Pentecost 27 year C 10 Sermon
Title slide
‘Christ the King?’ you can just hear the scoffers asking
What crazy ideas of royalty these Christians have...
What crazy ideas of royalty these Christians have...
These followers of... this Jesus hanging up there…
on a cross...humiliated...ridiculed...bruised...bleeding... dying... dead...
on a cross...humiliated...ridiculed...bruised...bleeding... dying... dead...
Christ the King?
Why he’s helpless to stop his own execution...
his subjects...are so weak and so few…
there’s no one to fight the authorities on his behalf
Why he’s helpless to stop his own execution...
his subjects...are so weak and so few…
there’s no one to fight the authorities on his behalf
Jesus slide
What sort of insanity...
keeps these people faithful to him…
when they can see with their own eyes…
he has no power at all.
And isn’t that the point of being a king…power?
keeps these people faithful to him…
when they can see with their own eyes…
he has no power at all.
And isn’t that the point of being a king…power?
Kings are in complete control,
have absolute authority…command armies and obedience
have absolute authority…command armies and obedience
…and get to punish anyone who refuses to submit?
Kings have vast empires, palaces, wealth…and power to rule over people… that’s what Kings have!
If they think Jesus is a king these Christian’s don’t understand power at all. [pause]
Kings have vast empires, palaces, wealth…and power to rule over people… that’s what Kings have!
If they think Jesus is a king these Christian’s don’t understand power at all. [pause]
And yet today two thousand years later…
we observe Christ the King Sunday...
the last Sunday in the Church year...
a day to celebrate Christ’s rule and reign
over all things in heaven and on earth… a day to rejoice in the victory of God…in Jesus...over the powers of darkness...
we observe Christ the King Sunday...
the last Sunday in the Church year...
a day to celebrate Christ’s rule and reign
over all things in heaven and on earth… a day to rejoice in the victory of God…in Jesus...over the powers of darkness...
Are we crazy...to proclaim for all to hear…that in Jesus…
the kingdom of God has arrived...when the same forces
that took Jesus to the Cross…are still at work in us and in our community and in the world…the same abuses of personal…religious… political and economic power?
the kingdom of God has arrived...when the same forces
that took Jesus to the Cross…are still at work in us and in our community and in the world…the same abuses of personal…religious… political and economic power?
Are we foolish to believe that in Jesus...
the very power of the creator of the universe
is revealed and established...right here…
in our human dimension…of time and space? [Pause]
the very power of the creator of the universe
is revealed and established...right here…
in our human dimension…of time and space? [Pause]
Well…I for one…don’t think we’re crazy...to call him King as they did…after all it was the highest human rank they knew…
But I also believe that what Jesus meant
when he spoke about authority and kingdom and power...
was mysteriously and utterly different...
But I also believe that what Jesus meant
when he spoke about authority and kingdom and power...
was mysteriously and utterly different...
sign slide
from those who are laughing and sneering at Jesus…
as he dies on the Cross with its sign…Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews. [pause]
as he dies on the Cross with its sign…Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews. [pause]
In the book Parables of the kingdom...author Robert Capon[i] notes... if there were one single overarching theme in scripture ‘it’s the mystery of the kingdom of God...not someplace else called heaven...and not some divine being at a distance …called God
but this place... right here...right now
with the Spirit of God mysteriously involved in it...
working in it…to reconcile all creation…to itself and to him.
with the Spirit of God mysteriously involved in it...
working in it…to reconcile all creation…to itself and to him.
But human beings have some strange ideas about how God uses power...to accomplish his purposes
Some insist on an omnipotent God...
with the power to control and to zap and to manipulate the universe to achieve anything God wants …
any time God wants...
But then they’re faced with a tonne of questions…
Like…‘why is God taking so long to complete the project?
Why doesn’t God use some direct power…some force…
just knock some heads together…
put all the baddies under a large flat rock...
and get on with the job of reconciling with everyone else?’
put all the baddies under a large flat rock...
and get on with the job of reconciling with everyone else?’
But when we read the Bible carefully...
we discover there’s no incidence since Noah...
we discover there’s no incidence since Noah...
when God’s seemed to be the least bit interested
in using direct power...to fix up the world.
in using direct power...to fix up the world.
What do I mean by direct power?
Well that’s something you and I use every day…isn’t it?
Well that’s something you and I use every day…isn’t it?
Direct power is mechanical power... mechanical force...
cup slide
cup slide
this morning at breakfast for example… you probably used direct power to lift your coffee cup…or your cereal spoon.
And the cup simply didn’t have a say in it...
you used the power at your disposal…to lift it up...
Every day…
we use this kind of power to mow the grass or put out the cat.
And the cup simply didn’t have a say in it...
you used the power at your disposal…to lift it up...
Every day…
we use this kind of power to mow the grass or put out the cat.
Direct power’s responsible for almost everything that happens
our human dimension of time and space.
And one of the advantages of direct power...
is it gets results…in so many different situations!
From taking out a splinter with tweezers...[pause]
to taking out your enemy... with a hand grenade.
And one of the advantages of direct power...
is it gets results…in so many different situations!
From taking out a splinter with tweezers...[pause]
to taking out your enemy... with a hand grenade.
And right there you can see one of the incredible dis-advantages of direct power… particularly when you believe
the purpose of life... is to maintain loving relationships
with other people and with God. [pause]
the purpose of life... is to maintain loving relationships
with other people and with God. [pause]
Car slide
Oh, sure direct power can be legitimate…like when you drag your seven year old out of the way of a moving car…but just try to drag her away from her plans for that rock concert in Auckland...when she’s eighteen...
Direct power can have great disadvantages
in loving relationships…
in loving relationships…
Daughter slide
let’s say one night after midnight
…your daughter sneaks out of the house without permission. When you find out you get really steamed and try to scare her out of doing it again...by shaming and yelling and taking away privileges.
But she does it again...and again and again and again...
But she does it again...and again and again and again...
What do you do next...
well if you’re the sort of parent committed to direct power then when you’ve lost your voice and there are no more privileges to take away...
your final option is to beat her till you’re exhausted...
and lock her in her room… handcuffed to the bed...[pause]
well if you’re the sort of parent committed to direct power then when you’ve lost your voice and there are no more privileges to take away...
your final option is to beat her till you’re exhausted...
and lock her in her room… handcuffed to the bed...[pause]
Lock slide
I hope you can see the logic…
of why direct power is ultimately limited in loving relationships ... I hope you can see…
that very early on in all this... your relationship with your daughter would be completely destroyed...
unless…at some point in the proceedings…you simply refuse
of why direct power is ultimately limited in loving relationships ... I hope you can see…
that very early on in all this... your relationship with your daughter would be completely destroyed...
unless…at some point in the proceedings…you simply refuse
to use the direct power you have at your disposal. And instead of inflicting pain and punishment on your daughter...
you make yourself vulnerable...and take onto your self...
all her sneering disrespect…her haughty eyes…
and angry fists.
you make yourself vulnerable...and take onto your self...
all her sneering disrespect…her haughty eyes…
and angry fists.
Is that really some kind of power?
Yes…but it’s the opposite of direct power…
and Christians… from Martin Luther to
Martin Luther King have used it…
and Christians… from Martin Luther to
Martin Luther King have used it…
Just look at your right hand for a moment...
make a tight fist...
You can see that right handed power
certainly looks strong and in control...
make a tight fist...
You can see that right handed power
certainly looks strong and in control...
Now take your left hand...and hold it out like this
in a gesture of welcome or support...
you might think your left handed power looks weak …
and it’s hard to tell if you’re intervening or not…
in a gesture of welcome or support...
you might think your left handed power looks weak …
and it’s hard to tell if you’re intervening or not…
and you certainly can’t guarantee that your left handed power’s going to stop evil-doers in there tracks.
The only thing left handed power does guarantee... [pause]
The only thing left handed power does guarantee... [pause]
is that after you’ve been rejected and battered
and hung out to dry… or to die...
and hung out to dry… or to die...
you won’t have shut the door on your relationship.
And that’s the difference between what we call
right handed power and left handed power.
right handed power and left handed power.
And if you don’t think leaving the door open to reconciliation has any power…
Jesus slide
Then turn your eyes to the cross of Christ...
and see…just how powerful left handed power is
so powerful...it’s the only thing in the world...
evil can’t touch. [pause]
so powerful...it’s the only thing in the world...
evil can’t touch. [pause]
Jesus died forgiving…not fighting…and in this powerful act…God wedges open the door…
between himself and the world and says...
‘just try to make me lock you out!’ [pause]
between himself and the world and says...
‘just try to make me lock you out!’ [pause]
In the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry...
Jesus was tempted to use direct interventionist power...
to accomplish his mission ushering in the Kingdom of God one earth…and he refused.
Jesus was tempted to use direct interventionist power...
to accomplish his mission ushering in the Kingdom of God one earth…and he refused.
And Jesus’ disciples expected he’d use force
to overthrow the Roman’s…and restore Jerusalem...
and the throne of David to the Jews. But he refused.
to overthrow the Roman’s…and restore Jerusalem...
and the throne of David to the Jews. But he refused.
In fact Jesus warns his followers to keep quiet about it
when he uses direct power... feeding the crowd…
calming the storm...healing the demoniac.
From the beginning of his ministry
Jesus seems to realise…the world won’t be saved…
by these right handed miraculous acts...
when he uses direct power... feeding the crowd…
calming the storm...healing the demoniac.
From the beginning of his ministry
Jesus seems to realise…the world won’t be saved…
by these right handed miraculous acts...
He understands…the kind of power that will save the world …is a deeper more powerful…left handed power….
a mystery…at the centre of which would be his own death.
a mystery…at the centre of which would be his own death.
What would save the world...what would saves us...is Jesus...
When we make a decision…
to take up our cross and follow him...
we commit ourselves to left handed power in our relationships…the way he used power…
and he is the way the truth and the life…
and rationally and logically Jesus’ way
is the only way…
to take up our cross and follow him...
we commit ourselves to left handed power in our relationships…the way he used power…
and he is the way the truth and the life…
and rationally and logically Jesus’ way
is the only way…
our relationships and our planet will survive…
If Christ is to truly reign in our hearts…
we must understand this dynamic…
we must understand this dynamic…
For in Jesus…as Paul wrote to the Colossians
Slide words
God rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
in whom we have redemption… the forgiveness of sins....
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
and through him to reconcile all things to himself,
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by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. [pause]
So what will it be…my friends…results or relationships…
control or compassion…might or mercy…
who’s way will we choose?
I pray we’ll choose the way of Jesus’.
who’s way will we choose?
I pray we’ll choose the way of Jesus’.
