WORSHIP THE KING!
What follows is the text of the sermon delivered to the Midweek Holy Communion on 19th November 2025.
I’m afraid I may have a slightly croaky voice this afternoon. I watched the Scotland World Cup game last night and we qualified outright for the World Cup next year.
I may have shouted at the TV a bit – well a lot!
It was an amazing game. In fact someone wrote into the Guardian commenting on that papers review of the game with these words:
“An overhead kick, a gorgeous curler, lobbing the keeper from halfway? It’s alright Scotland – you qualified for the world cup with your points total, no need to pretend to be Brazil to get there ……”
If we had drawn or lost we would not have been out, but would have had to win two more play-off games to qualify. But if we won we would go straight into the competition – the first time qualifying since 1998 – that’s 27 years!
I am therefore feeling the joy of qualification!
And that’s what I would like to think about from today’s readings.
Firstly, the Gospel reading (Luke 19:11-28) is the story of Jesus telling the parable of the ten minas. Jesus is near Jerusalem and speculation is rife about the coming of the Kingdom of heaven. He told of a man who was going away to be made king. He gives his servants a sum of money and tells them to “put it to work” until his return.
Some of his subjects said they didn’t want him to be king but they did not stop him being crowned. When he comes back we hear of three servants. The first doubled the value of the money and is given control of 10 cities, the second increased the value by 50% and he was given control of 5 cities. The third however did nothing with the money and handed back what he was given. In doing so he said how much he did not trust the new king. The response from the king was to call him wicked and ask why didn’t he at least earn interest on the money? He takes his money and gives it to one who has ten already. When people complain he says this:
‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. (Luke 19:26-28)
This is a stark warning. Those who reject the king will be shut out and destroyed.
Who is the king? – Jesus of course.
What is the kingdom? – the Kingdom of God
Accept him as king and you have the joy of qualifying for the Kingdom to come. Reject him as king and you are excluded. There is no middle ground. No play off second chances.
This story is just before the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and the Palm Sunday story unfolds as Jesus enters as king – but on a donkey in his humility.
Let’s be clear what the kingdom looks like – a place of mercy, of compassion, of grace, of love, of peace. No more sorrow or tears or pain or death. A place where there is no “othering”. A place where crowns are laid down (hold onto that thought).
The recent “Unite the kingdom” march led by Tommy Robinson hit the headlines for many reasons. But one of them was that some carried crosses and some placards saying “Jesus is king”. I watched videos of the message from Elon Musk and from Robinson himself, who has reportedly recently come to a faith in Jesus. Neither gave the impression of being rooted in kingdom values – much more a revolution against “flesh and blood” rather than battling the “against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (see Ephesians 6:12). The language was of a very earthly fight against people they do not agree with or trust not a spiritual one.
This is not the kingdom of God language where the king rides in on a donkey, is silent before his accusers and dies on a cross to defeat evil and death.
Our second reading was from Revelation 4 and provides ample imagery of the Kingdom of Heaven. John stands by a door into heaven and he is invited by a voice like a trumpet to see what is to come.
2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
And who sits on a throne? A king, of course.
After a colourful description of him we then find
“twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.”
They are obviously important with crowns of gold and white robes of purity. And they are seated around the king.
The throne emanates lightening and thunder and is surrounded by fire – all embalms of power. And in front is a crystal sea – that is the water that separates God the king from his people. For the end has not yet come where there is no more sea and the people will be with their God and God will be with his people. That comes in Chapter 21…
Then , around the throne, we see the four Gospels represented, four evangelists in eternal heavenly praise:
“Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]
who was, and is, and is to come.””
At which the twenty-four elders fall down , worship him and lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
They may be important and pure but even they lay down their crowns before the King of kings, Lord of lords.
This Sunday is “Stir up Sunday” which is traditionally when the Christmas puddings and cake mixtures would be prepared and wishes made. It is the Sunday before Advent begins. The name comes from the Collect for that Sunday in the Book of Common Prayer that begins “Stir up in us we beseech thee…”
More recently it is also known as Christ the King Sunday.
King of a Kingdome which is a place of mercy, of compassion, of grace, of love, of peace. No more sorrow or tears or pain or death.
Let us stir up our Spirit Filled Worship of him for:
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His power
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His love
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His mercy
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Our own sake – that we might have eternal joy of qualification!
Amen.
Every blessing
Doug
vicar@christchurchpurley.org.uk
CLOUDBURSTING