Hear the messages that Father Jeremiah delivers each week
to the congregation of Grace Anglican.
When Jesus stood before Pilate, he confessed that his kingdom, and thus his kingship, was not from this world. What did he mean by this? Is his kingdom and kingship utterly separate from this world? Or do they overlap and interlock together, such that this world will be changed when Jesus returns?
Image: Boston at English Wikipedia & John Stephen Dwyer, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
When Jesus returns as king he will judge the living and the dead. In Matthew 25, we hear of this judgment as a separation of the sheep and the goats. We see a focus on the actions of the people in their lives, but what we can easily miss is the basis of the sheep’s actions. They are receiving an inheritance, something that can’t be earned. Their deeds are the basis, but the King, Jesus himself, and they are the recipients.
Image: The Graves Open on the Day of Judgment, Engraving by M Heemskerck. Public Domain. Image location: https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/YW035018V/The-graves-open-on-the-day-of-judgement
As Jesus stood before Pilate, he defined the nature of his kingdom and thus his kingship. Jesus was no ruler of an ordinary physical kingdom from this world, but is the king of a kingdom that will outlast all others because its nature is not of this world.
Image: Christ before Pilate, no known restrictions. Image location: https://picryl.com/media/christ-before-pilate-jesus-condenado-por-pilatos-jesus-condamne-par-pilate-2
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/11/21/the-new-beginning-john-1833-37
Jesus’ return in glory means more than just resurrection for his people. Because he was raised from the dead into new life, not only will believers be resurrected into new life, but the entire universe will be purged of all the stain of sin. Listen now to find out about this wonderful news from Father Jeremiah.
Image: Icon of Second Coming, Anonymous, Greece [Public domain] Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Icon_second_coming.jpg
Grace Anglican Church, Sundays @ 10 AM, 800 Robinson Rd, Gastonia, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 551081, Gastonia, NC 28054
