PRAYERS:

I sing praises to you, O Lord, for I am standing on the firm CHRIST THE KING
foundation which you have laid, your Son Jesus being the SUNDAY
chief cornerstone. I will plant my feet on solid ground.
Amen.

FROM LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM

The Third Petition of The Lord’s Prayer:

Your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.

What is this?
In fact, God’s good and gracious will comes about
without our prayer, but we ask in this prayer that it may also
come about in and among us.

How does this come about?

Whenever God breaks and hinders every evil scheme and will
of the devil, the world, and our flesh that would not allow us
to hallow God’s name and would prevent the coming of his
kingdom. And God’s will comes about whenever God
strengthens us and keeps us steadfast in his Word and in faith
until the end of our lives. This is God’s gracious and good
will.
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to
Restore all things to your beloved Son, whom you
anointed priest forever and king of all creation:
Grant that all the people of the earth, now divided
by the power of sin, may be united under the
glorious and gentle rule of your Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

GOSPEL: John 18:33-37
Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and
asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered,
“Do you ask on your own, or did others tell you about me?”
35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew am I? Your own nation and the
chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you
done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world.
If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be
fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as
it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate asked him, “So you
are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this
I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the
truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ?
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou
sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I
unto the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is
of truth hearth my voice.
John xviii. 37.
See how Christ the King abandons possessions, body,
and life, and learn from this that His Kingdom is not of this
world. To enjoy the Christian faith here on earth does not
mean to have all things to the full and lack nothing. Look at
your King, the Lord Jesus, how does He fare? Of what does
He boast? What comfort has He in life? How highly is He
praised? Is it not true, that He has nothing but suffering, scorn,
and disdain and dies in shame? One little thing He has with
which to rule, and that applies only in the case of a few
people. It is His testimony to the truth, the holy Gospel.
Through this He pours out the Holy Spirit into the hearts of
men, forgives sin and bestows the hope of eternal life. But all
these things remain in faith and in the Word. They are not
seen. They are not handled. They exist in hope.
` Any man who knows the way of this King and His
Kingdom willingly bears the cross, for he not only knows that
Christ, the eternal King, fared in the same way, and is thus
himself willing and ready to suffer because a servant should
not fare better than his Lord, but also he takes comfort in the
knowledge that the life hereafter is full of joy and splendor,
even though suffering must be endured on earth. That makes
Christians joyful even in the midst of sorrows and trials.
Sermons from the year 1545. W.A. 52. 768.
Taken from the book:
Day by Day We Magnify Thee by Martin Luther
Page 158