Incarnation 1 King of Kings

INCARNATION 1

King of kings

This morning we’re kicking off a new series and in this series we’re going to explore a huge Christian idea – the incarnation. The incarnation is the idea that God – the Creator and Sustainer of the universe – came to become one with us in Jesus. The incarnation is the truth that God became flesh. Over the next several weeks we’re going dive into why the incarnation is important, and how we can and should respond to the God who becomes flesh. And we’re going to do that by leaning into the roles or functions Jesus assumed in becoming human. Next week we’re going to talk about Jesus as Savior. Week three we will address Jesus as Emmanuel, which means God is still with us. Week four we’ll cover Jesus as the Word becoming flesh. But today we’re going to look at Jesus, our King.

Every four years, on the first Tuesday after November 1, America elects a president. On that day, we also elect select members of the House and Senate. It's an important day, but also one that highlights and exacerbates deep divisions in our country. There wiII be victory speeches and concession speeches. One person wiII be the president, one will not. Then, in two years, our nation will vote once more, this time for additional select House and Senate members. And this election is often seen as a referendum on the sitting president, the president's policies and party.

In each election, opposing candidates offer competing visions for our nation, and divergent solutions to our problems. Combined, they will spend 1 billion to get elected. And PACs or political action committees will spend another billion, most of it not casting vision for the candidate they endorse but casting aspersion on the candidate who does not rally their cause.

And then there’s the media. Whatever your opinion is of today’s media, journalism isn’t what it used to be. Right and left, many – if not most national journalists have become a mouthpiece for their preferred political ideology. Indeed, many media outlets have become the news instead of just reporters of the news.

Most decry the polarization. But most participate in it, mostly through social media. Some spew. Some try constructive and thoughtful. But then comes the troll who blows up our feed that sends onlookers into a frenzy to announce and defend their own positions. And then the party is on….

It’s a mess. Our world is a mess. Our country is a mess. We need some perspective.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that three weeks after election day, something else happens. Christ followers kick off a season on the Christian calendar called Advent – where we prepare for the birth of our King.

This season ought to provide some perspective to our political wrangling. Yes, we elect a president every four years, but there is only one King of kings. Our politics may divide us, but our King should unite us.

But here’s the deal. We don’t know what we don’t know. We don’t know we have a King until someone informs us. Our world had no idea its King was coming – but then – in Luke 2:10-11 – the angel appeared and heralded the good news: Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Now, the word Christ and Messiah are the same. Both mean anointed one, which refers to an individual on whom special oil has been placed as a way of setting that person apart for some specific function or action of God. In this case, we’re told that this anointed one is the Lord, which refers to an absolute position of authority, who is (at the same time) our savior who comes from the Davidic line – David of course being the most famous and important Kings in the history of God’s people.

The practice of anointing has a long history with God’s people and their kings. Samuel first anointed Saul. Saul could seem to shake out the sinful kinks, so Samuel’s second anointed was David. What does anointing have to do with kings? Going back to the religious practices in Exodus with Moses, the idea was – a king is anointed or marked by God, set apart for God’s purposes, to rule on behalf God. And that’s why kings were often hailed as messiah – the anointed one.

But one king became the archetype for all future kings. His name was David. He was a sheepherder, a poet, and a musician. He was courageous, ruddy, handsome and notably described as a man after God’s own heart. He was far from perfect, but God loved this man, showed him mercy upon mercy, and used him to shepherd his people. And this is what God said to David in what is commonly called the Davidic Covenant that Nathan spoke in 2 Samuel 7: I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a fat her to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. But I will not take my steadfast love from him. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.

This, again, is the Davidic covenant, a promise from God that one of David’s descendants would rule God’s people forever – a promise that gave Jewish people hope during those periods when they were in exile or when foreign kings ruled their land. When times got hard, prophets would recall God’s promise that one day He would raise up a king from David’s royal line.

This hope for an ideal king is what became called the messianic hope. And in the infamous prophetic passage found in Isaiah 9:6-7, the prophet carries that hope to a whole new level. He writes: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Ancient Jews may have been looking for an earthly king, a powerful ruler who would reign with justice and power. But what mere mortal king could withstand the scrutiny of Isaiah’s description: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace?

Seven hundred years after Isaiah uttered these words, God’s people were yearning for such a king. At the time, Herod the Great ruled the land, but he was far from David’s line, much less just and righteous, not to mention he was a vassal or puppet king serving at the pleasure of an oppressive Rome.

In this context of desperation, an angel named Gabriel appeared to a virgin named Mary and said this in Luke 1:30-33: “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. Now, it’s easy to gloss over what the angel says next, but it is huge. The Lord God will give him the throne of (who?) his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom (will last how long? It…) will never end.”

The angel was saying that what began with David, and foretold through the centuries via prophet after prophet, was about to be fulfilled. And this child, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, could easily wear Isaiah’s royal titles. And he would be king to the Nth degree, King of all kings.

But we like our presidents. The presidential election of 2020 expenditures crept up on $6.6 billion, only to be held up in litigation over all sorts of allegations of fraud and irregularities. Eventually, a winner will emerge and there will be inaugural balls with food, wine, and dancing. This person will be inaugurated as the leader of the free world and commander in chief of the most powerful military on the planet.

Now contrast all this pomp and circumstance with the King whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. He was born in a manger, which was likely a cave. His bed was an animal’s feeding trough. He grew up in an obscure village called Nazareth. And far from the social elite, he was trained in making farm implements, doors, and furniture. He was likely a skilled handyman.

At the age of 30, Jesus began is campaign for King. He travelled from town to town, giving stump speeches about the Kingdom of God. Instead of bashing opponents of a different political party, his call was to love – to love God, to love your neighbor, and to love even your enemies. His call was to humility, kindness, integrity, forgiveness, and selflessness. He asked his followers to care for those who were hungry, thirsty, poor, imprisoned. He denounced pride and hypocrisy.

His campaign team was a group made up of mostly of women. His cabinet consisted of 12 mostly uneducated people. The campaign trail carried him through the cities and villages where he taught in the synagogues and public squares. And when he looked at the people assembled at his campaign rallies, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Is it a stretch to think of Jesus on a campaign trail? No! He was campaigning for the kingdom. And given the massive rallies, the disciples and all his followers fully expected Jesus to be installed as king.

But his campaign strategy seemed all wrong. Instead of aligning himself with the rich and powerful, Jesus associated with the poor and downtrodden. Instead of raising an army to overthrow a powerful Rome, Jesus called his followers to love their enemies. Instead of talking about his plan for economic prosperity, Jesus spoke of sacrifice. Jesus did not talk about making Israel great again. He spoke of loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And then loving your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus’ Kingdom looks very different than the promise of modern politicians. Can such a Kingdom ethic exist on earth? He told us to pray as if it could be a reality: thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Jesus ran a campaign for three years. Would he be elected? Would he be installed as king? Not by the high and mighty in the way we think of ordinary coronations. Jesus anointing came not at the hands of prophets or priest, but of three women – one who was likely a prostitute. She didn’t anoint his head, but his feet with oil and tears. A second woman anointed his head shortly before his arrest with a jar of perfume. And a third also anointed Jesus feet.

Some scholars say these three instances were one event remember or recorded differently. Regardless, Jesus was anointed and thus became the anointed one – the messiah – our King. And what did his coronation look like? A plaited crown of thorns pressed hard into his brow. His exaltation was being nailed to a cross and hoisted in the air. And this King’s ceremony lasted for hours as he slowly died – for his people. And the irony above all ironies is the crime for which he was charged, written on a sign above his head, which read, “The King of the Jews.”

Of course, this is not the end of the story for this anointed one – this messiah. After his burial on Friday, he lay in the tomb through Saturday. But on Sunday morning, the stone covering the mouth of the grave was tossed aside as our King conquered death.

In the days that followed, he appeared to those who anointed him. He appeared to the disciples and many others. And he called them all to continue the work he began – to make his Kingdom a reality – by teaching what he taught and initiating others into the Kingdom through baptism.

But our story is still not done. Before his death and resurrection, Jesus told his followers of a day when he would return – a day when history will be brought to completion. Revelation 11:15 puts it like this: The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

This is the culmination of our prayer – thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. One day the kingdom of this world will be the kingdom of our Lord and his – Christ – the one who was anointed – by three women. And he will reign for ever and ever.

But we live in that in between time – between the Christ’s triumph on Easter and Christ’s triumphal return at the end. And in that in between time, his Kingdom in us is like the breeching of a dam. With each person who embraces this King and his call on their lives, the breech gets a little larger.

For those who count this messiah as King, we recognize that our highest allegiance, our deepest devotion, and our greatest commitment is not to a political party, but to Jesus the Christ – our King.

I don’t know your politics, but if you are a Christ-follower I know your King. Our King invites us to put our hands in each others and move forward to make God’s kingdom a reality. And with God’s help, that is what we will do.

Do the questions.

AMEN!