Christ the King Sunday – 26th Sunday after Pentecost – Year B November 21, 2021
2 Samuel 23:1-7, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33- 37 Panzer Liturgical Service
Many people say politics and religion should never cross paths… well, this feast day is not for them. On this day, more than any other, politics is put on the table by the scriptures we read and the things we claim about Jesus. But this is not the kind of politics that we encounter in our reading of newspapers and watching TV. The questions we address in today’s sermon are not the questions of left or right, conservative, liberal, or progressive. Our scriptures today ask us something much more fundamental… if we believe in the Kingship of Jesus – if we claim him to be our Lord, what does it mean for him to be in charge?
The feast of Christ the King, or as it is also known, the feast of the Reign of Christ, is the last feast day to enter the Christian calendar. In1922, Pope Pius XIth began writing about this subject. In the aftermath of World War 1, the pope noted that while there was a cessation of fighting between former enemies, there was still no true peace. He worried about the rise of class divisions and unchecked nationalism, as in Russia and Germany, where nationalist passions were high and trouble was brewing. He worried that a new war was only a few years away.
He understood that Christians could help keep the peace in only one way: Peace could only be found under the kingship of Christ as “prince of peace”. As Christians, he said, we are called to accept Jesus’ rule in our lives as we live out his teachings and fill our hearts with his love. With Jesus as our King, we are called to live with his love and example filling our hearts.
From 1925 to 1969, this feast was celebrated on the Sunday before All Saint’s Day. In 1970, its Roman Rite observance was moved to the final Sunday of Ordinary Time. We celebrate today because many Protestant denominations began observing this feast day as a result of the consultations between Roman Catholics and Protestants during the 2nd Vatican Council held from 1962 to 1965.
As we gather today, this is the question we consider: who is in charge? Is it Jesus or have we committed ourselves to the powers of the world?
We are divided on this… is faith private or public? Some consider that faith is personal and separate from our public lives. Others believe that faith and everyday life cannot be separated, and seek to share or even impose their theological beliefs in the political process, often on all sides of the question.
The lessons from the Old Testament and from the book of Revelation speak of the accountability of the rulers of the governments of the world to God. But what happens when people don’t want to be accountable? Or don’t care what God thinks? Look at the world today - it’s maddening and confusing and scary and sad… Many in positions of authority see their personal beliefs in line with their understanding of how God wants them to live. And those beliefs and actions are often in conflict with the beliefs of others who are likewise convinced. In our Thursday night book group, we talked about the tendency we have to read the scripture (and other books and media) in ways that confirm what we already believe to be true. If we are not careful, we will build a whole faith journey on the premise that God wants us to be comfortable and in control.
But that’s not what the biblical story reflects. Here, God is in control, and while his people are given the freedom of choice, there are consequences for choosing self over the path that God prefers. The Old Testament is the story of people who met and followed God when they were in trouble but were willing to give up that path when they felt comfortable enough to make it on their own. And over and over, the people paid the price.
The role of the prophet was to speak in the voice of God. From Moses all the way to Malachi, prophets stood up and told the people, “God wants to be your king… you don’t need anyone else.” And when the people insisted on having a political structure similar to the ones of their enemies and conquerors, God allowed for that, but these kings were only at their best when they were faithful in their own relationships with God.
Some kings had long, successful reigns… some never even got off the ground. Ultimately, the Kingdom of Israel was defeated, devastated, and scattered to the winds. And even when they were allowed to return to the land that God had promised, it was not the same.
The people returned from exile in Babylon to a Jerusalem under the control of the Persians, who actually afforded them many opportunities to return the city to its former glory. But the Jews were not in charge. And eventually, their fate was left in the hands of those who did not treat them as well - the Greeks, and then the Romans.
And in our gospel lesson from John, we see Pilate’s questioning of Jesus. Clearly, they are operating on two different plains of reality. Pilate is wondering if Jesus is his rival… should he be worried about the seditious nature of the claims being made about him? But Jesus' answers make no sense if you’re talking about an earthly king like David. And that’s what many people were expecting… a king to rescue the people from the rule of dictators, and who would return the land to the people, and rule with power and might.
Well, Jesus is not that kind of king. Yes, Rome is worried that Jesus will take them out, but that was not Jesus’ only problem. Once the Jews realized Jesus was not going to fulfill any of their heroic expectations – that sealed his fate – he would have to go. And they would let the Romans do their dirty work for them.
It feels weird to read the story of Jesus’ trial before Pilate just as we are preparing to begin a new church year with the season of Advent. But this encounter between Jesus and Pilate is important because questions are raised. One of the things we realize is that Pilate thinks he has power, but he doesn’t… yes, he can send Jesus to his death – and he does – but three days later it’s all undone. Jesus is now unleashed – he will become a much bigger influence than he ever was before. And a new revolution begins.
Given all of that, it looks like the question isn’t whether Jesus Christ is King or not… instead, the questions for us are, “What kind of king is he?” and “What do we do now?”
We look at the state of the world around us and we wonder, “How did the world get so messed up?” The issues facing us seem almost insurmountable and many are beginning to lose hope that love will win in the end. Some days I wonder that if Jesus is in charge, what kind of power does he have?
The powers that the world exhibits – governmental, political, and societal – seem to be winning these days. And while we desperately want the Golden Rule and the Greatest Commandment to be our guiding principles, it feels like we are always one step behind and getting trampled on along the way.
We forget that the King we worship understands all our fears and confusion. And while he was a victim of the coercive and violent government of the day, he still demanded that his disciples – his followers – respond in love and caring goodness. It was that witness that turned the world around – and it does it still today.
Jesus gave us a good example. He didn’t show up often to the seats of power of his day to keep the status quo. He turned over the money-changers tables in a fit of anger at how they had subverted the worship practices God required, and in our gospel lesson it feels like Pilate is asking him to admit it was a mistake, or maybe beg for his life.
In reality, Jesus hadn’t done anything to spike their ire. He didn’t try to influence people in power – he spent his time with people who were not only insignificant but despised and untrusted. Jesus wasn’t interested in ruling any of the people that Pilate thought were important. Jesus didn’t lead with the sword… he led from the cross and asks us to follow him there. Jesus didn’t come to be the ruler of a kingdom with a troubled past. He came to rule a counter-kingdom and was willing to turn the world upside down to make his point.
If Jesus is the Lord and King of each of us, then we are also called to be members of this counter-kingdom. Yes, we hold the passport of our national identities, and it is examined as we go from one country into another. Return to the US or go through a passport control interview and you will be asked questions about your journey… Where have you been? Why are you traveling? Where will you be staying? Is there anyone who can vouch for you?
As Christians, we hold a passport to God’s kingdom, too. In our baptisms, we are granted citizenship in the Church of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. And in this Kingdom, we are not just judged by where we come from or who our parents are. We are also judged by how well our lives conform to the purposes and plans of our Creator and King, initiated and sustained by the love of Jesus Christ.
Our claim of Christ as King doesn’t make us peasants groveling at the feet of a ruler to gain his favor. Our claim is something much more – it is a declaration that we belong to Christ, and his words hold authority for us. Claiming Christ as King says that Christ’s truth (to forgive, to love, and to share) is our truth, too.
As we reflect today on what it means for Christ to be King, we must ask, what kind of reign will Jesus have? Will we give up on him and give in to the seductive power of the world? Or will we stay the course, knowing that our true power comes from the love that Jesus has for us and how we live that love out in everything we do in the world, every single day?
Instead, this is exactly when we are called to proclaim the reign of Jesus Christ – Savior, Judge, Redeemer, Alpha and Omega, beginning and end, and also King – king of creation and our King – the one of promises us everlasting life.
Thanks be to God!
Peace, Deb
(c) November 2021, Deb Luther Teagan
Let us pray:
Lord, on this Sunday, when we celebrate your reign as sovereign over all, show us signs of your rule among us, confirm us in our citizenship in your kingdom, and remind us in ways deep and undeniable of who sits on the throne, who is in charge. Amen.
Resources:
Wikipedia article, Christ the King Sunday
Will
Willimon, Pulpit Resource, Nov 21, 2021
Robb Mccoy and Erik Fistler, Pulpit Fiction, Nov 21, 2021. www.pulpitfiction.us
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