Kingdom to grow. First, it must grow in the minds and wills of all people. But from there, He wants every person to then work to conform every part of our society to the governance of Him as King. This means that as the hearts of civil leaders are converted, they will be called to enact laws that fully support and build up God's Kingdom on earth. It means that business leaders, as they convert, are called to govern their businesses in accord with the will of God so that their businesses contribute to the establishment of God's Kingdom here and now. It means that as the leaders of our schools, sports programs, social programs and the like all invite Jesus to reign in their hearts as King, The King of the Universe will then guide them to conform all of their endeavors to His will and to the continued upbuilding of His Kingdom.The first duty of the Christian, in regard to the governance of every aspect of society, is not to impose God's law from without, as a ruthless authoritarian would. Rather, it is to convert minds and hearts so that God's governance comes forth from within. As God's Kingdom is established in the lives of His people, all objectively grave evils embedded within our earthly laws must be overturned. For example, the legalization of abortion stands out as perhaps the greatest of moral evils, since it involves the taking of a completely innocent life. This and countless other immoral earthly laws must be replaced by the laws of God as hearts and minds are converted to His Truth. Reflect, today, upon your duty to help bring forth the Kingdom of God here and now. Start by seeing your duty to allow God's Kingdom to grow within you and your family. From there, be open to the many ways that God wants to use you to help others do the same. As you do, do not be afraid to work toward the external establishment of God's Kingdom in all that you do and in all that falls within your responsibility. Jesus is King, and He desires to reign everywhere. Cooperate with Him, and His Kingdom will indeed come. My glorious King, I choose You as King of my life, and I dedicate to You all my actions and endeavors. Please use me to further Your Kingdom. I pray for wisdom, prudence and courage as I am sent forth by You to help bring forth Your merciful and just reign in the lives of all people and within the entire Universe that You created. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done! Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Stained glass panel in the transept of St. John's Anglican Church, Ashfield, New South Wales (NSW) by Toby Hudson, via Wikimedia Commons

For various reasons, we don't like authority. We've known humans with authority to be arrogant and smug, and have seen them use their power to advance themselves at our expense. In Mark 11:1-11, however, we see another version of authority; one that is attractive and good. Jesus approaches Jerusalem as King, not in in pomp and circumstance, but in humility. And he doesn't come to oppress, but to save the very ones who have resisted His Kingship. Sermon title from Brenton Brown's song of the same name. October 20, 2024 Helpful resources that shaped and informed this sermon: Let's Study Mark by Sinclair Ferguson, The Gospel of Mark by R.T. France, Mark by Kent Hughes, King's Cross by Tim Keller, Gentle & Lowly by Dane Ortlund, Mark by J.C. Ryle, Dig Deeper into the Gospels by Andrew Sach & Tim Hiorns.

We come to judgement day this year on the heels of a complicated year. One of the lessons we see from the differences in the Hamas attack versus the Iran attacks is Hashem's complete control over the world. How can we use it to humble ourselves and focus on His Kingship before the Yom Hadin? Wishing you a K'sivah V'chasimah Tovah and a meaningful and fulfilling year. 

On September 29, join us for Sunday worship service at 9:30 or 11:00 AM. Patrick Edwards will continuing his teaching series called WHO THEN IS THIS? with a message called, "Who Then is This?" from Mark 4:35-6:6a. HERE'S THE DEAL: It can be human nature to lower our expectations to avoid disappointment, but with Jesus we see in our passage that our expectations for His Kingship aren't high enough! He intends to do above and beyond all we could ask for or think of.

“Eyes that look are common; eyes that see are rare.”  J Oswald SandersMATTHEW 20:33 They said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” I'm struck by the plurality of this request, how not one but two blind men, cried out, "have mercy on us,"  how two, not one blind men cried out Jesus Son of David, even though physically blind, spiritually they recognized His Kingship, His Eternal Throne. This caught Jesus attention, which led Him to ask, "what do you want me to do for you," to which they answered,"we want our eyes to be opened"  Jesus knows what we need before we ask him, but He wants us to admit our need to Him. He wants us to recognize our own inability and acknowledge our weaknesses before him, for his strength is perfected in and through our weaknesses. We can only know ourselves by knowing Him and in order to know Him, our spiritual eyes need to be open.Proverbs 29:18 where there is no vision the people perishSupport the Show.Growing our inner man as we connect with God's Word

#Jesus #JesusChrist #Jesusbiblestudy #Bible #biblestudy #bibleverseoftheday #Anger #sinintheheart #Matthew5 Jesus, our Lord, is the same God on Mt. Sinai as on Mt. Beatitude. He is teaching us after the beatitudes, which is our response to discipleship as a result of learning about how we have offended God through Mt. Sinai's ten commandments. Now, the Lord gives examples from the commandments of how our attitude of sin in our hearts and minds needs to come under His Kingship. Join us.

The healing of the blind men in Matthew 20:29-34 showcases Jesus' compassion and divine power and sets the stage for the revelation of His messianic identity. As the blind men acknowledge Jesus as the Son of David, their restored sight symbolizes the dawning recognition of Jesus' true nature among the people. This acknowledgment reaches its crescendo in Matthew 21:1-11, where Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem reveals Him as King. The crowd's cries of “Hosanna to the Son of David!” echo the blind men's earlier plea, linking Jesus' healing ministry with His Kingship. This passage marks a pivotal point in the Gospel narrative, where Jesus openly reveals His identity as the long-awaited King, challenging believers' understanding of kingship, power, and God's kingdom.

Why the exclamation "Alleluia!"? Should women workout in public? Catholic teaching about the possibility of "theistic" evolution. Plenary indulgences and vocal prayers for "intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff." The story of the "Credo" knight: Bishop Mendez and Natalie White. Dom Guéranger: By His Ascension Christ claims His Kingship, enthroned at the Right Hand of the Father. Approaching Pentecost: Invoking the power of the Holy Ghost. This episode was recorded on 5/14/2024 Our Links: http://linkwcb.com/ Please consider making a monetary donation to What Catholics Believe. Father Jenkins remembers all of our benefactors in general during his daily Mass, and he also offers one Mass on the first Sunday of every month specially for all supporters of What Catholics Believe. May God bless you for your generosity! https://www.wcbohio.com/donate Subscribe to our other YouTube channels: @WCBFullEpisodes @WCBHighlights May God bless you all! We apologize for the audio issues during this program.

The Gospel and the Kingdom is the message of Jesus. These things are not two different messages, but one unified proclamation that invites people to put Jesus on the throne of their lives... The Good News is He is the conquering King, and accepting His Kingship means everything changes

The Gospel and the Kingdom is the message of Jesus. These things are not two different messages, but one unified proclamation that invites people to put Jesus on the throne of their lives... The Good News is He is the conquering King, and accepting His Kingship means everything changes

Modern society hates families. It is directed to pleasure and wealth and families are an obstacle to that. Even the Church today seems to be joining in on the attack against families by approving the blessing of same-sex couples.To attack families, you have to attack the components that make up families: men and women.Since men are the heads of families, there is a special attack directed against them.There is an effort today to make men anything but what they need to be in order to fulfill their God-given mission to be good husbands and fathers.The typical man that today's society creates is soft, pleasure-seeking, selfish, emasculated.This is why society so desperately needs good Catholic families today. This is why we pray, “Lord, grant us many holy Catholic families”. But to have good Catholic families, we must have good Catholic men, men of faith who have as their model not some football player, not some womanizing politician, not this Hollywood star or this MMA fighter, but Our Lord Jesus Christ.What society needs is men who dedicate their lives to the service of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to the service of His name, to the service of His Kingship, to the service of His Church.

The Gospel and the Kingdom is the message of Jesus. These things are not two different messages, but one unified proclamation that invites people to put Jesus on the throne of their lives... The Good News is He is the conquering King, and accepting His Kingship means everything changes

Holy Scripture declares that Christ is King. But what are the characteristics of His Kingship--

Holy Scripture declares that Christ is King. But what are the characteristics of His Kingship?

The Gospel and the Kingdom is the message of Jesus. These things are not two different messages, but one unified proclamation that invites people to put Jesus on the throne of their lives... The Good News is He is the conquering King, and accepting His Kingship means everything changes

THCC Husk Speaker: Tim White Sermon Recorded on: 24/03/2024 Main Passage: Matthew 21:1-11 Reflection questions: Jesus is King because He is King. We do not make Him King. We simply accept or reject His Kingship. Do you accept or reject it? Are there any areas of your life you reject His Kingship? Seek to speak to another believer about this, and bring it to Jesus in prayer. "Rulers of the gentiles lord it over them", while Jesus "came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life." Reflect on Jesus' humble, servant Kingship today. Consider how it differs from the world around us. Having received such generous grace from The King - how can you show generous grace to someone who needs it?

In this week's message, Pastor Tommy brings us into the story of Palm Sunday, as we see Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem see the impact of His Kingship transforming our lives. 

Pastor Brian Bougher teaches on the meaning of Palm Sunday and Jesus's stating His Kingship.  Join us for Good Friday on Friday, March 29th, at 7pm. Then, come out for Easter-Palooza next Sunday as we celebrate our Risen King! Find more at encounterthrive.com/easter. 

When we go to God to pray, all too often we head in with a shopping list don't we? “I need this … I need that … oh God please help me with this … oh God please end my pain and suffering … oh God” … but what if I told you that by and large, at least according to Jesus, prayer isn't all about me. It's not all about … you.   IT'S NOT ABOUT ME This week on the programme we are continuing in our series: “The Power of Prayer”. I don't think we can really talk about prayer without looking at how Jesus taught His disciples to pray. And of course, that teaching in the Lord's Prayer has been recorded for us down through the centuries and it's still available to us, here and now. Now there's no record of Jesus teaching them how to preach. You'd think, if He was getting all these disciples together and He wanted them to go out and form the church after He was crucified and rose again and ascended into heaven, we'd have some record of Jesus teaching them to preach. But no. The record that we have is of Jesus teaching them to pray. And that makes sense. I mean it was pretty clear that Jesus had the most amazing relationship with His Dad in heaven. Of course, we believe in the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – three persons. One God for all eternity. But the incarnation was something special. When Jesus became a man, He laid His glory aside. He became one of us. He had to establish a relationship with His Dad in heaven in just the same way as we do. And time and time again, you see Jesus stealing away on His own, to pray. When the crowds were after Him. When the disciples wanted Him. So often, He'd gone off quietly on His own to pray. And obviously He had a really special relationship. In the Lord's Prayer, He actually teaches us how to pray. Now we are going to look at that in a bit of detail today, so if you've got a Bible, grab it. Open it up at Matthew chapter 6. It blows me away – it's such an awesome place. Jesus teaching on how to pray. There's got to be some power in that and there is. There's power in prayer and there are some amazing gems in there that I think if we want a powerful prayer life, we need to unpack the Lord's Prayer just a little bit. And that's what we are going to do today. Most people kind of know the words that we call the Lord's Prayer. You know: Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sin as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Those words were actually spoken by Jesus and they are very well known. But what we sometimes miss are the words that He spoke just before that. The teaching that He gave to His disciples that sets the context of prayer. Have a listen to what Jesus actually said – you'll pick it up in Matthew chapter 6, beginning at verse 5. This is what He said: And when you pray don't be like the hypocrites – those people love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners and to be seen by everyone. I tell you the truth; they've received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Dad who is unseen, because then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you pray, don't keep on babbling like the pagans. They think they'll be heard because of their many words. No, don't be like them because your Father knows what you need even before you ask Him. There are two parts to that – let's take a look at them. Let's see exactly what Jesus said and He seems to be talking about, “don't think about impressing other people; don't be like the hypocrites – those people love to stand up in the synagogues and on the street corners and to be seen by everyone.” You know something; prayer is not about impressing other people. And it's not about impressing God. Look, “Don't keep babbling like the pagans because they think they will be heard because of their many words. Don't be like them.” I have listened to people pray, particularly when I'd just become a Christian and I'd listen to them and go, “wow! You know, those people can pray like I could never pray. I'm sure God's going to listen to them; He's not going to listen to me because I don't have those sorts of words.” And Jesus is saying, no, that's not what it's about. It's not about ‘me'. I'm not at the centre of prayer – it's not about me impressing anyone; it's not about me impressing God. And you know what I think we sometimes do? We start off in prayer with this underlying thing, it's about me. Yet the first thing that Jesus taught people about prayer is that it's not about us – it's not about you or me, we are not in the centre of the universe. And how does He teach us that? You don't have to begin by impressing anyone. In fact, prayer is not about impressing anybody. What a blessed release! I don't have to learn a formula; I don't have to look good, or sound good or anything else. The starting point for prayer is not about me, it's not about you. You know where the power is in all of this? The very teaching of Jesus about prayer is to get the 'me' out of the way – my ego, my self, what other people think of me, what God thinks of me. Jesus is saying, “Wake up. No”. Can I tell you? I think that this is one of the most important lessons to learn about praying. There's power in laying the ‘me' down. There's power in laying our ego aside – when we do that we usher something new and something fresh and something powerful and something exciting in. When you pray don't be like the hypocrites who love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and to be seen by everyone. I tell you the truth; they have already received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what you are doing in secret will reward you. And secondly, when you pray, don't keep babbling – don't think it's about lots of words. The pagans think that they will be heard because of their words. Don't be like them because your Father already knows what you need before you ask Him. Don't try and impress anybody, just come and pray. Well, if the ‘me' is no longer at the centre of this prayer thing, who or what is?   HALLOWED BY THY NAME Well, let's have a look at how Jesus taught His disciples to pray – to pray with power. The first thing Jesus teaches us, as we have just looked at, is firstly, do it in secret. Prayer is a personal, private, intimate thing – it's not for show; it's not to impress other people. You think about husband and wife communication – the deep things, the important things. How do they talk about those? In private! The second thing is it's not about a lot of words. We talked just before the break about the fact it's not some formula – we don't have to impress God somehow; it's exactly the opposite. We just get to sit down with Him, and tell Him in our own words, the way we see it. Now let's look at how Jesus teaches us to pray. He begins: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” There are two words in the New Testament for ‘Father' – “Abba” – Dad – which is a kind of a close, familiar, tender expression. But that's not the one that's used here. The one that's used here is “Pater” – from which we get ‘patriarch' or ‘paternal' – it's the more formal approach. “My Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” – what does it mean to ‘hallow' – it means to make holy; to venerate; to honour; to bow down. So the beginning of prayer for Jesus is to worship God. See, we said just before, “it's not about me!” Well this is the very thing that Jesus is saying. “It's about God first. It's about worshiping Him.” It's an amazing thing, when we worship God, when we reach into our heart and soul and spirit and gaze upon Him – our Father in heaven – and we honour Him and revere Him and worship Him. I have to tell you, just that one thing in my prayer life, has transformed me from the tough, hardnosed businessman, with an ego the size of a small planet – always trying to feed that; always trying to impress people; constantly peddling harder and faster to be the ‘me' I think other people want me to be. In worship I loose sight of that. In worship I forget myself. I don't have to do that anymore. I get the ‘me' out of the road and just worship God and that's an awesome thing. There's a peace and a joy and a security and a sweet delight in that – don't have to impress anyone anymore. Worshipping God is the most selfless thing we can do. And when we can get the 'me' out of the road – “Yipee!” – I have peace. I lay the ‘me' down. I die to the ‘me' and become alive to God, to the Father, with a joy unspeakable. I don't know, I just can't put it into words any more than that. Prayer isn‘t first and foremost about me, it's about You, Father. The needs, the shopping list – there's a place for them. We'll come to those later. But first God wants us to behold Him. to experience Him. And the way that we do that is by worshipping Him. I used to start off with my shopping list but now I start off by focusing on Him. You know what happens? His power takes a hold of me and changes me and cleans away the rubbish and sets my heart at peace. Why did it take me so long to figure this out, I wonder? And the very next thing that Jesus says when He's teaching us how to pray – it's kind of like … it's like a physical outworking of that worship. Have a listen: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Now that I've lost myself in You, Lord, come and reign in my heart; be my King. That is what ‘Your Kingdom come' means – the reign; the rule; the Kingship of God in our hearts. “God, I don't just want to worship You now, I want to live out that worship. I want Your Kingdom to come. I want You to be my Lord. I want Your Kingdom to come, in me, in those around me, in every situation and circumstance and trial and temptation. Every time I want to act up and criticise, and malign and argue or be dishonest. No, Lord, no, I want to hallow Your name. I want Your Kingdom to come. In fact, I want Your will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Not my will, not me, no – Your will – You.'” So often we can skim over these words – ‘Your Kingdom come' – because we know the Lord's Prayer so well. And we think, “well, I hope the God's Kingdom comes in that person's life, because, I tell you, they need it. And that one over there. That one too for that matter. In fact, if God's Kingdom comes in all their lives, my life would be so much better.” See what happens? We put the ‘me' at the centre of the universe again and the power of prayer that Jesus teaches is laying the ‘me' down. In fact if God's Kingdom comes in all those people's lives, is my life going to be any better? No! God's Kingdom coming is seeing His will done in my life – it includes me. It includes when it's not convenient. When it hurts. When I'd rather have my life on a padded sofa than on a hard cross. The power of the prayer that Jesus is teaching us here is it's not about me – it's about Him. Can I tell you something? God's Kingdom coming in my life and in your life is painful sometimes. It's downright inconvenient. It involves me dying to myself and you dying to yourself and putting Him first. And if we want power in our prayer, that is where it comes from. Worshipping God and inviting His Kingship, His Lordship, His reign to be in our hearts, in our spirits and in our lives.   I NEED SOME BREAD We are looking today on the programme at the “Power of Prayer” and all the stuff we've been looking at to this point is about putting God first. If we get that bit wrong – if we get it the wrong way round – we end up missing the whole point of prayer. Now that we have it the right way up, Jesus goes on to teach us that it's ok to ask for our needs. “Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” I love this bit too! “Give us this day our daily bread”, says it's ok to ask Him for the things we need. For strength, for wisdom, for home, for safety, for family, for work. “Lord, I really just want a special touch from You today”. He already knows our needs and we don't have to heap up a whole bunch of words and impress Him. Look how simple this is – “Lord give us this day our daily bread. Don't be like the pagans – your Father knows what you need even before you ask Him.” It's ok to ask God for all sorts of things but with Him first – His will, His Kingdom, His reign, His praise and His honour and His glory first, that's where the power is. It always sticks with me how Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before He was betrayed and crucified. He said, “Father, if this cup of suffering could pass from Me, then take it away, but not My will, let Your will be done.” And then He went on to allow Himself to be crucified. The single most powerful act in all history, happened when Jesus laid His life down for you and me – when He put the will of His Father before His own will. I've often wondered about this ‘give us today our daily bread'. I've wondered how that prayer feels to someone – one of the billions – who is starving on this planet? Just to be able to go to God simply and say, “Lord, give us today our daily bread” – to be able to make that request and at the same time to lay our lives down for God. There's such power in sacrifice. When we get the ‘me' out of the equation, and put God there instead, in our hearts, then there's power in that. That's the place when we come and put our needs before Him. We have the power to ask for the things we need – the power to ask for help or guidance or just a special touch from Him today because that's what we need. “Lord, I honour You and I praise You and I want to be in the centre of Your will, no matter what the cost. And Lord, I need Your help putting food on the table for my family tonight. I need Your help paying the rent. I need Your help to do a miracle in my marriage. I need Your help at work, Lord. I'm struggling with this – I'm struggling with this temptation.” That's powerful prayer. “And Lord, no matter what comes I'm going to honour You and put You first.” ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven', and in that context, we can come to Him and say, “Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors.” Forgiveness – to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us – a shear acknowledgement that we do make mistakes. My pride says I don't need forgiveness, but humility recognises I do. And notice something – the high premium that God puts on forgiveness. It's a big deal, that's why Jesus went to the cross and He wants to set us free not only from our sin, by being able to go to Him and ask Him for forgiveness but look at the second part of this. ‘Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors' – in other words He wants to set us free from the sins of others against us. If I'm carrying anger and retribution around in my heart toward those people, I may go to God for forgiveness but God's saying, “I'm not going to forgive you because first you've got to forgive them. Get free from your un-forgiveness and then come to Me and ask for forgiveness.” And finally, He says, “Lead us not into temptation.” “Lord, I want to live my life for You. I want You to protect me from falling over all the time and I'm not going to do this in my strength because I can't.” The devil has been around the block just a few times more than you and I have. He knows all the tricks and techniques. He knows how to push our buttons. He knows how to drag us away from God. And here is this humble prayer, saying: “Lord, I can't do it on my own. I need Your help. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors and lead us not into temptation, but Lord, deliver us from the evil one.” When we unpack how Jesus taught us to pray, it's exciting; it's dynamic; it's powerful. In every verse we see how He calls us to lay the ‘me' down and to call Him Lord. You know, even when we go to Him and ask Him for our daily bread, ‘Give us today our daily bread', is an acknowledgement that our daily bread comes from Him. ‘Forgive us our debts' is an acknowledgement that we need forgiveness. ‘Lead us not into temptation', is an acknowledgement that I need His help to live my life for Him – that I can't do it in my own self. Every verse of the Lord's Prayer puts God first. That is powerful. The Kingship and the Lordship and the praise and the glory of God are where the power is in prayer. And God changes us through that. When you and I, with all our heart, invite Him to let His Kingdom come, to let His will be done – when you and I with all our heart, lift our hands and say, “Lord, I praise You, hallowed be Your name”, the Spirit of God does something in us that you can't put into words. The Spirit of God does something in us that nobody else can do. The skilful Surgeon's hand comes and takes the sin away. The Healer's hand heals our lives. The Lord's Prayer is not something for us to just rattle off because we have memorised the words. The Lord's Prayer is Jesus teaching us how to pray. The Lord's Prayer is Jesus saying to you and me, “There's power in putting God first.” Jesus said this – you can read it in John chapter 15, verse 7: “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask for whatever you wish and it will be given to you.” You see, if we do it Jesus' way – if we hang close to Him; if we honour Him; if we put God first, then we can ask for whatever we wish because He's had the chance to change our hearts. And He says, “This is to My Father's glory that you bear much fruit and show yourselves to be My disciples.” The Lord's Prayer is about putting first things first. The Father's glory and in that context we get to ask for whatever we wish. We will look at that more in next weeks programme. There is power in praying the way Jesus taught us to pray. There is power in laying down the ‘me' and putting God first. There is power in calling Jesus ‘Lord'.

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Matthew 6:7–8Recall that Jesus used to go off by Himself at times and spend the whole night in prayer. Thus, it's clear that Jesus is in favor of long and sincere times of prayer, since He gave us His own example as a lesson. But there is clearly a difference between that which our Lord did all night and that which He criticized the pagans for doing when they “babble” with many words. After this criticism of the prayer of the pagans, Jesus gives us the “Our Father” prayer as a model for our personal prayer.The Our Father prayer begins by addressing God in a deeply personal way. That is, God is not just an all-powerful cosmic being. He is personal, familial—He is our Father. Jesus continues the prayer by instructing us to honor our Father by proclaiming His holiness, His hallowedness. God and God alone is the Holy One from which all holiness of life derives. As we acknowledge the holiness of the Father, we must also acknowledge Him as King and seek His Kingship for our lives and for the world. This is accomplished only when His perfect will is done “on earth as it is in Heaven.” This perfect prayer concludes by acknowledging that God is the source of all of our daily needs, including the forgiveness of our sins and protection from all evil.Upon the completion of this prayer of perfection, Jesus provides a context in which this and every prayer must be prayed. He says, “If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” Prayer will only be effective if we allow it to change us and make us more like the Father in Heaven. Therefore, if we want our prayer of forgiveness to be effective, then we must live what we pray for. We must also forgive others so that God will forgive us.Reflect, today, upon this perfect prayer, the Our Father. One temptation is that we can become so familiar with this prayer that we gloss over its true meaning. If that happens, then we will find that we are praying it more like the pagans who simply babble the words. But if we humbly and sincerely understand and mean every word, then we can be certain that our prayer will become more like that of our Lord's. Saint Ignatius of Loyola recommends pondering every word of that prayer very slowly, one word at a time. Try to pray this way, today, and allow the Our Father to move from babbling to authentic communication with the Father in Heaven.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. Amen. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

On the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Deacon Joshua Fons expounds on the implications of Christ's kingship. Either He is our King, or He isn't. There is not a third option. Will we live under His Kingship?

Last Sunday in Ordinary Time: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Solemnity; Liturgical Color: White or Gold The vastness of creation serves as the Lord's footstool This last Sunday in Ordinary Time is dedicated to the very highest understanding of the nature, role, and purpose of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is multifaceted, the deep hues and contours of his personality revealing themselves to different races and ages in different ways. More personally, even inside of just one single life, a Christian can understand Jesus in more subtle and complex ways as that particular Christian matures. Carpenter, Miracle Worker, Son of Mary, Son of God, Prophet, Messiah, Son of David, Good Shepherd, Healer, Preacher, Logos, Lamb of God, etc. Yet all these titles and identities will give way as the world ends, time is fulfilled, and life with God becomes simply life itself. Jesus' identity will culminate in His Kingship. It will not be a transitional but a terminal identity. The dead will come nose to nose with King Jesus, feeling His hot breath on their cheeks, as He judges them at their life's end. And the saved will have King Jesus before them in heaven forever as He renders homage to God the Father in the power of God the Holy Spirit.The feast of “Christ the King” was first established in 1925, and Pope Saint Paul VI expanded its name to “King of the Universe” in 1969. Jesus is not just a King of Hearts. He is more than mankind's universal Coach, Teacher, or Counselor. By “King of the Universe” the Church is communicating Jesus' metaphysical scale, that God encompasses all of reality, not just man's reality. We say in the Nicene Creed that God created all things visible and invisible. So Jesus is King over all the planets, stars, black holes, quasars, and exploding suns in the blackest corners of remote space. He is King over the earth and all its waterfalls, rainforests, mountain peaks, desert plains, and dark sea floors. He lords over all creation because He is its source. Saint Thomas Aquinas taught that God is not the most perfect being inside of creation but being itself. God is reality, not just the most impressive being inhabiting the reality bubble.This feast is an antidote to the private, or compartmentalized, Jesus who impacts only those spaces in the Christian's life where He is allowed to enter. Jesus wants to reign in every sphere of our lives, at home, on the factory floor, in the yard, at the office, over drinks, on the sports' field, in the car, at meals, on the phone, and on and on. His field of action has no borders. From one perspective, this is a challenging, and limiting, spirituality. Such an intrusive, all-encompassing God can make life feel like a cage, where self-expression is constrained by His rules. From another perspective, however, the total reign of God in our lives is freeing. It means that He is not found only in Church. Sunday Mass? Of course. But we need not have our fingers on the rosary to be close to God and Mary at all times. God is found inside of the daily duties that are the stuff of life. This is consoling. We are not distracted from the higher things as we manage a family, earn a living, exercise, raise the kids, or take care of the house. When the Lord is King of Everything, mundanities are not banalities. The world is richer and more alive when our life is an all-inclusive vocation.The anointed King was a tangible image of the hidden God in Western culture until modern times. Every earthly king was validated by the mighty God King who stood invisibly behind him, the One who benevolently ruled the universe as His own sacred republic. This understanding of God as a Divine Ruler gave a real sense of order, unity, and common purpose to all of reality which is lacking in modern, secular, democratic societies. Today's feast does not invoke, however, merely an image of Jesus representing someone else's Kingship but Jesus actually reigning as King. All the baptized should be glad to be subject to such a benevolent monarch.Christ the King, Your sovereignty over all creation is not heavy. You order all reality toward Yourself and govern Your creatures with justice and humility. Help us to be faithful and subservient to what You desire, so that we can live one day in Your heavenly kingdom.

1 Samuel 8:1-22 Coup attempts have been common in history . . . The Heavenly King What does it mean for God to be King? The Rejected King Why do we reject God as our King? The Giving King How does God bring us back under His Kingship?

*STATION 1 → Vertical Prayers*“Father” God…”Abba” God (give a few moments) -- APPROACH-- Celebrate the open invitation God has given you to approach him as a gracious loving Father-- Maybe you have never viewed God as a loving Father…cry out for that relationship now“Hallowed be Your Name” (give a few moments) -- SURRENDER -- When you speak God's name…is it with reverence, admiration, and awe of who He is-- Surrender and pray for an awareness of His Kingship over your life“Your Kingdom Come” (give a few moments) -- REPENT-- What have you been chasing and idolizing over God's will in your life?-- What do you need to surrender in your life to begin pursuing His life for you?*STATION 2 → Horizontal Prayers*Daily Bread (give a few moments) Forgiveness (give a few moments) -- Do you need forgiveness for rebelling against God?-- Do you need forgiveness for spiritual apathy or laziness?-- Do you need you need to extend forgiveness first?-- Is there someone you need to talk to this week to confess bitter feelings?Overbearing temptation (give a few moments) -- Are you struggling with something that continues to overwhelm you?-- Plead for God to: * Give you strength to walk by faith * Sustain and/or increase your joy in Christ * Surround you with community to help bear the weight*STATION 3 → “Ask” Shameless Prayers*Go to God with boldness and shamelessness…-- What have you been afraid to ask but are feeling prompted to do so now?-- Ask Him to change the desires of your heart…to want His desires-- Trivial requests are fine…but spend some time asking God “BIG” things: * Ask Him to break your heart for what breaks his heart * Ask Him to put people on your heart to forgive, love, pray for*STATION 4 → “Seek” Persistent Prayers*-- Seek answers from prayers you may have given up on -- Seek wisdom and discernment to pray the right prayers-- Seek God's direction for life…spouse…future…*STATION 5 → “Knock” Expectant Prayers*-- It's time to pound on the door…regardless of time of day-- Pray expectantly for the Holy Spirit to fill you…transform you…-- Plead for God to save: __________________-- Plead for God to give you boldness and wisdom to share the Good News of Jesus with: ___________-- Plead for God to heal: __________________

Join Scott, Justin, and Jonathan as they discuss the gospel of Mark. Mark gets into Jesus' final week on earth in Mark chapter 11. In these final interactions Jesus has before His crucifixion we see His: Kingship, Zeal, Authority, Compassion, and Wisdom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus is King, but what does that mean? I might know that He is King of the universe, but does that translate into Him being the King of my life? Our culture, the systems we live and work in, and even the willfulness of our own souls often seek to challenge Jesus' place as King. John 19 calls us to stand in front of Jesus and really consider what His Kingship asks of us. Ultimately, it is as we see Jesus as the crucified King that our hearts are made ready to surrender to His love.

Be honest -- have you ever seated God on the throne of your life, only to unseat Him when you feel like you can do a better job? Surrender is hard, and we like to think life will go more smoothly when we take over control. But in the end, we'll all submit to His Kingship in one way or another; instead of playing a game of thrones, why not yield to Him and experience life to the fullest?

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Matthew 6:7–8Recall that Jesus used to go off by Himself at times and spend the whole night in prayer. Thus, it's clear that Jesus is in favor of long and sincere times of prayer, since He gave us His own example as a lesson. But there is clearly a difference between that which our Lord did all night and that which He criticized the pagans for doing when they “babble” with many words. After this criticism of the prayer of the pagans, Jesus gives us the “Our Father” prayer as a model for our personal prayer.The Our Father prayer begins by addressing God in a deeply personal way. That is, God is not just an all-powerful cosmic being. He is personal, familial—He is our Father. Jesus continues the prayer by instructing us to honor our Father by proclaiming His holiness, His hallowedness. God and God alone is the Holy One from which all holiness of life derives. As we acknowledge the holiness of the Father, we must also acknowledge Him as King and seek His Kingship for our lives and for the world. This is accomplished only when His perfect will is done “on earth as it is in Heaven.” This perfect prayer concludes by acknowledging that God is the source of all of our daily needs, including the forgiveness of our sins and protection from all evil.Upon the completion of this prayer of perfection, Jesus provides a context in which this and every prayer must be prayed. He says, “If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” Prayer will only be effective if we allow it to change us and make us more like the Father in Heaven. Therefore, if we want our prayer of forgiveness to be effective, then we must live what we pray for. We must also forgive others so that God will forgive us.Reflect, today, upon this perfect prayer, the Our Father. One temptation is that we can become so familiar with this prayer that we gloss over its true meaning. If that happens, then we will find that we are praying it more like the pagans who simply babble the words. But if we humbly and sincerely understand and mean every word, then we can be certain that our prayer will become more like that of our Lord's. Saint Ignatius of Loyola recommends pondering every word of that prayer very slowly, one word at a time. Try to pray this way, today, and allow the Our Father to move from babbling to authentic communication with the Father in Heaven.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. Amen. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Sunday, February 12, 2022 - It can be human nature to lower our expectations to avoid disappointment, but with Jesus we see in our passage that our expectations for His Kingship aren't high enough! He intends to do above and beyond all we could ask for or think of.

A Declaration of KingshipMark 11:1-11February 5, 2023  Jesus is the… • Intentional King who has all knowledge and is all sovereign • Prophesied King who is fulfilling Scripture • Peaceful King who is coming humbly • Sacrificial King who will lay His life down• Global King who rules over all nations• Coming King who will come again in full power • Personal King who beckons me to respond  Jesus declares His Kingship by coming the first time in humility and sacrifice; He will come again as exalted King to reign in complete power and authority. 

A @Christadelphians Video: Description: At the first advent of Christ, the people were expecting a king to release them from the bondage of Rome. They did understand that suffering and the cross had to come before the crown. The Lord Jesus preached the gospel of the Kingdom of GOD, and taught those who would listen to prepare their hearts and minds for His Kingship. He told them he would go away and then return to establish the Kingdom of GOD on earth. Some of our other services.. #1 Our Main site... https://cdvideo.org #2 Our podcast on android... https://cdvideo.org/podcast #3 Our podcast on Apple...https://cdvideo.org/podcast-apple #4 Our facebook...https://facebook.com/OpenBibles #5 Our Whats App... http://cdvideo.org/WhatsApp #6 Our Instagram... http://cdvideo.org/Instagram #7 Our twitter... http://cdvideo.org/twitter #8 Our YouTube Channel... http://cdvideo.org/youtube Watch / read / Listen to other thoughts for the day on our site here https://christadelphianvideo.org/tftd/ #Christadelphianvideo #christadelphianstalk #Christadelphians #openbible #cdvideo #bibleverse #thoughts #thoughtoftheday #meditate #think #christadelphian #God #truth #faith #hope #love #cdvideo #Gospeltruth #truebibleteaching #thegospelmessage #thegospeltruth #firstprinciples #bibletruth #bibleunderstanding #exploringthebible #thoughtfortheday --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/christadelphians-talk/message

New Song Answers Weekend - Transformation Expressed - Pastors Tonderai and Ashley Bassoppo-Moyo - November 19th & 20th, 2022As those practicing the way of Jesus, we are called to sacrificial mission. This is the outward expression of the inward transformation process at work within us. That the whole world might know, we are on mission to be a city on a hill, the light of the world.TRANSFORMATION EXPRESSED 1 - Sacrificial mission is the outward expression of our inward transformation. If there is no sacrificial mission, if there is no pouring out, if there is no outward expression of the inward transformation - we live an incomplete picture of the Gospel.2 - Sacrificial mission requires living from the well. Matthew 25:23 (NIV)…”Well done, good and faithful servant…” “The extent of our sacrifice coupled with the depth of our joy displays the worth we put on the reward of God.” - John Piper  3 - Sacrificial mission requires your life.Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”John 12:24 (NIV)“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”  A seed has to die in order for it to produce fruit.  Romans 6:5-7 (NKJV)“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.”  Romans 15:18 (NLT)“Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.”  Expressed transformation reveals a life given over to the Lord. 4 - Sacrificial mission expresses Kingship. “Missions exists because worship doesn't….When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.” - John Piper The mission of the Kingdom is to bring others in that they, too, may come to know and express His Kingship in their lives. Matthew 5:14 (ESV)“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”  We are citizens of a different Kingdom - and a mark of our citizenship is the way we live.  John 15:8 (ESV)“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”  Fruit bearing is proof of transformation.   We have been entrusted with the Gospel, representing His Kingdom, and reflecting the official position of Heaven.   Matthew 5:16 (NIV)“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”  Mark 15:15 (ESV)“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'”  Matthew 28:18-19 (NIV)“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…'”  John 20:21 (ESV)“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.'”  Luke 24:47 (NLT)“It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.'''  5 - Sacrificial mission turns the world upside down.  Acts 20:24 (NIV) “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.”  Acts 17:1-6 (ESV)Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,  explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also….'”Luke 10:2-3 ESV“And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.'” Acts 1:8 (ESV) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Happy Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe!  This is the last Sunday of the Church year which means we focus on the final and glorious things to come!  It also means that next Sunday is already the First Sunday of Advent.When we say Jesus is a king, we mean a few things. First, He is our Shepherd. As our Shepherd He desires to lead us personally as a loving father would. He wants to enter our lives personally, intimately and carefully, never imposing Himself but always offering Himself as our guide. The difficulty with this is that it's very easy for us to reject this kind of kingship. As King, Jesus desires to lead every aspect of our lives and lead us in all things. He desires to become the absolute ruler and monarch of our souls. He wants us to come to Him for everything and to become dependent upon Him always. But He will not impose this sort of kingship upon us. We must accept it freely and without reservation. Jesus will only govern our lives if we freely surrender ourselves over. When that happens, though, His Kingdom begins to become established within us! And through us in the world. Additionally, Jesus does wish for His Kingdom to begin to be established in our world. First and foremost this takes place when we become His sheep and thus become His instruments to help convert the world. However, as King, He also calls us to establish His Kingship by seeing to it that His truth and law is respected within civil society. It's Christ's authority as King that gives us the authority and duty as Christians to do all we can to fight civil injustices and bring about a respect for every human person. All civil law ultimately gains its authority from Christ alone since He is the one and only Universal King. But many do not recognize Him as King, so what about them? Should we “impose” God's law upon those who do not believe? The answer is both yes and no. First, there are some things we cannot impose. For example, we cannot force people to go to Mass each Sunday. This would hinder one's freedom to enter into this precious gift. We know Jesus requires it of us for the good of our souls, but it must still be embraced freely. However, there are some things that we must “impose” upon others. The protection of the unborn, poor and vulnerable must be “imposed.” The freedom of conscience must be written into our laws. The freedom to practice our faith openly (religious liberty) within any institution must be “imposed” also. And there are many other things we could list here. What's important to point out is that, at the end of all time, Jesus will be returning to Earth in all His glory and He will then establish His permanent and unending Kingdom. At that time, all people will see God as He is. And His law will become one with “civil” law. Every knee will bend before the great King and all will know the truth.  At that time, true justice will reign and every evil will be corrected.  What a glorious day that will be!Reflect, today, upon your own embrace of Christ as King.  Does He truly govern your life in every way?  Do you allow Him to have complete control over your life?  When this is done freely and completely, the Kingdom of God is established in your life.  Let Him reign so that you can be converted and, through you, others can come to know Him as Lord of all!Most solemn Lord, You are the sovereign King of the Universe.  You are the Lord of all.  Come reign in my life and make my soul Your holy dwelling place.  Lord, come transform our world and make it a place of true peace and justice.  May Your Kingdom come!  Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2022 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1–3 Psalm 122:1–5 Colossians 1:12–20 Luke 23:35–43 Week by week, the Liturgy has been preparing us for the revelation to be made on this, the last Sunday of the Church year. Jesus, we have been shown, is truly the Chosen One, the Messiah of God, the King of the Jews. Ironically, in today's Gospel we hear these names on the lips of those who don't believe in Him—Israel's rulers, the soldiers, a criminal dying alongside Him. They can only see the scandal of a bloodied figure nailed to a cross. They scorn Him in words and gestures foretold in Israel's Scriptures (see Psalm 22:7–9; 69:21–22; Wisdom 2:18–20). If He is truly King, God will rescue Him, they taunt. But He did not come to save Himself, but to save them—and us. The good thief shows us how we are to accept the salvation He offers us. He confesses his sins and acknowledges he deserves to die for them. And he calls on the name of Jesus, seeking His mercy and forgiveness. By his faith he is saved. Jesus “remembers” him—as God has always remembered His people, visiting them with His saving deeds, numbering them among His chosen heirs (see Psalm 106:4–5). By the blood of His cross, Jesus reveals His Kingship—not in saving His own life, but in offering it as a ransom for ours. He transfers us to “the kingdom of His beloved Son,” as today's Epistle tells us. His kingdom is the Church, the new Jerusalem and House of David that we sing of in today's Psalm. By their covenant with David in today's First Reading, Israel's tribes are made one “bone and flesh” with their king. By the New Covenant made in His blood, Christ becomes one flesh with the people of His kingdom—the head of His body, the Church (see Ephesians 5:23–32). We celebrate and renew this covenant in every Eucharist, giving thanks for our redemption, hoping for the day when we too will be with Him in Paradise.

Last Sunday in Ordinary Time: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the UniverseSolemnity; Liturgical Color: White or GoldThe vastness of creation serves as the Lord's footstoolThis last Sunday in Ordinary Time is dedicated to the very highest understanding of the nature, role, and purpose of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is multifaceted, the deep hues and contours of his personality revealing themselves to different races and ages in different ways. More personally, even inside of just one single life, a Christian can understand Jesus in more subtle and complex ways as that particular Christian matures. Carpenter, Miracle Worker, Son of Mary, Son of God, Prophet, Messiah, Son of David, Good Shepherd, Healer, Preacher, Logos, Lamb of God, etc. Yet all these titles and identities will give way as the world ends, time is fulfilled, and life with God becomes simply life itself. Jesus' identity will culminate in His Kingship. It will not be a transitional but a terminal identity. The dead will come nose to nose with King Jesus, feeling His hot breath on their cheeks, as He judges them at their life's end. And the saved will have King Jesus before them in heaven forever as He renders homage to God the Father in the power of God the Holy Spirit.The feast of “Christ the King” was first established in 1925, and Pope Saint Paul VI expanded its name to “King of the Universe” in 1969. Jesus is not just a King of Hearts. He is more than mankind's universal Coach, Teacher, or Counselor. By “King of the Universe” the Church is communicating Jesus' metaphysical scale, that God encompasses all of reality, not just man's reality. We say in the Nicene Creed that God created all things visible and invisible. So Jesus is King over all the planets, stars, black holes, quasars, and exploding suns in the blackest corners of remote space. He is King over the earth and all its waterfalls, rainforests, mountain peaks, desert plains, and dark sea floors. He lords over all creation because He is its source. Saint Thomas Aquinas taught that God is not the most perfect being inside of creation but being itself. God is reality, not just the most impressive being inhabiting the reality bubble.This feast is an antidote to the private, or compartmentalized, Jesus who impacts only those spaces in the Christian's life where He is allowed to enter. Jesus wants to reign in every sphere of our lives, at home, on the factory floor, in the yard, at the office, over drinks, on the sports' field, in the car, at meals, on the phone, and on and on. His field of action has no borders. From one perspective, this is a challenging, and limiting, spirituality. Such an intrusive, all-encompassing God can make life feel like a cage, where self-expression is constrained by His rules. From another perspective, however, the total reign of God in our lives is freeing. It means that He is not found only in Church. Sunday Mass? Of course. But we need not have our fingers on the rosary to be close to God and Mary at all times. God is found inside of the daily duties that are the stuff of life. This is consoling. We are not distracted from the higher things as we manage a family, earn a living, exercise, raise the kids, or take care of the house. When the Lord is King of Everything, mundanities are not banalities. The world is richer and more alive when our life is an all-inclusive vocation.The anointed King was a tangible image of the hidden God in Western culture until modern times. Every earthly king was validated by the mighty God King who stood invisibly behind him, the One who benevolently ruled the universe as His own sacred republic. This understanding of God as a Divine Ruler gave a real sense of order, unity, and common purpose to all of reality which is lacking in modern, secular, democratic societies. Today's feast does not invoke, however, merely an image of Jesus representing someone else's Kingship but Jesus actually reigning as King. All the baptized should be glad to be subject to such a benevolent monarch.Christ the King, Your sovereignty over all creation is not heavy. You order all reality toward Yourself and govern Your creatures with justice and humility. Help us to be faithful and subservient to what You desire, so that we can live one day in Your heavenly kingdom.

On the Feast Day of Christ the King we hear the resounding words from Revelation 5: Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain. So much about the Kingship of our Lord Jesus Christ confounds the wise and is foolishness to the world; for Jesus Christ's elevation as King was forged in humility, lowliness, and suffering by His self-offering. Today we explore this paradox to see the wonder that His Kingship is the fruit of His love for mankind.

What does Kingdom Culture look like? God is a God of Decency and Order. Jesus is God's express image, Jesus, while on earth, revealed the Kingdom Culture. Jesus is a real King, with real authority and at salvation we became citizens of Heaven (Phillipines 3:20). Jesus taught us to "only do what we see the Father do" and if ever one wonders how to do that, just like Jesus looked to God, we look to Jesus. As we study the Gospel that Jesus preached while on earth, we learn what Kingdom Culture looks like, as we look to Jesus, and pursue Him in relationship and follow His examples we learn how to live as citizens. We have such a friend in Jesus, what we miss sometimes is the visible friendship with Jesus is the invisible representation of friendship with God. If we want to know what God looks like, we look to Jesus. Friendship does not diminish the authority of God, He is our friend, our older brother and our Lord, our King of Kings. When Jesus came to earth, He didn't give up His Kingship, He came to show us what the King we have been desiring actually looks like and sounds like. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus lays out the platform and the politics of The Kingdom of God. There is a work that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do. There is a way to become a new kind of human. There is no governmental structure or political agenda, it doesn't exist in party politics, it operates in vertical relationship between heaven and earth. The reality of the literal newness is so simple it is easily overlooked. The transformation is only the starting place in God's rule and reign. The Kingdom of God is literal because it is made up of people. It has a culture, customs and practices, a language, belief systems and principles. It has a smell, made to be experienced. It looks like something because our King looks like something. Discover more of the Kingdom Culture in this message.

Fr. Andrew Iskander- Homily for Palm Sunday. Jesus proclaims His Kingship without insecurity, knowing what is going to happen. We joyfully respond by saying we believe He is the King of Israel, but sometimes our insecurities can get in the way of our spiritual lives and other aspects of our lives. Click the icon below to listen.

When Jesus rides on a donkey into Jerusalem, He is making a declaration of His Kingship. He is the King, like Solomon, appointed by His Father to rule. He is the King according to the prophecy of Zechariah who will have eternal dominion. Join us as we follow along with Christ, and celebrate His unique and universal reign.

In this study, we view the requirements for someone to be made king in Israel. We learn that there are 3 main things that had to happen for a man to be king. We look at the lives of 3 different kings: Saul, David, and Jesus. The big question that we tackle today is this: Did Jesus go through and meet any of these Old Testament requirements in order to be made king? Did He do any of this to authenticate His Kingship? Several modern scholars say that He did not, but we feel certain that He did, and we offer our proof in this episode.Tune in with us today, and prepare to enjoy a lively discussion!

Join us as our good friend, Luke Fredenberg, shares about Jesus and The Beauty of His Kingship!