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).

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YOUR KINGDOM COME
Pastoral Resources | 2025-26 Themes At-A-Glance

Week 24: Ascension — The Man of God’s Own Choosing, Acts 17:22-31
The God who made and sustains all things is the same God who has established a way for the nations to be saved and receive life through his appointed Man of his own choosing. The Creator God is neither distant nor unknowable, for he has revealed himself decisively through the select Messiah whom he chose and raised from the dead. Idolatry is neither prudent nor justified; the God of heaven and earth has made a way for all peoples to know him by yielding to his lordship and receiving salvation through his chosen means. All people are now therefore summoned to abandon every idol—whether religious, intellectual, or material—and turn to God in repentance to the appointed Judge and Savior, the Man of God’s own choosing, Jesus of Nazareth.

Invocation
Father, you are the Creator and Lord that we cannot escape, in whom we live and move and have our being. Open now my eyes to know you truly, not in vague ideas or shadows or images of my own making. Help me to come to you in repentance and rest through the person of your own choosing, your appointed Son, Jesus of Nazareth. Draw near to me as I turn from every idol to seek you through him, my Savior, alone. 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.
Sunday: 1 Kings 17.8-20.22

Lectionary Readings for Today
Our readings from the Psalms, the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Epistles are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary for this week.
Psalm: Psalm 68:8-20
Old Testament (or Acts [during Eastertide]): Acts 17:22-31*
Gospel: John 14:15-21
New Testament: 1 Peter 3:13-22

Click here for all of this week’s Scripture readings

*During Eastertide a reading from Acts is often substituted for the lesson from the Hebrew Bible.

Psalms and Proverb for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the Psalms and Proverbs each month.
Sunday: Psalm 10, 40, 70, 100, 130 and Proverbs 10

The Man of God’s Own Choosing, Acts 17:22-31
At Athens, Paul declares the unknown God as Creator and Lord, calling all to repent before God’s chosen Man, the appointed Judge, confirmed through his resurrection from the dead.

Reflection
At the Areopagus, Paul draws his listeners’ attention to the altar of “the unknown god” as his entry point to proclaim the true God who made all things, sustains every breath, governs the nations, and dwells near his offspring. Idolatry is to be rejected, and to be considered folly and illegitimate. Now, in view of coming judgment by his risen and appointed Man of his own choosing, Jesus of Nazareth, God commands all people everywhere to repent and to receive his gift of life in his Son.

Engaging God’s Word Today
Where in your life have you settled for an “unknown god”—a vague spirituality, an inherited assumption, or a comfortable idol of your own making—rather than turning wholly to the risen Christ whom God has appointed as Lord and Judge of all? How can you recover from this direction in your life?

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
Thank you Father for giving to us your chosen son, the one you chose to save us and to reveal yourself to us. What a gracious and remarkable gift he is to us! Help me now to go forward in the assurance that the God who made the heavens has come near to us in the risen Christ, your chosen Man and the righteous Judge. May I learn more to walk in repentance, free from every idol, finding life and breath and meaning in him alone, until the day he returns to judge the world in righteousness. Amen.

Scripture Memory for this season
1 Cor. 11:23-26 (ESV): The Last Supper: The Kingdom’s New Covenant
²³ For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

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 season of Epiphany)
• The Presence of the Future, George Eldon Ladd (during seasons of Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Ascension)
• Thy Kingdom Come, Rev. Terry Cornett and Dr. Don Davis (during season of Ascension)
• Kingdom, Church and World, Howard Snyder (during seasons of the Coming of the Holy Spirit, 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: Destined for the Throne
(Reading “The Presence of the Future,” during season of Lent, Holy Week, and Resurrection)

In Jesus’ proclamation of the Gospel, God’s promise of the Kingdom has been fulfilled!

“This saying in Luke brings us to another evidence for the present dynamic working of the Kingdom of God. It was present and active in the word and authority of Jesus. This is seen particularly in the words “gospel” (euaggelion), “to preach the gospel” (euaggelizesthai), and “to preach” (keryssein). Jesus’ message about the Kingdom of God was not merely instruction or prophecy or promise; it was the proclamation of good news. It was gospel. The prophets had promised a time when the good news would be proclaimed that God was visiting his people. “Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him” (Isa. 40:9–10). A herald would appear upon the mountains publishing peace, announcing good tidings of salvation, saying to Zion, “Your God reigns.… The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (Isa. 52:7, 10; cf. Isa. 41:27; 60:6; Nah. 1:15). This promised day will be heralded by one anointed by the Spirit of the Lord “to bring good tidings to the afflicted, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn” (Isa. 61:1–2). These good tidings are nothing less than the visitation of God to bring to his people the messianic salvation.

In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus claimed that this gospel was no longer hope but event (Luke 4:18). The time of fulfillment had come. Jesus had been anointed to preach good news (euaggelisasthai) to the poor, to proclaim (keryxai) release to the captives, to proclaim (keryxai) the acceptable year of the Lord. In the proclamation of the gospel, promise had become fulfillment.”

~ Ladd, George. The Presence of the Future: The Eschatology of Biblical Realism. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids: MI, 1974. Electronic Edition. Location 163-65.

On Eagles Wings Prayer Focus: A Long Time Comin‘
On the Road to Emmaus, Luke 24:13-35 

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