Christ the King 2022

A great scene there from the movie "Gospel of John," a very powerful film adaptation of today's Gospel reading from John chapter 18.

Here's Pilate, confronting the very King of the Universe, and he has no clue who he's standing next to.

Just like me at the Queen’s Garden Party.

Although in my defense…as an American, standing in the presence of royalty is just not something we’re used to.

Although…here’s an interesting bit of trivia for you:

According to the historical records, we came pretty close to having a monarchy ourselves when the American revolution came to an end.

So great was General George Washington's fame that when the war was won, there were voices to make him King of America, voices he himself quickly silenced.

Washington had no desire for ultimate power, and in fact was more inclined to resign it completely once the war was over.

Story about King George III: The king asked his American painter, Benjamin West, what Washington would do after winning independence. West replied, “They say he will return to his farm.”

“If he does that,” the incredulous king said, “he will be the greatest man in the world.”

Sometimes it takes someone with power to recognize that walking away from power is a sign of true greatness.

It’s a difficult thing to grasp, because power is so attractive. It can corrupt us.

Anyone who’s ever been in power struggles with that.

Even the greatest human king in Biblical history…King David…wrestled with it.

If you’ve ever studied his life…you know that it’s under King David that Israel really experiences its "golden years."

Military victory, wealth and spoils of war, the establishment of Jerusalem as their capital...

Great parades of celebration…the ark of the covenant returned to its rightful place.

Israel really flourished under David.

And yet…David failed. He sinned. But here’s the thing:

Even despite David’s sin and failure, God blessed his reign in many ways.

In fact, the Bible teaches that God made an everlasting covenant with David concerning his throne.

We heard that covenant declared in our reading from 2 Samuel.

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"The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son…Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.“—2 Samuel 7:11-14, 16 (NIV)

God promised to David that he would establish his throne forever, and that one would come through his line whose kingdom will never end.

Today, of course, we understand to whom that prophetic word referred: Jesus.

The one we call King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

You’ll have noticed that all of our songs this morning have centered on that very theme. There’s a reason for this.

Today, the last Sunday before the start of Advent, is a day set aside on the church calendar to remember that very fact: that Jesus is King.

Some traditions call it "Christ the King Sunday," others refer to it as "Reign of Christ Sunday."

It’s a tradition that began in 1925 against a backdrop of ferment and conflict in Europe.

Earthly crowned heads were falling, and in their place new and ominous figures were rising; Stalin had just taken power, Hitler had published Mein Kampf, and Mussolini was in control of Italy.

And in response to all this chaos, the church decided to make a statement about the real source of power and the real nature of power.

Christ the King Sunday was established to remind us that our hope, our trust, is never to be in any earthly power.

A good reminder for those of us who are Americans, who just held an election and it seems we’re already preparing for the next.

It’s a good reminder for everyone, no matter what kind of government they sit under as a nation: as followers of Jesus, our ultimate allegiance is not to any government, nation, or leader.

Christ is our King.

And that simple statement, that simple truth, has profound implications for us as we head into the season of Advent.

Because by taking this last Sunday before Advent begins and declaring, as we did earlier in song:

Jesus the Savior reigns…his kingdom cannot fail…

…by reminding ourselves today that Jesus is King, we are also reminded of two important, foundational truths about the season we're about to celebrate.

And it’s those two truths I’d invite you to meditate on this week as we prepare for Advent.

When we recognize that Christ is King, we're reminded:

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1. WHAT HE GAVE UP FOR US

2. WHAT WE’RE CALLED TO GIVE UP FOR HIM

First of all, as we gather in this place today, as Christians are doing all around the world, and declaring Jesus is King...

We are forced to stop and remember just how much Jesus gave up to come to earth as a tiny baby, born to a poor family in a dirty stable.

Probably no text captures this truth better than Philippians chapter 2:

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Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death—

even death on a cross!—Philippians 2:6-8 (NIV)

One of the things we believe as Christians is that Jesus was pre-existent, that he was there at the very moment of creation, existing as part of the mystery we call the Trinity.

The Apostle Paul uses very majestic language to describe this in the book of Colossians:

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He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.—Colossians 1:15-16 (NIV)

Jesus was fully God, yet was willing to empty himself, to abdicate his place in heaven with God for a time to come to earth for our salvation.

Retaining his divine nature...but surrendering his divine place.

He who was worthy of glory and honor and praise, gave it all up...and exchanged it for what?

For pain and ridicule, for temptation like all the rest of us, for rejection and betrayal...and ultimately torture and death.

And that's a powerful reminder to us this week before Advent, because the temptation is going to come to us, as it does every year, to embrace a sanitized Christmas.

A greeting-card Christmas that is all nostalgia an no depth.

And as much as I love all the nostalgia and romanticism of the season…if that's all we see at Christmastime...we're missing the full picture.

The point isn't just a cute baby in a manger, surrounded by cute animals, wrapped in tinsel and mistletoe.

The point is that this baby...is the King of the Universe.

Wearing a nappy! Crying for milk. Hungry...cold...human...

And beginning a long and painful journey that will end on a cruel Roman cross.

No wonder Pilate had to ask, "Are you a king?"

Cause Jesus certainly didn't look like one.

He didn't look like one in the stable, and he certainly didn't look like one when he was arrested and beaten and put through a humiliating mock trial that ended in his death.

But we can never forget that he was...and is...King.

He is God...who surrendered the rights and privileges of deity to come to Earth for us.

One song I’m sure you’ll hear this season puts it well:

"From heaven you came, helpless babe,

Entered our world, your glory veiled.

Not to be served but to serve,

And give your life that we might live."

Christ the King Sunday reminds us what Jesus gave up to come to earth.

As Christians we often talk about Jesus being the real gift of Christmas.

But do we stop to appreciate what that gift cost him?

Like Paul says in Philippians…he could have grasped equality with God.

I like the translation that puts it: “he did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage.”

How rare is that?

How many people in power have we seen throughout history who use that power for their own gain?

And yet here’s Jesus…who is in the greatest position of power in the universe…who willingly gives it up…and for what?

For us.

So here’s a question for you: how can we over the next few weeks find time in our busy Christmas season…to simply appreciate what Christ the King has done for us?

Maybe build a moment into each day during Advent…to just sit and give thanks. Maybe each a day listen to a Christmas Carol that’s meaningful for you and helps you express gratitude.

Next week we’ll talk a little more about this important question: how can you and I respond to such an amazing gift?

Which leads into the second truth I mentioned.

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We’re reminded what he gave up…and we’re invited to give something up ourselves.

As I said earlier, this special day on the calendar began in response to political winds and false hopes.

And for all the history that's happened in the past 100-some years, the human race hasn't really changed all that much.

We still have a tendency to put our hope in the wrong places.

Not just government…but there are other things as well that become wells of false hope from which we try to slake our thirst.

Money…success…relationships…jobs…the list is endless.

But remember what Jesus said to Pilate..."my kingdom is" what?

Not of this world.

Christ the King Sunday invites us to turn from the things of this world that we think offer us hope…but end up leaving us empty.

And hear again the glorious, marvelous, mysterious message:

That our hope is in the living God, incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth, born in stable, crucified on a hill, raised on the third day...

...for us. For you. For me.

No wonder Paul could write in the book of Romans:

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...since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.—Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)

That's the only hope for us...that's the only hope for this world.

The hope of the glory of God.

And what it requires of us is one simple thing: a willingness to fall before the throne of grace in humble submission to the King.

And give up the false hopes we so often embrace.

We fall down…we lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus.

Whatever that crown represents for you…whatever earthly institution, person, or pursuit you feel has let you down…

…Christ the King is here to remind you he never will.

On this Sunday before Advent, we are reminded of what the Psalmist wrote:

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Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God.—Psalm 145:5 (NIV)

What a glorious reminder for us as we enter this important season.

Christ the King stands with an invitation to you: will you enter into everything he has for your in these coming weeks?

Will you put your hope in him alone…and find in him alone the peace, the joy, and the love that we claim Christmas is all about?

Imagine how the world might change if we accepted his invitation.

TRANSITION TO PRAYER—WHAT FALSE HOPES?