On this Feast of Christ the King, I thought I'd share a true story. In 2006, my six year old son was watching a movie and heard the lead actor say, "I'm king of the world." He said, "Mommy, he's not really the king of the world." I asked, who is king? My son replied, "God is the King of the world." Oh, out of the mouths of babes!!!
"...Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice." (John 18:37)
With Christ as King, it rightly follows... there is but ONE God, who sent only ONE Redeemer.
"And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." (Matthew 17:5)
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:32-33)
This Redeemer preached but ONE doctrine and established ONE Church (nowhere in the Bible does it speak of churches in the plural).
"...stand fast in one spirit, with one mind laboring together for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27)
"...the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (1 Timothy 3:15)
He says that we must hear THE Church (and nowhere does He say if we will not hear the Church, we may hear another).
"...And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican." (Matthew 18:17)
He speaks of ONE shepherd and ONE fold into which all men are to be brought.
"I am the good shepherd; and I know mine, and mine know me." (John 10:14)
"And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." (John 10:16)
He speaks of only ONE Master and ONE rock upon which He will build His Church.
"Neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, Christ." (Matthew 23:10)
"And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matthew 16:18-19)
He speaks of ONE kingdom.
"...the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." (Luke 10:9)
He prays that all may be ONE.
"That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (John 17:21)
CALL TO ACTION: May we each follow Christ the King in His ONE holy Catholic and apostolic Church... for all other churches are of the devil!
Source: Content (save Scripture quotes) taken from Father Francis Hunolt's sermon for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost
Photo by Robert Nyman