Sermon

St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham, NC

November 26, 2006 - Christ the King Sunday

The Rev. Vicki L. Smith

John 18:33-37

In our Gospel lesson this morning, Jesus stands before Pilate.  Jesus is dirty; he’s been beaten.  No majestic robes and no golden crown.  No adoring entourage and no body guards.  No trappings of royalty or power.  And yet Pilate asks, “Are you a king?” 

It’s astounding that Pilate would even ask – Jesus looks no more like a king than the beggar on the street does.  And yet, he is a king.  He is the king.  Contrary to appearances and expectations, Jesus is king.

In my favorite scene from my favorite movie – “Robin Hood,” starring Errol Flynn (1938) – a humble monk traveling through the English countryside is revealed as King Richard, returned from the Crusades.  Richard stands in the midst of Robin Hood’s men, removes his battered monk’s robe to reveal his crusader’s tunic and his true identity and claims their allegiance.   It’s a great scene.

On this Christ the King Sunday, we are reminded that humble servant Jesus is also Christ the King.  We see visions of his majesty in the readings from Daniel and Revelation and consciously we hold those visions together with the picture of Jesus in that courtyard, bowed down and soon to be broken.  This is the fundamental paradox of our faith, that Jesus – human like us, familiar and comforting, our friend and companion – is also King of the Universe, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, from before time and forever.  

Now, it is a valid question to ask why this matters.  What difference does it make?

It matters because we need to know that Jesus is more than our teacher, more than a charismatic leader, more even than a sacrificial offering.  He is God, the King of the Universe.  He is God, speaking and living among us.  God who was, and is and is to come, clothed in human vesture, as the hymn says. To say the least, that gives his teachings and his life profound credibility and eternal authority.  Listen to Him!  Follow him!  He is Christ the King.

As modern Americans, we have some trouble with the image of Christ the King because we have trouble with the idea of king at all.  Earthly kings either demand our allegiance – we made it clear how we felt about that in 1776 – or they are inconsequential, almost an anachronism. I doubt that it makes much difference to the average Briton that Queen Elizabeth is on the throne.  They bring her out for various official functions, but she doesn’t have much impact or authority.  We won’t accept a powerful king and we are disdainful of a mere figurehead. 

Fortunately, Jesus is a different kind of king than we are used to.  Jesus asks our allegiance, he does not compel it.  We are invited and persistently encouraged, to cast our lot with him but we are not threatened nor are we required.  And if we chose to give him our allegiance, it matters a great deal, day to day, year to year, in our lives and in our world.  Christ the King is not an anachronism, not a mere figurehead, but our Savior with power to change our lives and our world.

When we give our allegiance to Jesus, the king of kings and Lord of Lords, we give our hearts and souls to him, and our hands and feet to service in his kingdom – a kingdom, that as he says, is not of this world, but better and more; a kingdom that is not yet fully realized and yet is already present among us.  We give ourselves to Jesus’ kingdom, where sins are forgiven and daily bread is provided and shared.  We give ourselves to the kingdom where, as Isaac Watts says, blessings abound, prisoners leap to loose their chains, the weary find eternal rest, and all who suffer want are blessed.  We give ourselves to Christ’s kingdom where the woman at the well, the fisherman, and the rich young ruler are all welcome and invited.  Where children are precious and so are adults.  Where the weak are made strong and the strong made compassionate.  We give ourselves to Jesus’ kingdom where hunger and thirst are no more, nor any scorching heat.  Where all are loved and redeemed.  Where the tears are wiped away from every eye. 

When they realized his true identity, Robin Hood’s men knelt in obedience to King Richard.  When we know his true identity, we kneel before Christ our King.  We offer him our hearts and our lives.  Thy kingdom come, Lord Jesus. Thy will be done.

In the name of Christ our King.

Amen.

© 2006, Saint Philip's Episcopal Church
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