[Note: While King Duncan is enjoying a well deserved retirement we are going back to his earliest sermons and renewing them. The newly modernized sermon is shown first and below, for reference sake, is the old sermon. We will continue this updating throughout the year bringing fresh takes on King's best sermons.]

Original Title: Preparing for a Royal Visit
New Title: Getting Ready
Mark 1:1-8
January 7, 2024 (Baptism of the Lord)

A little boy attended his first symphony concert. He was excited by the splendid hall, the beautiful people in all their formal finery, and the sound of the large and enthusiastic orchestra. Of all the instruments in the orchestra, however, his favorite was the cymbals. The first loud, dramatic crash of those brass disks won him over without reservation. He noticed, tho…