Hymn
The head that once was crowned with thorns
    is crowned with glory now:
a royal diadem adorns
    the mighty Victor's brow.

The highest place that heaven affords
    is his, is his by right,
the King of kings, and Lord of lords,
    and heaven's eternal Light;

The joy of all who dwell above,
    the joy of all below,
to whom he manifests his love,
    and grants his name to know.

To them the cross, with all its shame,
    with all its grace, is given:
their name, an everlasting name,
    their joy, the joy of heaven.

They suffer with their Lord below,
    they reign with him above;
their profit and their joy to know
    the mystery of his love.

The cross he bore is life and health,
    though shame and death to him;
his people's hope, his people's wealth,
    their everlasting theme.
Words: Thomas Kelly (1769–1855)

Readings: 

Ephesians 1:15-23
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 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 age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Psalm 95: 1-7
1    O come, let us sing to the Lord;  let us heartily rejoice in the rock of our salvation.
2    Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving and be glad in him with psalms.
3    For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods.
4    In his hand are the depths of the earth and the heights of the mountains are his also.
5    The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands have moulded the dry land.
6    Come, let us worship and bow down and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7    For he is our God; we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. 

Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Benedictus
Now bless the God of Israel who comes in love and power,
who raises from the royal house deliv’rance in this hour.
Through holy prophets God has sworn to free us from alarm,
to save us from the heavy hand of all who wish us harm.
 
Remembering the covenant, God rescues us from fear,
that we might serve in holiness and peace from year to year.
And you, my child, shall go before, to preach, to prophesy,
that all may know the tender love, the grace of God most high.
 
In tender mercy, God will send the dayspring from on high,
our rising sun, the light of life for those who sit and sigh.
God comes to guide our way to peace, that death shall reign no more.
Sing praises to the Holy One, O worship and adore.
 
To God the Father, fount of grace, through his beloved Son,
with God their Spirit, bond of love, be glory ever One.
Words:  Ruth Duck

Collect for Christ the King
Stir up, O Lord, 
the wills of your faithful people; 
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, 
may by you be plenteously rewarded; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen.

Hymn
How shall I sing that majesty
    which angels do admire?
Let dust in dust and silence lie;
    sing, sing, ye heavenly choir.
Thousands of thousands stand around
    thy throne, O God most high;
ten thousand times ten thousand sound
    thy praise; but who am I?

Thy brightness unto them appears,
    whilst I thy footsteps trace;
a sound of God comes to my ears,
    but they behold thy face.
They sing, because thou art their Sun;
    Lord, send a beam on me;
for where heaven is but once begun
    there alleluias be.

Enlighten with faith’s light my heart,
    inflame it with love’s fire;
then shall I sing and bear a part
    with that celestial choir.
I shall, I fear, be dark and cold,
    with all my fire and light;
yet when thou dost accept their gold,
    Lord, treasure up my mite.

How great a being, Lord, is thine,
    which doth all beings keep!
Thy knowledge is the only line
    to sound so vast a deep.
Thou art a sea without a shore,
    a sun without a sphere;
thy time is now and evermore,
    thy place is everywhere.
Words: John Mason (c.1645–1694)


Copyright: Common Worship © The Archbishops' Council  © The Archbishops' Council 2000;
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Hymns are reproduced under CCLI: 938092 and CCLI Streaming Licence 1001311