Christ the King Sunday 2025 Youth Sunday

 Christ the King , 23 November 2025

St George’s Episcopal, Fredericksburg, VA

Youth Sunday

Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Colossians 1:11-20

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Good morning! It is a joy to be here this morning on this day when our Children and Youth are leading us in worship [at our 11:15 service]. Today is the final Sunday in our liturgical year, Christ the King Sunday. We start in anticipation with Advent, and then the Eternal becomes Flesh at Christmas, followed by the unveiling of who Jesus is at Epiphany, then a short time between which we call Ordinary Time, then we prepare for Easter during Lent, and Holy Week leads to Good Friday but more importantly Resurrection Sunday called Easter. We have Easter season, then Pentecost, and half a year of Ordinary Time which concludes with today, Christ the King. It is important for us to end in this acknowledgement, that the humble woodworker from Nazareth was more than he appeared to be. He is a King, a descendant of King David, and in our faith we can also say he is the Son of God.

This Sunday is the exclamation point on the end of the sentence, or the cherry atop the Sundae. However you see it, as long as you see Jesus is Lord it is okay.

Our readings for this day look at it in many ways, Jeremiah prophesies of a Good Shepherd to come as opposed to the many bad ones we know far too well. He brings up that holy lineage and that rootedness in the line of the Chosen.

Our statement that Jesus is Lord might seem so simple, but it was a riotous act when the first believers said it. Caesar was Lord was the point of the Roman Empire. None other could claim that title. But when the first believers claimed that as a statement of faith their rebellion was far more than religious. It was a statement which was far-reaching and intentional, it was all-encompassing and so deeply personal. It was a dangerous thing to say that “Jesus is Lord” back then. It still is today, if we really mean it.

This morning one of our youth will share her thoughts on our Colossians reading looking at Jesus’ role for those who believe. [The next section is from Sandi D., a youth at St George’s.]

Good morning! Today, in Colossians, we hear Paul speak about finding strength through God saying:

“May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father…”

When I’m stressed—whether it’s homework or an audition—I often try to handle it on my own instead of turning to God, even though I know His strength can carry me through. It's just like our phones: we use them all day, every day, and eventually their battery runs out. A phone can’t work on its own. Once it’s charged, it can do everything it's supposed to. That’s exactly what it’s like with God. When I try to do things on my own, I slowly lose charge. But when I turn to God, I’m recharged—I can power through because His strength is with me.

There are two big truths in what Paul says about God‘s strength. First, it’s God’s strength—not mine. I might try to tough things out, but God’s power will always be there, even when I choose not to see it. When I feel empty, He gives me the energy to keep going.

Second, God’s strength brings patience and joy. Strength isn’t just about surviving; it’s about enduring hard times with patience and knowing God is with you. I’ve met people whose lives radiate God’s love. Last winter, I was part of an organization that called themselves Christian, but didn’t always act in Christian like ways. During that time, my friends and I turned fully to God. We prayed together and reminded each other of His strength. Some of my closest friendships are with people I can talk about faith with, because I truly see God in them and can tell they know God’s always with them. When I lay my problems before God, He gives me the strength to get through—and I know He walks with me always. When I remember that, I can shine with His love and compassion.

God strengthens me because I belong to Him. I am His child—I am never alone.  I am forgiven, loved, and brought into His light. His redemption gives me security and hope. When I remember that I’ve been brought into the light, it changes how I face challenges. I can endure everything with joy because I know I’m not alone. This strength comes from knowing God would do anything for me because He loves me. He has a plan for me, and I trust that plan because He died on the cross for me.

Amen, Sandi! And as she finished, we turn to that. Our Gospel reading from Luke is filled with irony. We call Christ King, and yet he is being executed like a criminal. We call Jesus Lord, and yet he is mocked and derided.

For me, I sense the irony, but Jesus is above it all. Even at the worst, when all seems lost, he is the compassionate savior we know and love. They taunt him saying if he is who people claim, then let him take that authority. To people who do not see right and wrong or only power, they do not understand when we act out of love or are motivated by love.

In the 80s movie WarGames, you may remember how a defense department computer with artificial intelligence wants to play a game. The terrifying premise is that the game the computer chose to play is thermonuclear war. The computer comes very close, but through learning the computer finally figures out that the only way to win the game is not to play at all.

The ones taunting and belittling Jesus were the very ones who were inviting him down to their level to be a part of games that were beneath him, power and violence. He chose to win by not even starting.

Jesus stayed above it all, forgiving them because they had no idea what they were doing. They stripped him naked and gambled for his garment, a single robe. When a condemned man asks to be remembered, just goes beyond a mere remembrance with a promise of admission into his Kingdom that very day. “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” 

How funny that must have seemed to those who heard it, unless it was that condemned man who was given Hope beyond his wildest imaginings. Jesus acted like a King, giving hope, extending charity, claiming authority. The Romans may have killed his body, but nothing could change who Jesus was. The Good Shepherd. “The Lord is our Righteousness.” The Promised Messiah. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. One of the meanings of the term Messiah is the “Chosen One.” The taunting Roman soldiers even said as much. They could not understand or comprehend that the Chosen One was being executed. Little did they realize that the Chosen One was chosen for exactly this. And for me that is the most important thing of all.

He was Chosen by God before time to do what had to be done. But every morning when I wake up, and every moment throughout my day, I have to choose. Is Jesus my Lord, or not?

Will I follow him, or not? Will I act in Grace, or not? As Sandy preached, will we plug into God’s strength to give us what we need, or not? This Sunday is Christ the King if I choose to make it so, or not. Will I choose the Chosen One. Will Christ be my King, or not?

Friends, it is up to you individually and then all of us collectively to make it so. Will we? Amen