Nicene Creed - "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end"

<<Creation as we know it will have an end – what is part of God's kingdom will remain, what is not will be destroyed>>

Continuing series on the creed

Change of focus – past to future

“He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.”

A definite end – A real judgment – An everlasting kingdom.

A DEFINITE END

End of time?

When Luke was born. Cat – older sibling not left out.

Luke the Lion and Tibby the Tiger.

Lion King Soundtrack

Lion Cub is born

Beginnings – Endings

The sun rolling high

Through the sapphire sky

Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the Circle of Life

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the Circle

The Circle of Life

Lion dies body becomes the grass. The antelopes eat the grass. The lion eats the antelope.

Far as it goes -true.

But way of viewing the world – Mufasa has no concept that the world will one day end.

Mufasa - Time is cyclical / circular

Eastern religions – reincarnation.

But Bible and Christian Creeds

Linear Timeover-arching purpose / goal moving towards.

Gospel reading

Jesus chooses not African savanna but a farm.

Farm exist purpose. Goal - harvest

Parable of wheat and weeds “so it will be at the end of the age” (v40)

Farm has purpose (produce wheat) --> Gone wrong (weeds planted) --> Needs to be put right.

World has purpose (creation live in harmony with creator) --> World has gone wrong (sin, fall) --> World needs to be put to right (righting of wrongs = judgement).

A definite end.

A REAL JUDGEMENT - “to judge the living and the dead”

What can we say about this judgment?

Necessary

Evil in the world. If harvest is to be useful. NB Eastern religions.

God delaying judgment (v29)

German officer who could have shot Hitler

Good news - time to repent

Separation (v30). krino = “Sifting.” Parable of the net. Discerning good and bad.
Jesus will be the judge (v41) – good news.

Already begun to deal with the problem. Cross and Resurrection. Without Jesus we are all like weeds. Stood in our shoes. Redeemer “For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.”

“Maranatha” - come Lord Jesus

AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM - “his kingdom will have no end.”

Definite end to the world as we see it and know it.

God's kingdom will have no end.

Hebrews 12:26

“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven”. This phrase “yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken – that is created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.”

“we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” - signs of God's kingdom already amongst us. People / world.

What's in line with his kingdom?

Love – for our neighbours, love for our enemies
freedom - from oppresion, prejudice.
End to suffering, injustice, pain
BUT ALSO – heart - living in relationship with God

Warning if you are not in r/ship!

CS Lewis Last Battle p144

Land of Narnia coming to an end. But those creatures who are loyal to Aslan live on. Aslan = Christ.

Aslan standing by an open door as all of the animals from Land of Narnia stream towards him

“The creatures came rushing on, their eyes brighter and brighter as they drew nearer and nearer... But as they came right up to Aslan one or other of two things happened to each of them. They all looked straight in his face, I don't think they had any choice about that. And when some looked, the expression of their faces changed terribly – it was fear and hatred... And all the creatures who looked at Aslan in that way swerved to their right, his left, and disappeared into his huge black shadow, which streamed away to the left of the doorway. The children never saw them again. I don't know what became of them. But the others looked in the face of Aslan and loved him, though some of them were very frightened at the same time. And all these came in at the Door, in on Aslan's right.”

CONCLUSION

Definite End – Real Judgment – Everlasting Kingdom.

William Barclay “If a man is true to God, he gains everything and ,if he is untrue to God, he loses everything. In time and eternity nothing really matters save loyalty to God.”