27th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 23:1-7

Christ the King Sunday

Christ the King Sunday reminds us that Christ has ascended to sit at the right hand of God and will come again to rule and judge.

This Sunday’s readings might initially feel a little scattered with the last words of David, a psalm about David, a New Testament reading about the Second Coming, and Pilate questioning Jesus about his kingdom before the crucifixion.

Ultimately, though they all come together through the Old Testament reading. This text (especially with the day's psalm) provides the foundation for the messianic hope which Jesus fulfills, through his crucifixion, and which forms our hope for the future.

This guide will focus primarily on 2 Samuel 23:1-7, with some notes on how you might extend…

1. In the past, how have you understood what we mean when we say “Christ is King”? How does the story of David and God’s covenant with him change the way you think about Christ’s kingship?

2. David is speaking as a prophet and relaying what he’s saying as God’s direct words. Why do you think that God chose to speak through David in this way?

3. Why do you think God chose to make this covenant with David? In what sense is God the Father of David and his successors?

4. If the gospels were all about Jesus claiming his rightful kingship, how does that change the way we see his ministry?

5. We (most of us) don’t have kings. How it different to say that “Christ is king” rather than that “Christ is president”?

6. How does the…