BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST IS KING
Rev. Larry Peters
November 25, 2012
Psalm 95:1-5
2 Samuel 5:1-5
John 12:9-19
Hearing today’s gospel lesson you might think that I have the seasons mixed up. You say “This lesson is about Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem – Palm Sunday.” Well, yes it is – but the lesson is also telling of Jesus coming as King, and that is truly the season we are in! The King is coming! Make straight His way! Make straight His way into your heart, your home. Get yourself straight, and your home in order – for the King is coming! Are you ready to meet the King?
Today we celebrate Christ the King Sunday, a day on which we declare that Christ is King and no other; that Christ rules and that the reign of Christ is supreme! One of the problems with Christ the King Sunday, though, is that here in America we are not used to the idea of being under the rule of the kings. This country was birthed through a conflict, a revolutionary war with the country of England and its king. America has no history of kings who have lived within its borders. But we know of citizenship; and we pride ourselves on being good citizens of the country in which we live. We should know that there is a difference between kings and kingdoms, governments and leaders of this world and that of Christ the King and the Kingdom of God.
Jesus said that His Kingdom is not of this world, and His followers do not follow the ways of this world. Christ the King Sunday is about declaring and recognizing Christ as Lord of your life and preparing for His Kingdom come and His reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. That is why I ask if you are ready to receive Christ as your King. The decision you make to receive Christ as Lord of your life marks a new beginning for you.
The time is right. Christ the King Sunday is the last Sunday of the liturgical year, the church calendar, and marks a new beginning – the season of Advent. Advent itself means a new arrival, a coming of a king. Next Sunday will be the first Sunday of Advent with our focus on the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord at Christmas – Christ’s birth. We watch for the signs of Christmas and for when Christ will come again. We proclaim that the Kingship of Christ has come, is now, and will come again! Christ is always King as we must always recognize it!
The gospels tell us that the King, our Lord, arrives as a baby at Christmas. We are told that most people did not recognize the significance of the birth of Jesus, that it was overlooked, So it is important for us now, at this time, to remind ourselves that we are to recognize the King our Lord, and who we are as His people. We are to watch for and recognize the signs of the Kingdom and understand the significance of being the church in these times.
It is a busy time of the year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it is very easy to overlook some important things. We need to take the time to recognize Christ the King and to realize who we are as the King’s people, the church in the world today. We need to understand the significance of the ministry to which we are called to do at this time in history; to remember what the vision is, what the mission is. Do not lose sight of the glory Christ has revealed to us, and will yet reveal to us! Do not overlook what is important. And hold on to that which is absolutely essential to faithfully live a life that is true to our Lord God!
Let’s try to see where we are in relation to our gospel lesson. We read that a great crowd had gathered. They were excited to hear that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord – the King of Israel!” Jesus found a donkey and rode on it; as it is written: “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, riding on a donkey!” And those who were there said, “Look, everyone has gone after him!”
Christ the King! Let’s not forget it! Oh – but how easy it is to overlook some important things, or to get confused in this day and age. We might be more familiar with a similar story that goes like this: A great crowd had gathered. They were excited to hear that Santa was coming to the mall. So they took their kids and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hey Santa! Can you get me this, and that, and the other?! Santa sure is great!” Santa had reindeer and a sleigh and rode on it; as the song says, “You better not cry, better not pout – Santa Claus is coming to town!” And those who were there said, “Look, everyone has gone after him!”
Now I know that to come down hard on Halloween the day after this city observed its long tradition of having the largest nighttime parade in the state – was one thing. And I did promise Rev. Jensen that I’d go easy on Santa Claus. I like Santa Claus; and he may be a nice guy. But I have to say this: Santa Claus is not our king – because Jesus Christ is our King!
There are two kingdoms at odds with each other; an earthly kingdom and a heavenly kingdom. We are the people of God in the world. We should not follow the ways of the world, because we are under the Lordship of Christ our King. We are the people of God, the church in the world today, and our mission is to live faithfully and to help lead others to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. Let us remember who we are, and why we are, and what God would have us to do and to be! Let’s not get caught up in the world and lose sight of God; the glory Christ has revealed to us and will yet reveal to us. Do not overlook what is important. And hold on to that which is absolutely essential to faithfully live a life that is true to our Lord God!
David was an earthly king with kingdoms and possessions of this world, yet we knew the Lord God to be his King! Before he became a king, David was a young shepherd boy. God chose to anoint him and equip him in a very special way. David was strong and courageous. He had killed lions and bears who threatened his flock. He would fight and kill the Philistine giant, Goliath, who challenged the Israelites. David went into battle believing that God would give him the victory. The Israelite people recognized David to be a great man, and they made him their king.
There were some very low points in David’s life, too. He sinned. He committed adultery. He was involved in a man’s murder. He knew in his heart that he was a sinner; and he knew that the only way that he could be made clean was to go to God. He would pour out his heart to God. Many of the psalms written by David reflect the emotions that were felt. He went to God, just as he was, and confessed his sins and asked God for forgiveness.
David was a king, but he was human as we are. David was strong and courageous, but that would not save him. The point that I hope to make here is that David knew that there is a king, and it wasn’t who he was – but who the Lord God is! David did not lose sight of God, his Lord, his King. Because of his faithfulness and the courage he had to face danger and to confess his sins, God loved David. The Bible says that God called David “a man after His own heart.” The words to the hymn come to mind now:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”
Those words were inspired by the reading found in Hebrews chapter twelve. Specifically at verse two where we are told more about Jesus. We learn that we are to look to Jesus who is the pioneer and perfecter (the beginning and completion) of our faith. We are to build up our faith in Jesus. We are to build up ourselves in Jesus. By keeping our eyes fixed upon Jesus; by seeing and knowing who He is as Lord of our life and our King; by following faithfully His leading, Jesus will free us from the bondage of sin and to this world by receiving the power of Christ!
Jesus takes us from our weakness and insecurities to make us stronger in our faith, knowing that we are children of the King! The King who endured the cross for our sake! The King, our Lord God, who went from what looked like shame and defeat, and completely turned it around to proclaim glory and victory! The Lord our King who is Risen and seated on the throne at the right hand of God! His reign is now!, and He must rule in our hearts! Our eyes have been opened to the truth revealed to us. Now we must take this truth to heart. Christ is King and we must recognize it!
Ephesians 1:17 says that the apostle “Paul prays that people may have the eyes of their hearts enlightened. If they are not enlightened it is very hard to recognize the riches of Christ and the hope that He brings.” With Christ our King, we have hope! Jesus brings freedom from hopelessness! When we know that we are of Christ, we can offer Christ to others. When we go to people and offer them Christ, we are offering the hope and freedom that Christ brings when they make Him Lord of their life.
Do not lose sight of the glory Christ has revealed to us and will yet reveal to us! May we never lose sight of who we are, and why we are, what God calls us to do. May we never lose sight of this vision for our church, ourselves as citizens of His Kingdom – on earth as it is in heaven!
God has called us to be a very important part of the vision, the mission, the ministry of the church. When we reach out to others, proclaiming the good news from the pulpit or over a cup of coffee, sharing with others, caring for others, feeling for those who are suffering, being glad for those who are happy, ministering to the sick, bringing back to the fold those who have wandered off, making a place for those who have no place to be, we offer them Christ so that they may see and know Him as Lord.
Offer them Christ! Tell them of the hope and freedom Christ brings. Show them the way to be free from the bondage of sin and to this world by receiving the power of Christ. May you be so empowered, encouraged and enabled to fit others to the kingdom. We are called to be more than we are – because Jesus Christ is King! Thank be to God! Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment