Pastor’s Corner – November 2018

The End of the Year Is Upon Us

The end of the year is here! Perhaps you’re wondering if I mixed my months up – a distinct possibility! But no, I’m just looking at a different calendar. While the Gregorian calendar (the one we use on a daily basis) has two months left, the Christian calendar is drawing to a close.
 

The Spiritual Celebration of The King

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
Toward the end of this month the longest season of the Christian Calendar (called “Ordinary Time”) comes to a close. Ordinary Time is a season devoted to giving space to consider all the implications of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ for our day by day, week-in, week-out lives. But as the season moves on, and the chaos of the world presses in, we can begin to wonder if God is even at work any more. And so Ordinary Time ends with Christ the King Sunday (this year, November 25), the last Sunday before Advent and a reminder that Jesus is king, that all the world is subject to him, that the Kingdom of God is already at hand, and that one day soon He will come back to consummate His kingdom and His rule. The world may seem to be spiraling into chaos, but Jesus is still sovereign and holds it all in His hands. We may not understand much of what is happening, but we can trust that Jesus does.
 

A Secular Season of Gratitude

But what fascinates me about these calendars is how the Spirit moves in both sacred and secular seasons. I don’t imagine that those who suggested we celebrate Thanksgiving in November did so with any thought for the Christian calendar, but there are few ways better to celebrate the end of the Christian year than by focusing on being grateful for the kingship of Jesus Christ as well as for all that we have and are. Perhaps that’s one of the problems with the rampant anger and angst in our culture today – we focus too much on our discontent and not enough on being grateful for what God has provided for us. As Paul writes to the Colossians:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)
 
May God bless each of us as we celebrate not just all we have to be grateful for, but also that ultimately we can be thankful because Jesus is King and we can trust in Him!
 
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison