Rejoice, the Lord is King,
Your Lord and King adore;
Mortals, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

Jesus, the Saviour, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When he had purged our stains,
He took his seat above:

His kingdom cannot fail;
He rules o’er earth and heaven;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus given:

He sits at God’s right hand
Till all his foes submit,
And bow to his command,
And fall beneath his feet:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:

And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen

 

From Easter to Pentecost:

Allelulia. Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia

 

In Lent and other penitential occasions:

Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins;

His mercy endures for ever.

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, to whom all hearts be open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

This prayer is omitted during Lent and Advent:

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth.  Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.  Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

 Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Psalm is now said by the congregation

Psalm 93

Dominus regnavit

Revelation 1:4b-8

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.

So it is to be. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

All stand for the Gospel reading.

Alleluia!  Alleluia!

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David!

Alleluia!

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to

John 18:33-37

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

After the Gospel reading

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Most people may not realize it, but the feast we’re celebrating today, the Feast of Christ the King, is a very new one on the church calendar.  It was added by Pope Pius XI in 1925.  He created this feast as a reaction against the prevailing attitudes of his day – a way to refute the growing threats of communism and secularism.  Two “isms” that sought to make man, not God, the most powerful force in the world.  Within a few years, of course, the world would have another “ism” to confront, totalitarianism – making this feast even moresignificant.

Almost a century later, those threats have been replaced by others that tend to marginalize God—”isms” like materialism or relativism.  But here and now, this feast still stands in defiance of our culture.  And it stands before us as a challenge.

It asks us: “Who – or WHAT — really rules our lives?”  That’s a question we could spend all of Advent asking ourselves, and praying over.  And maybe we should!

But today though, we would do well to spend a few minutes considering not just Christ the King – but Christ’s kingdom.  Because this feast reminds us of what we pray for, day after day, week after week, when we pray “thy kingdom come.”

This kingdom doesn’t have a castle or a court.  It isn’t a place of royal fanfare.  It isn’t even found on a map.  It is a kingdom that dwells within the human heart!  And its great, defininglandmark……is the cross!

Today’s gospel allows us to focus for a moment on a brief, but very significant episode in the story that probably typicallygets rather short shrift.  On Good Friday, and in the season of Lent, our attention is directed at the overall thrust of the narrative, the inexorable move towards Golgotha and the crucifixion.  Often details get ignored by our single-minded focus on the drama of cross and resurrection.  So the opportunity to pause, and reflect on a particular incident like this, may help us look at the story in a slightly differentperspective, to see it with new eyes.

Even so, the choice of this particular episode for our reflection on ‘Christ the King’ Sunday may seem somewhat odd.  Pilate asks Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”  Very typically, Jesus’s response is another question:  “Do you ask this of your own accord, or did others tell you this about me?”  It’s a question about Jesus’s identity, and as such it calls to mind another very similar question asked elsewhere in the gospels.  In Mark, as Jesus and his disciples walk near Caesarea Philippi, in a region dominated by Roman imperial power and imagery, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” Then he asked, “But who do you say that I am?”  These questions were the occasion for Peter’s brash affirmation, “You are the Christ.”

Now here, in a direct confrontation with the agent of Roman imperial power, the question of Jesus’ identity is raised again.  “Are you the king of the Jews?”  Jesus, and I suspect, both we ourselves know full well that Pilate is not asking the question honestly.  He neither knows, nor cares who Jesus in fact is.  In reality, he seems much more interested in finding some way to avoid responsibility for what is taking place.  And Jesus seems equally willing to help Pilate extricate himself from what is to come!

The exchange between Pilate and Jesus is about kingship.  Jesus responds to Pilate, “my kingdom is not from this world.”  It’s easy for us to side with Jesus, to confess him as King, and to realize that his kingship was something quite different to what either the Roman or the Jewish leaders understood by the term.  We get that.  We may not have any trouble proclaiming our allegiance to Jesus’s kingship, even if we do not fully understand what that might mean, and though we may not really want to live our lives as if our primary and our only allegiance is to Christ’s kingship.

The problem for us is not the proclaiming of this, but rather living as if we believed that Christ is King, and that our allegiance to him, transcends every other loyalty, commitment or connection.  The difficulty for us is that although we praythe words, “Thy Kingdom come”, alas, we don’t really mean it!

The crux of the matter is that we suffer from the same malaise that plagued Pilate.  Throughout his dealings with Jesus in this gospel, Pilate reveals himself as deeply cynical.  One can’t read any of his statements as coming from the heart, as being sincere.  He is always looking for ways to navigate through the situation in order to preserve his power, and avoid difficult decisions as the story evolves in the verses which follow.  It is that temptation which confronts us today, every day – the temptation to confess with our lips, but deny with our lives that Christ is King.  We are surrounded by such cynicism—the manipulation of images, our feelings, our values, for financial or political gain.  It is hard for us not to succumb, but there was one who was pure, one who was sincere. It was Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, who went from there to the cross, died and was raised, Jesus Christ our King, who demands our allegiance, our truth, and our all.

Psalm 93 though presents us with a much stronger and more positive view of the kingship of Christ, complete with all the trappings of power with which we are all more familiar, and too I suspect, much more comfortable!

Had we not known otherwise, we might have been forgivenfor thinking that our 1^st Reading, from the Book of Daniel, came rather from the Revelation, where the whole concept of heaven is conveyed as a somewhat terrifying dream, bordering almost on a nightmare.  Those same, surreal qualities are clearly much in evidence here, but serve to emphasise the overwhelming power and majesty of God by making everything rather larger than life.

Our 2^nd Reading was indeed from the Revelation, but early onin the book, and so the characteristics and qualities to which I have just alluded have yet to emerge.   There is a message here of calm reassurance and peace, but as we read on it becomesincreasingly apparent that this is pointing us firmly in the direction of Advent, where we shall find ourselves next Sunday, and so we embark once more on a new liturgical year – Year C in the reading cycle.

I mentioned at the outset that this feast is relatively new to the Church – but what it represents is as old as Christianity itself.  An ancient Father of the Church, Cyril of Jerusalem, beautifully described how the first Christians received communion, saying that they “made their hands like a throne” to receive the Lord.  The very title “Christ the King” has outlasted most of the world’s monarchies. Kings, of course, have increasingly fallen out of fashion as republics have taken hold — there are now only about 40 real monarchs ruling in the world, and most of them are no more than mere figureheads!

However, the one we honour and celebrate today, of course, isn’t.  As Paul describes him: he is the “firstborn of allcreation…for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.”   This is the one we shall prepare to welcome here on earth in only a few more weeks’ time. And, this is the one we will greet very shortly, with our hands outstretched, like a throne.

This afternoon then, on this singular feast, this last Sunday of the liturgical year, we open the gates.  We lift up our voices.  We stretch out our hands!

And we welcome this King of Glory into our hearts, praying : ‘Thy Kingdom come; they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’.  Amen

Please stand for the Nicene Creed.

Let us together affirm the faith of the Church.

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven:

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

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

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

Let us pray for the world and for the Church:

Prayers of intercession are now said and at the end of each prayer the priest says:

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

or

Lord hear us,

Lord graciously hear us

At the conclusion of the prayers the priest says:

Almighty God, who has promised to hear our prayers.

Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 Jesus said: Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

or

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

CHRIST THE KING 2021

a. Let us pray to the Lord, King of all things on earth and in heaven.

b. Grant that the Church,  always rejoice in you, her heavenly King….Make all your people true priests to service for your greater glory, to inherit a Kingdom that is not of this world.

We pray for the welfare of your church here on earth; guide and govern it by your Spirit, so that all Christians may be led in the way of truth, and hold the faith in the unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in the righteousness of life.

We ask your blessing on +Vsevolod our Bishop, on this, our parish of St. George – for its work, its worship and its witness. We pray particularly for Fr. David in his ministry to us, and for all members of our congregation, be they near or far.

1 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

c. Bless those who rule the nations, and all who have authority over others….Make them know that true kingship is yours alone…Grant them wisdom in governing, so that justice and peace may everywhere prevail.

d. Give us grace to witness for the truth to all those among whom we live and work…..Protect in your love our families and friends, and deliver them from evil.

We pray for the leaders of all the nations of this world, most particularly for the King and Government of Thailand at this time of unrest, and also in the countries from which we come. We remember also all the people in countries that have had problems of any kind during this past week, most particularly all those caught up in the tragic situation in Afghanistan, and those caught up in the severe weather in British Columbia.

Grant wisdom to those in authority in every land, and give to all people a desire for righteousness and peace, the will to work together in trust, to seek the common good, and to share with justice and equity the limited resources of the earth.

2 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

e. Have mercy on all who have fallen into the power of cruel and unjust authority…Give them courage and patience in their suffering, and guidance to answer when they are falsly accused.

We pray for all who are prevented from, or persecuted for practising their faith, wherever they may be. We pray for our fellow Christians, both here in Thailand, and also in our own home countries.

3 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for all those who suffer in body, mind and spirit;  the sick; the poor; the depressed; the lonely;  the afraid, the unloved; the persecuted; the unemployed and those who care for them.  Those who grieve; and those who have nobody to pray for them.

4 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

We remember all those who have been touched by the COVID 19 pandemic; particularly here in Pattai-Ya. We give you thanks that Thailand has now reopened to visitors from abroad, as the outbreak is showing gradual signs of decline, and for the progress which has been made with the vaccination programme, where greater numbers are being safeguarded more speedily, and hopefully being spared the worst of the unpleasant side-effects.

Amongst the sick we remember;

Fr. Tom,  Mik, Brian, Kyoko, Colin, Mavis, Patricia, Eric, Kent, Graham, Elizabeth, Conrad, Griselda, Jun, Martyn, and any others, known personally to each and every one of us…

5 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

f. May the saving power of Christ, the first begotten from the dead, bring the faithful departed to eternal life….Grant them the vision of glory which no mortal eye can fully see.

We bring to you all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, especially the millions who have perished in the COVID pandemic –for  Maurice (1), Calffo (2) ……… and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time, and for all those known personally to us, collectively or individually…

Give them joy in the fellowship of your heavenly Kingdom, where Christ reigns for ever.

6 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

[DAVID] – g. Obedient to Christ, our heavenly King, we pray in his name.

Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.  **TURN OFF MIC**

THE CONFESSION:

God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy, welcoming sinners and inviting them to the Lord’s table.

Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, confident in God’s forgiveness.

Merciful God, our maker and our judge, we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, and in what we have failed to do: we have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves; we repent and are sorry for all our sins, Father forgive us, strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Almighty God, who has promised forgiveness to all who turn to him in faith, pardon you and set you free from all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

THE PEACE:

The congregation stands.

We are the Body of Christ.

His Spirit is with us.

 

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Please greet each other with a sign of peace.

Crown him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon his throne;
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
All music but its own:
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of him who died for thee,
And hail him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.

Crown him the Virgin’s Son,
The God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won
Which now his brow adorn:
Fruit of the mystic Rose,
As of that Rose the stem;
The Root whence mercy ever flows,
The Babe of Bethlehem.

Crown him the Lord of years,
The Potentate of time,
Creator of the rolling spheres,
Ineffably sublime.
Glassed in a sea of light,
Where everlasting waves
Reflect his throne – the Infinite!
Who lives – and loves – and saves.

THE OFFERTORY

Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have these gifts to share. Accept and use our offerings for your glory and the service of your kingdom.

Blessed be God forever.

 Let us pray

We do not presume to come to your table, merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your manifold and great mercies.  We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table, but you are the same Lord whose nature is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of your dear son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.  Amen.