Matthew Henry John Bartlett

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Tuesday 23 November, 02010

Sermon from me about obedience to Jesus

by Matthew Bartlett @ 8:07 pm

St Michael’s Anglican Church
Sermon for 21 November 2010 – Christ the King
 
Psalm 122:1-9; 2 Samuel 5:1-3; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:32-43
 
Today’s theme is ‘Christ the King’. I want to explore this idea with you today in the light of particularly our Gospel and Epistle readings. Kings, queens, monarchies – they’re old fashioned things; they don’t have much currency or relevance for us here now. Well, I say that, but of course this week many New Zealanders, including my own wife, seemed quite excited to learn that Prince William and Kate Middleton are now engaged, and eager to hear the exact circumstances of the proposal, and precisely how everyone felt before and after. But really, even if William at some future date is crowned King, New Zealand’s Head of State, and the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, it seems very unlikely to make a difference to any of our lives. And if the idea of kingship doesn’t really speak to us in our contemporary setting, what does that mean for the idea of the ‘kingdom of God’ that is so often talked about from this lectern by various preachers? (more…)