Lead on, O King eternal, The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest Thy tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation Thy grace has made us strong,
And now, O King eternal, We lift our battle song.
Lead on, O King eternal, Till sin's fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper The sweet amen of peace.


Is Christian discipleship a battle? Are there great foes for us to defeat, fierce wars to fight, bitter enemies to conquer? Perhaps, but the battle is out of sequence. In a war, we typically first find conflict, then suffering, sacrifice, and ultimately victory or loss. But in Christ, we already have victory. He has already endured the conflict, suffering and sacrifice. And he did it alone, on the cross.

After a victory, the conqueror rules the conquered. The kingdom is extended. This is where we are in Christ’s holy battle. The foes of sin and death are vanquished. And the new King has a new covenant, and definite marching orders. Jesus commands us, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…I am with you always".

But how shall the kingdom of Christ come to all of the earth?

For not with swords loud clashing, Nor roll of stirring drums,
With deeds of love and mercy, The heavenly kingdom comes.
Lead on, O King eternal, We follow, not with fears,
For gladness breaks like morning Where'er thy face appears.

Dear Lord,

Keep us mindful that we fight an already defeated foe, and that our charge is to spread the good news of a victory already won. May our own acts reflect and share your "deeds of love and mercy" to a hurting world. We have heard your great commission, and we ask you to Lead On, O King Eternal. For we know,

Thy cross is lifted o'er us; We journey in its light;
The crown awaits the conquest; Lead on, O God of might.
Amen.