November 20, 2022 The New TEN.THIRTY (3rd Sunday)

Thank you, Tim. I'll be up front with you inside at one of my favorite Sunday's of the year to speak to and to celebrate is Christ. The King it is today is the final Sunday about church year the cycle. So we started a new year in the church, context Advent, Sunday. Next week and Christ, the King is the culmination of Whitwell readings are narrative style storylines and festivals, have been leading us.

Christ. The King isn't so much celebrated, his will Christ will be in the front is King when he returns Christ, always has been suffering. So in not mocking something that is a new event but it's recognizing where all these different storylines, these different remembrances observances, we have throughout our church have been leading us Advanced talks about the coming of Christ and lead us towards the Christmas season. The Incarnation of Christ, taking human. Before we go through the The Epiphany the appearance of Christ. The manifestation to the wise men from the East. We have Jesus life is his that dedication. His baptism. His public Ministry, covid-19 in his pre-trial, the crucifixion and Resurrection. The coming of the spirit panda cost and then we have a whole season to be focused on the life of the church. That's what all the various different storylines that we follow and it walks us through the great biblical narrative, that is the gospel itself. If you draw all those threads together and ask, where does this leave us? It leaves us with this one, deep truth on the sovereignty of Christ who is Head and Shoulders Above All Else.

Christ. The King is the celebration because Christ is uniquely qualified to do what he has done and is doing. And will do, there is none to compare with him. And we recognize that his worthiness is unparalleled and it is a source of both genuine or and true compass. And devotion, we are entrusting ourselves to someone who has acted in this world in a way which just leaves us with a Saints beyond words. So what style of celebrating Christ? The King? It's a challenge to speak on because would become an adequate and we just begin to Glimpse greater truth. So I'm using flight and change to me at number of images to try and help us to explore that thing this morning. What are those images that kind to me this week about how we we just begin to Glimpse the touch on trees that are so deep that it's beyond our comprehension way beyond our ability to say yes I can see that clearly know we we glimpse a depth in a richness. It's a bit. Like I don't know where we are. Find ourselves in our spiritual life, how spiritual journey sometimes it. I feel as though I'm just didn't like the toddlers pull up and tells Mohawk guy for the toddler's pool, you know, the new extension you could get their face in. We could even go out to a nice if you're a brave table and sometimes you got to be on the toddler's pool, we might go into a full pool that we can dive into and swim and I don't know whether you recall. I can recall the first time going out of my depth and you go who I'm out of my depth. And you think how long can I last day before you go back and get to a place where you can stand on tippy toes and have you hit about I'm not sure if you ever have you ever tried to swim in a diving pool, you know, the ones that are four or five meters deep, it's very disconcerting, cuz it's seriously deep and I'd stay long in a diving pool. But that can pay is compared to snorkeling or diving offshore where you go for a reef and you suddenly get Beyond The Reef in his a whole shelf along that I've been seeing that I no longer where you go off, at beautiful Reef in the fishing. You some look over the edge and you can't see the bottom. It's sad to leave so deep, and that is just the fringes of the ocean. Dips, we are surrounded day in and day out, 24 hours a day by an ocean that covers this world. The majority of the ocean has never been glimpsed by any human. It is so David, we glimpsed something that is part of a living experience, but it is so beyond our ability to even see the picture, what that might look like. And that is just a glimpse of this universe. What we Glimpse In this passage? I would describe from Colossians 1. Today is like the diving pool. It is deep, and it is such a breathtaking and exhilarating. But we know we are just at the ages or something that is beyond our ability to name that have 92 picture. So where does it take us in Christ. The King it gives us a view of the truth about Christ and the greater reality the greatest reality about life and existence that can only piss be perceived Through The Eyes of Faith. This is a spiritual view that in human terms is be on site and the contrast is saying in the first of all readings, sorry the Gospel, reading from Luke 23 way, we have Jesus viewed for the eyes of the world, in this case, the Ryman. Well, as he was not allowed, as he was executed, in the most literally excruciating death, like a thing called, They put this parody of a sign about Jesus, the king of the Jews. In three different languages. And it wasn't that they actually believe that Jesus was any sort of nice, it will Cain. It was more this pitiful figure on the cross. The saying is this the best you can do by way of a king cuz he took me doesn't come pay with a Roman Empire or the Ryman That is how Jesus was viewed. Through human eyes, socialize, he had no, I mean, he had no power. He had no political movement. There was no, palisil. Finally, what sort of King is this? It for the eyes of faith. We see that same narrative that same figure so differently. But lighter. Now service, we're going to have a stipend to 5 based on Philippians 2 that though he was equal with God. She had the fullness of God, he emptied himself and took on human form and not just human food in the form of a slave and not just on the form of us live at one who died, the death of us life, that is crucifixion. This is someone who used his sovereignty and power for admission and a work that is unparalleled in history. It is made a difference. Unlike any other act in history, this isn't a cell phone or person who sits back and enjoys the trappings of power, but this is someone who is at work, using that Paulo and that Authority in a responsible way in a while, and which is honoring the mission and purposes of God, that Jesus was sent into the world that the field. Butte for those eyes we see that work across in another, why you did that for me for us.

The contrast, the saying in the two criminals. Why don't other side of Jesus one? Who continue to that? Mockery, I even self inside us. Yet the other criminals. So, Jesus differently. He saw someone who was worthy of much greater than those who did not deserve the crucifixion, but someone to reach out to the play to beg. and so Jesus had these wonderful words of response to the the criminal who saw Jesus as a Heavenly being, Today, I say to you, you will be with me. In Paradise. Sorry, that's my wife, an introduction into the passage that I want to focus on from Colossians 1. This is an incredibly rich and deep passage that takes us into dips that go beyond our ability to explain. And one of these, just, I have, is in the iconography. The imagery of Crystal Shrek Christ, the King. It's a historic one that has gone right throughout the ages in different cultures of sorts of give expression to it. With getting we are close to it here to Mathews an hour out loud. Memorial wind die at the end of the century. It's the reason the same did Christ that we C&L window there in his glory. Allow crystals Rex what does have a crown on top of a child at the kingship, the sovereignty of Christ as well, and its various different ways in which I had his trying to convey something of the, the awesomeness of this figure of Christ risen descended. And in glory, this is taken from her. I love her and University in Indiana in the US. And I love the imagery because mixed-media between a sculpture and the, the stained-glass behind it. But if it is so complex and so rich and has so many different types to it that we be consoled, take a picture of it to do, justice to if you viewed it from different angles, and different directions. And it's actually cool to Windsor like the winter morning lot that the different light that comes shows or when a different. Why it's constantly moving and changing. I love that complexity to it. So this passage that we have in Colossians 1 is almost like this. It's kind of you at other than looking, at individual Parts but to see how they come together and full my picture. That is a picture of glory.

Some of the words themselves are coming. This little section in Colossians 1, a probably early form of creative early church. Probably recited these words to each other. As like, we have the Apostles Creed. This is probably a very early for him. That might even have been set to music, we don't know. But it has of a form that would have been familiar. And even other words themselves, I'm not that difficult to understand the wine which they are woven together, is where the richness is found. These various different understandings of images and truths about Jesus, a woven together into a beautiful picture.

These reductions to it. And you might have noticed that when Tim read the passage he broke in half. I threw a sentence. It's a long sentence that pull right. He did write some long sentences, and Robin and breaking it up with a. That the translators of kept, the long sentence that we, we jumped into a half a 3 verse 12. And it's, it's the scene of why this is such a life-changing at roof to celebrate. This is the jewel. The gospel God has delivered from the domain of Darkness, from the domain of that, which is evil, and messy, and painful, and unjust and leads us to despair. From the remaining of our own use fade, as we look at the realities of the world around us, and if that was the Proviso that was the to win, that would be even more Dreadful. But God has delivered us from that to mine that human realm and transport food us into the kingdom of his beloved Son under his sovereignty. In whom we have Redemption. The forgiveness of sin. That's the introduction into this passage and then go get some of that ice to incredible statements Christ is the image of the invisible. God. God is a bigger than a brain is like trying to comprehend the enormity of a majestic Sovereign being Comes into Focus for the person of Jesus. If we want to know what God is, like, we look at Jesus, we look at his character. We look at his example, we look at his attitude of mind his values. His teachings, his life is death is resurrection, his Ascension. Then we see God in a form that is entered into a world that is tangible. Jesus is the image of this invisible God. In fact, the fullness of God can be found in human form in the person of Jesus fully God, just as he is fully, human in chapter to pull will a bright side of it forever in Colossians, in Christ, the fullness of the diet, he lives in bodily form and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head of every power and authority. This incredible juxtaposition that this Jesus who emptied himself of that fullness aims of the world in human form. Now, she is at fullness to those who turn to Christ.

I didn't warn you mind blowing as we begin to season to dwell with all his troops, but Jesus is head-and-shoulders. There's none compare comparable to heaven in or human history and certainly in human form. The imagery is used to try to convey. The richness of the work of Jesus and we can also see it in the Book of Revelation. Revelation is addressed in the first instance has to seven churches and these seven churches in Asia, pic, a prism, by which we can view ourselves somewhere in the characteristic of those seven churches. We cannot identify ourselves across size, seven churches. Try said, I know all about you, I know everything about you is a church and these things are good. These things are wonderful. They use things not so much and those things you really should stop as a report card, giving a size seven churches. But sinful as seven churches in for all the churches like ourselves ever, since the drama moves to Silas, take our eyes off these touches because of our hope is realize church, I'm not sure my hope is that robust. But let's load height. That is seven churches before. Dad or why of Heaven. Seven chapter 4. Revelation is this wonderful verse. The doors of Heaven are open in fruit size, door was weak, Glimpse, that Grace our reality. And what do we Glimpse is a drummer of all creation the four corners of the earth worshiping around the front of Christ. But then, a drama movie was up because in that scene there is a scroll that has to be opened the scroll holds the future of this world. The future of God's people and the cry goes out. Who is worthy to open this scroll? We can't think of anyone from Israel. Would anyone who is worthy to open the scroll? Until one is found who is were these all the lion of Judah? Is Worthy. Beside me that lion that powerful think of transforms into a lamb. A slime lamp. As an image for Christ, he is the only one worthy to open that scroll saw the image of the Slime. Lamb is also an image of a pile and a work of God, that defies our understanding. But proved that work of the Lamb who is Worthy. God has changed the direction of human history. God is change the future of this world. Was in Revelation as it continues and is a whole cycle of drivers and happenings upon human history. It does Cycles are broken up with a Heavenly chorus. And that Heavenly chorus, the Angels and Archangels and all the company of Heaven through. Go to song provide a commentary on what is happening. Coventry on the work of Christ. When We Gather in our worship, we open up those doors for scripture and we've head at Coventry help us to understand and make sense of Elwell, a life. All the challenges that we Face Out doubt South basil anxieties out harps. And when we view them, in the lie to that big picture? Suddenly we know that we are part of something that is so much bigger than ourselves. And we are part of a company of people that will always be in the presence of Our Lord. This is the storyline that Christ the King gathers together. Cycle continues Christ, the son is the image of the invisible God that he continues. He is the firstborn over all creation for in him. All things were created things in heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible with a Thrones of powers or rulers of authorities. All things have been created through him. And for him, he is before, all things. And in him all things, hold together.

Somebody would know that I'm very much an amateur God. And I enjoy the garden and asked me the names of things online that pop, and I might just make them up. As we go Google, try to catch me out. One of the things I do had to stop at about God and you see importance of a Taproot. A prude is what makes all the difference with a red side arrivals or a shrub over a tree? If the Taproot is healthy than the truth, is a good chance that that trail, that shrub Will Survive. Whatever is thrown at us? Even if you have an extensive ground cover happening right across a bank with a else, it will be paid by One Tap Root. That is sustaining a whole lot of growth that is happening. That struck me, as I was reflecting on this passage that I would talks about in him all things, hold together, it says, oh Jesus is the the Taproot for all of life experience. All creation is fed by Jesus, the life-giving Taproot, that sustains and strengthens and enables at greif to a car. So, that final verse that talks about an energy Vitality, that is more than we can picture of things have been created through him and for him, he is before all things. And in him all things, hold together, the source of life and hope and light, that comes with that. Who was unfinished? And he sees, what does it look like driving in that General picture through him? God has reconciled everything that himself much as people, but old creation is now reconciled. He's made paste made Shalom with everything in heaven and on Earth by the means of Christ's Blood on the cross. We now view the cross so differently compared to those on, look as who I'm walking Jesus. We see I power at work that made such a profound difference to bring about reconciliation and pace.

And this Christ, pull continues is the head of the body and I buy image the church. He is the beginning. And the firstborn among the other day, that is the side eyes. Who have died in the Lord, will share in his resurrection and the eternal life that he is gone before to establish in to prepare for us as well. We are in a company of people gathered together, unlike any other company of people in all of history and all that. Well, no matter what civilization to Empire, or Community, you talk about there is no association, no Gathering of people. That can compare to the people of God, who have been gathered in the name of Jesus Christ.

Where does this leave us? It leaves us with a picture of a being who is both as intimate and personal as to know I spy name. Jesus said to me this morning and I might as well reflecting on this that this same Christ, the King is the same being who sits on the end of John's bed and speaks to him. And he knows Us by name and invites us to his table in office that the bread and the wine is lying saying you are my family. You are welcome at this. However, this title You are my children. The same God who sees, I love you. And my love is led to this amazing. Sacrifices made on Alpine and the Triumph in the victory that comes through it. It leaves us to or true or

in a sense of we have no more faithful or loving or trustworthy hands to the place our lives. But into the hands of this reason and listen to Christ

How can I wait to finish at the spice after than just the reflect on the image? But I've chosen the song at this stage is an interlude and it talks about God in Christ, being the light of the world a Nexus live case is Mount Shasta. Great stories of what Christ has done but how that is an expression of our of God's love and hope that we have so much. And now just to, to listen to the space as we reflect on, not just the enormity of Christ but that love that Embraces Us in his broken into our world into our fears and doubts, enjoy the space.