It was Hallowe’en last month and a man decided he wanted to go all out this year. So, for the party, he rented the most elaborate king’s outfit he could find. As you can imagine, the costume included a crown adorned with jewels, a long velvety cape, and scepter. When he wore the costume, he felt magnificent, like a king. And so looking like royalty, he packed up for the party: a few nibblies to share at the pot-luck, and his favourite Christian beverage. On the way, he stopped at a gas station. As he walked in to pay, the cashier stared at him, “Uh… can I help you?” The man lifted his chin proudly and declared, “Yes! I am the king, and I am thankful for your refueling my chariot. I shall also require a bottle of your finest water!” The cashier shrugged and handed him a bottle. “Will that be all, Your Majesty?” The man nodded regally. “Indeed. And for your loyal service, I grant you a royal blessing.” The cashier paused and said, “Thanks… but you might want to know that you’ve been dragging your cape in the mop bucket since you entered the store.”
This morning, we pause and ponder what kind of King Jesus is. A King adorned in precious jewels, wearing a rented costume, or another kind? In the passage that Gary read, we are reminded of the inscription placed over Jesus as he hung from the cross: “The King of the Jews”. A King? A King not sitting on a throne…A King nailed to a cross! A King not sipping the finest of wines…but being given sour wine! A King not being worshipped…but being mocked! And so, we ponder this morning what kind of King is this Jesus?
This Sunday has been explored in many iterations as we consider its positioning within the Christian year. It forms the conclusion of the entire church year. We begin fresh and new with Advent that commences next Sunday as we prepare for the birth of Jesus. We continue exploring God’s unfolding presence through Christ into the year ahead: Christmas ~ God’s birthing, Epiphany ~ God’s light arriving. The preparation for Easter through those 40 days of Lenten wilderness, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. And this Sunday is the finale of God’s narrative that we take all in.
Traditionally, this was called Christ the King just one hundred years ago by Pope Pius XI. However, as we discussed over the past few weeks, there are significant considerations around power that cause us to rethink such naming. The nature of God’s power is other-worldly. It is not just the ‘next best think over Rome’. So the name has slowly been shifting where an increasing number of communities use the term Reign of Christ. They name it this way because it frees us from imagining Jesus as the next monarch who rules with power, force, or dominance. When we imagine Jesus upon the cross, it is clear that this kind of power (if you even want to call it ‘power’) is profoundly different. The Reign of Christ points to an other-worldly kind of reign. A reign marked by justice, mercy, sacrifice, and hope.
Today’s readings place before us a startling question: If Jesus is named “The King of the Jews”, then what kind of King is Jesus Christ? Jeremiah paints the picture of failed shepherd-kings who scatter rather than gather. Shepherd-kings who feed themselves instead of feeding the people. Yet, Jeremiah prophecies that God will raise up a “righteous Branch,” a shepherd who will lead with care, a shepherd who will gather what has been lost, a shepherd who will restore justice.
Putting this together with Luke’s crucifixion narrative, the gospel writer now takes us to the cross…perhaps the most unexpected throne the world has ever seen. Imagine…a King willingly hanging upon a cross! Instead of a golden crown, Jesus wears one of thorns. Instead of a royal decree, we hear him gasping words of forgiveness. Instead of a kingdom defended by armies, we see a king refusing violence and offering loving forgiveness. So, what kind of King is Jesus Christ? Together, let us walk with Jeremiah and stand with the witnesses at cross as we listen for the answer that God gives.
The first kind of King Jesus is, is a King who gathers and unites the people. Jeremiah’s words come at a moment of deep crisis. The leaders of Judah, its shepherd-kings, have been unfaithful. They have scattered the flock, neglected justice, and forgotten the vulnerable. It is into this leadership vacuum that Jeremiah speaks of God’s anger and sadness: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” This is not simply a political criticism. It stems from a deep heartbreak. God is looking upon the suffering people and saying: these are not the leaders I intended. This is not the care my people deserve. But then comes the prophet speaking hope: “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock. I will raise a righteous Branch. He shall reign as king and deal wisely…and execute justice and righteousness.” This is God’s promise through Jeremiah. God will provide a leader who does not scatter but gathers; who does not exploit but heals; who does not dominate but shepherds. The question the people of Jeremiah’s time longed to know are the same questions we ask today. What will this look like? Who will show us the way? On this Sunday, particularly, we hear God’s answer: It looks like the Way of Jesus Christ. But the way Jesus takes the throne is not at all what we expect. The Way of Jesus is one that gathers in times of need, in times of surplus, in times of joy…God is always uniting, gathering, joining. I think that is what will happen this afternoon as we host Sweet Pan’s fundraising benefit concert for Jamaican relief efforts. We will host an opportunity for people to gather in sadness ~ finding healing after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, to gather in generosity ~ sharing in the efforts to rebuild, gathering in community. Because it takes a village, and a village is never scattered. It is always gathered. It happened earlier this week as many celebrated the National Trans Day for remembrance to ensuring the memories of transpeople are upheld and that all are included at the table. As a follower of Christ, how do you embody this element of gathering? Do your ways scatter or do they unite? Do you find ways to create community? Do you welcome the stranger? Do you gather siblings and creation as family?
An extension of that call to gather together is found in the next element we discover in Jesus’ kingship. We discover a way that deeply remembers the lost. It is quite an astonishing moment to recall the criminal beside Jesus. He is a thief; he does not offer excuses; he does not defend himself. He simply says: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Notice that he sees what others do not. He recognizes Jesus as a king, even though Jesus is broken, dying, powerless (at least) in the world’s eyes. Jesus turns to him and says the words that have comforted believers for two thousand years: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” This is the royal decree of the crucified king: You belong. You are not forgotten. Your story is part of my story. Jeremiah said the righteous king would “gather the remnant.” And Jesus’ Way teaches us to live with that grace. This is the kind of kingship Jesus teaches: To remember the forgotten, to welcome the outcast, to open the gates of paradise to those who have been told they are undeserving. This is the kind of deep experience that I witness with our many Outreach initiatives: the Shoebox ministry where we partner with SUMS, the Food Pantry, the Christmas Gift ministry (that we are just preparing to launch), and the Storehouse Ministry. This past Friday, a number of folks prepared a meal for 70 or so people at Storehouse. People were: hungry for food, for community, for love. To hand someone a meal and say “bless you, enjoy” To sit together at table and say “tell me your story”. It is life changing for both parties. It’s a time when we gain insight into this dimension of Jesus’ kingship. A kingship that remembers all as siblings and welcomes them into deep hospitality. Today’s world has a growing tendency to live in silos…separated. How many new friends do we make in a year? What if we made it our intention as followers of Jesus to make new friends each year? I’m guessing that even within our own congregation there are others around you that you don’t yet know. What if, in addition to loving our friends, we also honoured the others around us?
And aside from gathering together and remembering the lost, the final element for us to ponder is a King whose way offers loving forgiveness. We recall Jesus’ words from the cross-throne “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” This is the most profound royal decree of the crucified king. Most kings punish…Jesus loves. Most kings retaliate…Jesus forgives. Most kings secure power through fear and domination…Jesus teaches the way of loving forgiveness. Unto the very end. What kind of king exchanges forgiveness for domination and power? It is a King whose ways will transform the world.
When we put these elements of Jesus’ Kingship together, then the Reign of Christ Sunday is not only about who Jesus is, but it is ALSO about who we are called to become. If Christ is this kind of king…then as his followers we must also reflect this kind of kin-dom. If Jesus lovingly forgives, then we must strive to enact that in our ways. If Jesus gathers people into a new community, then we must strive to enact these effort of community building. If Jesus remembers the lost, then we too must remember those who our world assigns no value. This is the new Kin-dom that Jesus seeks to birth. And it will not be borne without our following of him. What kind of King is Jesus Christ? And what kind of King do you follow?
Amen.