Christ the King The Sunday before Advent What does it mean? My kingdom is not of this world Absolute power and authority Awe-inspiring splendour
Is he really King of all?
Christ the King What sort of King is he? The Son of Man did not come to be served. Instead he came to serve others. He came to give his life as the price for setting many people free. Matthew 20:28
Christ the King What sort of King is he? I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep John 10:11
Christ the King What sort of King is he? The son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory. … And he will reward everyone in keeping with what they have done. Matthew 16:27
On the one hand Jesus came to die so that we are saved by his righteousness, not by our good deeds On the other hand One day we will all have to stand before God’s throne and be judged for the way we’ve lived our lives The way we live shows whether we’ve understood what Jesus has done for us
The parable of the sheep and the goats Matthew 25:31-46 Page 1176
Sheep and goats can look very similar but all are known individually to their shepherd No secrets are hidden from our King
If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself. He must pick up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24 So we need to have the same attitude to sinful people as Jesus had!
I was hungry I was thirsty I was a stranger I needed clothes I was ill I was in prison
A hard question: How can a God who was prepared to die for sinful people let some of them burn for ever in hell? Is that what this passage is teaching? Parable land: what is main point?
Relevant verses Suggesting length of punishment: Mark 9:43, Rev 14:11 Suggesting an act of punishment: Malachi 4:1-3, Psalm 37:10 and Jude 7
Conditional immortality Judgement is a finite event that has everlasting consequences Immortality is a gift, not something possessed by all Adam’s children because God stopped Adam eating from the tree of life
This is our God, the servant King He calls us now to follow him I was hungry I was thirsty I was a stranger I needed clothes I was ill I was in prison