We
know very little of kingship. Our history and experience, as a nation, is one
of democratic ideals set forth in the Constitution and lived out in law and
government.
We
know law and government, good, bad and indifferent. We certainly know politics
and politicians having just come through a rather shabby and disheartening
election.
We
do know something of the kings and queens, of say; England, France or Spain. We
might even have read books about everyday day living under their rule, but we
haven't experienced that particular reality and in general it doesn't seem
natural or right to us as citizens of a democracy.
And
kingdoms themselves, let's put this whole kingship-kingdom concept into some
perspective.The
kingdom of the United States has lasted 240 years, so far. Rome lasted 500
years, Byzantium 1,000 years, The Dynasties of China, some 4 millennia, the
kingdom of man some 3.5 million years, the unimaginable kingdom of the Cosmos
some 13 Billion years + -
That
is a lot of time. But, God’s reign and Christ’s Kingship stretches (from the
beginning), Genesis says. Before time
and space, form and matter, and it reaches beyond the horizon of time itself to
where only God exists, all in all, forever and ever according to the Book of
Revelation.
Today
we celebrate Christ the King and his all-encompassing and everlasting kingdom.
We
celebrate because for the love of each of us, Jesus, the image of the invisible
God, came to be with us as the sign of God's kingdom come.
Jesus
showed us that God's reign would turn upside down the old ways. No more lies to
those who seek the truth, no harm to those who seek healing, no hate for the
other seeking justice, no oppression for those who seek freedom.
Even
though Our Lord and king rules in glory and honor, he stills comes graciously
to each of us. In
the Book of Revelation the Holy Spirit declares the words of the Lord-
"Here
I stand, knocking at the door. If anyone hears me calling and opens the door, I
will enter his house and have supper with him, and he with me. I will give the
victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself won the victory and
took my seat beside my Father on his throne."
When
the King knocks true subjects, without fear, open the door. True subjects, in
freedom, choose to follow the Lord; choose to defend the forgotten and
marginalized, heal the broken hearted and the sick, save all children of all
nations. True subjects, lay down their lives, each in their own manner, to make
things new. And when all things are made new, faithful subjects, become victors
alongside their king, and are graciously invited to sit at the banquet table of
the Lord.
Those
who crave or cling to power are fools for thinking otherwise. Worse than fools
they harm who they should cherish. They exploit for profit those who they
should protect. Too often power is
myopic and self-serving. Clinging for dear life, power never looks beyond
itself. Never sees the suffering.
But,
those who wield power should keep in mind that the true master, the only king,
will come unannounced, to judge unfaithful stewards and greedy shepherds and
ravenous wolves. Our Lord will see to it all such liars and deceivers fall into
the pits of their own making.
"Let
us give thanks to God who made us fit to share in the inheritance of the holy
ones of light. For he has delivered us from the power of darkness and
transferred us to kingdom of his beloved Son."
Through
Jesus' sacrifice, his death and resurrection we have been delivered from the
bondage of all kingdoms, all powers, principalities and dominions, including
sin and death.
In
the Gospel Jesus triumphs over the final temptation to mis use power.
On
the cross they sneered at him, even the dying thief sneered, "If you are
king, save yourself". Of course,
the thief added "and us." Not
only save yourself, but use your power to destroy your enemies (give us a
show).
Those that sneered wanted Jesus to do what
they would do, to act as they expected power to act. They wanted him to be, (a
Herod, or a Pilate, or a Cesar), self-serving and prideful. And remember this, it is what Satan wanted
Jesus to be in the desert.
Those
that sneered, as did Satan, wanted the ordinary and the ordinary is not God's
way.
Oh
yes, they wanted an earthly king of an earthly kingdom (and perhaps, it is what
we all want). Perhaps, we want what is less because we cannot imagine or are
afraid of something greater. And Christ's kingship of God's kingdom is so much
greater.
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