“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11; all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version).

We are approaching the end of another year on the church calendar. The last Sunday on the liturgical calendar is today, the Feast of Christ the King. (For American Christians, this is usually the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The next Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent, which begins a new year on the liturgical calendar.)

While the day’s message is ancient, the feast day itself is less than 100 years old. Pope Pius XI instituted it in 1925, following the end of World War I. This was a response to the continuing rise of secularism and nationalism. It has since been adopted by many other Christian denominations. The day’s message—elevating Christ’s kingship and authority above the false lords and leaders of this world—remains timeless and especially relevant to our time.

It is a simple message: Christ the King Sunday reminds us that Jesus is our Lord and King. Every man, woman, and child is under His Lordship, and every knee shall bow to Him. Every political ruler in history—including Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong Un—will answer to Him. Every celebrity, athlete, scientist, media personality, etc., will have to acknowledge that Jesus alone is worthy of praise. Jesus deserves the sole allegiance that we often give to the power brokers and influencers of this world.

As our King, “He will come again to judge the living and the dead,” as it says in the Apostles’ Creed.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

All of us will have to give an account to our King. Were we loyal to Him? Did we live according to the rules of His kingdom? Or did we give our first allegiance to the powers and principalities of this world?

Let us make it our will always to live as servants of our glorified King.

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (From the Book of Common Prayer.)

Is Jesus your King or do you offer your worship and allegiance to others? Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments field below.

Copyright © 2024 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.