I did not catch it until it was too late, but the Luke passage should have added vs. 67 so the listener knew they were hearing the words of the prophet Zechariah, John the Baptist's father. When I read the second Scripture lesson, I began at vs. 15 instead of vs. 11 listed in the bulletin to narrow the focus.
In fact, I did not specifically refer to the Scripture lessons that were read today. Instead, I used phrases or images from both of the passages read and from the call to worship, which was based on the Jeremiah passage from this week's lectionary.
As the internal notes indicate, we had human statues as illustrations of the different kinds of kings. I think it worked ok. The space in the sanctuary at St. Andrew is much more confining than the sanctuary of First Presbyterian where I served previously, which means I have less flexibility in planning these types of sermons.
“What Kind of King” SAPC, November 20, 2016 Luke 1: 68-79
Colossians 1: 15-20 Christ the King
Colossians
1: 15-20 (NRSV): He is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on
earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in
him all things hold together. 18 He
is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was
pleased to dwell, 20 and
through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on
earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
Move 1:
The sanctuary of the church I served on internship in Pasadena, TX was dedicated
in 1969. It had that 1960s feel to it. Open,
airy, light wood, lots of natural light.
If you could not guess it was a 1960s architecture, the
stained glass window would give it away.
There was Jesus, the good shepherd in the field with the sheep.
Except he looked to me like a hippie from the 60s. Not a Middle Eastern Jesus, not a traditional
Western-European looking Jesus; but a sort of young Mr. Magoo looking Jesus.
In a conversation with the Treasurer at one point, I laughed
about the 1960s Jesus. She laughed even
more and told me the rest of the story. The
reason Jesus looked like a 1960s character was because the portrait of Jesus in
the stained glass was either intentionally or unintentionally, the self-portrait
of the artist who made the stained glass.
What does your primary image of Christ look like?
When you think of Jesus, who do you see?
Today
is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday in the liturgical calendar. Next week we start over again as we begin
Advent, the time when we start looking toward the coming of the Christ-child.
This
last Sunday serves to remind us of what the little baby in the manger becomes –
he becomes the King, who reigns on earth and in heaven.
If
you could make baby Jesus into your kind of king, what would you make him? In other words, what kind of king are you
looking for in your life?
To explore that question, let’s reflect about the kind of
King the people expected….and then the kind of king Christ was.
Move 2 (Leigh
begins walking down the far right aisle (right as you look toward the chancel)
across the front of the church, and then strikes her pose at the left side of
the chancel steps just in front of the pulpit).
My
grandmother loved anything having to do with the royal family of England.
Certain
irony for this woman who was active in Daughters of the American Revolution
still loved the image/legacy of royalty.
She
had big books with lots of large photos of the royal family sitting on her
coffee table.
If
a British royal wedding or funeral took places, the TV was on very every moment
of its coverage.
I
suppose it had everything to do with the pageantry, the dream world where kings
and queens protect their subjects and rule with fairness and nobility.
A
royal family also gives certainty in the world of uncertainty. You know who is in charge.
As the prophets
remind us, the Israelites expected a king in the mold of King David.
Not just from the
house of David, but the next David. The next
charismatic king who would lead Israel to prominence on the world scene.
Power.
Nobility.
Royalty.
They knew the
excesses of kings both in their own experience and in watching how kings in
other countries ruled.
But they were
seduced by their dream of a king who would rule over them, protect them, execute
justice and righteousness.
Even be their
connection to God.
Not a
servant. Not a prince. Not a princess. But a king.
The king who was
in control, whose power left no uncertainty.
A king whose
commands had to be obeyed by those in the kingdom or else.
A king sent to
rule the world in splendor.
What kind of king
did they want? Royalty, no less.
Move 2: (Joe comes down the far left aisle [opposite
the aisle Leigh used], crosses the front of sanctuary, and then strikes a warrior
pose to the right of the chancel steps, in front of the pulpit).
As God’s people
looked for the one to rescue them, they wanted a king who was a might warrior.
The mighty
savior.
A king like David
who would be a leader on the battlefield.
David, the one
who killed the giant Goliath with a few smooth stones and a slingshot.
David, the one
whose name the crowds cheered as he returned victorious from battle.
Now after
generations of defeat and conquest the people wanted a king who could lead them
to victory.
The Psalmists
quite often speak of their hopes and dreams for how God would vanquish their
enemies.
When the Messiah
came, surely he would come with sword flashing.
Justice would be
delivered at the hands of the sword.
After years of
being a minority faith at the mercy of the state majority, they needed a king
to lead them back to being a world power.
Lead them in
battle.
When they dreamed
of the Messiah, they saw visions of a king sent to rescue them who came riding
into their world to defend them and defeat their enemies.
What kind of king
did they want? A warrior, no less.
Move 3: (Olympia comes down the center aisle, up
the chancel steps, and turn and kneels facing congregation from the front
center of the chancel area; she strike the pose of washing someone’s feet)
No wonder they
did not recognize Christ as the king who was coming.
The people had
waited a long time for God to send a king.
The prophets had
promised a king.
But the king they
met in Christ seemed more concerned about caring for the poor than overpowering
the authorities; he seemed more concerned with healing the sick, than
commanding people to bow down before him.
Can you imagine
the King caring so much about the poor and the needy? Concerned about women and sinners.
Kierkegaard
tells the story of a king who was in love with poor peasant girl. She did not
know him personally; he saw her from afar and wanted her for his bride.
At
first the king thought he would do what kings normally did; he would send for
her, announce his intention to marry her, she would accept and be eternally
grateful that he had rescued her from her poor village, etc.
Then
the King thought;” I do not want her to love me like that. I want a real love,
a real marriage, a real relationship. I want her to love me for me!”
So,
the king thought, in order to win his beloved’s hand, he would cover his
royalty with a beggar’s cloak and go forth to woo her.
But
then he realized that this was a ruse, a trick, and love can only be love if it
is completely honest and true. He not only had to appear to be a beggar, he had
to really be a beggar.
American
writer Phillip Yancey summarizes the conclusion of Kierkegaard’s parable like
this:
The king, convinced that he could not elevate the maiden without
crushing her freedom, resolved to DESCEND. He clothed himself as a beggar and
approached her cottage incognito, with a worn cloak fluttering loosely about
him. It was no mere disguise, but a new identity he took on. He renounced the
throne to win her hand. (Disappointment with God, 1988, p.110
Christ
turned that definition of what a king was upside down. Christ came to serve and to teach his
followers to do the same.
In fact, in the
gospel of John one of the final images we have of Christ before his death is
Christ on the last night stooping to wash his disciples’ feet.
Not just washing
their feet, but redefining what it means to be in relationship with one another
and with God.
Modeling what it
means to serve others.
The people wanted
a royal king; God sent a servant to wash their feet.
Move 4: (Doug comes down the center aisle and goes
around Olympia so that he is standing a few feet behind her in the chancel
area, striking a crucifixion pose). The
panoramic view then is royal person on one side, Christ kneeling with Christ crucified behind her in the
center, warrior on the other side).
The people have
long awaited the Messiah, the mighty savior, the great warrior who would
execute justice swiftly on the enemies of God’s people.
For generations,
God’s people had to suffer at the hands of others in the hope of the one who
was coming who would reverse things, make things right.
So what was
Christ, the mighty warrior they had hoped for doing talking about being handed
over to the authorities and submitting to their ways?
Christ talked in
riddles, but his actions were riddles as well.
Where was the
justice coming swiftly like a sword?
The people
clamored for a king who would execute justice – execute justice by destroying the
enemies of God’s people; by overthrowing the unjust Roman state.
But Christ defined
justice differently.
Justice, it turns
out, was not destroying enemies.
Justice it turns
out was not punishing the sinners.
Justice meant
reconciling the world to God.
Justice was showing
forth God’s mercy and grace.
Justice was about
righteousness, right relationship with God and one another; right relationship
that could not be coerced, but brought about by loving one’s neighbors and one’s
enemies.
Righteousness was
showing concern for the poor and the needy and extending oneself to the sinner.
When the authorities
challenge Jesus, when they seek his death, Jesus does not use his powers to
eliminate those who seek to do him harm.
Instead gives
himself over to them and offers himself to save the world.
The mighty savior
goes to the cross.
Christ the king
is the Crucified Christ.
They wanted a
warrior, they got Christ on a cross.
Conclusion:
What kind of
Christ do you seek?
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