Let us pray:
Lord, you are King! You are King of our lives and King of your Church. Speak to and through each person here. Speak to and through your Church gathered throughout time, clearly and boldly. ---Amen
Visions
Daniel paints a picture and John paints a picture. More than a picture. A vision of sorts. Visions that allow your mind to wander. Allow your mind to drift off into another time and to another place. Possibly allow your mind to drift out of time and space.
Visions and imaginations. Business has used the techniques of Visions and imaginations recently. Lord knows, I’ve heard a bunch of it lately. GE changed their corporate focus from GE Brings good things to life –to "Imagination at work"
Sarcastically I like to change it a little to "Let’s pretend" – but don’t mention that to anyone please.
There is value in Vision and Imagination though. I’ve heard that one team from Coca-Cola had a vision – A Coke within reach of every person. There is a picture and a challenge.
Another vision I recall - referring to the production of jet engines – it stated—"For some the sky is the limit—for us it’s just the beginning"
Zion has a vision – Zion Lives Christ—a play on the acronym for Zion Lutheran Church
A vision should be easy to remember and fun to think about- A vision should involve imagination and creativity. A Vision should guide you towards an outcome or goal.
Imagine this vision- A child on Christmas Eve- a parent sitting on the edge of the child’s bed reading the poem "Twas the night before Christmas… and visions of sugarplums danced in their heads"
A picture- an illusion etched onto the child’s mind that will bring back wonderful memories—even through adulthood.
When you think about it – those sugar plums are a vision too- a vision of a perfect time in the life of a child—maybe for an adult too.
I think God gives us more visions than we want to admit to. Visions that occur every day. Visions that take place in our everyday lives. Visions of his love in action. Love active around and through us. But there are also some visions that raise questions- visions that may terrify us- visions come in all forms.
So what is the Vision for the church? I think our readings today show some of that vision.
Close your eyes for a moment and picture this vision:
Daniel 7. 9-10, 13-14
- "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Could you see it? Could you picture the vision? Did the words paint a picture in your mind of another place- maybe another time? How did it make you feel? Did it feel good? Was it frightening or comforting or did it bring forth some other emotion?
In this vision from Daniel, several images jump out at me.
The River of Fire- You see the River of Fire and realize that none can pass closer to the throne without passing through the fire. The righteous, as they pass through the fire are purified of their remaining dross. However the wicked are consumed by the fire. We all will pass through that River of fire one way or another. We can choose to be purified by the fire and accept God’s purification through Jesus Christ or we can attempt to win our own salvation and be consumed by the fire.
Visions ---use your imagination
Contrast that vision of the River of fire with the vision of the clouds
Clouds- Picture Christ coming with the clouds of heaven as his chariot- the clouds of heaven with the gentle, noiseless motion. Our King arriving. Not like we would expect a King to arrive. We may expect an earthly King to arrive with power, force, maybe even leading an army. But this King arrives in gentle clouds. White fluffy clouds. This King arrives unexpectedly as a gentle baby born in a most peculiar place and to a most peculiar family as our King. But a King that arrives none the less in the midst of this chaotic earth. Not for a kingdom of this world but for the Kingdom of Heaven- A Kingdom of Truth.
Let’s picture the vision of the King now:
An Ancient One on the throne- hair and clothing white as snow- pure wool- with countless thousands serving and praising him---
Then dominion and Kingship is given to the one coming with the clouds of heaven- A Kingship of authority and glory – an everlasting Kingdom and rule- His rule would be forever- never ending- his Kingly rule would never be replaced
Now there’s a vision of a King!
We have a King that sits on his judgment throne- He will judge you know – Picture the books – the court- this part can be a little frightening – how will you be judged? Guilty? Not guilty?
One of the awesome scenes of the last days the gathering of all creatures to stand in silence before the throne awaiting the commencement of the court- the old order has been judged now --the new era begins- the future who symbolized the new era is in human form- in contrast to the former kingdoms which were symbolized by beasts.
He comes from heaven- whereas the beasts came from the sea- this figure from the clouds of heaven – contrasted with the tumultuous waves of the wind tossed sea.
Today we can picture the beasts clearly enough. Just look in the paper- Terror in Iraq- Murder- Death- Illness- and our own sinful nature. Beasts not so different as that "evil foe" we sung about just a few weeks ago on Reformation Sunday. The Beasts are real. Face the truth. Sin is in you and me and in this world. Be sure and get a good whiff of the stench of your own sin. A vision of horror and pain and death. Make sure you know it now.
But our King brings a new beginning. Our King takes on the stench of sin, death, and the devil. Our King belongs to the real truth. Our King has the true knowledge of God. Our King is King not over people’s bodies but over our minds and souls. It is a kingdom that finds its way from heart to heart in his truth. In the truth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Christ is the only key to the mysteries of life. Christ alone unlocks the doors and leads us through the fire to that throne of God. All problems are solved in Jesus Christ – the Truth he said.
John 18.37
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
A new beginning- and a New Year.
The Psalm for this Christ the King Sunday is Psalm 93. This is one of the enthronement Psalms and it celebrates God’s Kingship at the New Year Festival.
This is the New Year Festival- the last Sunday of the church year. Advent begins our church calendar. On this Christ the King Sunday we celebrate the church year by crowning our King. Declaring our praises to Jesus our King and Savior. Jesus our Savior rules over the powers of chaos and tames the roaring waters of the flood. Our Savior who defeats sin and death and rules from his throne from all eternity.
So—Happy New Year! – As we celebrate and anticipate the coming of our Savior in this upcoming Advent season- this New Year in front of us. We see the vision of one coming on the clouds. Coming from heaven to earth. Born to us in humble estate. Born to us and in us. A Savior that comes from heaven to earth. From heaven to the midst of that River of fire. From heaven into our sinful lives. A Savior that becomes one of us and is with us in that River. A Savior in the River of fire to refine us and to purify us. A Savior to wash us clean from our sin.
Advent the time when God comes to you and to me. Soon—very soon. Are you ready? Are you prepared? Can you see the vision of this King moving to you?
Close you eyes once more—Picture this vision:
Revelation 1.4b-8
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Look, he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
Visions of an active God in your life- with you in that River of fire.
God will sit on his throne as a refiner and purifier – as the vision is painted from
Malachi 3.3
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver."
When you take a look at the process of refining silver this vision takes on additional meaning.
As a silversmith refines silver he holds a piece of silver over a fire and lets it heat up. In refining silver you need to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames are the hottest to burn away all the impurities.
Now think about God holding us in this hot spot. God has to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver is being refined.
And the silversmith not only sits in the heat; he also keeps his eyes on the silver the entire time it is in the fire. If the silver is left too long in the flames it will be destroyed. So the way the silversmith knows when the silver is fully refined is when he can see his image in it.
And this is what brings additional meaning to the River of fire and the purification. God is in the heat of the fire with you and with me – refining us till that perfect moment – then we pass through the River of fire purified to approach his throne. But all the while God first came to us in the heat of the fire.
(Kneel at the Communion Rail- beneath the Cross-—gaze up to the Cross- – then confess)
"I, a poor sinner, confess before God that I am guilty of many sins. I repent of all these sins and pray for mercy. I promise to do better with God’s help."
(Fall silent till the ringing of the alarm then move to the midst of the congregation)
Awaken- clear your eyes- hear this loud and clear- this is not imagination, let’s not pretend, this is not a night vision but this is clear
You have a God so loving that he moves from that Mighty Throne on high and through the River of Fire to take on the throne of the cross- A God of Love that comes directly into your life- even in the midst of your sin and rules here with you now – rules from the cross in the midst of your own River of Fire.
Prepare yourself- Christ the King is coming to you—and maybe not as you expect- maybe as a child- maybe as a vision- but Christ the King is coming to you this Advent season- and you have a choice to make
Will you reflect his glory- be purified and refined? Or will you continue in your self saving and self-serving ways to perish in the fire?
Accept the one who comes on the clouds into your life and reigns from the throne of the cross in the center of your heart of faith- Accept Christ the King and be refined – even in the midst of the fire.
Amen
James 3-Live well, live wisely, live humbly.
