“A MOST UNUSUAL KING”
Short Reflection by Rev. Rob Catford, at Heathmont Uniting Church
10 amSunday 25th November 2012 – Christ the King
Scripture – 2 Samuel 23 : 1 – 5, John 18 : 33 – 37
The comedian Groucho Marx had a clever skit about a politician who said: So these are my firm moral convictions, but if you don’t like them, I’ve got some others! A prevailing world philosophy today seems to be that the only truth is that there is no ultimate truth in life. Politicians, celebrities, media, and even the church are so good at spin, jargon, compromise, political correctness and confusing statements that the truth gets lost and buried in the fog. As human beings we try to shape truth to our needs and desires, rather than allowing the simple truth of God to shape our longings.
This last Sunday of the church worship year before Advent is called Christ the King. Today Christians affirm the lasting spiritual and moral authority of Jesus in the world, and we anticipate the coming of Christ’s rule and kingdom for God’s creation. And we recognise that our Christian conviction of Christ as a spiritual King for his people and world, has two important foundation strands in the Bible and the faith tradition and truth that it offers to us to live by.
1. Jesus fulfilled and reshaped Jewish hopes of God’s Messiah.
Today’s reading from 2 Samuel 23 appears to be a last word and message for his people from David the ideal king of the Jewish people. The passage speaks of how God anointed and exalted David as a great leader, how his words to the people were inspired by God’s Spirit, how he ruled justly and powerfully under God, and how God promised to bless his descendents in the future. So as their nation was divided, conquered, enslaved and ruled by others, Jews hoped for a messiah like David who would restore their hopes and fortunes. By the time of Jesus, most Jews hoped for the coming of a powerful political military messiah to set them free from Roman oppression. In the gospels Jesus seems to have believed that he is the promised messiah. But he kept his identity quiet and hidden, while he taught the disciples a radical new idea that he would save others by humble love and service, suffering and death, just like the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. His kingdom of peace and justice would be established by love and non violence, not by force and armies.
2. Jesus claimed to be a different kind of Messiah–King.
In today’s gospel reading from John 18, Jesus is on trial before Pilate the Roman governor, charged with being king of the Jews, and therefore as a seditious revolutionary against the Roman power and occupation. Pilate questions him directly whether he is a king, and the king of the Jews. But Jesus avoids the question, and does not claim or admit to being the messiah king. Jesus says clearly that his kingdom is not from the worldly political kind for his followers to fight for. And he publicly claims he has come to bear witness to the truth, God’s truth, by his life and deeds of love. As Christians who claim to love and follow Jesus, this fact about Jesus must shape our faith and attitudes, our words and actions in our personal and church life. Faith and trust in Jesus’ loving God, humility, service, suffering, sacrifice, respect and compassion for others are the things that really show we are his.
So this day of Christ the King has very clear important implications for the way we accept Jesus as Lord of our lives by our personal love and understanding of him. It also challenges our attitudes and actions of love to others in relationships of daily living. As Christians we have a most unusual king. He has no crown or royal regalia to impress. He has no throne or orb and sceptre to signify his power. He has no palace or estates to leave behind. He has no armed forces to back him, but calls us to non violence and peace. He promises those who follow him not riches and wealth, but persecution and suffering for doing right. He offers us not rules and laws for every life situation. But he gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us how to live out his truth of loving God and loving our neighbours in life. And as we obey, he promises us glimpses of his kingdom breaking in, as we look for its full coming in the God’s future.