Sermon Tone Analysis

Title

There Is a King

Outline

In the books Tales of the Kingdom and Tales of the Resistance David Mains points out that in the Fire Wizard’s city there is one chief heresy: to say that there is a king

So, it is no surprise that in our North America and in Europe a chief virtue is liberty and a chief vice is to claim that there is a king

There are some symbolic rulers, of course, but, when not seen as anachronisms, they are merely symbols of the nation who try to stay clear of politics.

And various parts of the church often go along with this - eschatology is post-mortem or comes through this worldly means or has nothing to do with the material universe

Our scripture say otherwise

Daniel presents “one like a son of man”

The Ancient of Days gives him “dominion, splendor, and kingship; all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him”

Thus, while he is “coming with the clouds of heaven” - his power and initial presence is beyond this space-time creation - and while his dominion is eternal and so outlasts this space-time creation, he has universal kingship, which in the context of Daniel includes the various empires of this world.

Revelation presents Jesus the Anointed after the fact

He is “firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth”

He has been the “faithful witness,” which is what the living believers are called to be

He has “has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father” - that is, his kingdom has a vast loyal population

And he will “come” in the sense that he will become visible and the peoples of this world who have opposed him will be reduced to lamenting and hiding

But, our gospel says, this kingdom is hidden now and uses methods beyond this age

Pilate tries to reduce Jesus to a rejected King of Israel - a limited part of this earth

Jesus points out that his kingdom does not belong to the order of this age, which is why his citizens will not use the political means of this world to save him and defend the kingdom.

It is beyond this age, and so Jesus “came into the world”: “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

He is, then, gathering a people, “everyone who belongs to the truth”

Sisters, today we celebrate Christ as King

He is a king whom 1 Peter sees as inaugurated in the Transfiguration

He is a king whose rule transcends space and time, but who fought and won a battle in this world through death and so redeemed those people who are his

He is a king who commands the allegiance of those who “belong to the truth”

He is a king who will eventually subdue all opposition and restore creation to God’s plan and even God’s plan raised to a higher level

As we meditate on this, we can find security among whatever goes on among the petty politicians and armies of this world.

More importantly, our allegiance increases and we bow in wonder and say, “Come let us adore him.”

Readings

FIRST READING

Daniel 7:13–14

13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw coming with the clouds of heaven

One like a son of man.

When he reached the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him,

14 He received dominion, splendor, and kingship;

all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

that shall not pass away,

his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed.

RESPONSE

Psalm 93:1a

1 The LORD is king, robed with majesty;

the LORD is robed, girded with might.

The world will surely stand in place,

never to be moved.

PSALM

Psalm 93:1–2, 5

1 The LORD is king, robed with majesty;

the LORD is robed, girded with might.

The world will surely stand in place,

never to be moved.

2 Your throne stands firm from of old;

you are from everlasting.

5 Your decrees are firmly established;

holiness befits your house, LORD,

for all the length of days.

SECOND READING

Revelation 1:5–8

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever [and ever].

Amen.

7 Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,

and every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him.

All the peoples of the earth will lament him.

Yes.

Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.”

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Mark 11:9–10

9 Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out:

“Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!

Hosanna in the highest!”

GOSPEL

John 18:33b–37

33 So Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.

What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.

If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants [would] be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.

But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”

37 So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king.

For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Notes

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

CHRIST THE KING

THIRTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR B | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Daniel 7:13–14

Response Psalm 93:1a

Psalm Psalm 93:1–2, 5

Second Reading Revelation 1:5–8

Gospel Acclamation Mark 11:9–10

Gospel John 18:33b–37

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