Sunday is the feast of Christ the King, concluding our church year. So, Sunday is a kind of liturgical “New Year’s Eve”. And next Sunday, we begin a new church year with the first Sunday of Advent. Yes, I know, it snuck up on me too!
The last day of Jesus’ life on earth was not very regal or royal. Pilate said, “Here is your King!” The words “King of the Jews” were affixed to his cross, as he hung there in an unspeakably torturous and humiliating death. The mocking of Jesus by calling him “King” on that last day was pointing to how “un-Kingly” he seemed; how meek, how weak, and on that day how seemingly defeated. To call him “the King of the Jews” was to ridicule him. Our Christ the King feast is to glorify him…Christ the King.
I wonder if there’s a white elephant hanging around all this celebrating Christ as our King. Personally, I’m feeling a little squeamish about the word “King”. The concept of “King” has had a tough go of it recently, hasn’t it?
And it doesn’t really matter whether you attended a “No Kings” rally, or supported those who did, or if you were less than pleased about the whole thing, there’s now a bit of a cloud over “Kingship”. “King” has been compromised. Elvis has left the building.
But let’s try to leave that cloud over “earthly kings”. Christ the King represents a very different kind of kingship, a kingship of humility, service, and love. He came not to be served, but to serve.
Choosing Jesus as our King has a whole different bunch of expectations and the things Jesus asks of us can be difficult to do. You know, all that loving, forgiveness, acceptance stuff. But the promise, the rewards of faith, are perpetual, everlasting.
This all leads me to think – who or what do we choose as our earthly king, our master, when the going gets rough, when we’re impatient, tired of waiting on God, frustrated, very afraid about the future? Is it a political figure, a person in our lives, an activity, a co-dependency, an obsession, an addiction? Do we easily replace our God with earthly comforts and distractions? Yes, sometimes we do.
Being part of the Reign of Christ is so very simple, yet so very hard at times. Yes, sometimes it’s just easier to choose something else. But, naming Christ as “king of kings”, reminds us that no earthly power can ultimately loosen the grasp of Christ upon his followers.
No earthly powers – things like our lifestyles, temptations, our addictions, our society, our leaders, our media, people around us, our justice system – no earthly powers – can ultimately block the Kingdom.
At least that’s what’s intended, that’s the idea. But it’s for us to figure out our role and how we can live under the reign of Christ the King in a world where that Kingdom can be difficult to see.
Jesus is the King who does the work, who shows the way, not just with the Word but with his actions, with his life and with his death. As Christians, we are called to emulate Christ’s example of selflessness and compassion, regardless of political systems or leadership structures. We are the hands and feet on the ground in this Body of Christ and there’s always work to do – kingdom work.
I’m asking myself and I’ll ask you – Where do you claim your place in the kingdom? Where do you love? Where do you forgive? Where do you accept? Where do you see the face of God in others? That’s where it is, this Kingdom. You’ve got this, you’re in it…just don’t let the world get in your way.
Archdeacon Denise