Time - While God is outside of time, human beings created and keep time in many ways. Work. Holidays. Vacations. Birth. Death. We track Time by the sun, moon, tides, and seasons. In fact, Time is so connected to our lives, we personify it and Time becomes a family member. Time is our Best Friend and Worst Enemy. Time Marches. Time Steals. Time Races. Time Crawls. Time Heals.
Our church seasons are organized by Time: Advent, Easter, Pentecost, to name a few. For many Christians, Advent is the beginning of the new church year. As with anything, the beginning of something requires the end of something else. Christ the King Sunday is the final Sunday before the beginning of Advent, our preparation, reflection, and celebration of Christ coming as the child, Immanuel, to be with us. Christ the King Sunday is the reminder of Christ’s supremacy and power as part of the Holy Trinity.
The major seasons of the church calendar all point to the different ways Christ is with us.
Christ as the Promise.
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
Christ as the Messiah.
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.38Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked.They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”39“Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.i40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus. 41He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ). John 1:35 - 40
Christ as the Teacher.
1When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him, 2and He began to teach them, saying: 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven 11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
Matthew 5:1 - 11
Following Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Matthew wrote:
28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, 29because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:24
Christ as The Sacrifice. 7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. 8By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people. 9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:7 - 11
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