St. Timothy's Church

November 22, 2009

Christ the King Sunday & New Member Recognition

John 18.33-37

The Rev. W. Terry Sweeney

7:9 As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. . . . 7:14 To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

In the Name of God: + Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

How many of us gathered here today give any thought to being under the rule of a King?

When I think of Kings - I immediately think of Medieval England – even though England has had several Queens, e.g. Elizabeth II has been Queen since 1952.

Kings are synonymous with thrones, crowns, succession of rule like the 16th century Tudors or the 17th century Stuarts of England.

I think of a medieval form of rule – with Lords and ladies, landowners and surfs; dukes, and duchesses, history that is ripe with war – political executions – superstitious religious figures – and great disparity between the poor and the gentrified class.

In my mind, Kings tend to be paranoid – ambitious – eccentric – Henry VI was 8 months old when he was crowned and was deposed twice before being murdered while a prisoner in the Tower of London at age 23 – it was dangerous to be married to Henry VIII .

Many clerics, advisors even wives lost their heads.

Being a Monarch – a confidant of a monarch – his wife or his archbishop was a dangerous calling!

Modern Kings and Queens for the most part are figure heads . . . . It’s probably fair to say that you and I disconnect with any serious consideration of being under the authority of a King (or a Queen).

We think of ourselves as Americans – where those who govern do so at the will of the people. . . they serve us, we don’t serve them. . . . at least not yet anyway.

If we apply the notion of Kingship to Jesus of Nazareth we find that He is in fact a King, but not a King as we typically might think of a King.

Since the time of the early church Fathers there has been teaching that among other things Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. It is Jesus who reconciles God to man and he does it a certain way and that’s by being a prophet, a priest and a King.

As a prophet Christ represents God with man.

As a priest Christ represents man in the presence of God.

As a King Christ exercises dominion and restores the original dominion of man.

Christ was anointed to a threefold office because after the fall humanity lost God’s original intent.

As created by God we were to function as prophets being endowed with knowledge and understanding; as priests we were given righteousness and holiness; and as Kings we were given dominion over the lower parts of creation.

Sin however affects our entire lives – through ignorance, spiritual blindness, faulty reasoning, and deceit if that isn’t enough add to it unrighteousness, guilt, moral pollution, misery, and spiritual death.

It must become ever so clear to the sinner that we are in a hopeless human condition and the only way out is by the sovereignty mercy of Christ the King to save them.

The jump we have to make is as a King Jesus is sovereign – he answers to no body.

As Americans we tend to see our sovereignty in ourselves – our self determination to be free and pursue life, liberty and happiness.

Faith in Christ brings us to the conclusion that true freedom and liberty and happiness comes from submitting to the sovereignty of Christ and His rule.

Whereas most Kings ruled by force, Christ rules by His Word and by the Holy Spirit as He reveals to us the Spirit of truth and wisdom.

He rules as the Head of the Church – Christ is the One clothed with the authority to rule justly and bring light to a sin filled world. (1 Cor. 11.3)

He exercises His rule over our hearts and minds and actions in tangible ways (amendment of life) and spiritual ways (changing our attitudes and passions).

His kingship is revealed in the gathering of His Church, in its government, its worship, its service, its prayer and sacraments.

The Kingdom is the rule established and acknowledged in the hearts of sinners; the redeemed whose interior lives are being made new and will spill out as obedience to Christ.

This day we don’t acknowledge our allegiance to an earthly King – no human effort can establish the Kingdom of God.

We acknowledge that we have entered into a new life through regeneration (John 3.3, 5), by God sowing the seeds of faith into our hearts (Mark 4.26-29) and that seed progressively growing in us like yeast permeates us as it does dough for bread (Mt. 13.33)

Christ is our King – He is sovereign over every aspect of our lives.

He is the Head of the Church – THIS Church.

Let me read a quote from Louis Berkof – he’s talking about the supernatural nature of God establishing His rule in us and the result of that rule in ordinary places around us.

“By no mere human endeavors can the rule of God be established in the heart of a single man, nor can any man be brought to a recognition of that rule. In the measure in which God establishes His rule in the hearts of sinners, He creates for Himself a realm in which He rules and in which He dispenses the greatest privileges and the choicest blessings. And, again, in the proportion in which man responds to the rule of God and obeys the laws of the kingdom, a new condition of things will naturally result. In fact, if all those who are now citizens of the Kingdom would actually obey its laws in every dominion of life, the world would be so different that it would hardly be recognized.” Louis Berkhof, p. 408

The KOG isn’t simply a new and improved social order.

It’s the place where God’s rule is established in every aspect of our thinking, feeling, behavior, and attitudes. . . . the action that must take place first is a regenerated heart.

And at some point a commitment to Christ and His Church must happen.

This morning some of us gathered are going to declare their membership with St Timothy’s Church.

St Timothy’s lay leaders along with me are going to welcome you into this fellowship!

What are you becoming a member of? Not so much the question of “Why become a member” as it is “what are you getting in to”?

First, St Timothy’s is an Episcopal Church. It is a church within the boundaries of the Diocese of Maryland. It’s church structure is Anglican, its theology is evangelical, its mission is to bring people to Christ.

We hold a high view of Scripture, we believe scripture to be the inerrant Word of God, that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We recite and believe in the words of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds.

We believe there are seven sacraments – outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace – two being given to the church by Christ: Baptism and Eucharist.

There is one God, Who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We believe that all are born into original sin and unable to save themselves; a person may only be saved through God's mercy.

We believe that salvation is by God alone as He wills and is received by grace through faith.

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, Who through His perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in Him alone for salvation.

We believe that Jesus died on the Cross, was buried in a tomb and was resurrected from the dead on the third day . . . he taught and walked among us for forty days and was physically taken into heaven where He sits at the Fathers right hand and assumes His place of glory. One day He will return to judge the living and the dead.

We believe that God is sovereign over all creation.

We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God's people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow Him. We believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people to Himself.

We believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

We uphold the sanctity of all human life especially the life of the unborn.

The clergy of St Timothy’s will not participate in blessing or marrying same sex couples.

We believe that we are all sinner saved by grace through faith; we are not pursing a religion as much as we are a relationship with Jesus Christ that reconciles us to God the Father by the mercies given to us through the Holy Spirit, that is demonstrated within the confines of the Anglican tradition.

We are striving to cooperate with the Lord in following Him in His church and therefore we make a covenant agreement as a church to our members and we ask our members to make a covenant with the church.

This is what the church pledges itself to:

Leadership that strives to pattern itself after the biblical standards found in Timothy and Titus and to guide the church in small and large ways through prayer, bible study, and discussion that seeks God’s direction for all we do.

As a church body we will strive to encourage you, build you up, lift you up in prayer, help equip you for living and ministry.

When you are in need we will do all we can to assist you especially when sick.

The preachers will preach from God’s Word, and not preach opinions or cultural popular thought but as earnestly as possible within our gifts to communicate – will teach and preach God’s Word as handed down from generation to generation.

That means we will confront false teaching and do our best not to allow anyone to preach or teach here that teaches a falsehood.

What do we ask of members?

First that you understand and agree to our doctrinal statement of faith – some of which has been outlined above.

Second that having read the doctrinal statement you will not act in any way that is contrary or divisive to its teaching . . . . that you will be diligent to preserve unity and peace.

We as a body will submit ourselves to Scriptures authority and be our guide in daily living.

As members we will develop a close and abiding relationship with Jesus through prayer, bible study, fellowship and practice of spiritual disciplines.

As members our relationship with Christ will be evident through participation in worship, service, the sacraments and a life that grows giving glory to Jesus.

As members we will steward our time, talent and finances by giving support to the ministries of our church, and to those in need . . . . and we’ll do it sacrificially, cheerfully and voluntarily.

As members we will not have divided hearts – and loyalties – we will not hold dual membership in another church family. (Heb. 13.17)

As members we will follow biblical standards for reconciliation and if needed correction – submitting to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit – as directed by the pastor.

This last item must be read verbatim from the Membership Covenant document, “I agree, by God’s grace, to walk in holiness as an act of worship to Jesus Christ, who has saved me from my sin that I could live a new life (2 Cor. 5.17); I will practice complete chastity before marriage and complete fidelity in heterosexual marriage by abstaining from practices such as cohabitation, pornography, and fornication (Job 31.1; Prov. 5; Rom. 13.12-14; 1 Cor. 6:9-7:16; Heb. 13.4); I will refrain from illegal drug use, drunkenness and other sinful behavior as the Bible, my pastors, and my conscience dictate (1 Cor. 8.7; Gal. 5.19-21). Should I sin in such a manner, I agree to confess my sins to Christian brothers or sisters and seek help to put my sin to death (Rom. 81.13; Col. 3.5; 1 John 1.6-10).

Membership is a two way street – the church agrees to follow certain standards and uphold certain obligations . . . .

Members (who are the church) consciously agree to a specific standard of being as we enter into membership . . . . .

Every new member of this body brings something new – it’s like adding someone new to a family. . . . the family has a structure, it has traditions, it has its way of communicating, it has its strengths and weaknesses . . . . it’s a complicated system.

Our church is no different . . . . it has all of the above and more.

The Membership Covenant helps us to capture the vision and reality of what it means to be a member of this family and the commitment we make to our members and the commitment members make to each other and the LORD we love and serve.

All in all this isn’t about rules – it’s about living a righteous life with Christ as our King.

It’s about serving Him and in doing so build up His Kingdom from Catonsville to Uganda.

It’s about obeying Him to BE a community that is admittedly different from any other place we will go during the week . . . . . a community that rubs off on people we meet.

In a recent interview J. I. Packer was asked this question: Q: Recent surveys show that spirituality is on the rise but that Christianity is decreasing or stagnant. Why do you think that is?

A: “. . . there's a great divide between all the spiritualities of the world and Christian spirituality because Christian spirituality is at every point a relation to the triune God of the Bible. Secular spirituality isn't focused on God ( if God even comes into it) but on me and my fulfillment. My self-discovery. My inner peace. The more you look at that gap, the wider it gets. It's the difference between self-centeredness and God-centeredness. It's unhelpful, actually, that both sorts of concern are called spirituality.”

What we strive to become and are now inviting you to become a part of is a community first given life at Pentecost 2,000 years ago . . . a community given a command to spread the good news of Christ and to teach and baptize the world into.

A community locally established in 1844.

A Community that through God’s Spirit and power continues to minister the Good News of Christ.

If you believe that God has called you to this place and you’re willing to do your best, with God’s help, to follow Him – I invite you to come forward and declare your desire to become members of St Timothy’s Church.

Amen.

Comments

Log in

Recent Article Subscribe