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 33: Headship — The Messiah’s Healing of the Sick: The Kingdom’s Compassion, Mark 1:29-34; Matt. 11:2-6
As Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth came to declare and demonstrate the rule of God in his words and deeds. His healings as the Messiah show us that God’s reign arrives visibly and with compassion, a concrete manifestation of the new life it represents. Jesus meets the fevered and broken with hope, and reveals Kingdom life to the gathered crowd alike, naming compassion and mercy as sure signs of the Kingdom’s manifestation. The same is true today. In declaring God’s rule, we can bring our real distress to a King Who touches the afflicted, Who desires to transform us and to restore us to service under God’s reign, taking no offense at his ways.
Our Focus Today
The Works That Reveal Messiah’s True Identity, Matthew 11:1–4
Jesus’ healings and deliverances were offered as sufficient evidence of his identity as Messiah and King, for to John’s question, “Are you the one who is to come?” Jesus replies by pointing to what the messengers heard he spoke and saw him accomplish.
Invocation
Lord Jesus, when faithful John questioned from his prison, you answered him with words of hope and deed that confirmed who you truly are. You did not rebuke his doubts, but answered them with evidence. In the same way, dear Lord, meet us, too, in our honest doubt. Turn our eyes to all you have said and done—the healed, the freed, the good news preached—that we may see and affirm afresh your true identity as the Messiah and King of Israel. Be to us the Coming One, sufficient for our faith, hope, and love. 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.
Friday: Ezek. 10-13
Psalms and Proverb for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the Psalms and Proverbs each month.
Friday: Psalm 17, 47, 77, 107, 137 and Proverbs 17
The Works That Reveal Messiah’s True Identity, Matthew 11:1–4
Jesus’ healings and deliverances were offered as sufficient evidence of his identity as Messiah and King, for to John’s question, “Are you the one who is to come?” Jesus replies by pointing to what the messengers heard he spoke and saw him accomplish.
Reflection
Even though Jesus accomplished much in his ministry, even John wondered at time whether Jesus of Nazareth was in fact the Messiah-King of prophecy. Jesus met that honest doubt with an appeal to his works and deeds of healing and deliverance. At that critical moment when even faithful John the Baptizer struggled and wavered, Jesus appealed to his works as sufficient proof of who he was. All the evidence needed to confirm his identity were ingredient in his works, his teachings, and his miracles. Jesus did not rebuke John for his questions but resolved his questions with evidence and appealed to John to believe that evidence. So likewise, we may bring our uncertainties to Christ, look honestly at what he has done, and find in his deeds sufficient ground to trust his identity as Messiah and King.
Engaging God’s Word Today
When doubt about who Jesus is rises in your own heart, do you hide the question in shame—or, like John, bring it honestly to Christ and look again at the works that reveal his true identity as sufficient ground for your faith?
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 us your Son, someone so open to us, so aware of our weakness, so willing to entertain our frailties as he trains us to trust in him alone. He truly is the Messiah and all that he did and said gave ample evidence to show that. Thank you for Jesus of Nazareth. I leave now in the confidence that Christ meets honest doubt with sufficient evidence. When questions rise, help me not to deny nor hide them, but bring them all to the Lord Jesus, the One whose works reveal his identity. I am refreshed today as I look again at all he has done and find there firm ground to trust him as Messiah and King. I today walk forward in a faith unafraid of my own questions. I will trust in you. Amen.
Scripture Memory for this season
Eph. 1:20-23, The Ascension and the Day of Pentecost: The Kingdom’s Cosmic Authority
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
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)
“I have summarized the narrative of God. This is the narrative that Christians confess. The church witnesses to this story: we sing it in our worship, proclaim it in our speech and preaching, inhabit it in our spirituality, live it in our relationships, enact it through works of love, and extend it in missions throughout the world. There is no story, no philosophy, no religion, no ideology in all of heaven and earth that is a more profound narrative of the world. That God, who is the Creator, would himself become the Redeemer is unthinkable. But it’s true. God takes our death and suffering into himself and defeats it on the cross. He reclaims his universe when he rises from the dead to conquer evil and restore the Garden. All other stories of the world—whether Muslim extremism or American individualism—are stories of humanity living under the demand of a God who expects each person to make themselves acceptable through a system of works. Works righteousness always says, “We are part of the problem. We are also part of the solution.” Grace always says, “There is one person who is the solution. His name is Jesus.”
~ 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 420.
On Eagles Wings Prayer Focus: A Long Time Comin‘
The Messiah’s Miracles and Healings: The Kingdom’s Power Over Creation, Mark 4:35-41; 6:30-44
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