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 28: Daniel’s Vision of An Eternal Kingdom: The Ancient of Days and the Son of Man, Daniel 7:13-14; Mark 14:55-64
Standing before the Sanhedrin under oath, Jesus made a clear and direct association between himself and Daniel’s Son of Man — the heavenly Figure presented before the Ancient of Days in Daniel chapter 7, the only one worthy to receive everlasting dominion over every nation, people, and tongue. His declaration established bluntly that he was more than the general rumors about him conjectured; Jesus announced plainly that he was the figure of Daniel 7, God’s appointed Ruler of that prophecy, that that Ruler had arrived, and that all authority in heaven and earth would be his.
Our Focus Today
The Heavenly Vision: A Figure Coming with the Clouds, Daniel 7:13
Daniel’s night vision of one “like a son of man” arriving on the clouds of heaven reveals a transcendent, otherworldly Figure whose origin and authority are unmistakably divine, not merely human.
Invocation
Lord God, Ancient of Days, as I turn my heart to your Word, grant me eyes to see what Daniel saw — the glory of your appointed Son, Jesus of Nazareth, coming on the clouds of heaven. Lift my vision and confidence above the noise of earthly kingdoms. Quiet my soul from every distraction, and let the majesty of your sovereign purposes fill my mind and heart, as I come before you now. 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: Pss. 107; 111-114
Psalms and Proverb for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the Psalms and Proverbs each month.
Monday: Psalm 8, 38, 68, 98, 128 and Proverbs 8
The Heavenly Vision: A Figure Coming with the Clouds, Daniel 7:13
Daniel’s night vision of one “like a son of man” arriving on the clouds of heaven reveals a transcendent, otherworldly Figure whose origin and authority are unmistakably divine, not merely human.
Reflection
The Son of Man’s arrival on heaven’s clouds declares that true, ultimate authority is bestowed by God, the Ancient of Days, from above. All authority is in his hands, and God alone determines who rules. Furthermore, the One he has appointed transcends every human system of power and governance. We are therefore called to fix our highest allegiance not on earthly rulers or institutions, but on the One whom heaven itself has crowned.
Engaging God’s Word Today
Since the Son of Man’s authority is entirely heavenly in origin — granted by God alone and beyond the reach of any earthly power — in what specific ways are we still tempted to place our ultimate trust in other people and things, such as human leaders, institutions, resources, or systems rather than in the One who comes on the clouds?
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
Jesus, you truly are the Son of Man of Daniel’s vision. You have been granted all authority and soon, very soon, you will fully embrace that authority as Judge and Ruler of this universe. I now depart from here with this assurance: that you are the One who comes on the clouds of heaven, you are my Lord, Ruler, and ever-present King. Your authority is unshakable, your dominion everlasting, and your leading over my life is constant. Let me live this day with my gaze fixed upward, confident that you are with me in all I face today. Amen.
Scripture Memory for this season
Colossians 2:13-15 (ESV): The Messiah on the Cross: The Kingdom’s Triumph Over Sin.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
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)
• Who Gets to Narrate the World?, Robert E. Webber (during seasons of the Coming of the Holy Spirit, and Headship)
• Thy Kingdom Come, Rev. Terry Cornett and Dr. Don Davis (during season of 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 “Who Gets to Narrate the World?” during season of Coming of the Holy Spirit and Headship)
The fullness of God’s story is captured in the three words—creation, incarnation, re-creation. At first it may seem that these words represent three doctrines, and consequently a kind of reductionism similar to my father’s. Not so—these words constitute a connecting symbol for the whole story of God.
Let me tell you that story. The centrality of Christ in God’s story. First, Christ connects everything. He is the Alpha and Omega. For example, I was traveling on a plane from San Francisco to Los Angeles a few years ago. I was sitting next to the window, reading a Christian book. The man next to me, obviously from the Eastern hemisphere, asked, “Are you a religious man?” “Well, yes,” I said. “I am too,” he responded. We began talking about religion. In the middle of the conversation I asked, “Can you give me a one-liner that captures the essence of your faith?” “Well, yes,” he said. “We are all part of the problem, and we are all part of the solution.” We talked about his one-liner, a statement I felt was very helpful.
After a while I said, “Would you like a one-liner that captures the Christian faith?” “Sure,” he responded. “We are all part of the problem, but there is only one man who is the solution. His name is Jesus.” The point I made is very biblical and any Christian would readily agree with it. Jesus is the central figure of the Christian faith. He is the one who reverses the entire human situation. The first Adam plunged the human race into rebellion against God. Humanity has made a mess of this world (not only human beings, but the whole world), so God became incarnate, uniting himself to humanity, so that God himself in perfect union with humanity could reverse the human plight caused by Adam and perpetuated by every one of us. So God in Christ not only rescues us, he rescues the whole creation. This truth is clearly taught by Paul: “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor 15:21-22; see also Rom 5:12-21)
~ Webber, Robert E. Who Gets to Narrate the World?: Contending for the Christian Story in an Age of Rivals. InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL: 2008. Electronic Edition. Location 257.
On Eagles Wings Prayer Focus: A Long Time Comin‘
God’s Love, Christ’s Grace, and the Spirit’s Fellowship, 2 Cor. 13:11-13.
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