Christ The King 2025 St Andrew’s Milngavie
Today we celebrated the Christ the King.
Yesterday we received the sad news from Bishop Nick that Bishop Gregor Duncan died on Friday. Bishop Gregor was a much loved bishop in this diocese for several years and many of you knew him well. The details of his funeral will be announced shortly; in the meantime, we pray for the repose of Gregor’s soul and for who were close to him and supported him at the end.
Looking ahead to Advent…..
Next Sunday we shall at our Sung Eucharist celebrate Advent Sunday and our Patronal Festival as it is also St Andrew’s Day .
Advent Study Group – All Saints Hall Tuesdays 2pm ( 2nd 9th 16th December). We shall be using the book “Advent in Narnia” by Heidi Haverkamp. All very welcome
Advent Sunday 5pm All Saints Advent Carol Service – all welcome
This Week
Tuesday 10am – Prayer Group in the Garden Room
Wednesday 2.20pm – Book Group Helen’s
Thursday 10am – Said Holy Communion followed by coffee in Friendship House.
Advent Sunday 10am – Sung Eucharist for Advent Sunday and St Andrew’s Day
5pm – All Saints Advent Carol Service – all Welcome
Readings for next Sunday – Advent Sunday – Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44
Today’;s readings – Jeremiah 23:1-6, Colossians 1 :11-20, Luke 23:33-43,
Today is the last Sunday of the Christian year, a day traditionally referred to as the feast of Christ the King. A day when we remember the kingship of Christ, a tradition that goes back to 1925 when the feast day was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX.
The pope felt that in an increasingly unsettled world where political extremes were being played out in Europe it was time to remind Christian people everywhere that our allegiance is to Christ and not to any of these worldly rulers. And so we have Christ the King Sunday.
But Jesus was a king who was different from any worldly ruler, he was different from the moment he was born. He never did conform to the pictures usually associated with kingship with earthly glory and power.
He wasn’t born in a royal palace, or even into a royal family, but was born to parents who were humble and modest. He was regarded as dangerously odd by the religious authorities. Here was someone that took the welfare of the poor seriously, particularly of children and widows.
Indeed his preaching constantly affirmed the poor and outcasts, he taught of love and forgiveness – turning the other cheek. He even washed his disciple’s feet.
The powers that be, both Jews and Romans, were utterly confused.
The picture our gospel reading gives us today of Christ on the cross is certainly not what we might expect to see illustrating Kingship, power and authority.
Here there are no fine robes but a naked and scarred body, his crown has no jewels only vicious thorns. There are no courtiers or servants around him, just two criminals sharing his fate and an assorted crowd of soldiers and spectators who taunt and mock him.
But above his head are written the words “This is the King of the Jews” and then we hear the voice of one of the robbers, “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom”
And Christ’s reply “Today you will be with me in paradise”
And so, from the voices of mockery and hate we hear the voices of faith and compassion.
In this picture of Christ on the cross we are getting a glimpse of the sort of kingship that can meet our deepest inner spiritual needs. The needs we sometimes don’t even understand ourselves and which certainly aren’t met by the leaders of the world.
Here is a king who is prepared to suffer alongside us. This is not a king who holds himself regally aloof from his people, he is a king who experiences betrayal, savage injustice, brutal cruelty and utter humiliation and yet maintains his dignity and integrity. This is a king who has lived life as we have lived it who has died as we will die but who now lives a new resurrection life.
He reassures us and welcomes us into that new resurrection life in his kingdom where we will know peace and healing.
Paul encouraged the Colossians with this belief in his letter to them. “For God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14
Next week we will begin again to tell the story of the coming of Jesus into the world as a baby and we will again start looking forward to Jesus returning as Christ the King.
As we journey through the year hearing again the stories of Jesus’ birth, his ministry and teaching, his death and resurrection, we too will be travelling our own journeys.
We too will go through the wilderness times of doubt and anxiety, we may enter the gethsemane of anguish and despair, we may have great experiences of excitement and good news.
We will plod along through the everyday life of ordinary times.
As we travel Christ will be alongside us giving meaning and purpose to our lives. His presence will make all the difference when we feel most alone and isolated.
Today we celebrate the feast day of Christ the King.
A king who came to earth with nothing, born in a stable among animals.
A king who died on a cross and rose again.
A king who longs to reign in our hearts and bless us with his presence and drew us into his eternal kingdom.