Out Of This World
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
Our world is one of deep divisions and seemingly endless conflict. We see that dynamic played out in the headlines every day... whether it's the virtual warfare of the recent election or the real warfare of Palestinians and Israelis bombarding each other's territory with the looming possibility of an Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza strip. As we all know, the church is hardly immune to deep divisions of its own. In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Mary Austin notes that because division and conflict appear to be so endemic to the human condition, it can be difficult for us to imagine the Lord's kingdom in which all are subjects and "every eye will see him, even those who pierced him" (Revelation 1:7). When there is so much hate and we see God in such fundamentally different ways, how can we have confidence that we can bridge the divide? Mary looks to recent reports of an inspiring incident from another war -- the American invasion of Iraq -- and finds in it a moving model for how we can go about the work of creating that kingdom of unity in a fractious world riven with tragedy.
Team member George Reed offers some additional thoughts on Christ the King Sunday. George points out that while events in the Middle East are very troubling, for many of us it seems as if it's just "business as usual." In the same way, he suggests that many of our people treat this week's celebration of the Reign of Christ as business as usual too... just another Sunday that's more notable as the Sunday prior to Advent than for anything else. But George reminds us that the reality is very different, and God's realm is built on a totally different dynamic than the nations of this world. Rather than power, God's kingdom is built on service -- and if we are to be loyal subjects, then we ought to adopt the mindset of a royal courtier who patiently awaits the call of his monarch.
Out of This World
by Mary Austin
John 18:33-37; Revelation 1:4b-8
Christ the King Sunday winds up the lectionary year and deposits us at the doorstep of Advent. It's an odd juxtaposition every year to go from the regal Christ, ruler of all things, to the humble, vulnerable infant Jesus. From the throne to the manger is a long trip in a short time. And yet we are more comfortable with the infant Jesus than with Christ as king.
In a country unaccustomed to royalty, we have some puzzlement about how to think of Christ as a king. Do we even want to have a king? How do we treat one? What are we to do as subjects of such a king? What is his kingdom like? Can political rivals, or Israelis and Palestinians, or other longtime enemies learn to look for the same realm of God?
THE WORLD
The November election revealed (again!) the deep rifts over politics between people of faith. As David Swartz writes on Patheos.com, reviewing a book about Christian community, "We yearn to belong, I mean really belong. When the Body of Christ does this well, we're better than cookies right out of the oven. When we don't, the failure is huge, beyond imagination. We live in a time of unparalleled fractured relationships. Rampant narcissism taints every corner of our lives and we're largely unaware of it." We are divided about our politics, our values, and our churches. We disagree about what the church should be like, and what they should be like, and about what true faith looks like. Could we even agree on what the kingdom of God would look like? Or are we all waiting for different versions of the realm of God?
A recent article titled "Atonement" by Dexter Filkins in the October 29, 2012 issue of the New Yorker highlights the different ways that an Iraqi family and the Marines who served in Baghdad see their lives and experienced the war. The mother, Margaret Kachadoorian, and her daughter, Nora, were Iraqi Christians and part of a large family when the war came to Baghdad. For them, the war brought only loss and bewilderment. The Marines, on the other hand, remember chaos and confusion, very little training, and the need to make quick life-or-death decisions, which were often wrong.
On one day in April 2003, the Marines found themselves in the middle of a fight in Baghdad. The regime of Saddam Hussein had collapsed a week before, and the city had become a place of chaotic desperation. The Kachadoorian family had been staying in a safer part of the city until that house was shelled, and they decided to make a run for it and return home. Desperate, they raced through the streets toward home, speeding up in the family car, just as the Marines were yelling at them to stop. Fearing that the car rushing toward them held attackers, the Marines shot and killed the father of the family, along with two sons, and wounded the daughter, Nora.
That's this world, where fear rules and war rages. If we see the world so differently, could we ever manage to glimpse the same realm of God?
THE WORD
This week, the last in the Christian year, honors Jesus as Lord. Christ the King Sunday winds up the lectionary year before we begin again with Advent. If we've traveled through the lectionary readings with Jesus in the past months, we've seen his impatience, his generosity, his hunger, and his passion for wholeness in all people. It's easy to imagine the dust, fear, and fatigue of his travels, and now we're reminded that we can't pin him down to those small villages and lakeshores. The healings and the lessons and the sayings aren't enough. There's another layer to our Jesus, one that we can barely take in.
The reading from Revelation lifts up Jesus as the one who "is and who was and who is to come," highlighting the part of him that is beyond time. The vision of Revelation highlights that "every eye will see him, even those who pierced him." The disagreements about who he is will have ended, and the eyes that saw and understood Jesus so differently during his life will have a unity of vision in that time. The people who despised him, the people who misunderstood him, and the people who missed the whole thing will all belong to him, and all of them will see with a mysterious unity. The divisions that are so clear to us here and now will all fall away when we are ruled by Jesus.
The reading from John, showing us the conversation between Jesus and Pilate just before the crucifixion, seems like a depressing choice for Christ the King Sunday. No glory, no majesty, no triumphant rule -- at least not yet. If one is looking for the majesty we expect from a king, it's not here. "Are you the king of the Jews?" Pilate asks Jesus, as recorded by all four gospels. Pilate is interested in a threat to the current kingdom but not so much in a kingdom of justice, mercy, and truth. Jesus reminds Pilate that if he were the kind of king Pilate expects, they wouldn't be having this conversation -- he would have already rallied his followers to take care of Pilate.
This is a different kind of kingdom. As John Petty writes on his blog progressiveinvolvement.com: "This does not mean, however, that Jesus' kingdom is only in heaven and has nothing to do with life on earth. The two kingdoms -- "this world" and Jesus' -- occupy the same temporal space. One is not here while the other is off in the wild blue yonder. They are both here. The difference is one of attitude and worldview." The kingdom that Jesus offers is here and now, as well as in the days to come. So, if we are to be part of it, what shall we do?
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Is the realm of Jesus something that we long for? The scriptures make it clear that this is a radically changed world. Jesus says that his kingdom is completely different from the things we think we know. No king we know will give us any clue what the realm of Jesus is like. Brian Stoffgren observes that not living in a country with a king may be an advantage: "We may be better able to understand a kingship that does not come from this world; because we don't have a negative 'gut reaction' to kingships that do come from this world."
What are we to do with the people who want a whole different kind of world than we do -- the people who imagine the realm of God in completely different ways than we do?
After the horrors of Iraq, Margaret and Nora Kachadoorian ended up living in California, able to move to the United States because their family was killed by the U.S. military. Lu Lobello, one of the Marines in the firefight in 2003, found himself tormented by his memories. Unable to sleep at night or concentrate during the day, he began to search for the family he remembered. Filkins' New Yorker article mentioned above details Lubello's search and tells more about his guilt and sorrow along with the emotional price paid by the other members of his company. Lubello finally located the family with the help of a reporter who arranged a meeting.
At the meeting, each reviewed their own searing memories of the day their paths first crossed. "I never sleep," Lobello, the marine, told the mother. "I, too, not sleep," she told him. Each could see how scarred the others were by what happened that day. And then, Margaret, the mother, asked Lobello, the marine, "You are comfortable that we give you forgiveness?" She added, "Forgiveness is something strong. We want you not to be hurt. It's not your fault..." She and her daughter ended by welcoming him into their home. "I feel I [got] a third brother," Nora, the daughter, wrote after the meeting and the relationship continues.
Different as we are, we hope for the same grace. The realm of God requires that we learn to see the world as God sees it, but it also enables us to change our vision.
If we live in Christ's kingdom, we are to be radically changed too. All through the gospels, Jesus announces that the kingdom of God is at hand... is among us... and is within us. Like any subjects, we owe our loyalty to our king, as dimly as we may understand what kind of king he is. Further, we are called to work on our shared citizenship with the people around us, different as we are.
"Every eye will see him," is the promise. Like all kingdom promises, we have to do our part to make it real.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Business As Usual?
by George Reed
Bold? Crazy? Suicidal? Inspired? You choose the adjective for the move the Palestinians are making at the United Nations. They are seeking "nonmember observer state" status now to pave the way for being recognized as a true national state later. It could very well be described as a "power move" -- and the Israelis have responded with a "power move" of their own by warning other governments that if this gambit is successful they might cancel the Oslo peace accords. Of course, there are other "power moves" of a deadlier nature being played out in the Mideast this past week, as Israel assassinated Hamas' military chief, Palestinian militants peppered southern Israel with rockets, and the Israeli military prepared for a possible invasion of Gaza. It seems the "power moves" keep escalating -- but no matter what the Israelis or the Palestinians do next, much of the world sees things there as being business as usual. While urgent diplomacy is taking place to avert further bloodshed, the main focus of many world leaders appears to be deciding how this turn of events will advantage or disadvantage their particular interests in the region.
Christians around the world will gather in worship this Sunday to bring the Christian year to an end with the celebration of the "Reign of Christ" or "Christ the King" Sunday. For most of us it is business as usual also -- it is just another Sunday with a title that we really just pass over without much thought. For most of us the biggest thing is the surprise that Advent will begin in another week.
But the Reign of Christ is a big deal. It is everything that Jesus was about. He went about preaching the coming of God's reign and doing signs to demonstrate what that reign looks like. It looks very different from the way political realms and nation-states are built. It's no wonder Jesus said that his realm was not of this world, was not like any other realm, but rather modeled on the presence and work of God.
This realm is not built on power but on service. It is not built on violence but on compassion. It is not built on status but on acting as slaves to one another. It is not about pride but about humility that does not so much abase the self but lifts up the other. Unfortunately, we don't see the church today calling for a different way for governments to operate. In fact, we often see as much power, violence, and one-upsmanship in the church as we do in the world. If we do not present and represent the way of God's reign, who will?
ILLUSTRATIONS
In Jordan some years ago there was a terrible tragedy in which two Israeli schoolgirls, playing in a park known as the "Island of Peace" in the middle of the Jordan River between their country and Jordan, were shot by a deranged Jordanian soldier. It quickly became apparent that this was an isolated incident caused by mental illness, and an international incident was swiftly averted. And there the story could well have ended.
Except for Jordan's King Hussein. Hearing of the incident, the king left his throne, left his palace, left even his own country, and traveled to the humble homes of the families of the slain Israeli girls. Entering each house, the king fell down on his knees. He bowed before the grieving parents. Then he looked up into their eyes and said, "I beg you, forgive me, forgive me. Your daughter is like my daughter, your loss is my loss. May God help you to bear your pain."
That day, ironically, it was a Muslim king who gave the world just a small glimpse of what a Christlike king is like.
* * *
For years, standup comedians made a running joke out of the directions you get when you go to mapquest.com: "You know, you can leave off the first few steps. I think I can figure out how to get out of my neighborhood." And they were right. Mapquest inevitably started its directions with four steps that told you how to get down your driveway and out of your neighborhood. In the past year or so, however, they've changed. Now you can click on a button that says: "I know the area, hide the first few steps."
In our quest to find and live in the Kingdom of God, most of us know the first few steps. We go to church, we study the Bible, we pray. It's the latter part, the part that ends up on Calvary that we need help getting to.
* * *
In the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy (played by Judy Garland) arrives back at the farmhouse just as a tornado is blowing everything to pieces. She runs through the house looking for her family, but they are already in the storm cellar. When she pounds on the door the wind is so strong they can't hear her, so she runs back into the house.
Just as she gets to her bedroom, the window frame blows in and knocks her unconscious for a few minutes while the house is being lifted up by the tornado and spun around. When Dorothy wakes up she sees her friends and family and other weird things flying past the window, all smiling and waving to her. Then suddenly the house crashes to the ground. Stunned, she opens the door and looks out.
Up to this point, the film has been in stark, plain sepia-toned brown and tan. Now, however, everything is in vivid color and larger than life. After looking around for a few minutes with her little terrier under her arm, Dorothy utters what may be the most famous line of the move, a bold understatement: "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." Then she pauses as the music swells and says, "We must be over the rainbow."
It is important to know where you are or where you aren't. It's especially important for Christians who are trying to live in the world and in God's Kingdom at the same time.
* * *
Before you decide to live in a different culture (kingdom?) than your native one, it's a good idea to find out what kinds of things will be expected of you in your new culture. For instance:
* The Masai people of Kenya and Tanzania greet each other by spitting. When greeting elders, a tribesman must spit in his hand before offering a handshake, thus showing respect. Men also spit on newborns and tell them that they are bad, because it is believed that if a baby is praised it will be cursed with a bad life.
* In Indonesia it is considered rude to point with the forefinger, especially when pointing at a person. It is much more acceptable to point with the thumb.
* In Thailand it is considered a grave insult to enter a person's house while wearing shoes. Also, touching another person's head is considered condescending and insulting, even if the other person is a child.
* In Greece, India, Jamaica, and Bulgaria, when a child loses a tooth, it is thrown on the roof of the house for good luck.
* In the United Kingdom it is considered unlucky to see a magpie. To ward off the bad luck you must salute the magpie by saying, "Good morning, Mr. Magpie."
* * *
Words like "lord" and "kingdom" are strange and unfamiliar to modern American Christians -- they are outside the sphere of our experience. But to the first Christians they were utterly familiar, and they were used intentionally (and sometimes scandalously) to speak of that alternative realm in which Christians sought to live -- the Kingdom of God.
Why did they seek an alternative kingdom or empire? Here are just a few facts about the one in which they lived, the Roman Empire in the first century CE:
* Approximately 30% of the population of the Roman empire were slaves.
* It was legal for fathers to sell off family members as slaves in order to pay off personal debt.
* The Emperor Claudius was said to have owned more than 2,000 slaves.
* The Emperor Caligula was so insanely corrupt that he was murdered by his own bodyguard.
* Caligula was known for his excessive cruelty and eccentric actions. Once, when angry with the Senate, he appointed his favorite horse as a senator and tried to get it elected as consul.
* The emperor was considered an infallible, living god.
* A Roman citizen could not be sentenced to death except for treason -- but non-citizens could be executed by any of seven different means, with crucifixion being reserved for only the most heinous crimes.
* During the hundred days of the opening games at the Coliseum in Rome in 80 AD, over 5,000 animals were killed, including elephants, tigers, lions, elks, hyenas, hippopotamuses, and giraffes.
* The Circus Maximus seated over 250,000 people, one fourth of the population of the city of Rome.
* While birth control and abortion were rare, infanticide was not. Unwanted babies were often suffocated at birth and thrown into the city dump.
* * *
What kind of oath does God require to become a citizen of God's kingdom? Here's the oath that one must take to become a naturalized citizen of the United States:
I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.
* * *
The country of Iceland got its name more than a thousand years ago from a Viking explorer. Though it is far north geographically, Iceland has a temperate climate because of the Gulf Stream -- so why was it given such a discouraging name? Historians speculate that the country was intentionally given that moniker by Floki Vilgerdarson to keep others from coming to its fertile farming land and abundant offshore fishing.
Despite its forbidding appellation the country prospered, especially in modern times. But in 2008, its 320,000 residents suffered an economic collapse with the implosion of its banking system. Then in 2010 a volcanic eruption caused further economic, cultural, and environmental woes.
So how should Iceland respond to this recent run of calamity? For some, the answer is to change the country's name. It all started with a contest by the island's tourist office -- but it was no longer a joke and became serious when the government formed a committee called Promote Iceland. The goal of the contest is to change the name of the smallest country in Europe in order to attract more investors and tourists. The winner of the naming contest will be selected March 21, 2013. So the name given to the island by Vilgerdarson centuries ago may soon be changed to "Niceland," "Rockland," or "Catch-a-Cloud Land" (all entries in the contest).
Jesus' kingdom is not from this world. Perhaps we ought to be less concerned about Catch-a-Cloud Land and more concerned about the new heaven and the new earth.
* * *
When Ohio State and Penn State's football teams confronted each other on the final Saturday of October, they were the only two teams remaining in the Big Ten's "Leaders" division who were unbeaten in league play. Yet even so, neither team could look forward to the possibility of a place in the Big Ten championship game or a bowl game -- as both are under sanctions and banned from post-season participation this year. The most that the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions could hope for was a victory of pride. On October 27 the Buckeyes won the tilt, coming away from the game with the prize of pride and their undefeated season intact, but at what cost?
Perhaps we should consider replacing pride in the home team with "pride" in belonging to the kingdom that is not from this world.
* * *
It has been estimated that the cost of Hurricane Sandy may be as much as $50 billion -- $20 billion in property damage and $30 billion in lost business. For most businesses, such as restaurants and hotels, the lost income cannot be recouped.
Jesus said his kingdom is not from this world -- and as concerned as we are by the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy -- we ought to always be focused on the New Jerusalem.
* * *
Christ the King Sunday is a relative newcomer to the liturgical calendar. It's only been around since 1925 when Pope Pius XI introduced it to the Roman Catholic church, as a challenge to the totalitarian governments of the right and the left that were at that time gradually growing strong in Europe. To would-be dictators -- like Hitler and Mussolini and Stalin -- the message of Christ the King was meant to be that the state does not rule supreme, exercising absolute authority over the hearts and minds of the people. One day, as it says in Philippians, "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess... that Jesus Christ is Lord...." Only Christ is supreme king over all. Later, as Protestants went through the process of devising a common lectionary that was ecumenically connected with what other churches were doing, they adopted the Catholic holiday for their own.
When Jesus stood on trial, before Pilate, it was a similar sort of confrontation: the kingdom of God versus the kingdoms of this world. Our text from the gospel of John reflects John's outlook that Pilate was not so much responsible for Jesus' death as a weak ruler who permitted the Jewish authorities to engineer it. In reality Pilate was an absolute ruler and did indeed have everything to say about the life and death of Jesus. When he asks Jesus "Are you the king of the Jews?" it is very much an encounter between government at its most raw and authoritarian, and a man who symbolizes a higher authority.
-- Carlos Wilton, Lectionary Preaching Workbook [Series VIII, Cycle B] (CSS Publishing, 2006)
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Leah Lonsbury
Words for Reflection
Be at peace with your own soul,
Then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.
Enter eagerly into the treasure house that is within you,
And you will see the things that are in heaven;
for there is but one single entry to them both.
The ladder that leads to the Kingdom is hidden within your soul...
Dive into yourself and
in your soul you will discover
the stairs by which to ascend.
-- Saint Isaac of Nineveh
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 132)
One: Come, creating God. Come find your dwelling place with us.
All: We will not rest until we make room for you, until our living builds your kin-dom.
One: We remember the covenant you made with your people, how you desired us as your habitation.
All: Rest and reside here with us, and we will be blessed and satisfied.
One: Here your faithful shout for joy.
All: Here we worship in your presence.
OR
(based on 2 Samuel 23:1-7)
One: You have shown us how to rule in the power of love --
All: with justice for all your people.
One: Like the light of the sun rising on the cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land,
All: so are our houses, our hearts, when you rule within.
One: You have made us an everlasting promise.
All: In you we are secure. In you our lives are ordered for the good.
One: Thanks be to you, reigning one.
All: We bring you gratitude and praise.
Gathering Prayer
Ever-gracious God, we celebrate the gifts we receive as your Spirit of love dwells with us and rules in our hearts -- gifts of boldness, truth, strength, and hope. Come now and meet us here. Fill and direct us. Give us the courage to risk, speak out, pursue justice, help others see you, and build your kin-dom that is, that was, and that is coming. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
The Spirit of Christ dwells within creation and causes each element to shine forth with the beauty and glory of God. Yet we confess that we do not always reflect the reconciling love of God. We often turn away from what is ours to do to help build God's kin-dom and refuse to let God's love reign in our lives. Instead we are often divided within ourselves, isolated from one another, and disconnected from creation. We bring to mind those areas of our lives in need of reconciliation... those spaces in which we need to let God's love rule.
(silent prayer)
In this sacred space we pray...
May our divided hearts mend as we embrace the power of your love to heal, forgive, enliven, inspire, and embolden. As you reign in love and tender mercy, may you also rule our lives, guiding us to the good and generous living that brings your kin-dom in our midst. Amen.
Assurance
Friends, we are loved and freed by the one who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. This love and this freedom rule what is, what was, and what is to come. Thanks be to God.
Ideas for Time with Children
From 2 Samuel... What are promises? What kind of promises do we make? How do we break our promises? How do we keep them? What is God's promise (or are God's promises) to us? Talk about the "everlasting covenant" in verse 5. How does God honor that covenant or keep God's promises?
From Psalm 132... Talk about our homes. What are they like? What do we do there? Why are they important? Why is it so important that everyone has a home? Where is God's home? How do we "find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place" for God (v. 5)? How do we create a home for God? What would that look like?
From Revelation 1... Share a kid-friendly version of verse 5b. What does it mean to be freed and loved by God? Freed from what? For what? How do we experience God's love in our lives? What difference does it make? What does it mean that God made us to be a kin-dom/kingdom? What might that kin-dom/kingdom look like? How do we live into it? How are we its building block?
From John 18... What is the truth that Jesus is talking about? How does truth build a kin-dom/kingdom? What would that look like?
Prayers of the People
Loving one, we are strange mixtures of loss and hope, hunger and satisfaction.
As we are able, we give you our losses. We know about sickness and dying, struggle and despair, about failure and disappointment. Remind us that we do our failing, struggling, and dying in your presence, for you attend to us in every moment of our lives.
As we are able, we offer our hopes to you. We know about self-focused fantasy and notions of control. But we also know that our futures are out beyond us in many ways. They are beyond us, but we are always held in your good hand.
Our hopes are filled with promises of well-being, justice, and mercy. Move us this day beyond our fears and anxieties into your land of goodness and abundance. Help us to live with the knowledge that there is enough, you are enough, we are enough. Out of that knowledge, make us generous risk-takers.
We experience you with us. We live in your kin-dom.
We have known your faithfulness. We have dwelt in your kin-dom.
We wait for your coming. We pray for your kin-dom.
We pray for those who wake up, who move throughout their days, and who go to bed hungry, including ourselves. Give us bread for this day.
We pray for those who need forgiveness or healing, including ourselves. Forgive us as we forgive one another.
We pray for those who hunger for wholeness, strength, or wisdom, including ourselves. Keep us from temptation.
We pray for those who suffer in body or mind because of war, conflict, abuse, addiction, illness, or estrangement, including ourselves. Deliver us from evil.
(Offer the gathered prayers of the community.)
These are the prayers of the people of your kin-dom. We look to you as you rule in goodness and mercy. Hear us. Hold us. Call us to love. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Alive to the hope that is within us and inspired by the one who reigns in love, we bring these gifts and offer our lives. Use them, O God, as you continue to use us in the generous sharing of your compassion and love. Amen.
Hymn Suggestions
"Jesus Shall Reign"
"Rejoice, the Lord Is King"
"He Is Exalted"
"O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright"
"Crown Him with Many Crowns"
"Come, Thou Almighty King"
"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"
"Morning Glory, Starlit Sky"
"Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus"
"Come, Ye Thankful People, Come"
"Bring Forth the Kingdom"
"Soon and Very Soon"
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Christ the King
John 18:33-37
Objects: a crown, and a map of the world or a globe
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have ever heard of a king? Do you know a king? (let the children answer) You know the name of a president, don't you? (let them answer) But you probably don't know the name of any king. We have the Queen of England, whose name is Elizabeth, and there is also a king from the land of Jordan. There is a king of Sweden and there are kings in other places. At one time, each country had a king. There was a king in France and one in Italy and another in Russia. Take a look at a map and see all of the countries that are on the earth. See how the colors change from one place to another. Each time you see the colors change, there is another country. At one time all of those countries had kings.
In our scripture lesson today, the representative of the man the people called the king of Rome asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jews. What he really meant was to ask if Jesus was the new king of Israel. He knew that there already was a king of Israel by the name of Herod, but Pilate wanted to know if Jesus was starting a revolution or a fight to take the kingship away from Herod.
Jesus knew what Pilate was thinking, and he also wanted to show Pilate that he was a different kind of king. Jesus was surely the king of something, but it was not of one little country like Israel or France or Russia or the United States of America. Jesus is the king of people and not of countries. Jesus is the king of God's kingdom. Jesus does not have armies with guns like Herod and others had. He does not have palaces and places filled with gold. He doesn't wear fancy clothes and have people wait on him. Jesus is the king of people's minds and their hearts. He is the king of love and joy. He is the king over death and disease. Jesus is the king of the world. Jesus is not the king of one country or one planet, but instead he is the king of the entire universe.
So when you hear about kings -- any kings -- I hope that you will think of Jesus Christ, the real king who lives forever and rules over everything. That is what Jesus was telling Pilate that day, and the message remains for everyone who wants to ask. Jesus is not just the king of a country, one country, but of all countries and all worlds.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, November 25, 2012, issue.
Copyright 2012 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Team member George Reed offers some additional thoughts on Christ the King Sunday. George points out that while events in the Middle East are very troubling, for many of us it seems as if it's just "business as usual." In the same way, he suggests that many of our people treat this week's celebration of the Reign of Christ as business as usual too... just another Sunday that's more notable as the Sunday prior to Advent than for anything else. But George reminds us that the reality is very different, and God's realm is built on a totally different dynamic than the nations of this world. Rather than power, God's kingdom is built on service -- and if we are to be loyal subjects, then we ought to adopt the mindset of a royal courtier who patiently awaits the call of his monarch.
Out of This World
by Mary Austin
John 18:33-37; Revelation 1:4b-8
Christ the King Sunday winds up the lectionary year and deposits us at the doorstep of Advent. It's an odd juxtaposition every year to go from the regal Christ, ruler of all things, to the humble, vulnerable infant Jesus. From the throne to the manger is a long trip in a short time. And yet we are more comfortable with the infant Jesus than with Christ as king.
In a country unaccustomed to royalty, we have some puzzlement about how to think of Christ as a king. Do we even want to have a king? How do we treat one? What are we to do as subjects of such a king? What is his kingdom like? Can political rivals, or Israelis and Palestinians, or other longtime enemies learn to look for the same realm of God?
THE WORLD
The November election revealed (again!) the deep rifts over politics between people of faith. As David Swartz writes on Patheos.com, reviewing a book about Christian community, "We yearn to belong, I mean really belong. When the Body of Christ does this well, we're better than cookies right out of the oven. When we don't, the failure is huge, beyond imagination. We live in a time of unparalleled fractured relationships. Rampant narcissism taints every corner of our lives and we're largely unaware of it." We are divided about our politics, our values, and our churches. We disagree about what the church should be like, and what they should be like, and about what true faith looks like. Could we even agree on what the kingdom of God would look like? Or are we all waiting for different versions of the realm of God?
A recent article titled "Atonement" by Dexter Filkins in the October 29, 2012 issue of the New Yorker highlights the different ways that an Iraqi family and the Marines who served in Baghdad see their lives and experienced the war. The mother, Margaret Kachadoorian, and her daughter, Nora, were Iraqi Christians and part of a large family when the war came to Baghdad. For them, the war brought only loss and bewilderment. The Marines, on the other hand, remember chaos and confusion, very little training, and the need to make quick life-or-death decisions, which were often wrong.
On one day in April 2003, the Marines found themselves in the middle of a fight in Baghdad. The regime of Saddam Hussein had collapsed a week before, and the city had become a place of chaotic desperation. The Kachadoorian family had been staying in a safer part of the city until that house was shelled, and they decided to make a run for it and return home. Desperate, they raced through the streets toward home, speeding up in the family car, just as the Marines were yelling at them to stop. Fearing that the car rushing toward them held attackers, the Marines shot and killed the father of the family, along with two sons, and wounded the daughter, Nora.
That's this world, where fear rules and war rages. If we see the world so differently, could we ever manage to glimpse the same realm of God?
THE WORD
This week, the last in the Christian year, honors Jesus as Lord. Christ the King Sunday winds up the lectionary year before we begin again with Advent. If we've traveled through the lectionary readings with Jesus in the past months, we've seen his impatience, his generosity, his hunger, and his passion for wholeness in all people. It's easy to imagine the dust, fear, and fatigue of his travels, and now we're reminded that we can't pin him down to those small villages and lakeshores. The healings and the lessons and the sayings aren't enough. There's another layer to our Jesus, one that we can barely take in.
The reading from Revelation lifts up Jesus as the one who "is and who was and who is to come," highlighting the part of him that is beyond time. The vision of Revelation highlights that "every eye will see him, even those who pierced him." The disagreements about who he is will have ended, and the eyes that saw and understood Jesus so differently during his life will have a unity of vision in that time. The people who despised him, the people who misunderstood him, and the people who missed the whole thing will all belong to him, and all of them will see with a mysterious unity. The divisions that are so clear to us here and now will all fall away when we are ruled by Jesus.
The reading from John, showing us the conversation between Jesus and Pilate just before the crucifixion, seems like a depressing choice for Christ the King Sunday. No glory, no majesty, no triumphant rule -- at least not yet. If one is looking for the majesty we expect from a king, it's not here. "Are you the king of the Jews?" Pilate asks Jesus, as recorded by all four gospels. Pilate is interested in a threat to the current kingdom but not so much in a kingdom of justice, mercy, and truth. Jesus reminds Pilate that if he were the kind of king Pilate expects, they wouldn't be having this conversation -- he would have already rallied his followers to take care of Pilate.
This is a different kind of kingdom. As John Petty writes on his blog progressiveinvolvement.com: "This does not mean, however, that Jesus' kingdom is only in heaven and has nothing to do with life on earth. The two kingdoms -- "this world" and Jesus' -- occupy the same temporal space. One is not here while the other is off in the wild blue yonder. They are both here. The difference is one of attitude and worldview." The kingdom that Jesus offers is here and now, as well as in the days to come. So, if we are to be part of it, what shall we do?
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Is the realm of Jesus something that we long for? The scriptures make it clear that this is a radically changed world. Jesus says that his kingdom is completely different from the things we think we know. No king we know will give us any clue what the realm of Jesus is like. Brian Stoffgren observes that not living in a country with a king may be an advantage: "We may be better able to understand a kingship that does not come from this world; because we don't have a negative 'gut reaction' to kingships that do come from this world."
What are we to do with the people who want a whole different kind of world than we do -- the people who imagine the realm of God in completely different ways than we do?
After the horrors of Iraq, Margaret and Nora Kachadoorian ended up living in California, able to move to the United States because their family was killed by the U.S. military. Lu Lobello, one of the Marines in the firefight in 2003, found himself tormented by his memories. Unable to sleep at night or concentrate during the day, he began to search for the family he remembered. Filkins' New Yorker article mentioned above details Lubello's search and tells more about his guilt and sorrow along with the emotional price paid by the other members of his company. Lubello finally located the family with the help of a reporter who arranged a meeting.
At the meeting, each reviewed their own searing memories of the day their paths first crossed. "I never sleep," Lobello, the marine, told the mother. "I, too, not sleep," she told him. Each could see how scarred the others were by what happened that day. And then, Margaret, the mother, asked Lobello, the marine, "You are comfortable that we give you forgiveness?" She added, "Forgiveness is something strong. We want you not to be hurt. It's not your fault..." She and her daughter ended by welcoming him into their home. "I feel I [got] a third brother," Nora, the daughter, wrote after the meeting and the relationship continues.
Different as we are, we hope for the same grace. The realm of God requires that we learn to see the world as God sees it, but it also enables us to change our vision.
If we live in Christ's kingdom, we are to be radically changed too. All through the gospels, Jesus announces that the kingdom of God is at hand... is among us... and is within us. Like any subjects, we owe our loyalty to our king, as dimly as we may understand what kind of king he is. Further, we are called to work on our shared citizenship with the people around us, different as we are.
"Every eye will see him," is the promise. Like all kingdom promises, we have to do our part to make it real.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Business As Usual?
by George Reed
Bold? Crazy? Suicidal? Inspired? You choose the adjective for the move the Palestinians are making at the United Nations. They are seeking "nonmember observer state" status now to pave the way for being recognized as a true national state later. It could very well be described as a "power move" -- and the Israelis have responded with a "power move" of their own by warning other governments that if this gambit is successful they might cancel the Oslo peace accords. Of course, there are other "power moves" of a deadlier nature being played out in the Mideast this past week, as Israel assassinated Hamas' military chief, Palestinian militants peppered southern Israel with rockets, and the Israeli military prepared for a possible invasion of Gaza. It seems the "power moves" keep escalating -- but no matter what the Israelis or the Palestinians do next, much of the world sees things there as being business as usual. While urgent diplomacy is taking place to avert further bloodshed, the main focus of many world leaders appears to be deciding how this turn of events will advantage or disadvantage their particular interests in the region.
Christians around the world will gather in worship this Sunday to bring the Christian year to an end with the celebration of the "Reign of Christ" or "Christ the King" Sunday. For most of us it is business as usual also -- it is just another Sunday with a title that we really just pass over without much thought. For most of us the biggest thing is the surprise that Advent will begin in another week.
But the Reign of Christ is a big deal. It is everything that Jesus was about. He went about preaching the coming of God's reign and doing signs to demonstrate what that reign looks like. It looks very different from the way political realms and nation-states are built. It's no wonder Jesus said that his realm was not of this world, was not like any other realm, but rather modeled on the presence and work of God.
This realm is not built on power but on service. It is not built on violence but on compassion. It is not built on status but on acting as slaves to one another. It is not about pride but about humility that does not so much abase the self but lifts up the other. Unfortunately, we don't see the church today calling for a different way for governments to operate. In fact, we often see as much power, violence, and one-upsmanship in the church as we do in the world. If we do not present and represent the way of God's reign, who will?
ILLUSTRATIONS
In Jordan some years ago there was a terrible tragedy in which two Israeli schoolgirls, playing in a park known as the "Island of Peace" in the middle of the Jordan River between their country and Jordan, were shot by a deranged Jordanian soldier. It quickly became apparent that this was an isolated incident caused by mental illness, and an international incident was swiftly averted. And there the story could well have ended.
Except for Jordan's King Hussein. Hearing of the incident, the king left his throne, left his palace, left even his own country, and traveled to the humble homes of the families of the slain Israeli girls. Entering each house, the king fell down on his knees. He bowed before the grieving parents. Then he looked up into their eyes and said, "I beg you, forgive me, forgive me. Your daughter is like my daughter, your loss is my loss. May God help you to bear your pain."
That day, ironically, it was a Muslim king who gave the world just a small glimpse of what a Christlike king is like.
* * *
For years, standup comedians made a running joke out of the directions you get when you go to mapquest.com: "You know, you can leave off the first few steps. I think I can figure out how to get out of my neighborhood." And they were right. Mapquest inevitably started its directions with four steps that told you how to get down your driveway and out of your neighborhood. In the past year or so, however, they've changed. Now you can click on a button that says: "I know the area, hide the first few steps."
In our quest to find and live in the Kingdom of God, most of us know the first few steps. We go to church, we study the Bible, we pray. It's the latter part, the part that ends up on Calvary that we need help getting to.
* * *
In the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy (played by Judy Garland) arrives back at the farmhouse just as a tornado is blowing everything to pieces. She runs through the house looking for her family, but they are already in the storm cellar. When she pounds on the door the wind is so strong they can't hear her, so she runs back into the house.
Just as she gets to her bedroom, the window frame blows in and knocks her unconscious for a few minutes while the house is being lifted up by the tornado and spun around. When Dorothy wakes up she sees her friends and family and other weird things flying past the window, all smiling and waving to her. Then suddenly the house crashes to the ground. Stunned, she opens the door and looks out.
Up to this point, the film has been in stark, plain sepia-toned brown and tan. Now, however, everything is in vivid color and larger than life. After looking around for a few minutes with her little terrier under her arm, Dorothy utters what may be the most famous line of the move, a bold understatement: "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." Then she pauses as the music swells and says, "We must be over the rainbow."
It is important to know where you are or where you aren't. It's especially important for Christians who are trying to live in the world and in God's Kingdom at the same time.
* * *
Before you decide to live in a different culture (kingdom?) than your native one, it's a good idea to find out what kinds of things will be expected of you in your new culture. For instance:
* The Masai people of Kenya and Tanzania greet each other by spitting. When greeting elders, a tribesman must spit in his hand before offering a handshake, thus showing respect. Men also spit on newborns and tell them that they are bad, because it is believed that if a baby is praised it will be cursed with a bad life.
* In Indonesia it is considered rude to point with the forefinger, especially when pointing at a person. It is much more acceptable to point with the thumb.
* In Thailand it is considered a grave insult to enter a person's house while wearing shoes. Also, touching another person's head is considered condescending and insulting, even if the other person is a child.
* In Greece, India, Jamaica, and Bulgaria, when a child loses a tooth, it is thrown on the roof of the house for good luck.
* In the United Kingdom it is considered unlucky to see a magpie. To ward off the bad luck you must salute the magpie by saying, "Good morning, Mr. Magpie."
* * *
Words like "lord" and "kingdom" are strange and unfamiliar to modern American Christians -- they are outside the sphere of our experience. But to the first Christians they were utterly familiar, and they were used intentionally (and sometimes scandalously) to speak of that alternative realm in which Christians sought to live -- the Kingdom of God.
Why did they seek an alternative kingdom or empire? Here are just a few facts about the one in which they lived, the Roman Empire in the first century CE:
* Approximately 30% of the population of the Roman empire were slaves.
* It was legal for fathers to sell off family members as slaves in order to pay off personal debt.
* The Emperor Claudius was said to have owned more than 2,000 slaves.
* The Emperor Caligula was so insanely corrupt that he was murdered by his own bodyguard.
* Caligula was known for his excessive cruelty and eccentric actions. Once, when angry with the Senate, he appointed his favorite horse as a senator and tried to get it elected as consul.
* The emperor was considered an infallible, living god.
* A Roman citizen could not be sentenced to death except for treason -- but non-citizens could be executed by any of seven different means, with crucifixion being reserved for only the most heinous crimes.
* During the hundred days of the opening games at the Coliseum in Rome in 80 AD, over 5,000 animals were killed, including elephants, tigers, lions, elks, hyenas, hippopotamuses, and giraffes.
* The Circus Maximus seated over 250,000 people, one fourth of the population of the city of Rome.
* While birth control and abortion were rare, infanticide was not. Unwanted babies were often suffocated at birth and thrown into the city dump.
* * *
What kind of oath does God require to become a citizen of God's kingdom? Here's the oath that one must take to become a naturalized citizen of the United States:
I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.
* * *
The country of Iceland got its name more than a thousand years ago from a Viking explorer. Though it is far north geographically, Iceland has a temperate climate because of the Gulf Stream -- so why was it given such a discouraging name? Historians speculate that the country was intentionally given that moniker by Floki Vilgerdarson to keep others from coming to its fertile farming land and abundant offshore fishing.
Despite its forbidding appellation the country prospered, especially in modern times. But in 2008, its 320,000 residents suffered an economic collapse with the implosion of its banking system. Then in 2010 a volcanic eruption caused further economic, cultural, and environmental woes.
So how should Iceland respond to this recent run of calamity? For some, the answer is to change the country's name. It all started with a contest by the island's tourist office -- but it was no longer a joke and became serious when the government formed a committee called Promote Iceland. The goal of the contest is to change the name of the smallest country in Europe in order to attract more investors and tourists. The winner of the naming contest will be selected March 21, 2013. So the name given to the island by Vilgerdarson centuries ago may soon be changed to "Niceland," "Rockland," or "Catch-a-Cloud Land" (all entries in the contest).
Jesus' kingdom is not from this world. Perhaps we ought to be less concerned about Catch-a-Cloud Land and more concerned about the new heaven and the new earth.
* * *
When Ohio State and Penn State's football teams confronted each other on the final Saturday of October, they were the only two teams remaining in the Big Ten's "Leaders" division who were unbeaten in league play. Yet even so, neither team could look forward to the possibility of a place in the Big Ten championship game or a bowl game -- as both are under sanctions and banned from post-season participation this year. The most that the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions could hope for was a victory of pride. On October 27 the Buckeyes won the tilt, coming away from the game with the prize of pride and their undefeated season intact, but at what cost?
Perhaps we should consider replacing pride in the home team with "pride" in belonging to the kingdom that is not from this world.
* * *
It has been estimated that the cost of Hurricane Sandy may be as much as $50 billion -- $20 billion in property damage and $30 billion in lost business. For most businesses, such as restaurants and hotels, the lost income cannot be recouped.
Jesus said his kingdom is not from this world -- and as concerned as we are by the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy -- we ought to always be focused on the New Jerusalem.
* * *
Christ the King Sunday is a relative newcomer to the liturgical calendar. It's only been around since 1925 when Pope Pius XI introduced it to the Roman Catholic church, as a challenge to the totalitarian governments of the right and the left that were at that time gradually growing strong in Europe. To would-be dictators -- like Hitler and Mussolini and Stalin -- the message of Christ the King was meant to be that the state does not rule supreme, exercising absolute authority over the hearts and minds of the people. One day, as it says in Philippians, "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess... that Jesus Christ is Lord...." Only Christ is supreme king over all. Later, as Protestants went through the process of devising a common lectionary that was ecumenically connected with what other churches were doing, they adopted the Catholic holiday for their own.
When Jesus stood on trial, before Pilate, it was a similar sort of confrontation: the kingdom of God versus the kingdoms of this world. Our text from the gospel of John reflects John's outlook that Pilate was not so much responsible for Jesus' death as a weak ruler who permitted the Jewish authorities to engineer it. In reality Pilate was an absolute ruler and did indeed have everything to say about the life and death of Jesus. When he asks Jesus "Are you the king of the Jews?" it is very much an encounter between government at its most raw and authoritarian, and a man who symbolizes a higher authority.
-- Carlos Wilton, Lectionary Preaching Workbook [Series VIII, Cycle B] (CSS Publishing, 2006)
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Leah Lonsbury
Words for Reflection
Be at peace with your own soul,
Then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.
Enter eagerly into the treasure house that is within you,
And you will see the things that are in heaven;
for there is but one single entry to them both.
The ladder that leads to the Kingdom is hidden within your soul...
Dive into yourself and
in your soul you will discover
the stairs by which to ascend.
-- Saint Isaac of Nineveh
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 132)
One: Come, creating God. Come find your dwelling place with us.
All: We will not rest until we make room for you, until our living builds your kin-dom.
One: We remember the covenant you made with your people, how you desired us as your habitation.
All: Rest and reside here with us, and we will be blessed and satisfied.
One: Here your faithful shout for joy.
All: Here we worship in your presence.
OR
(based on 2 Samuel 23:1-7)
One: You have shown us how to rule in the power of love --
All: with justice for all your people.
One: Like the light of the sun rising on the cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land,
All: so are our houses, our hearts, when you rule within.
One: You have made us an everlasting promise.
All: In you we are secure. In you our lives are ordered for the good.
One: Thanks be to you, reigning one.
All: We bring you gratitude and praise.
Gathering Prayer
Ever-gracious God, we celebrate the gifts we receive as your Spirit of love dwells with us and rules in our hearts -- gifts of boldness, truth, strength, and hope. Come now and meet us here. Fill and direct us. Give us the courage to risk, speak out, pursue justice, help others see you, and build your kin-dom that is, that was, and that is coming. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
The Spirit of Christ dwells within creation and causes each element to shine forth with the beauty and glory of God. Yet we confess that we do not always reflect the reconciling love of God. We often turn away from what is ours to do to help build God's kin-dom and refuse to let God's love reign in our lives. Instead we are often divided within ourselves, isolated from one another, and disconnected from creation. We bring to mind those areas of our lives in need of reconciliation... those spaces in which we need to let God's love rule.
(silent prayer)
In this sacred space we pray...
May our divided hearts mend as we embrace the power of your love to heal, forgive, enliven, inspire, and embolden. As you reign in love and tender mercy, may you also rule our lives, guiding us to the good and generous living that brings your kin-dom in our midst. Amen.
Assurance
Friends, we are loved and freed by the one who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. This love and this freedom rule what is, what was, and what is to come. Thanks be to God.
Ideas for Time with Children
From 2 Samuel... What are promises? What kind of promises do we make? How do we break our promises? How do we keep them? What is God's promise (or are God's promises) to us? Talk about the "everlasting covenant" in verse 5. How does God honor that covenant or keep God's promises?
From Psalm 132... Talk about our homes. What are they like? What do we do there? Why are they important? Why is it so important that everyone has a home? Where is God's home? How do we "find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place" for God (v. 5)? How do we create a home for God? What would that look like?
From Revelation 1... Share a kid-friendly version of verse 5b. What does it mean to be freed and loved by God? Freed from what? For what? How do we experience God's love in our lives? What difference does it make? What does it mean that God made us to be a kin-dom/kingdom? What might that kin-dom/kingdom look like? How do we live into it? How are we its building block?
From John 18... What is the truth that Jesus is talking about? How does truth build a kin-dom/kingdom? What would that look like?
Prayers of the People
Loving one, we are strange mixtures of loss and hope, hunger and satisfaction.
As we are able, we give you our losses. We know about sickness and dying, struggle and despair, about failure and disappointment. Remind us that we do our failing, struggling, and dying in your presence, for you attend to us in every moment of our lives.
As we are able, we offer our hopes to you. We know about self-focused fantasy and notions of control. But we also know that our futures are out beyond us in many ways. They are beyond us, but we are always held in your good hand.
Our hopes are filled with promises of well-being, justice, and mercy. Move us this day beyond our fears and anxieties into your land of goodness and abundance. Help us to live with the knowledge that there is enough, you are enough, we are enough. Out of that knowledge, make us generous risk-takers.
We experience you with us. We live in your kin-dom.
We have known your faithfulness. We have dwelt in your kin-dom.
We wait for your coming. We pray for your kin-dom.
We pray for those who wake up, who move throughout their days, and who go to bed hungry, including ourselves. Give us bread for this day.
We pray for those who need forgiveness or healing, including ourselves. Forgive us as we forgive one another.
We pray for those who hunger for wholeness, strength, or wisdom, including ourselves. Keep us from temptation.
We pray for those who suffer in body or mind because of war, conflict, abuse, addiction, illness, or estrangement, including ourselves. Deliver us from evil.
(Offer the gathered prayers of the community.)
These are the prayers of the people of your kin-dom. We look to you as you rule in goodness and mercy. Hear us. Hold us. Call us to love. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Alive to the hope that is within us and inspired by the one who reigns in love, we bring these gifts and offer our lives. Use them, O God, as you continue to use us in the generous sharing of your compassion and love. Amen.
Hymn Suggestions
"Jesus Shall Reign"
"Rejoice, the Lord Is King"
"He Is Exalted"
"O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright"
"Crown Him with Many Crowns"
"Come, Thou Almighty King"
"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"
"Morning Glory, Starlit Sky"
"Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus"
"Come, Ye Thankful People, Come"
"Bring Forth the Kingdom"
"Soon and Very Soon"
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Christ the King
John 18:33-37
Objects: a crown, and a map of the world or a globe
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have ever heard of a king? Do you know a king? (let the children answer) You know the name of a president, don't you? (let them answer) But you probably don't know the name of any king. We have the Queen of England, whose name is Elizabeth, and there is also a king from the land of Jordan. There is a king of Sweden and there are kings in other places. At one time, each country had a king. There was a king in France and one in Italy and another in Russia. Take a look at a map and see all of the countries that are on the earth. See how the colors change from one place to another. Each time you see the colors change, there is another country. At one time all of those countries had kings.
In our scripture lesson today, the representative of the man the people called the king of Rome asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jews. What he really meant was to ask if Jesus was the new king of Israel. He knew that there already was a king of Israel by the name of Herod, but Pilate wanted to know if Jesus was starting a revolution or a fight to take the kingship away from Herod.
Jesus knew what Pilate was thinking, and he also wanted to show Pilate that he was a different kind of king. Jesus was surely the king of something, but it was not of one little country like Israel or France or Russia or the United States of America. Jesus is the king of people and not of countries. Jesus is the king of God's kingdom. Jesus does not have armies with guns like Herod and others had. He does not have palaces and places filled with gold. He doesn't wear fancy clothes and have people wait on him. Jesus is the king of people's minds and their hearts. He is the king of love and joy. He is the king over death and disease. Jesus is the king of the world. Jesus is not the king of one country or one planet, but instead he is the king of the entire universe.
So when you hear about kings -- any kings -- I hope that you will think of Jesus Christ, the real king who lives forever and rules over everything. That is what Jesus was telling Pilate that day, and the message remains for everyone who wants to ask. Jesus is not just the king of a country, one country, but of all countries and all worlds.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, November 25, 2012, issue.
Copyright 2012 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
