Come, O Blessed Of My Father
Preaching
The Life Of Christ And The Death Of A Loved One
Crafting The Funeral Homily
A Funeral Homily For Christ The King Sunday
Anthem: Christ Is Risen
This past Sunday in church we celebrated what is known as Christ the King Sunday. Picture it: Christ the King, subjecting all powers and enemies under his feet, reigning as king in heaven following his resurrection, and awaiting his return to earth and the ushering in of eternity. In some churches, it is celebrated as ''Eternity'' Sunday.
One of the readings appointed for Christ the King Sunday, or Eternity Sunday, is the familiar Gospel passage from the 25th chapter of Matthew.
Christ is sitting on the throne. He looks to his right and says:
Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
And the righteous will say, ''Lord, did you make a mistake? When did we do all these things? Why, we never even saw you before. Are you sure about that?''
And the King will answer them: ''Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.''
Then the King will turn to those on his left and say, ''Depart from me, you cursed ... for you gave me no food, no drink, no welcome, no clothes, and no visits.''
And they will say, ''What do you mean? What are you talking about? We've never even seen you before.''
And Jesus will answer them: ''Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me'' (Matthew 25:31--46).
On this day, as we gather to give thanks for the life of N. even as we mourn our loss, and in this particular time, Christ the King Sunday takes on new meaning. Suddenly, the Gospel message of life and death, sheep and goats, the righteous and unrighteous, judgment and eternity are real and close at hand. The death of a loved one opens us to looking at our lives and our deaths in ways we haven't before. I want to speak to some of these things today.
First, as we say in the church's statement of faith known as the Apostles' Creed, we believe that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. Christ is King by virtue of his resurrection from the dead. He overcame the dark powers of evil and death. He is the Savior of the world, the Redeemer, the Son of God.
And we can go to Christ in confidence that he will comfort us, soothe us, embrace us, as we cast all our care and grief upon him. He who died on the cross and knew pain and sorrow is a refuge and strength for us, a strong tower to all who put their trust in him. He is not dead, but alive, and having overcome the grave and sorrow, Christ yearns to hold us and bind up our wounds.
Secondly, as we heard in the Gospel of John, ''The hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live ... the Son has authority to execute judgment.''
Scripture is clear that one day each of us will stand before Christ the King. We believe, as we say in the Apostles' Creed, that ''he will come again to judge the living and the dead.'' What words will we hear from the King? Will we be among those to whom Jesus says, ''You did not feed me or clothe me or visit me?'' Or will we be among those to whom Jesus says, ''Come, O blessed of my Father.''
''Come, O blessed of my Father.'' Those are the beautiful words of blessing that all who believe in Christ will hear. Jesus says in John chapter 5: ''Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.''
Have you passed from death to life? Have you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ? If you have not yet turned to Christ to follow him, I invite you to do so today. It is not just the question, ''Are you prepared to die?'' It is the question, ''Are you prepared to live?'' Jesus said, ''I came that they might have life, and have it to the full.''
Christ the King rules in eternal glory and is with us today. He desires to comfort and hold us. He desires to pronounce the blessing upon us: ''Come, O blessed of my Father ...;'' and he yearns to live within us and bring us out of death into life.
Let us pray:
Merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life: Raise us, we humbly pray, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; that when we depart this life we may rest in him, and at the resurrection receive that blessing which your well--beloved Son shall then pronounce: ''Come, O blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.'' Grant this, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.
(BCP p. 505)
Anthem: Christ Is Risen
This past Sunday in church we celebrated what is known as Christ the King Sunday. Picture it: Christ the King, subjecting all powers and enemies under his feet, reigning as king in heaven following his resurrection, and awaiting his return to earth and the ushering in of eternity. In some churches, it is celebrated as ''Eternity'' Sunday.
One of the readings appointed for Christ the King Sunday, or Eternity Sunday, is the familiar Gospel passage from the 25th chapter of Matthew.
Christ is sitting on the throne. He looks to his right and says:
Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
And the righteous will say, ''Lord, did you make a mistake? When did we do all these things? Why, we never even saw you before. Are you sure about that?''
And the King will answer them: ''Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.''
Then the King will turn to those on his left and say, ''Depart from me, you cursed ... for you gave me no food, no drink, no welcome, no clothes, and no visits.''
And they will say, ''What do you mean? What are you talking about? We've never even seen you before.''
And Jesus will answer them: ''Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me'' (Matthew 25:31--46).
On this day, as we gather to give thanks for the life of N. even as we mourn our loss, and in this particular time, Christ the King Sunday takes on new meaning. Suddenly, the Gospel message of life and death, sheep and goats, the righteous and unrighteous, judgment and eternity are real and close at hand. The death of a loved one opens us to looking at our lives and our deaths in ways we haven't before. I want to speak to some of these things today.
First, as we say in the church's statement of faith known as the Apostles' Creed, we believe that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. Christ is King by virtue of his resurrection from the dead. He overcame the dark powers of evil and death. He is the Savior of the world, the Redeemer, the Son of God.
And we can go to Christ in confidence that he will comfort us, soothe us, embrace us, as we cast all our care and grief upon him. He who died on the cross and knew pain and sorrow is a refuge and strength for us, a strong tower to all who put their trust in him. He is not dead, but alive, and having overcome the grave and sorrow, Christ yearns to hold us and bind up our wounds.
Secondly, as we heard in the Gospel of John, ''The hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live ... the Son has authority to execute judgment.''
Scripture is clear that one day each of us will stand before Christ the King. We believe, as we say in the Apostles' Creed, that ''he will come again to judge the living and the dead.'' What words will we hear from the King? Will we be among those to whom Jesus says, ''You did not feed me or clothe me or visit me?'' Or will we be among those to whom Jesus says, ''Come, O blessed of my Father.''
''Come, O blessed of my Father.'' Those are the beautiful words of blessing that all who believe in Christ will hear. Jesus says in John chapter 5: ''Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.''
Have you passed from death to life? Have you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ? If you have not yet turned to Christ to follow him, I invite you to do so today. It is not just the question, ''Are you prepared to die?'' It is the question, ''Are you prepared to live?'' Jesus said, ''I came that they might have life, and have it to the full.''
Christ the King rules in eternal glory and is with us today. He desires to comfort and hold us. He desires to pronounce the blessing upon us: ''Come, O blessed of my Father ...;'' and he yearns to live within us and bring us out of death into life.
Let us pray:
Merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life: Raise us, we humbly pray, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; that when we depart this life we may rest in him, and at the resurrection receive that blessing which your well--beloved Son shall then pronounce: ''Come, O blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.'' Grant this, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.
(BCP p. 505)
