Meekness and Majesty

This Sunday we celebrate Christ the King. Every time I think of those words I remember the hymn, ‘meekness and majesty’ by Graham Kendrick. The two words meekness and majesty go against each other perfectly. There is the thought that as we think of and worship Jesus, we are worshipping someone who became as nothing and died for us and yet someone who remains King and Lord of all.

The readings for this Sunday could seem really mixed up, unless we looked at them with the view of Jesus being our King. A King who is majestic, yet also one who was crucified for us. In the gospel reading (Luke 23:33-43) we read of the crucifixion. Jesus the King made nothing, dying the death of a criminal. It is a reading that sends chills. This is because, as I read it, I want to shout at the soldiers for mocking Jesus and His Kingship. I want to tell the passers by, who said that He could not save Himself, that ‘yes He could’, but He was too busy saving them. This very fact reminds me of Jesus as King. He could have stopped it but He didn't. Then of course with the two criminals by Jesus, there is the one laughs at him. This is because he could not see the strength and power of who Jesus was. The other criminal recognised Jesus as King. 

With the gospel reading being about the crucifixion we are reminded that, as we move into Advent next week, we are preparing to welcome in the King who was beyond all expectations. 

Mighty and majestic, the gospel reading reminds us that majesty seems to go with suffering on a cross. However, so we don't get confused or too mixed up, the epistle reading (Col.1:11-20) reminds us that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Jesus was involved in creation. It always makes me think of the reading from John 1:1-19 which explains who Jesus is and what it meant to God to become one of us.  

This Sunday used to be known as stir up Sunday,  it was when we were reminded that we needed to get ourselves ready for Advent. To be ready to receive the greatest gift of all a Christmas. The post communion prayer for this Sunday explains it best,

‘Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people; they they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by you be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ 

After the first verse of the hymn ‘Meekness and Majesty’ we are called to bow down and worship. I hope that I will always be ready to bow down and worship Christ my King.