Benediction is the beginning of Service

November 23, 2025 Luke 1:68-79 Christ the King Sunday Commitment Sunday Benediction is the beginning of Service Prelude Greeting Call to Worship We gather for worship today to celebrate our gifts. We are celebrating the gifts we give to this church, the pledges we are making for the upcoming year. We gather for worship today to celebrate our community. We are celebrating the love and support that we give to one another; the constant quest that we are on to be united by God’s grace. We gather for worship today to celebrate our future. We are celebrating a future full of outreach, a future full of service, a future full of worship and a future full of growth. We are celebrating a future with hope. We gather for worship today to celebrate our visions. We are celebrating the visions of those who have come before us, the visions that brought us to where we are today and the visions that we see today for the future. Let us gather in celebration! Let us worship God! (Rev. Sarah Weaver) Opening Prayer We come this day, rejoicing, in the presence of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. At his birth the angels proclaimed his name to be Emmanuel, God with us. Today in this place, in this time of worship, may we truly feel the power and presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. May our hearts and spirits be warmed and challenged to proclaim with our lives, "Christ is Lord!". AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Song All Hail the Power of Jesus Name UMH 155 A Sermon for all Ages Object Lesson: “The Flashlight King” Props Needed: • A flashlight (preferably a bright one) • A paper crown (or toy crown) • A small blanket or towel to drape over the flashlight at first ________________________________________ Start With a Question Hold up the paper crown. “What is this? What do kings usually look like? What do kings usually do?” (Let the kids answer.) Say: “Most kings live in castles, have lots of power, and want people to listen to them all the time.” ________________________________________ Introduce Jesus’ Kingship Now hold up the flashlight—but keep it covered with the blanket so it is not shining yet. “Today is Christ the King Sunday, and Jesus is our King. But Jesus isn’t like other kings. Jesus didn’t come with armies or gold or fancy clothes.” Point to the flashlight: “He came to bring something much better than all of that.” ________________________________________ The Reveal: Jesus Brings Light Uncover the flashlight and turn it on. Let the light shine. “Zechariah says in our Bible story that Jesus came to bring light to people who sit in darkness. Jesus is the King who lights the way.” Move the flashlight around so it shines on the children or the wall. “When we don’t know what to do… When we feel afraid… When the world feels confusing… Jesus shines His light to show us the way.” ________________________________________ Compare Crowns Hold up the paper crown next to the shining flashlight. “Most kings rule with a crown and power and thrones. But Jesus rules with light, love, kindness, and peace.” Place the crown gently on the flashlight (symbolically crowning it). “Jesus is the Light King—the King who helps us see. The King who guides our feet into the way of peace.” ________________________________________ Make It Personal Ask the children: “What are some ways we can shine light like Jesus this week?” Let them answer (examples: sharing, helping someone, being kind, saying sorry, praying, listening). ________________________________________ Closing Line “So today, remember: Jesus is our King—our Light—and we can help shine His love wherever we go.” ________________________________________ Prayer “Jesus, thank You for being our King of Light. Help us shine Your love this week and guide our feet into the way of peace. Amen.” Scripture Luke 1:68-79 Sermon Benediction is the beginning of Service There was a sense of anxiety as our seminary classmates gathered that day. To a person they had been surprised when the professor announced that there would be a final exam. Everyone was asking, "How can you have a final exam in preaching?" How could one prepare? What sort of questions might be asked? Throughout the year there had been lectures on sermon preparation and style, but mostly it had been a course of practice and critique. Finally, the professor, who was himself a splendid and engaging preacher, strode into the room and a quiet fell. The familiar blue books were distributed. "Gentlemen," he began, "you may use your Bibles for this exam. You have three hours. There is just one question and it has three parts. Here it is: You have one last sermon to preach in your ministry. It's your last best shot. Choose your text and theme, explain why you have chosen them, and give a full, detailed outline for the development of that sermon." That morning and that question have left lasting marks upon this preacher's life and his ministry! Today brings us that one last shot in this church year. Today the church brings to conclusion all that has been revealed and celebrated in the gospel story of God's work for our salvation since that story began with Advent's hope a year ago. Today it must come together for us into one concluding proclamation about Jesus Christ who is "King of kings and Lord of lords." And today we must address that ultimate question about Christ's lordship in our lives and in our world… I. A Year That Comes Full Circle Today is a strange and beautiful Sunday in the church year. • It is Christ the King Sunday, the grand finale of the Christian year. • It is the Sunday before Thanksgiving—when our tables are almost ready, our travel plans nearly set. • It is also the threshold of Advent, just seven days before candles are lit, hymns begin to shift, and we lean once again toward the manger. We stand today at a crossroads: an ending, a beginning, and a moment of gratitude—all at once. And what better Scripture to stand with us than Zechariah’s song in Luke 1? Because Luke 1 is the beginning of the story, yet Zechariah’s song reads as though he already knows how it ends— with Christ as King, with mercy triumphing over fear, with light breaking into darkness, with a kingdom not made by human hands. On this last Sunday of the year, Luke brings us back to the very first dawn of hope. ________________________________________ II. The Gospel of Luke—What We Learned This Year As we close the Christian year, let’s take a moment to remember what the Gospel of Luke has been teaching us: 1. God’s Kingdom Comes to the Ordinary Luke is the gospel where God comes to: • Zechariah and Elizabeth—older, tired, praying for years. • Mary—a young woman from a small town. • Shepherds—night-shift workers tending sheep. Luke teaches us that God’s kingship does not begin in palaces but in barns, homes, and small corners of the world. 2. Jesus Lifts Up the Lowly and Sets Captives Free From the Magnificat to the first sermon in Nazareth— “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…”— Luke reveals a King who: • blesses the poor, • feeds the hungry, • heals the broken, • touches the unclean, • welcomes the outsider, • forgives sinners, • and listens—deeply listens—to people no one else hears. Luke teaches us that Christ’s kingdom is upside-down: the last are first, the lost are found, the sinner is restored, and the forgotten are honored. 3. Jesus Is the King Who Walks Toward Jerusalem Luke’s Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem long before the cross draws near. He shows us that kingship in God’s kingdom looks like: • Courage • Sacrifice • Mercy • Self-giving love Luke teaches us a King who does not sit on a throne far away, but one who walks with us, even into death. 4. Luke Shows Us a King Who Will Not Stay Dead Luke ends with risen life, burning hearts on the road to Emmaus, and a promise: “You will be my witnesses.” Luke teaches us that death is not the final word, because the King is alive. ________________________________________ III. Zechariah’s Song: A Hymn for the End of the Year And so, on this final Sunday of the Christian year, we hear Zechariah sing: **“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.” (v. 68)** This is not a song for kings who sit on earthly thrones. It is a song for a King who redeems, who comes near, who remembers mercy. “He has raised up a mighty savior for us.” (v. 69) But notice—this mighty Savior begins as a child, in vulnerability, in humility, in love. Zechariah sings of: • mercy remembered, • covenant fulfilled, • enemies scattered, • fear lifted, • light breaking forth, • and a path of peace. This is the King he foresees. This is the King we celebrate. ________________________________________ IV. Why Christ Is King On Christ the King Sunday, we do not crown a ruler who: • taxes us, • conquers us, • or commands armies. We crown a King who: • breaks chains, • feeds the hungry, • heals the sick, • forgives sinners, • welcomes prodigals, • touches lepers, • calms storms, • and washes feet. He rules not with fear but with grace. Not with force but with truth. Not with wealth but with poverty of spirit. Not with domination but with mercy. Christ is King because: • He is the light that no darkness can overcome. • He is the love that death cannot destroy. • He is the peace the world cannot give. Kings of this world reign for a season. Christ reigns for eternity. Kings of this world cling to power. Christ gives it away. Kings of this world demand allegiance. Christ invites relationship. Kings of this world sit on thrones. Christ hangs on a cross— and that is where his kingship is revealed. ________________________________________ V. Preparing for Thanksgiving and Advent This week, many of us will gather around tables full of good things. And Luke reminds us: in Christ’s kingdom, there is always room for one more at the table. This week, we give thanks—but not just for blessings. We give thanks for: • God’s mercy, • God’s promises, • God’s faithfulness through this past year, • God’s presence in every high and low, • God’s kingdom breaking in—often quietly, often unexpectedly. And next Sunday, Advent begins. We start again at the manger, at the beginning of Luke’s story, at the small spark of hope. We end today with a King enthroned on a cross, and we begin next week with a baby wrapped in bands of cloth. The Christian year turns like a wheel— from hope to birth, from ministry to death, from resurrection to mission, and back again to hope. ________________________________________ VI. “To Guide Our Feet into the Way of Peace” Zechariah ends with a promise: “…to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (v. 79) Is that not exactly what we need now? • In a world noisy with division. • In a season that can overwhelm us. • In a year that has been heavy for many. • In a nation that aches for healing. • In homes where there is worry and weariness. Christ the King comes to guide our feet— not into comfort, not into ease, but into the way of peace. Peace that forgives wrongs. Peace that feeds the hungry. Peace that shelters the lonely. Peace that seeks justice. Peace that refuses hatred. Peace that whispers hope. Peace that restores community. Peace that begins with us. This is the kingdom. This is the King. This is the way. ________________________________________ VII. A Final Word as the Year Ends So as we close the Christian year: • Look back with gratitude. • Stand in the present with reverence. • Step into Advent with hope. And as we crown Christ as our King today, let us remember: He is not far away. He is not unreachable. He is not finished with us. He is the King who: • hears your prayers, • knows your struggles, • carries your burdens, • strengthens your spirit, • and calls you by name. And he is the King who will come again— not in terror but in love, not to condemn but to heal, not to destroy but to restore. Let us follow him into the new year. Let us walk in his mercy. Let us trust his grace. Let us rejoice that: **Christ is King— yesterday, today, and forever.** Finally, Some of us are uncomfortable with the thought of having a king in our lives. But let us be reminded that Christ is a new kind of King, of a new kind of kingdom. Christ opens up a world which encourages us to serve as well as lead. To bring others to the spiritual table where we are fed. To be grateful for the gifts that God has given us. Christ kingship makes our lives and the lives of those around us better. Our response to Christ’s love is to live in holiness. It was a theologian, that said that following Christ isn’t so much about doing something to make you holy, it is making holy whatever you do in life. Wherever you are and whatever you do, let Christ’s spirit be present also. Christ’s presence opens doors for wonderful things to happen in the world. If Christ comes with you to work, than can you treat your colleagues with anything less than kindness, respect, fairness and love. If Christ comes to the dinner table with you, can we treat family any less than royalty. When Christ is our king, we allow his spirit to flow in our lives. We acknowledge Christ’s sovereignty in every situation. To God be the glory! Say it with me: To God be the glory! Now I want you to repeat that phrase after me, like a refrain. Each time I speak a line, I want you to respond with: To God be the glory! Ok? Let’s try it! “The weather is beautiful today!” [To God be the glory!] The beginning of the season of advent has come upon us! [To God be the glory!] We haven’t met our financial budget this month….we are short about $800. [To God be the glory!] [What? I can’t hear you….let’s try that again…..To God be the glory!] The bathroom sprung a leak, and flooded the tiles. [To God be the glory!.... what? It’s a bit harder this time?] The turkey burned, but there’s plenty of Brussel sprouts and spinach! [To God be the glory! ….] [Come on ….help me now….. what else is going on in your week?....] [allow people to shout out phrases….. followed by “To God be the Glory!”] If we can find the glory of Christ in every situation, then Christ is indeed our King. Let us pray…… Amen. Song Crown Him with Many Crowns UMH 327 Pastoral Prayer (Do not Print) Father of Blessings, As we gather this morning, and as we look forward to Thanksgiving here in a few days, we can't help but pause for a minute and give you thanks. We often think as if we are independent creatures. As if what we have is a result of our own strength. As if we are owed things. But in truth we are deeply dependent. Our simple existence is gifted. The air we breathe, the crops that provide our food, the sun in the sky, the earth beneath our feet – we made none of this. We uphold none of it. All of it is from you who created and sustain all things. We did not knit ourselves together in our mothers' wombs – you did. We do not keep our hearts beating and our bodies working – you do. We take the things you have made and with our hands that you have designed and our minds that you have formed we make of them objects and hold them up to heaven and say “Look at how great we are.” And in your fatherly grace, you forgive us for even this presumption, although in truth they are all from you. Even more than all of this, we do not deserve salvation. We do not deserve to be Your sons and daughters. We rebelled against You, and by all rights we should have been consumed. But You spare us, You paid the price we cannot pay, and You offer us life that we cannot earn. Every physical blessing and every spiritual blessing flows from You. Forgive us for our ungratefulness, Father. Hear our gratitude: thank You for all that You provide. Even though after all of that we might be chastened, we thank You and still come with our requests. We come believing that You are so unbelievably generous that, even with all You have done, You might give us still more. So, Lord, hear our prayers for those on our minds and hearts this morning. Bring healing to those who are sick or in pain. Comfort and uphold them in the face of life's challenges. Carry them through this broken world and bind up the ways this brokenness has affected their lives. Protect those in dangerous places: those in situations made dark by sin, those who work to serve and protect others, and those who are far away. Make Yourself known to them and wrap Your Spirit around them to keep them safe. Provide for us our daily bread. Give us confidence in life's hard times, a confidence that flows from the knowledge that You are in control. Not a sparrow falls without Your care, and we are no sparrows, we are Your children. Teach us to give thanks, to look at this world not out of fear or out of possessiveness but out of the security that rests in knowing that all of this is from You. We give You praise, for from You and for You and to You are all things. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom and in whom we have true blessing. AMEN (Pastor Eric Tonjes) Lord’s Prayer UMH 894 Stewardship Moment Litany Litany of Dedication for Stewardship Pledges L: Almighty and Everlasting God, we give You thanks this day as we gather the pledges of support for Your Church in the coming year. We bring them before You with eager anticipation and hope. P: Hear us, O God, as we give You our thanks and praise. L: For those whose lives have been touched by Your Spirit, who have increased their commitment, P: We give You thanks and praise. L: For those who are responding to Your creative grace by pledging for the first time, P: We give You thanks and praise. L: For those who are tithing, and even exceeding a tithe, P: We give You thanks and praise. L: For those whose lives are in transition or turmoil and who feel they cannot pledge, but who continue to be a vital part of our community, P: We give You thanks and praise and we pray for calm in their lives. L: For committee workers who have labored in this effort to enable Your people to make a pledge of support for Your Church, P: We give You thanks and praise. L: That each one of us, and Your whole Church, become more faithful to the call of service in Jesus Christ, P: We ask Your continuing guidance and care. L: That these pledges may emerge as real gifts, thereby enabling the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ to move forward through this congregation and the Church Universal, P: In the name of Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to this action. Amen and Amen. (Linway United Presbyterian Church) Prayer of Thanksgiving Loving God, you have given us life and freedom. Everything we have and everything that we are is a gift from you. You call us to be stewards of this gift. As caretakers of all that you have provided, we give back now. We dedicate these gifts to you. Bless these tithes and offerings. Help us to always use your gifts wisely. Lead us as we share them generously with others. Help our faithful stewardship to show Christ to others. We pray these things in the name of our Messiah, Jesus the Christ. Amen. (Christian Smith) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Oh Jesus, You are the King of Glory, You are the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings. And we pray that your Kingdom will reign forever in our hearts and in this world. Lord, we pray for your Kingdom to come here now, bringing a kingdom of justice, righteousness, hope, love, peace, mercy and grace for all. Lord, we ask that you rule in our hearts, lead in this world and govern over your kingdom. (Rev. Abi) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Though the days increase in their darkness, the Lord of light and love reigns supreme. May the power of God’s love be in your hearts and reflected in your lives now and always. Go in peace, and may God’s peace be with you. AMEN. Nancy C. Townley, “Worship Connection: November 20, 2022,” Ministry Matters, https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/4411/worship-connection-november-20-2022. Accepting a Human Messiah In contrast to the theology of the cross and our suffering/dying king. Robert Capon in Hunting the Divine Fox presents a wonderful picture of our typical American Messiah -- and it doesn't look much like Jesus on the cross. . . . almost nobody resists the temptation to jazz up the humanity of Christ. The true paradigm of the ordinary American view of Jesus is Superman: "Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. It's Superman! Strange visitor from another planet, who came to earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American Way." If that isn't popular christology, I'll eat my hat. Jesus -- gentle, meek and mild, but with secret, souped-up, more-than-human insides -- bumbles around for thirty-three years, nearly gets himself done in for good by the Kryptonite Kross, but at the last minute, struggles into the phone booth of the Empty Tomb, changes into his Easter suit and, with a single bound, leaps back up to the planet Heaven. It's got it all -- including, just so you shouldn't miss the lesson, kiddies: He never once touches Lois Lane. You think that's funny? Don't laugh. The human race is, was and probably always will be deeply unwilling to accept a human messiah. We don't want to be saved in our humanity; we want to be fished out of it. We crucified Jesus, not because he was God, but because he blasphemed: He claimed to be God and then failed to come up to our standards for assessing the claim. It's not that we weren't looking for the Messiah; it's just that he wasn't what we were looking for. Our kind of Messiah would come down from a cross. He would carry a folding phone booth in his back pocket. He wouldn't do a stupid thing like rising from the dead. He would do a smart thing like never dying." [pp. 90-91; this book has been reprinted, along with two others under the title The Romance of the Word: One Man's Love Affair with Theology] Robert Capon, quoted by Brian Stoffregen, Exegetical Notes Working for Christ’s Kingdom The application to those of us who love Jesus Christ is clear. What He loved and desired, we should love and desire and work to complete. His work is to see lost men saved and built up. His work is to see this world redeemed. His work is to see this unfinished world be brought to completion. We who love Him are called to complete the task. Hellen Keller once said, "The world is moved along not only by the mighty shove of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." That's who we are and that's what we are called to do. There was once a farmer who had two mules. One was named Willing and the other was named Able. However, Willing was willing but was not able. Able was able but was not willing. The farmer did not get much done. Christ needs people who are willing and able. And the ironic thing is that when we subordinate our desires to His desire, when we enlist as privates in His army, when we serve as priests in His temple, which is the world, when we give ourselves in His service, it is then that we are lifted up. In losing ourselves we find ourselves. That is the nature of His kingdom. King Duncan, Collected Sermons,www.Sermons.com Scratching God’s Hand Fred Craddock tells about a family that was taking a lovely Sunday afternoon drive, when suddenly the children began shouting, “Stop the car! There’s a kitten by the road!” The father kept on driving, but his children wouldn’t quiet down. He tried to reason with them. The kitten was probably someone’s pet. It might have a disease. The family already had too many pets. It did no good. The children insisted that a loving father would stop the car for a stray cat. So finally the father drove back to the spot and reached for the scraggly kitten. The ungrateful little beast scratched him! Fighting an instinct to strangle the kitten, the father packed it into the car and took it home. Once at home, the children created a bed for the kitten out of their softest blankets. They fed the kitten droppers full of milk. They petted and fussed over the kitten. Soon, the kitten was purring and rubbing on family members, especially the father, as if he were its best friend. The father looked at the scars on his hand left by the frightened and ungrateful kitten. Then he looked at the comfortable, well-fed kitten rubbing against his leg. Had he suddenly become more worthy of love? No. His intentions toward the cat had always been to do it good, not harm. Something had happened to the kitten that made it feel secure, loved, accepted. How often does God try to bless us? And how often do we respond by scratching God’s hand? King Duncan, adapted from a sermon by Will Healy,www.Sermons.com Fallen and Trapped In October 1987, l year old Jessica McClure of Midland, Texas fell down an abandoned well. She was found on a ledge 22 feet below the surface. There she was, crying for her mother, in the cold darkness of this well. Her plight captured the attention of the entire nation. The people of the town gathered to rescue her. Hour after hour for two and a half days they worked. Federal Express here in Memphis, you will recall, flew down a special drill bit to aid in the rescue. I very distinctly remember the hour that she was rescued, because it was on a Friday night and I was home watching TV when they broke in to show the dramatic pictures. Anyone who did not have a tear in their eye when that little child was pulled out is hopeless. Saved, thank God, she was saved. Friends, each one of us are in the same condition morally and spiritually as that litt1e girl. We have fallen into the darkness of sin and there we are trapped. We cannot extradite ourselves, although the tragedy is that we think that we can. Someone must dig and dig until we are released from this darkness and despair. What we need is a Savior. That is what Jesus did for us on the cross. By his death he redeemed us from the consequences of sin. In Christ, God did for us what we would never have been able to do for ourselves. Brett Blair and Staff, Collected Sermons,www.Sermons.com Christ the King This is Christ the King Sunday. We have heard the whole story; we have all the information. So now—how do we recognize Jesus as King? We “independent, stand on our two feet, nobody tells us what to do, rugged individualist” Americans, how do we recognize Jesus as King? In Luke’s story of the crucifixion nobody there seems to recognize Jesus as King. Luke has painted us into his story as well. He describes the people who do nothing except to stand there and watch. “And the people stood by, watching.” That’s us, isn’t it? Grinding poverty is slowly destroying our urban youth and we just stand by and watch, preferably from a distance, preferably from inside a gated community. Watching the world turn secular, we know that there is a spiritual side to life but it just can’t crack our tightly wound schedules. We think about a Bible study but just can’t tolerate the idea of one more thing to attend. We won’t even pull off the road to watch a sunset for fear that we will be late to the next appointment. In trying to do everything, we are doing nothing of lasting value for our souls. When a king passes by in your life, you don’t just stand and watch. You respond. Bill McDonald, How Do You Recognize a King? Several years ago I heard a Scottish preacher share a parable from his homeland. He said that it was a tradition that after Jesus had died on Good Friday and had descended into Hell to set free the sinners therein, he was met by the Devil. The latter said to Jesus, "Now that you’ve left the earth, what plans do you have for your work." The legend says that Jesus responded, "Why I’ve left Peter, and James, and John, and a host of others to carry on my work." To which the Devil replied, "... and if they should fail, what other plans do you have?" Jesus then said, "I have no other plans; I’m counting on them." As Daniel Tiger asks, “Can you find something good in this?” In one episode, Daniel goes to the bakery and chooses the best birthday cake in the shape of a tiger just like him. He helps mold it until it looks stunning. He carries it home, but it gets jostled about a bit, and when he opens the box, the cake is sunken and misshapen. And his friends will be there any moment! Daniel is devastated. His cake is ruined. But his father reminds him, “When something seems bad, turn it around, and find something good!” “Daniel, can you find something good still in this cake?” Daniel at first has a hard time….but then he realizes, it still tastes good! He samples it to see. No matter how it looks, it’s still a great cake, and he shares it with his friends. Sometimes, we too look at the surface when it comes to God. We look at our lives and see only a shrunken cake. We live in a state of shrunken hopes and sullen disappointment that things don’t ever go quite as we hope they will. But God reminds us…..look further. Taste and see that the Lord is good! Take time….ponder, think, pray…..with thanks and praise. Glorify God! Because God has done something in YOUR life that is very, very good!