Skip to main content

King of Love


A crown of the Bavarian kings displayed in a museum.
Jesus did not need such a sign of his status and power. He governs our world and lives supremely with the power of his love.

Another church year has come to an end. With the festival of Christ the King Sunday, we prepare for Advent, and another year of celebrating the good news.

We will hear the good news of our faith in God’s love. How God the creative parent created the world with devotion and pleasure. How God the loving partner approached people and blesses all creation with kindness and generosity. And how God the caring provider saved us from death and continues to lead us to life.

The power of God’s love does not coerce us, but gives selflessly. God’s love does not abandon us in our failures, but continues to bless us graciously. God’s love never ends, but reigns supremely forever.

The evangelist John declared in the book of his vision: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

The good news is: The power Jesus has is greater than that of any human king, president or dictator. His love shows us that no one cares about us, forgives us, and protects us like God.

Jesus says to you: This Advent, during the coming year, each day, prepare for my kingdom. My love has the power to transform your life, relationships and faith again and again, today and forever.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Everyday Gratitude

The altar at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with donations for local food pantries. This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. How do you celebrate the holiday? It’s well and good to be thankful for family and food on Thanksgiving Day. But as Christians we can show our genuine gratitude to a gracious God every day by 1. remembering to thank God for everything, 2. praying for those who are in positions of authority, and 3. sharing the gifts we have received with others in need. According to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus encourages us: “... do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ... But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (vv. 31, 33) God blesses us all in abundance. Let’s not forget to be thankful. And remember those who lack basic needs.

Renewing Devotion

My wife and I showed our devotion to Jesus by packing food for starving children. 'Why give money to World Hunger when they should help themselves and there’s people to take care of your own family or church or country?’ Or, one could say, why waste expensive perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet when you could have used the money to feed the poor? That’s rational, selfish, and sarcastic Judas speaking to willfully discredit Mary. Mary however, responded with love, generosity, and extravagant devotion. Word The lectionary gospel on the Sunday before Holy Week tells of Mary sharing her devotion for Jesus. She uses expensive oil, and outrageously, her hair and tears, to express her love, her service, her faith in Jesus. While they are at dinner, “Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.” (John 12:3) Guess what? Mary doesn’t care about the cost, or what other people might say. She does what feels right to her....

Renewing Confession

Procession of Clergy during an Ordination service. The church celebrates faith in Christ together. It is difficult for us to relate to biblical events like Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The words like Hosanna, and actions like riding on a donkey, are not exactly something we use or encounter today. Word If Jesus were to live today to tell us about God beginning to take charge of governing the world it would be all over Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. God’s representative might come riding on a bicycle instead in a limousine. And people would probably wave their cell phones to express their excitement. Followers of the new visionary leader would shout something like: ‘Hey, yo! Welcome the Boss from heaven! Get ready for some serious change!’ Connection So if it so happened that Jesus were to come through our town on the way to die and rise so we would be freed to live in God’s realm here on earth and forever in heaven, would you even notice, would you believe hi...