Christ the King 2022
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This is the last Sunday of the church year and has been designated as Christ the King Sunday. On this day we focus on the supremacy of Jesus, what he has done and still does for us as our king, and how as members of his kingdom we are to honor and serve him.
Although we live in a democracy with a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people, we are aware of the workings of a monarchy. In a monarchy, the head of the government is royalty (either male [King] or female [Queen]. In some monarchies the power of the king or queen is absolute. In others the position is more or less that of a historical figurehead.
Centuries ago, British monarchs lorded over their lands far and wide with absolute control, often to the detriment of the empire's far-flung subjects.
So what sort of power does a king or queen have in 2022? While the pomp and circumstance that are still associated with the monarchy remain impressive, from imposing palaces to shiny crowns, the reality is the role is largely ceremonial, experts say.
That may in fact be increasingly the case as King Charles III takes over for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at age 96, and aims for what many royal watchers expect to be a more stripped-down monarchy.
King Charles III, much like his mum before him, does not rule, he reigns. The key difference: He cannot issue decrees or anything that remotely resembles an edict. Rather, he is seen as a figurehead whose behavior reflects suitable decorum and grace.
The monarch remains the titular head of the Church of England and the armed forces. As described on the king's official website, royal.uk, the main task of the monarch is to undertake constitutional and representational duties developed over 1,000 years of British history. In sum, lots of ribbon-cutting.
And so, when we think of Jesus as King, we need to go back to a time when Kings ruled and had much more power than the most thought of monarchs today. When the Bible calls Jesus “King of Kings” it doesn’t mean “figurehead of figureheads” but absolute ruler. Government headed by kings were prevalent in biblical history. The word “king” is used over 2500 times in the Bible as a result.
What did kings do? Before Israel had its first king, this was the prophecy of what they would be like based on what kings of other nations were doing at the time.
10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day.” 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. 22 The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go back to his town.”
Defeated enemies. With the use of a people funded military.
Controlled people. Collected taxes. Conscripted workers. Dictated policies. Used power to promote the kingdom or used it to enrich himself. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
What did Jesus do as our king? Through him God redeemed us. Colossians 1:13–14 (NIV84)
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus was the king of kingdom unlike what other nations had. He refers to this when he was on trial before Pontius Pilate and the charge brought against him that he was a king trying to usurp the power of the Roman king, Caesar.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Pilate realized Jesus was no earthly king or threat to the government but to appease the Jews and to save his own job he crucified Jesus and placed the charge of King of the Jews on Jesus’ cross to mock the Jews.
What does Jesus do now as our king? Rules all things for the benefit of the church.
How capable is Jesus of doing this? As noted above, some modern day kings have almost no power. They may reign but they don’t really rule. The people are controlled in other ways. And even the most powerful king in the world is limited as to what they can do because of their own frailty, strong opponents, circumstances beyond their control, etc. And even the most powerful of monarchs diminish in their power as they age and finally die.
How powerful is Jesus? Although during his time on earth he emptied himself of his full power as the Son of God, he was exalted in his resurrection. Paul describes how this is not new power but a restoration of the power he has from all eternity. Colossians 1:15–20 (NIV84)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 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. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Jesus used that power to win the victory for us.
Jesus used that power to control all things for the good of his body — the church.
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Application: How does his power help us in our daily lives? I know we live in a society that emphasizes self-control and the liberty to govern ourselves collectively and to make and change laws based more and more on personal opinions and expediency, but as follower of Jesus we must believe and act as Jesus commands us. We pray for this at the end of the worship service, don’t we? “Almighty God, we thank you for teaching us the tings you want us to believe AND do.” We do this by submitting to Christ our King.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What is our response to be? Willing submission and commitment to him.
Jesus himself calls for such commitment.
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
In Revelation we are told that this will be our status in heaven. Revelation 14:1–5 (NIV84)
1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
Conclusion: We herald Jesus Christ as our king because of what he had done for us in redeeming us from our spiritual enemies. We herald Jesus Christ as king because he is ruling all things for his church at the right hand of God. We follow him in willing submission trusting him as a leader who loves us and controls all things for our spiritual and eternal good. We look forward to be ruled by him for all eternity in the new heavens and the new earth.