Our series during Ordinary time will explore the revelation of God’s Kingdom through his Son. We will look specifically how the incarnation—the ministry, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ—reveals the long-promised Kingdom of God breaking into human history demonstrating God’s love, destroying the powers that ravaged creation, and displaying the Messiah’s promise (to continue reading this essay, click on image above).
Click on image above to access our Church Year Calendar
YOUR KINGDOM COME
Pastoral Resources | 2025-26 Themes At-A-Glance
The Inbreaking Kingdom’s Restoration, Jer. 31:7-14
God’s restoration of his people displays the character of his inbreaking Kingdom: his sovereign plan is to intervene on behalf of his own, gathering those who were scattered by his judgment and returning them by his love and power. This ingathering is for all, as God refuses to leave behind the vulnerable, the weak, or those whom the world deems unworthy and burdensome, instead making them full participants in his redemptive work. God’s rule proves that his Kingdom values differ radically from the way we calculate human worth and importance. The restoration journey reveals God’s nature as both Father and Shepherd—One who leads with tender emotional care through our weeping while simultaneously providing practical guidance and provision. God’s Kingdom refreshes us; he will never abandon us, even in the most difficult passages of life. The transformation of his rule will result in a superabundant overflowing of joy that reverses our deepest sorrows, satisfies our profoundest longings, and establishes us as his living testimonies to the nations that he rules faithfully over all who trust in him.
Our Focus Today
The Call to Anticipatory Praise, Jer. 31:7
The restoration of God begins with a command for his people to sing and shout aloud, calling God’s people to proclaim his saving work even before it is fully accomplished, showing how faith rejoices in God’s promises before he completely fulfills them.
Invocation
Lord God, you who command praise before deliverance and call us to sing before we see how things turn out, I admit my tendency to wait for fulfillment before I offer worship. Train me in the outlook that rejoices in your promises and working with the same gladness as if you fully accomplish my deliverance. Your word is more certain than our present circumstances. Show me how to trust you, no matter what you decide to do, giving you heartfelt praise, nonetheless. Amen.
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, amen.
Chronological Scripture Readings for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the entire Bible in one year in chronological order.
Monday: Exodus 16-19
Psalms and Proverb for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the Psalms and Proverbs each month.
Monday: Psalm 5, 35, 65, 95, 125 and Proverbs 5
The Call to Anticipatory Praise, Jer. 31:7
The restoration of God begins with a command for his people to sing and shout aloud, calling God’s people to proclaim his saving work even before it is fully accomplished, showing how faith rejoices in God’s promises before he completely fulfills them.
Reflection
God’s command to sing and proclaim salvation before its full accomplishment shows us that true faith fundamentally anticipates what he is going to do, rejoicing in his promises with confidence and gladness. Faith expects God to act; this isn’t Pollyana nor just positive thinking but acknowledging God’s word as more certain than our present circumstances. Future restoration becomes so real to us that we celebrate it here and now in the present moment. Our worship must declare his works in public, and our affirmation was not meant to be merely private or internal. Let us testify before others that the LORD is faithful to save his people even when exile still surrounds us. He can transform our present suffering and doubt through the lens of his certain future deliverance, expressed in praise!
Engaging God’s Word Today
Where is God calling you to offer anticipatory praise, praising him with gladness even though you cannot yet see the fulfillment of his promise? What would it look like for you to trust his word so deeply that your worship in the present reflects the confidence you will feel when his restoration is complete?
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, The Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God,
Begotten of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God,
Begotten not created, of the same essence as the Father,
through Whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became human.
Who for us too, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried.
The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
Who together with the Father and Son is worshiped and glorified.
Who spoke by the prophets.
We believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sin,
and we look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the age to come. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Benediction
Lord Jesus, you are the Lord of anticipatory hope! Today fill my heart with gladness to sing aloud for your promises, even before I see their complete fulfillment. Grant me boldness to proclaim your salvation publicly, testifying before others that the LORD is faithful to save his people and secure in delivering the remnant. Let my worship in the present transform my perspective on my circumstances, preparing my heart to receive the restoration you have already secured for me, in your name. Amen.
Scripture Memory for this season
Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV): The Call of Abraham: God’s Kingdom Promise to the Families of the Earth
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Scripture Engagement
As disciples of Jesus, the Churches of Christ the King strongly seek to engage the Scriptures to discover the centrality of Christ and his Kingdom in the prophetic and apostolic writings. You will find a rich treasure of resources on engaging Scripture at the Center for Scripture Engagement of Taylor University.
Books We Are Reading this Church Year, and When
• The Most Amazing Story Ever Told, Dr. Don Davis (during season of Advent)
• Get Your Pretense On, Dr. Don Davis (during season of Christmas)
• Destined for the Throne, Paul Billheimer (during seasons of Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, and Resurrection)
• The Presence of the Future, George Eldon Ladd (during seasons of Ascension and Coming of Holy Spirit)
• Kingdom, Church and World, Howard Snyder (during seasons of Headship and Harvest)
• The Gospel of the Kingdom, George Eldon Ladd (during the seasons of Hope and Remembering the Saints, Exalting the King)
Book Reading Reflection: Get Your Pretense On!
(Reading “Get Your Pretense On” during season of Christmas)
The Already/Not Yet Kingdom has come!
His death represents the sacrifice for sin and cosmic deliverance of the Kingdom’s victory over death and the curse (Col. 2.15; Heb. 10.10-14). His resurrection both verifies his messiahship, and guarantees the victory of his redemptive work (Rom. 1.1-4). His Great Commission is his exalted call for his people to proclaim his kingdom victory to all the world (Matt. 28.18-20), and his ascension represents his coronation as King and Lord over all (Eph. 1.15-23; Heb. 1.2-4). The coming of his Holy Spirit at Pentecost was the pledge and “down payment” (arrabon) of the full promise of the Kingdom (2 Cor. 1.20), and the formation of the church there represents the community and foretaste of the Kingdom’s life in this world (2 Cor. 5.18-21). His session in heaven as risen Lord represents his generalship of God’s church in the earth (1 Cor. 15.24-28), and his Second Coming will be the final consummation of the Kingdom (Rev. 19-22).
What do all these theological claims mean for you and me? These biblical affirmations prove that God almighty has determined from eternity past to reverse the effects of the curse (death, disease, war, alienation, despair, and bondage) in this world. God is on the move. Put simply: God’s rule is in effect. God can do anything with anyone in any place to fulfill his purpose and establish his Kingdom. Even though it appears that the devil, evil, sin, and death are winning, they cannot prevail. Even though the “check engine” light has been on in the universe for millennia, with the coming of Christ in the world God almighty is reversing the impact of Satan and the curse, and restoring all things under his rule again. He is disarming the powers of evil and abolishing death in our midst today through his Son, Jesus Christ.
~ Davis, Don. Get Your Pretense On! Living as a Citizen and Ambassador of the Kingdom of God. TUMI Press, Wichita, KS, 2018. Electronic Edition. Location 561-567.
On Eagles Wings Prayer Focus: A Long Time Comin‘
Holy Name of Jesus, Phil. 2:5-11
Visit our Church App for more information: Scan the QR Code below (if you have difficulty loading the app, click here for instructions how to get the app on your iPhone or Android)
