A WORD FOR TODAY, November 19, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, November 19, 2025
Lectionary Scriptures for November 23, 2025, Christ the King: Malachi 3:13-18; Psalm 95:1-7a or Psalm 46; Colossians 1:13-20; Luke 23:27-43
“Oh come, let’s worship and bow down. Let’s kneel before Yahweh, our Maker, for he is our God.” Psalm 95:6-7a, WEB
We have been studying the Nicene Creed in our adult forum at church on Sunday. The Nicene Creed was written 1700 years ago, with the first version established in 325 A.D., with some additions made in 381 A.D. The Nicene Creed was written to establish a foundation of belief for the Christians, specifically designed to overcome the teachings of some theologians that did not define Jesus as fully God and man, eternally begotten of God, equal to Him, sharing His essence, Light from Light, true God from true God.
A man named Arius did not accept this doctrine. He emphasized the supremacy and uniqueness of God the Father, claiming that Jesus the Son did not possess the eternity or true divinity of God the Father. He taught that Jesus as “like God,” but not equal to God, that He was “made God” by the Father’s permission and power.
As we read through some of the proof texts from the Nicene Creed, we noticed how much came out of John’s gospel, particularly the first few verses. John wrote to prove that Jesus was truly the Son of God, not just a son, but true God from true God. John wrote, “Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31, WEB) Jesus did things that only God could do.
He is the King we worship. We remember that truth on the last Sunday of the church year. If Jesus were not God, He would not be worthy of our worship. Yet we see repeatedly in the New Testament that Jesus was worshipped by those closest to Him. They saw Him do things that no human being could do. He stilled the storm. He fed five thousand with just a few loaves of bread and a few fish. He healed the sick and raised the dead.
Jesus controlled nature, after all He was the Creator. That is what Paul meant in today’s epistle lesson. Christ is the image of that which we cannot see. He is the Word made flesh, the God of creation dwelling with us. He was there when God laid down the foundations of the earth and it was through Him all things were made. In Christ we see that God did not make the world and disappear; He has been with us always, planning even in the beginning the redemption that was to come. Everything is His, and through Him we are re-created and reconciled to God our Father in heaven, part of the body of Christ and blessed with eternal life in Him.
We learn as children that we have five senses, the sensory systems of the human body that help us relate to the world in which we live. We have the senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Some scientists number our senses at eight, including three that relate to the inner world of our bodies: balance, movement, and feelings of our internal organs such as hunger. I read one article that included temperature. The external senses help us understand the world, and the internal senses help us understand our bodies.
In some ways we might consider another sense which has a more religious focus.
The movie “The Bells of St. Mary’s” was made in 1945 and starred Bing Crosby as the lovable, independent priest Father O’Malley who was sent to a failing catholic school run by nuns including Sister Beatrice who was played by Ingrid Bergman. Father O’Malley and Sister Beatrice did not agree about much of what happened at the school. She thought he was disruptive; he was simply trying to save the school.
There was a student at St. Mary’s named Patricia who did not feel like she belonged. She has difficulty doing the work and keeping up with the other students. Father O’Malley knew that she just needed a little push, a bit of encouragement, and a chance to shine. He visited her one evening and found her trying very hard to write an essay. The topic was “the Five Senses.” Though she knew the five senses we learn as children, she did not know what to say about them. Father O’Malley gave her some ideas which she was able to put into a wonderful essay.
She began the essay with the title, “the Six Senses.” Of course, Sister Beatrice was taken aback at first because the assignment was about the five senses. Patricia continued, “The Six Senses: To see, to hear, to taste, to smell, to feel... to be.” She went on to say, “To be (or not to be) is the final sense, the common sense and the most important of them all.”
It isn’t enough to just be aware of the senses we have. We should experience the things of this world with our whole being. Take a rose, for instance. How many of us pass by rose bushes on a regular basis and barely even notice? Perhaps it is cliché to say, “Take time to smell the roses” but there is truth in that saying. God created that rose, just as He created each of us. We are part of the creation that God both made and loves. We are connected by the same creative powers that were present with Him at the beginning, experiencing them with more than our five senses, but also with our whole flesh.
“To be” is a sense that is both external and internal.
Scientifically, there is a reality that all things are connected. We experience the world with our senses: seeing the flowers, hearing the birds, smelling the bread baking in the oven, tasting that turkey, and feeling the touch of a friend. It all seems separated by space and time. Yet everything in God’s world is made up of the same thing: atoms. Atoms are made up of parts. Those parts are connected by an indescribable force. A rose may seem like a solid thing, but it is made up of atoms and the parts of those atoms that are swimming together in space. Scientists, when they discovered the indescribable force holding the parts of an atom together called it “The Colossians Force.” Note that verse 17 in our lesson from Colossians says, “He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.” He is the Colossians force holding all things together.
Sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to our senses, external and internal. We don’t take the time to appreciate and enjoy everything that God has given us in creation. We forget the great and wonderful things God has done that can’t be experienced with our senses. If we don’t enjoy the roses, birds, bread, turkey, or friends and attribute them to the One who brought them forth, how can we really every grasp God’s mercy and grace found in His redemption and re-creation of His world? How can we ever truly be?
What happens when we do not pay attention to our senses? In the example of the rose, we might miss something beautiful, but it can be more vital than that. If we ignore the smell of smoke, we might be caught in a house fire. If we keep our hands on a hot surface despite the pain, we might get a severe burn. Our senses help us stay well. This is especially true of our inner senses. Problems with balance and movement might indicate that we need to see a doctor. Hunger pangs make us eat and a high temperature sends us to bed. The senses are God’s gift to help protect our bodies so we can live long and productive lives. We are more likely to find peace when we are well.
Instead of serving God, the people in Malachi’s day served self. “You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?” They thought it was a waste of their time and resources to serve God. The scriptures teach us, however, that peace comes when we do not focus on ourselves, but to our actions and thoughts toward others. Early in the chapter from Malachi, God said, “Return to me, and I will return to you.” They didn’t understand. God told them that they were focused on the wrong things. They were more interested in themselves. Instead of sharing their blessings with others, they were keeping it for themselves.
I know it isn’t Thanksgiving yet, but it is impossible not to know that Christmas is coming. The stores quickly replaced the ghouls and goblins with angels and nativities. Christmas music can be heard on the radio and on the speakers everywhere we go. We’ve been seeing “Black Friday” advertisements for weeks already. Some early shopping is understandable, since crafters need time to make presents and people who ship to distant family need to send boxes soon. This is collection week for the Operation Christmas Child boxes, so many of us have been shopping for presents for weeks. We try to do these things because they make others happy, but all too often we serve self. We worry about our reputation and our duty. All too often, we do what we do for Christmas because we are chasing our own happiness.
In the verses that come before our text from Malachi, God asks the prophet, “Will a man rob God?” This question encourages us to think about our response to God’s grace. Where do we get our joy? Do we get it because we truly want to share our blessings with others, or because we are meeting the expectations of those around us? Do we get joy from taking care of ourselves or by being obedient to God’s Word?
Helen Keller once said, “Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes real happiness. It is not obtained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” Eric Hoffer said, “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.” Kim Hubbard said, “It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness: poverty and wealth have both failed.” Bertrand Russell said, “To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.” George Burns said, “Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.”
That last one was a bit of humor in the midst of an important subject. What is happiness? What does it mean to be happy? Verse 15 of the reading from Malachi is a sad statement, but one I think many of us can identify with: we call the proud happy. The NIV translation says, “We call the arrogant blessed.” The Message says, “Those who take their life into their own hands are the lucky ones.”
Arius was taking his understanding of God into his own hands, ignoring so much in the scriptures that pointed to Jesus as more than an earthly King. He is the eternal King, a king worth worshipping. Other theologians in his day recognized the need to establish a foundation of our Christian doctrine so that we would be one body in Jesus Christ, the true Son of God. In Him we find joy.
True happiness comes when we do not put the focus on ourselves, but turn our actions and thoughts to others. Those who take their lives into their own hands are not the lucky ones. God said, “Return to me, and I will return to you.” They didn’t understand. “How have we turned away?” “How have we robbed you?” God told them that they were focused on the wrong things. They were more interested in themselves and their own happiness. Instead of sharing their blessings with others, they were keeping it for themselves. Our happiness comes from living the life God is calling us to live, with Him in the forefront, doing His work in this world.
It is interesting that many churches choose this time of year for their stewardship programs. We will be presenting our pledges for the next year on Sunday at our church. I suppose it is partly because we tend to be more generous at this time of year. We are reminded at this time of year that we are called to give God our hearts and our worship in tangible ways as we prepare for the coming of Jesus the King who was born in Bethlehem.
Stewardship is a word that evokes fear in the hearts of many when it is brought up at church. “Oh, no. Not again. They are going to ask me for more money. I already give more than I can spare. I have bills to pay and children to feed. I just can’t give any more than I already do.” Wait! What is the motive here? Where are the hearts for God? Where is the obedience to His will?
Abel gave the best of his flock out of his love for God, but Cain merely gave some of his fruit out of duty. Everything we have comes from God. How do we repay Him for His many blessings in our lives? By grumbling? With excuses? We are invited to return to the LORD what was first His, not only our material blessings but our whole lives. He gave us senses, internal and external, to help us live our best life. That includes how we live our faith. Do you just go to church on Sunday and drop a twenty-dollar bill in the plate? God demands our first fruits, the best of all we have. This isn’t the command of a tyrant, but a call from the One who created and saved us. Jesus wants us to give our best selves for the sake of His kingdom.
I have a collection of crosses. They hang on the walls of my office and my home. I often take a moment to look at all the different types of crosses that I have collected over the years. There are crosses from all over the world. In a small oval frame is a Belgian lace cross. There are several made from wood. Numerous crosses are Mexican, some are pottery, and one is made from silver. One of the crosses has a bunch of grapes with the passage from John in which Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” The crosses bring back memories. Some were gifts. Some are handmade. Some were bought to support ministries.
Some people are disgusted by the image of the cross. They are offended by the idea that we would put so much importance on an object of ancient torture. It is impossible not only to see the beauty in my collection, but also the underlying sadness about it. The cross was used to kill people, to punish them for their infractions against the state. It was used to kill Jesus. It was not a thing of beauty in His day. As a matter of fact, the reality of the cross is ugly and horrifying. They were little more than two pieces of wood and a few nails covered in the blood of previous victims. The death experienced on the cross was slow and painful, terrifying and disgusting. The death was not only physical, but also emotional and spiritual. It was humiliating to hang on the cross as the witnesses threw insults and accusations.
Why would we want to remember this? Why would we want to hang this symbol on our wall? Why is this cross so important? Why would we choose to remember that moment of Christ’s life – His death – on a day set aside for Christ the King? In the passage we are reminded of the sign placed above Jesus’ head on the cross, the sign that calls Him “The King of the Jews.” The sign was an insult, meant to call attention to Jesus’ foolishness. How could a king end up hanging nearly naked by a few nails on a cross?
We celebrate a different kind of king. Jesus Christ did not have a typical coronation. The kings and queens of the world celebrate their elevation to monarch with grand parties and ostentatious ceremonies. For some monarchs, the coronation ceremony is so important that they take a year or more to organize. Some have acted as monarch for months and even years before they officially take the crown to their heads. New gowns, new jewels, and new furnishings are created. Dignitaries are invited and accommodations are prepared. Some even build new palaces, churches, or banqueting halls before hosting the party of their lives. It was such an important moment that they wanted everything to be new, beautiful, and perfect.
Jesus’ coronation was much different. A week before He was lifted onto the cross, Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem like a king. He rode a donkey and was surrounded by people singing thanksgiving to God for giving them a Messiah. In less than a week He was hanging on the cross, having disappointed everyone who put their hope on Him. The followers turned because He did not lead them into battle against Rome. Even His closest friends betrayed, denied, and abandoned Him.
Yet, it was at the very moment that Jesus cried out one last time and gave up His spirit that He was crowned King. It was at that moment that He fully lived out the purpose of His life, bringing the entire burden of God’s justice on His flesh. His obedience to God’s will earned Him the greatest crown of all.
He is King because He died.
We see many images of God throughout the Church year: Abba, Creator, Redeemer, Friend, Master, Shepherd, and Teacher. He loves and encourages and disciplines His people. He even scolds and rebukes us when we go the wrong way. He guides and teaches. He saves and calls us to live out our salvation. This is true not only of God the Father, but also Jesus the Son who is our Lord and King.
On the last Sunday of the Church year, we are given the image of Yahweh of Armies and are reminded that Christ will come again to lead His people to victory. He won’t come on a donkey, as He did when He entered Jerusalem before His crucifixion. He will come on the clouds with thunder and lightning, with a double-edged sword. He will come to fight the final battle, to finally and completely destroy the last enemy. He will come as King! He is coming to finish the work He began at the cross where Jesus Christ was crowned not just with a ring of thorns. He was crowned with glory, and the cross was His throne, because of His obedience to His Father on that first Good Friday. Now we wait expectantly for His coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus is the One who can truly save us.
We have been waiting a long time for Christ the King to come, and it is incredibly hard sometimes. Our kings fail us too often and we constantly turn away from God by trying to create our perfect world on our own. We are looking forward to a Kingdom of beauty and peace and joy. We long for a King who will not abuse His power or take advantage of His people. We look forward to the day when we will truly dwell in the Eternal Kingdom. But we have a hard time waiting for God to make these promises happen.
The scriptures for Christ the King show us images of God that are hard for us to understand. He is Yahweh of the Armies and the King of the cross. We can trust that He is by our side and that He is ready to save us from all that wants to destroy us; He will even save us from our own fallen and imperfect nature and forgive us our sin. Just like that criminal on the cross, we can cry out in faith to Jesus, “Remember me!” We worship this God who came to save us, to make everything right in His time and in His way.
As the Church year ends, we look to the End times. The warnings of Malachi as are vital for us to hear today as it was for the people in his day. Are we living self-centered lives, seeking happiness in all the wrong things? Or are we focused on the God we want or the God who is? Do we look to Lord Jesus, true God and true man, who was crowned our King when He obediently fulfilled God’s purpose by dying on the cross? Do we worship Him who is worthy of our complete submission. We don’t always understand everything about the faith we have been given, but We can rest in the promise of God that one day everything will be clear.
For now, it is up to us to be, to live as God calls us to live, no matter the circumstances of the world around us, doing His work in the world. As we wait in faith, let us encourage one another and keep our eyes on Jesus, resting in the assurance that our cries of woe will be turned into joyful alleluias of praise and thanksgiving, soon. Come, Lord Jesus is a cry on my lips often.
Yet, we can’t live as if today is that day. Jesus said that no one will know the hour or the day. We should not sit around waiting because there’s too much left to do. We still have a journey to travel; but we are reminded to be aware, to be on guard, to keep watch, for He is coming. We don’t want to be caught unaware. We don’t want to miss any opportunities to shine the light of Christ in the world.
The end will come. The birth of Jesus was just the beginning, and in the next four weeks we'll look forward to Christmas day. But let’s not get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season that we miss God along the way. We can experience Him with all our senses, especially the sense “to be.” You never know what moment Christ will come, and He calls us to be constantly at His work, preparing His way, so that many will experience the joy of knowing Him.
Are you ready for Christ to come, for Christ to rule as King forever? Or are you ready to celebrate just another Christmas? Are you ready to go on a journey of hope, or have you already arrived at the manger? This journey is just beginning, so let’s go! Let’s journey together to see what God has waiting for us along the way, appreciating and enjoying the great and wonderful things He has done, everything we can see and all that we can’t see with our senses, the things He has done to make Him worthy of our worship.
We might just find, in the midst of the ordinariness of another Advent, that Jesus has some surprises for us. Be ready, for He is coming, not just on Christmas Day or in some future end of all days, but in our everyday life. Be ready to share God’s peace and joy with the world. It is in this life we’ll find true happiness.
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