Sermon by Pastor John DeVries

Though our life in Christ grants us a deep and settled peace now—having been reconciled to God—that peace rests on the greater peace still to come when Christ returns in glory. But the reign of Christ is not merely a future hope. From his birth, this question has pressed itself upon the world: does Jesus Christ claim all earthly thrones now? The visit of the wise men and the violent response of Herod reveal that Christ’s kingdom confronts the present order; it exposes both faith and resistance. Herod’s cruelty was no misunderstanding, but a tragic display of what happens when earthly power refuses to yield to heaven’s King. If Jesus is indeed King of kings and Lord of lords, his claim reaches every throne, calling rulers—and all people—to surrender even now. In this Advent sermon, Pastor John DeVries explores these themes from the Gospel according to Matthew, tracing the costly reality of Christ’s reign in a world that resists it.