Christ The King
Sunday, 24th November, 2013
by Rev Charmaine Braatvedt
When I say “Jesus Christ”, I wonder what image springs to mind for you?
- A man suffering on a cross
- A Baby born in a manger
- A teacher in a field addressing a crowd
- A man healing someone
- A man laughing
- A man clearing the temple in anger
- A Shepherd.
Take a moment to consider how your image of Christ colours your relationship with him.
Share your thoughts briefly with your neighbour. 2min
Now imagine Christ as a king.
How does this image alter how you feel about Christ and what your relationship with him might be like?
Share that with your neighbour. 2min
When we view Christ as a friend- we tell him our secrets
Christ as a healer – we tell him our pain
Christ on the cross- we tell him our sins
Christ as a baby – we tell him we love him
Christ as King – we stand dumb-struck with awe!
And here’s the thing, Christ is all of the above!
For a fuller image of who Jesus is listen to the words taken from a sermon by Dr S.M. Lockridge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffzB_HK9sNU
See the text at the end of the sermon
Hearing this, I wonder if we have made Christ too small. Today as will consider Christ as king let’s take the opportunity to expand our theology/ Christology from Jesus as friend to include a wider and more powerful image of Jesus the Christ, the messiah, the prince of peace and the king of kings.
In today’s passage from Luke even the criminal hanging on the cross beside Jesus recognised Christ’s kingship. “Remember me when you come into your kingdom”
Paul writing to the Colossians explores and unpacks an understanding of Christ that elevates his status, authority and role to that of a cosmic king.
“The Father has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Paul describes Jesus as having lordship over the universe. We learn from Paul that:
- our salvation depends on Christ alone.
- Christ is of cosmic significance
- Christ is the image or the likeness of God
- In Christ the invisible God is revealed to us.
- Christ is the ground of creation.
- In Christ Creation has its sourced and inner purpose.
- Christ is the principle behind all things and through him they have unity and meaning.
- Christ is the Alpha and Omega.
- Christ is the root which makes the branches and leaves of the tree of life live.
- Christ is the head of the body i.e. the Church.
- Christ is the source of the new life which is operative in the Church.
- Christ indwells the church and the church is his self-manifestation.
Christ is king or sovereign, ruler of all and Sustainer of the world.
So how does Christ as King sit with us today?
We live in a time when there are still kings and monarchs. The ones who make the headlines are generally despots who oppress their own people.
In these kingdoms, when the people protest, they are beaten and killed. Meanwhile, the king, his family and all of their cronies live in luxury while their people barely survive in their poverty.
This trend has been so for all of history.
Yet clearly this is not the kind of king Jesus is, nor do those who inhabit his kingdom experience him as anything but good, loving and truthful.
As we celebrate Christ the King Sunday, and look forward to the Season of Advent, I find myself picturing and celebrating an entirely different kind of king from the worldly corrupt kings and rulers I read about in the newspapers.
The Biblical image of Christ the King is of one who has more power than any other and yet is so radically different as to change the world not through force but rather through love and by servant leadership.
Now how does the knowledge of such a king,
submission to such, a king shape us here today?
As those who stand under his authority, who do ministry in his name and who seek to obey his will, we know that because of His cross, we can live in great confidence and joy that all the things that are wrong will be made right. Christ has already begun putting all things right yet he partners with those in his kingdom, his church to accomplish this restoration.
Christ takes this partnership seriously and so should we.
I’m reminded here of a story Jonathan told me of a man sitting on a park bench talking to Jesus. “So tell me Jesus why if you are a God of love do you allow such suffering in the world?” “Funny you should ask me that, I was about to ask you the same question. Why if you see yourself as one of my followers do you allow such suffering in the world?”
By becoming citizens of his kingdom, we are partners in his process of making all things right, and so we are called
To strive in the power of his Holy Spirit for justice and the righting of wrongs;
to work for peace and reconciliation,
to endeavour to see love prevail wherever we find ourselves,
and we do these things because we know that we are under the authority of Christ the cosmic King of Love.
We strive all the harder and longer for justice, mercy, healing and reconciliation, because Christ is our model;
Christ who gave up his life for these things.
Christ, who went to the cross, began the work of making peace there, and that is a work he is completing through his Church, you and me and all the saints.
And so we press on with joy and confidence,
celebrating each time we see love prevail in Christ’s name and mourning each act of oppression as an affront to Christ on the cross.
How do we do this?
- Prayer – praying our way through the newspaper, praying our way through the circumstances of the day.
- Giving our energy, time and money to make a difference for good wherever we can e.g. the Philippines.
- Joining with the Church in its mission and ministry.
Despite the bleakness in the world news, the corruption, the scale of suffering, we persevere in the saving work of Christ because our faith teaches us that he is the cosmic king. His Church is shaped by this revelation so let us his church be a people shaped by celebration, confidence, joy, and most of all, peace, because we know who Christ is , we claim his cosmic authority and we are confident in his victory.
We worship a Great and wonderful God, Father Son and Holy Spirit. Come stand and sing with me……. How Great thou Art.
“That’s My King”
The late Dr. S. M. Lockeridge, a pastor from San Diego, California said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976:
My King was born King.
The Bible says He’s a Seven Way King.
He’s the King of the Jews – that’s an Ethnic King. He’s the King of Israel – that’s a National King.
He’s the King of righteousness.
He’s the King of the ages.
He’s the King of Heaven.
He’s the King of glory.
He’s the King of kings
and He is the Lord of lords.
Now that’s my King.
Well, I wonder if you know Him.
Do you know Him?
Don’t try to mislead me.
Do you know my King?
David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.
My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love.
No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies.
No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
He’s enduringly strong.
He’s entirely sincere.
He’s eternally steadfast.
He’s immortally graceful.
He’s imperially powerful.
He’s impartially merciful.
That’s my King.
He’s God’s Son.
He’s the sinner’s saviour.
He’s the centrepiece of civilization.
He stands alone in Himself.
He’s honest.
He’s unique.
He’s unparalleled.
He’s unprecedented.
He’s supreme.
He’s pre-eminent.
He’s the grandest idea in literature.
He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism.
He’s the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He’s the carnal necessity of spiritual religion.
That’s my King.
He’s the miracle of the age.
He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
He’s the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously.
He supplies strength for the weak.
He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves.
He’s the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people.
He heals the sick.
He cleanses the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharged debtors.
He delivers the captives.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent
and He beautifies the meek.
That’s my King.
Do you know Him?
Well, my King is a King of knowledge.
He’s the wellspring of wisdom.
He’s the doorway of deliverance.
He’s the pathway of peace.
He’s the roadway of righteousness.
He’s the highway of holiness.
He’s the gateway of glory.
He’s the master of the mighty.
He’s the captain of the conquerors.
He’s the head of the heroes.
He’s the leader of the legislatures.
He’s the overseer of the overcomers.
He’s the governor of governors.
He’s the prince of princes.
He’s the King of kings and
He’s the Lord of lords.
That’s my King.
His office is manifold.
His promise is sure.
His light is matchless.
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
His love never changes.
His Word is enough.
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous.
His yoke is easy and
His burden is light.
I wish I could describe Him to you . . .
but He’s indescribable.
That’s my King.
He’s incomprehensible,
He’s invincible, and
He is irresistible.
I’m coming to tell you this,
that the heavens of heavens can’t contain Him,
let alone some man explain Him.
You can’t get Him out of your mind.
You can’t get Him off of your hands.
You can’t outlive Him and
you can’t live without Him.
The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him,
but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree about Him.
Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Death couldn’t handle Him
and the grave couldn’t hold Him.
That’s my King.
He always has been and He always will be.
I’m talking about the fact
that He had no predecessor
and He’ll have no successor.
There’s nobody before Him
and there’ll be nobody after Him.
You can’t impeach Him
and He’s not going to resign.
That’s my King!
That’s my King!
Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King.
We’re around here talking about black power and white power and green power,
but in the end all that matters is God’s power.
Thine is the power.
And the glory.
We try to get prestige and honor and glory for ourselves,
but the glory is all His.
Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever.
How long is that?
Forever and ever and ever and ever. . .
And when you get through with all of the ever’s, then . . .
Amen!