10 Ways to Preach the Christ the King Sermon
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Collect for Christ the King, Book of Common Prayer (2019)
The prevailing culture is already gearing up for Christmas, counting down the “shopping days” until the gift extravaganza. But the church calendar calls for a complete stop just before the season of Advent and declares that Jesus Christ is Lord and King over all things.
Like Trinity Sunday, Christ the King Sunday celebrates not a specific event but rather a universal theological truth. The feast serves as a giant exclamation mark, ending the church year with the proclamation that he is king and we are not!
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1. Jesus is King
The origins of Christ the King Sunday as an event could be a sermon all by itself.
The 1920s was a very interesting time for our world. We had only just emerged from the war to end all wars, and the signs were everywhere that it was hurtling towards another (which it was). We were in the grip of a worldwide economic depression and desperately looking for answers.
Some outspoken leaders believed that they had answers to those questions. One was the Italian leader, Mussolini, who had just celebrated his third year in office. Another was a young rabble-rouser by the name of Adolf Hitler, who had been out of jail for a year by that stage, and whose Nazi party was rapidly growing in popularity across Germany.
But in 1924, the pope directed all churches to set aside one Sunday to declare something: Jesus Christ is King. Soon, other denominations followed.
Not the US president, not the British Prime Minister, not the warlords of ISIS, not the Premier of China. But Jesus as Lord and King. Nations rise and fall, and kingdoms come and go, but Jesus is always Lord, and his role as King remains. All other kingdoms will turn to dust.
This sermon would be a great time to quote from Percy Shelley’s great poem, Ozymandias.
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
2. The Upside-Down Kingdom
If Jesus Christ is King of a Kingdom, we should help people know and understand the kind of kingdom it is; what kind of ruler is he? And we do not have to guess. Relative to any kingdom we could imagine on earth, the ethics and values of the Kingdom of God are upside-down.
What’s more, the King of the Kingdom not only tells us how to live. He shows us. He demonstrates this commandment to love one another by bending to wash their feet. He leads not by edict but by example. From the beginning of his life, when he was born in a stone manger among the smelly animals, to the end of his life, when he died on a cross between two low-lifes, Jesus’ kingship contradicts worldly expectations of power, privilege, and authority.
3. Once a Man, Always a Man
There is a theological understanding of Jesus as the reigning King that will blow people’s minds. It is seldom spoken of and not widely known. This concept, known as the hypostatic union, affirms that Jesus is fully God and fully man, even after his resurrection and ascension. It could be called “The Doctrine of the Continued Humanity of Jesus.” Talk about mystery!
The theology of this defies our understanding, but its implications are widespread. It means that the Lord’s incarnation was not a temporary state. It was not just a role he played until he went back home. Jesus was the perfect man and remains so today and forever.
This means he continues to act and intercede on our behalf, serving as mediator and advocate (1 Timothy 2:5). He continues as our great high priest who remains empathetic to our plight as human creatures (Hebrews 4:14-16). It means that his body, glorified and resurrected, is the template for ours. We, too, will have a heavenly body as he does. This tells us that upon his return, he will have the same body he had when he ascended to heaven. The doctrine of the continued incarnation of Jesus is a complete affirmation of humanity as the crown of creation.
And why did Jesus take our form and retain it? Athanasius of Alexandria explains, powerfully and simply: “He became what we are that he might make us what he is.”
4. Dual Passport and Dueling Passports
In this sermon, the preacher addresses the polarities that every Christian must deal with in life. How can we live as citizens of our earthly country yet have dual citizenship in the Kingdom of God? When these two value sets conflict—and they surely do, often—how can we remain loyal to our eternal home?
This sermon might consider the story of Daniel in Babylon, Paul’s injunction in Romans 13, and John’s warning in Revelation 13, where the state becomes the Beast.
But the key verse comes from Jesus: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21). He made it clear that his kingdom wasn’t of this world, yet He taught us to be “in the world” but not of it.
To drive this point home, ask your congregation to imagine their car sporting two bumper stickers. One proudly declares their citizenship in heaven (Philippians 3:20), while the other affirms their status as a law-abiding earthly citizen (Romans 13:1-7). Side by side, these bumper stickers perfectly capture the tension we’re exploring.
Most of us can relate to this tension, but we should all be reminded of the call to be salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16) and seek our earthly cities’ welfare (Jeremiah 29:7).
5. Crown Him with Many Crowns
Few people realize that the hymn “Crown Him with Many Crowns” boasts twelve verses. Twelve! Of course, most hymnals reduce it to six.
For this sermon, use the six verses as a way to explore the royal qualities of Christ. Start with Christ as the royal Lamb of God on a throne, drawn from Revelation 5:6:
Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne,
Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns
all music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
of Him who died for thee,
And hail him as thy matchless King
thro’ all eternity.
The remaining five stanzas are as follows:
- 2) The Crown of the Son of God and Son of Man, John 1:1,14
- 3) The Crown of Love, Romans 5:8
- 4) The Crown of Life, John 11:25
- 5) The Crown of Peace, Ephesians 2:14
- 6) The Crown of Heaven, Acts 1:9
If you like this idea, you might even expand it into a mini-sermon series during the seasons of Advent or Lent.
6. New Year’s Resolution
Christ the King Sunday is the last day of the liturgical year. You could use this date to prompt your congregation to consider making a few New Year’s Resolutions for the new year beginning the following Sunday, Advent 1.
Many adults, having repeatedly failed at typical New Year’s Resolutions, tend to forgo them. However, resolutions made during the liturgical calendar bear a different purpose, rooted in love for God rather than self-improvement. These resolutions prioritize spiritual development over tangible goals such as weight loss or fitness and rely on divine grace for fulfillment. They typically include commitments to prayer, Bible study, or service, supported by the church community and liturgical seasons.
This approach to Christ the King Sunday could transform it from a somewhat abstract theological concept to a deeply personal and practical celebration of Christ’s lordship in our daily lives. It provides a meaningful alternative to secular New Year’s traditions and could help deepen the congregation’s spiritual life throughout the year.
7. Elected Leader?
Understanding the concept of kingship can be challenging in modern society, especially in the US, where no monarchy exists. This could make it difficult for people to comprehend the full biblical perspective of what it means to be a king. Unlike a president, who is elected, serves temporarily, and is restricted by checks and balances, a king’s rule doesn’t follow these principles. Clarifying these differences is essential when considering Christ as King of kings.
Christ’s kingship is an absolute and eternal reign. Revelation 19:16 declares he is the “King of kings and Lord of lords.” His authority doesn’t come from human choice or constitutional provisions but from his very nature as God incarnate. As the angel declared to Mary, “of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33).
Helping a congregation understand the authority, majesty, and grandeur of King Jesus could change the way people worship, pray, and relate to God. Christ as King demands allegiance, duty, and complete personal devotion. He’s not just the head of a government but the Lord of our lives, calling for a level of submission and loyalty that far exceeds what any earthly leader could rightfully claim.
8. The King’s Mission
A sermon to end the Church Year could challenge the congregation to consider the missional implications of Jesus Christ as King. N.T. Wright explains:
The point of following Jesus isn’t simply so that we can be sure of going to a better place than this after we die. It’s so that the kingdom of God can break into this present world through us—right now.
What does it mean for the kingdom of God to break into this world through us? First, it means that we repent of our sins. Second, it means that we live in a new way, oriented to God and desiring to fulfill our purpose as creatures made in his image. This has applications in every vocational category, including technology, economics, government, education, peacemaking, the environment, and mission in the global Church.
Our personal salvation in Christ is essential, but the story of Christ as King does not end there.
9. Judgment Time
One unforgettable sermon for Christ the King could focus on the great mural of Michelangelo on the back wall of the Sistine Chapel. (The image of the masterpiece could be projected or printed on a handout.) The painting is impressive at 40 x 45 feet. The artist needed four years to complete the work, which he did by age 67. The portrait is called The Last Judgment because, in it, over 300 men and angels are depicted on the left and the right; they are rising, and some are falling. It is both hopeful and harrowing.
But a sermon on the Last Judgment could use this painting to great effect, making these points:
1. Last Day: The Lord is depicted on the last day. The end times have arrived. History is over. This is relevant for us because our history will end one day. We will all die and, as the Bible says, face judgment.
2. Jesus is Seated: The work he came to do is complete. He came to earth to save sinners, and in the end, he is seated in heaven, enthroned and calling his people to himself. He accomplished this by binding the strongman and freeing those held hostage (Matthew 12).
3. Judgment is Real: There are many kinds of people in the image, just as there are many kinds of people on earth. Ultimately, however, there are only two relevant categories: the saved sheep on his right and the doomed goats on his left.
A sermon of this caliber would lead the congregation to the inescapable conclusion that today’s choices matter and greatly shape our end.
This quote from Tim Keller makes for a powerful ending to a Christ the King sermon:
At the end of our lives, we will discover that we have become like the ones we worship. If we worship money and things, we become like money and things. If we worship power and prestige, we become like power and prestige. If we worship our work, we become like our work. If we worship Jesus, we become like Jesus.
Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods
10. A Throne of Grace
A preacher should be able to present two truths without fear of contradiction or tension. Jesus is Lord and King of everything, worthy of worship, majesty, and awe. And still, Jesus is our friend. He knows us, loves us, and gave himself up for us, even though we were sinners.
Jesus himself said that he no longer calls his disciples servants, but now he calls them friends (John 15:15). Similarly, Jesus taught us to pray to God as “Our Father,” a remarkably intimate way to relate to our Creator. The key verse for this sermon is Hebrews 4:16, which teaches us to come before the throne of Christ:
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus is to be feared for the power he wields. And he is to be followed because he calls us to be his friends. This is the “both/and” of the New Testament.
Conclusion: Citizens Under Christ’s Rule
By proclaiming Christ as King, we encourage congregations to view their lives, the world, and their faith from a new perspective. We urge our listeners to embrace their identity as citizens of his kingdom, aligning their values and actions with his rule. In this way, we bring glory to Christ and participate in his ongoing work of redemption and renewal in the world.
Image: Christ the King Statue by Richard Jordan (Carmelite monastery, Vienna). Photo by sedmak from Getty Images, courtesy of Canva.
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