Readings Psalm 93 and John 18: 33-37
In the Christian year, today is Christ the King or the Reign of Christ Sunday. It is the final Sunday in the Church Year. Next week we will be in Advent, as we think about the coming of Jesus, as the baby in Bethlehem, and in the One who is yet to come and bring the Kingdom of God to fulfillment.
On Reign of
Christ Sunday, we celebrate that God’s reign in the entire universe has already
been accomplished. At the same time, we anticipate the day when that reign will
be accomplished in every human heart. On Reign of Christ Sunday, we remind
ourselves of the already/not-yet tension of God’s reign over all creation. https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/1955/reign-of-christ-sunday
The Psalm
speaks of God as King, the ruler of the earth, more majestic than the seas, the
One in whom we ground ourselves. The images in the Psalm are of the power of
nature, and that God is more amazing and powerful than creation.
Then we come
to the idea of Jesus being King.
Christ the
King Sunday has always seemed ridiculous to me – partly because we don’t have
Kings in the way people did in previous eras, but also because Jesus doesn’t
look like the fairy tale king many of us grew up with.
Jesus
doesn’t have a throne with velvet cushions,
There is no crown of Gold or fur lined robe
He didn’t have servants waiting on him hand and foot.
The disciples questioned his activities – you didn’t do that to the Roman Emperor,
or you didn’t last long.
The image we
have of a king is nothing like what we know about Jesus, so this Sunday always
seems an oddity to me. Last week we read the song of Hannah and in a few weeks
we will read the Song of Mary, both of which speak of a world renewed,
transformed, turned upside down, or maybe right-side -up. In the same way Jesus
turns the idea of kingship on its head. He isn’t like an earthy king, ruling in
absolute power, controlling the lives of nations with armies conquering foreign
lands.
Jesus has no
castle or wealth or army to command. He doesn’t have the right to kill or
imprison people.
“The truth
of his kingship is that he rules not with political power, but with humility,
not with physical might, but with mercy, not with violence, but surrender, even
surrender unto death.” Michaela
Bruzzese
From the
time of his Baptism by John in the Jordan River, Jesus travels, sleeping where
he can, living off the generosity of people and the fruits of the earth and
sea. Jesus is then killed, not in a coup by a rival, but put to death for
upsetting the religious leaders with the assistance of the Roman Governor.
Jesus does not look like any other king we have seen; I wonder if he really can
be called a King?
Except as
Christians we say Jesus does rule our lives, that Jesus is King, but of a
kingdom unlike any other.
Maybe that
is the difference, we choose Jesus to be Lord of our lives, we choose to follow
his example and teaching.
In the
reading from John’s Gospel, we have part of the encounter between Jesus and
Pilate. Pilate holds the fate of Jesus in his hands, Pilate is not sure why
Jesus has been brought before him, he is curious about the person he has heard
about. And Pilate asks: Are you the king of the Jews?
From the
birth story of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, we read how King Herod is concerned
at the news that a child has been born who will be King. Herod’s plan was not
for some child from small town Galilee to become King, but like most monarchies
that his son would be the next ruler.
From his
birth to his death Jesus upset leaders by his existence; and Jesus will likely
upset our lives as he transforms our lives if we are serious about Jesus being
our King.
Our lives
will be transformed when Jesus is King of our lives, and in this case, Jesus
isn’t a team player; he doesn’t want to share lordship in our lives. If we name
Jesus as Lord or King, he is the only Lord or King. I wonder what else we allow to control our
lives, maybe it is money, or friends; maybe our lives are controlled by fear or
shame or guilt; maybe our lives are controlled by our desire for perfection. I
wonder what it is that prevents you from allowing the Kingdom of God to be more
fully present in our life?
Last weekend
I met with a student so he could interview me for a school assignment. He asked
me about some areas of ethics, including Voluntary Assisted Dying, Abortion,
and organ donation. He then asked me what was the guiding idea that was behind
my thinking on these and other issues. It was obvious my responses were
motivated by pastoral concern more than a doctrinal statement. The verse, or
part of a verse that has been in my mind a lot the past year is from John’s
gospel: I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.
[John 10:10b Contemporary English Version]
Life in its
fullest, abundant life, comes from living with Christ as our King. And allowing
that to transform our hearts, our minds, and our lives.
Jesus said:
My kingdom is not from this world. This is a King without a Royal Yacht,
without a palace, without a golden throne; a king who respects and loves and
dies for his people; a king who chooses the least, the unlovely, the powerless
and offers welcome, inclusion and liberation. This Kingdom is not one we are
familiar with. We live in a world where politics is littered with stories of
corruption; where business leaders argue for less tax, lower wages, and higher
profits, where people are homeless, hungry, lonely. We live in a world that
needs the love of Jesus, the grace of Jesus and the hope and peace that comes from
lives transformed by this most unkinglike king.
This Kingdom
is not one we are familiar with, but it is real, for those with ears to hear
and eyes to see.
I wonder
where we see the Kingdom of God;
Where do you
see the Reign of Christ around you?
How do you
respond to Jesus the King calling you?
