Day 1110 - Merry Christmas to the World

When we sit through the Christmas Eve service and listen to the lessons, hopefully we are wrapped in the moment of joy and anticipation of the coming morning. Children are singing, carols are sung, old friends seen once a year nod at one another, the lights are dimmed and candles shared as we go into the night singing "Silent Night."

I have a weakness that shows on Christmas morning. I go into my study and sort through my iTunes library until I come to Handel’s Messiah sung by the Academy of St, Martin in the Fields & Sir Neville Marriner. Many younger people may not appreciate this old musical work.

I have four choruses that I play on Christmas morning. I turn my volume to maximum, counting on the speakers to give me precise response to the low and high frequencies of the instrumental and vocal parts.

The four choruses I play, in order, are “For Unto Us a Child Is Born,” “Behold the Lamb of God,” “And the Glory of The Lord,” ending with the floor-shaking “Worthy is The Lamb.” (I guess perhaps I’m motivated a little in this by Janis Joplin’s plan to use the band “Full Tilt Boogie” as her powerhouse backing band – I try to ignore the tragic irony in the fate of the collaboration’s short-lived existence during Janis’ concluding, losing struggle against the demons of the world.)

One might wonder why I choose Worthy is The Lamb, if my reference to Janius Joplin didn't give it away. "Worthy is the Lamb" can be sort of a “downer” in this joyous time.

We become so enthralled with Christmas, the gifts. Perhaps for me it is seeing family that have flown the nest, hoping to see all the grandchildren, nephews and nieces, brothers and sisters, them all. Family means a lot, doesn't it?

This gathering of families seems a subtle and pointed reminder of the meaning of Christmas. You see to me, Christmas is not the Christian holiday, rather it is Easter.

Hence, you can see why I chose “Worthy is the Lamb” as the last piece. It recalls John 1: 5-14. He came into a world of His own making, yet the world did not know him and His people rejected him. A new ethical standard broke into the world that day, the ethic of humility that defies and defeats the power of death.

Christmas is a celebration of birth, yet at its core it is not the celebration of Christ’s birth, but our rebirth. Christmas points to Easter that is the only Christian Holiday for God's family.

Consider the way we place Easter and Christmas in our yearly timekeeping. Easter actually points to Christmas. As they say in French, Easter is our raison d'être.

Christmas points towards the new life of Easter people.

So, Janis, Let's forget the color TV and Mercedes Benz. I hope you finally found true peace. 

Merry Christmas to all!

Day 1095 - What does it mean to be "All In?"

A bible study on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 at Second Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, TN.

Reading: Mark 12:28-44

Mark 12: 28  One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?”  29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;  30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  32  Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’;  33 and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

Jesus quotes the Shema, the Jewish monotheistic declaration found in every synagogue. See Deut. 4:5-8, 6:4-9, for examples.

The power of this commandment lies in the words of Moses, Deut. 4:32-40. Moses asks Israel if anyone has ever seen in anything the equal power of God as when he created us, when he freed them from Egypt, when he made a covenant never to destroy or abandon them. Jesus cites the Shema as the first commandment and it stirs up in every penitent Jew these images of creation, of deliverance, of an everlasting covenant with the Creator. The Shema represents the solid rock foundation of personal and corporate relationship between Israel and our Creator.

Luke presents an interesting take on this event in Luke 10:25-37. Jesus ends this interchange with a parable about who is one’s neighbor, the parable of the Good Samaritan that pointedly defined our neighbor is everyone.

In the Law, The teaching on who is one’s neighbor implicitly means another Jewish person, Ex. 22:26; Lev. 19:9,13,15, 17(especially); Deut. 5:21; Deut. 15:9-11. Until this interchange with Jesus the latter passage (Deuteronomy 15:9-11)  comes closest to defining ”neighbor” as anyone by its admonition to provide for the poor and neighbor among Israel.

Consider that these first few verses in our reading on the greater two commandments actually address the question, “What does it mean to be “All In?” In a nutshell Jesus is endorses and distills the Law into two principles that connect love of God, love of self and love of neighbor. Jesus says that the ultimate objective of righteousness is to honor the God who created us and loves us. The penultimate objective of righteousness is to love one’s neighbor, who is anyone who lives among us whether alien, or Jew, the way God loves us and we love our self.

       Verse 34 looms large in this gospel, “After this no one dared ask him any question.” Jesus has achieved by implication of these words another cutting condemnation of the priests and Temple leaders who are more preoccupied with self-aggrandizement than leading the people in honoring God. Since Jesus is the son of God, he also is pointing out their plotting against him is violating the first and greatest commandment. Over the last several confrontations (for example, the Tradition of the Elders,” tribute to Caesar, etc.), he has repeatedly backed the religious leaders into a corner where they must see the error of their ways in the light of the Law and repent honoring Jesus, or defend their worldly attachment to status and wealth. The only other way out of this dilemma for them is to eliminate Jesus.

       Now Jesus begins to address his divine identity:

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David?  36 David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared,

            ‘The Lord said to my Lord,

            “Sit at my right hand,

                        until I put your enemies under your feet.”’

37 David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

This passage is a very subtle move by Jesus. He states that the Messiah is from God not David as common Jewish understanding expects, but he does it without clearly saying in those words. The logic is flawless, if Jesus is the son of David, then how can he be his Lord? If Jesus is the Messiah then he is not a son of David but of God. Jesus again has turned the scribes against them selves by using their answer to declare he is the Messiah, the Son of God, though not once in this interchange does he actually say it in these words.

He has faced the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and priests multiple times in since he entered Jerusalem, on each instance turning their words against them. Now again he uses extremely powerful but obtuse and ironic comments that force them to acknowledge who he is or back down. For example, referring to verse 36, who does Jesus imply are his enemies that he will put under his feet? It appears the crowd gets the point (v 37.)

38 As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets!  40 They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

Throughout his ministry Jesus has criticized the religious leaders’ interpretation of righteous behavior. In fact, he has actually said that their behavior (e.g., tradition of the elders) drives people away. They have become stumbling blocks.

Here he repeats his diatribe against the religious priesthood calling them out as complete hypocrites. Do you recall earlier he referred to their teachings as the ”tradition of the elders” (Mark 7:9-13)?

In Mosaic Law, the priests were set aside for duty of worship and used portions of the sacrifices of the people for sustenance by order of the Lord’s command. (Lev. 25:32-33, Deut. 14:29, 18:8, Numbers 18:23-24, 30; Numbers 31, Numbers 35). Now the priests have become wealthy from these gifts of the people. Their focus has become one of ensuring their own wellbeing from income to the Temple, not proper worship. This is the ultimate insult to the Lord and the greatest commandment. The people the Lord has set aside to help and guide the people to honor and worship God have become their oppressors.

And them, what does Jesus do? He sits down and watches the rich people of the crowd returning an offering to the Lord that is a small part of their wealth that is, by the way, the things of Caesar:

41   He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.  42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.  43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.  44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Do we read this well known passage understanding it for what it is describes? This woman has defined what being “all in” truly means. She has defined what loving the Lord with all one’s heart, soul, body and strength means. she has given the Lord everything and her death is the consequence.

Reflection

This visual image of a poor woman putting into the offering her entire fortune is poignant to the point of tears. The consequence of her act leaves her nothing for sustenance, but  leads to of her death unless her neighbors provide aid to her. She has gone “all in” with her love of God giving true meaning to the words of Mark 12:29-30. The irony of the priests taking this money, the irony of the wealthy giving small portions of their wealth by negative example give meaning to the second commandment, Mark 12:31.

I am reminded in this passage of the current outcry by some in our American society to bar persecuted immigrants from our country out of xenophobia, or fear of strangers. This is where the value of Luke comes to play in this exchange between Jesus and the lawyer, Jesus follows the question of who is my neighbor? by the parable of the good Samaritan who ignored the potential of personal danger to aid someone in distress.

In closing, it is worthwhile to remember that Mark is a master of irony. Mark frequently presents the message of Jesus using a subtle image that conflicts with normal expectation.

Who would face death by starvation, giving every last cent to the Lord? The only one who does this is one whose faith holds that they gain life from and owe all to the greatest Benefactor.  

Does this image of the widow going “all in” remind you of what the Lord has done by sending his son to us? Does it remind you how much Jesus is “all in” in the Love of God for humanity during this last week of his human life? Does it remind us of  living water given to us freely?

Day 1091 - Are you ready?

OT Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

Epistle Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

Before my reflection, a little background may help appreciate the Malachi reading.  For most Christians, Malachi is the short, last book of our Old Testament. By its place we assume all its talk of the messenger of God and the Day of the Lord is a prophesy of Christ’s coming.

Actually Malachi is part of the Hebrew Bible and it does not fall at the end of the Jewish Old Testament (1,2 Chronicles do). Malachi is part of a group of 11 other books called the “Book of the Twelve” that reflect on proper worship and an apocalyptic reflection on the Day of the Lord.

Sometime in the first two hundred years of Christianity, the leaders of the Christian church reordered the scrolls of the Hebrew Bible and placed Malachi at the very end, probably to have its language point us towards Christ.

We don’t know who wrote Malachi, but are reasonably confident it was written after the Jews returned from exile in Persia to Jerusalem. Malachi addresses a problem of social and priestly misconduct in worship of God in an era when there should be joy, hope and proper worship in the rebuilt Temple after the return from Persian captivity. Rather than bringing the first and best of lambs, signifying the great gifts of God, people brought crippled, ill animals or animals taken in battle, for example. Worship had become something other than what scripture required. Malachi looked towards an accounting of this misconduct and necessary purification of the priesthood so the Jews can recover proper worship.

Are you ready?

Are you getting ready for Christmas Day after two more Sundays of advent?

The truth be told, there may be as many people who hope it gets here and over with as there are who hope Christmas day gets here soon and stays a while.

Are you ready for the holidays with the parties and festivities, the Christmas Eve service, gift shopping, football playoffs and bowl games? Perhaps we should do a self-check to verify our attitude about the arrival of Christmas?”

The Christmas season bowl games might be a big deal for you.  Maybe your college team is playing for a shot at the national championship? Or, maybe your favorite NFL team just needs 1 more win to guarantee a spot in the playoffs? 

Maybe bowl games are a different big deal. You can only think, “Oh no!  I’m going to lose my spouse or kids to the TV every weekend and for many of the days between now until after Christmas again. I hope their favorite teams will lose, then maybe I’ll get some attention and help.”

Maybe the parties and festivities are a big deal? You can’t wait for the annual office Christmas party where everyone brings their special sweets and has a great time. You hope the boss’s wife brings her prized date-nut fruitcake and can’t wait to see what gifts the management staff bought for us all.

Or maybe you dread the parties and festivities such as that annual party at the boss’ home that you have to attend to stay on his good side and to let the folks who work for you know you care about them, even that slacker in the shop who always corners you at the party wondering why you didn’t give him a bigger raise for all his good work. You dread seeing the boss all smiles and glad handing when you say hello, even though he mad as a hornet at you because you didn’t fire the slacker in the shop. You wonder how can he toss a Christmas party after he fired that foreman last summer with no reason but spite?

Perhaps the gift giving and cards sour Christmas for you. You may worry you’ll forget to send a card to someone who sent you one last year. You dread fighting the shopping crowd trying to find gifts for family and friends who are so hard to shop for they usually return the gift anyway.

Just maybe you find Christmas in a good place. You can’t wait for Christmas. The build up over advent is so enjoyable and you are so thankful be here in worship with your friends. You hope they sing your favorite carols and that everybody comes to the Christmas Eve service!

Maybe you react with a tinge of regret the way I often do, “It seems every year distractions so preoccupy me all the time before Christmas and suddenly it is here and I have never slowed down to enjoy the waiting. I always say, next year it will be different.”

My guess is we all fit into one or more of those scenarios at one time or another. But regardless of where we find our self, we all know how we are supposed to act…Don’t we?

Christmas celebrates the time 2,000 years ago when Jesus came. In his own words, he invited us to join him to proclaim the good news to the poor, release of the captives and sight for the blind. Advent reminds us of Malachi’s ancient world waiting for purification on the Day of the Lord. Advent is also a time to acknowledge we are waiting for the day of his return after his ascension.

My rambling about our attitudes on Christmas may actually connect to these passages in Malachi and Philippians.

Perhaps Malachi’s concern for purification of the derelict priests conducting misguided worship relates to our fancy Christmas parties, worrying about one-upmanship on whose Christmas card list is longer, and why some people can only make it to church on the special times. Such things don’t seem to fit into proper, righteous worship.

Malachi’s unsettling apocalyptic question is a statement about how we prepare for Christmas, “(W)ho can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?”

Are we sure we are ready for Christmas? Are we ready for Jesus to come (again)?

Reading this Malachi passage in advent season reminds me of the old lead-in to Monday Night Football on TV, “Are you read to play football?!!”

If you loved your NFL football those words signified a celebration waiting for the action on the field, being hopeful your team will win…

If you think a little bit more about Monday Night Football, you realize that question stirs up mixed emotions in different people. Anxiety and dread might get stirred up, especially in the players – or folks betting on the game. 

For players Monday Night Football (now also Sunday and Thursday night) is a singular time in the pressure cooker before a national TV audience when every accomplishment and shortcoming that a player makes is exposed for all to see. No one wants to be the object of scorn over coffee Tuesday morning.

Towards the end of the season one team with no chance of salvaging a good season worries of an embarrassing rout facing a powerhouse or how to find the will and way to rout them. Some times two teams on the edge of getting in the playoffs play for that one more win to sew it up.

 “Are you read to play football?!!” causes sweating and worry about whether they can pass the endurance test and do their job well for players in that kind of jam. If there is any celebration for them, it likely is back at home after the win.

Malachi’s question is, ”Are you ready for the messenger who proclaims the Day of the Lord? ” That question implies an expected judgment of one’s righteousness in worship and need for purification.

Does it do that for us in advent? Are you ready for the coming of the messenger of the Day of the Lord that shines a bright light on all your weaknesses? Will you need to be purified as silver is by fire, or cloth by Fuller’s soap? (If you don’t know it, you must burn wood/charcoal with silver or copper to remove the oxide impurities and make the metal lustrous, malleable and valuable, and Fuller’s soap made from adsorbent clay extracts all the filth, discoloration and nastiness you find in freshly shaved wool from an animal that lives in the field.)

For a Christian, purification is not a consequence of judgment. Jesus proclaims salvation for all who have faith. He judges only those who have no faith.

John Calvin says the faithful are “justified.”  In legal words, like Abraham we are reckoned righteous by our faith. Being justified means the charges against us are dropped before there is an indictment or judgment. Faith puts us beyond judgment.

Recall that Jesus said the Lord is the God of the living. 

But faith isn’t a free ride rather it is a changed life. Our changed life is a living effort to turn away, or repent from our sinful ways. John Calvin describes the process of a Christian living and working to be a more holy person, as “becoming sanctified.” Becoming sanctified is a ceaseless life-long task of loving God and neighbor.

Paul talks about building holiness with the Philippians by proclaiming the good news with endurance. Paul says (v 3-6), “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.  I am confident that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. (Day of the Lord)

Paul, the master of encouragement gives them more credit (probably) than they deserve because he knows and holds his congregation in high regard. He says, “I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day when Christ returns you may be pure and blameless. You will have produced the harvest of righteousness that comes by your journey in the world striving to walk as Jesus Christ did, all for the glory and praise of God.”

The bottom line for people of Christian faith is that our commitment places us on the side of holiness. Paul’s words are not faint praise but hope and joy. Wouldn’t you feel uplifted if some one described you with those words and feel emboldened to hope for that day of the Lord’s coming, knowing you having lived your life filled with Christian compassion?

Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians early in his ministry but his words are as appropriate then as now, whether the Day of the Lord that we await happens tomorrow or in 10,000 years.

Listen to the words again, “9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

In other words, he might have said, “In the Day of the Lord you will not be found shooting up people in buildings with assault rifles, you will be found proclaiming the good news to the least of his people, loving the least as the greatest.

So, the connection between the question that launched Monday Night Football, and my question, “Are you ready for Christmas?” is found in Malachi’s wondering who can endure the day of His coming and in Paul’s encouragement in the Letter to the Philippians to causes us to recognize our need for holiness and to strive to perfect it.

Regardless of whether you are feeling joy and excitement, or sad and put off in this season of Christmas, whether you have sweaty palms wondering if you will play to the best of your skills, your presence here in this congregation waiting for Christmas during advent says you are ready and striving to live the Christian life you embrace. Amen

Day 1089 - “The Good Samaritan was not living in today’s world”

A Sermon given at New Hope Presbyterian Church, Nov. 22, 2015, Chattanooga, TN.

OT reading: Psalm 93

NT Reading: John 18:33-37

This is “Christ the King Sunday.”

How often do we hear the words, “The Lord is King” or “Jesus is Lord?” What is our frequent reaction? Do we take the words somewhat complacently thinking this is a nice but dated proclamation? Or do we take the words as a serious and timeless truth about our obligation and blessing to serve The Lord?

A friend who attends another church here in town made a comment in reaction to the terrorist attack in Paris, “If a Syrian refuge came knocking at my door, I am glad to help God out by defending myself.”…Let me repeat it, "I am glad to help God out by defending myself.” 
I suspect many people feel this way to a greater or lesser degree, or have expressed a similar reaction in the heat of the moment without thinking about what it means. Certainly when we are facing the potential for violence we have to let our sense of prudence guide our steps. But think about that comment. Usually someone suggests they can "defend" God against some secular attack, seldom do we hear someone suggest they can do God's job as well as God can.  Both ideas turn the reality of God and being on its head.

This sermon is not about the God-awful tragedy that happened in Paris last week. But on the other hand it is about this idea that we don't need God to defend us. It is about the way so many people see these horrible events of violence as a challenge to their comfortable, complacent living in the world of flesh. It is a wake-up call of a different sort. Let me explain how.

From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus made it clear that he inaugurated a kingdom whose values are quite different from those of worldly powers. That makes being a Christian servant a hard decision to proclaim the good news to the poor, liberty to the captives and sight to the blind. The challenge is where do we place our loyalty? 

Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God on earth is at hand. It is a kingdom where we are encouraged to share, give of one self, go the extra mile, care for the poor, the imprisoned, the outcasts that the world ignores or abuses.

Throughout the gospels especially in this reading in John about the last day of his human life, Jesus tells us that the earthly world constantly strives to persuade us that its material things are the important stuff.  We find it hard to resist the subversive claim that the things of this world are what is important.

When Jesus says, “The kingdom of God is at hand,” he does not mean some future apocalyptic Armageddon that will befall the world. He said he is “God of the Living.” We should live the citizen life of the Kingdom of God looking forward to coming home proclaiming “Jesus is Lord.”

The fact is when we hear these words “The Lord is King” or “Jesus is Lord” the world of flesh is often whispering in our other ear, “Don’t listen to Jesus. Ego and power are what is important.” It is no wonder our reaction tends to split between complacency giving lip service to “The Lord is King”, and taking and living, the words as a serious truth.

Where do we stand in this? Is this an out-of-date passage of a simpler time that we take with a ”ho-hum” complacency? Or do you believe it is a serious message that forms the basis of our faith by contradicting every value that the world of flesh wants us to hold as dear?

To understand “The Lord is King” we really need to think a little bit about what is his kingdom is not. Paul frequently described the world of Christians as being caught in two worlds, the new Kingdom of God, and the entire world around us that forms the reality of physical existence. Paul describes as a struggle as the world of flesh is being pushed aside by the Kingdom of God.

The word, flesh, does not have some prurient meaning.  The word encompasses the entire fabric of our existence. It is our possessions, our relationships, our pride, our politics, our family, loved ones, our enemies, our oppressors and our servants. It is every iota of our experience that forms our physical reality and shapes our values.

That world is very powerful. It relentlessly desires to seduce us to its values and resists intensely the Kingdom of God that opposes to it.

The presence of Jesus (that we celebrate on 12/25) means the Kingdom of God has broken in to this world of flesh and is slowly pushing it aside. Paul described this struggle by the world of flesh against the Kingdom of God as the groaning of a woman in childbirth. He said that we live in the in-between time with a foot in each world. The events of the last several months emphasize that point.

Even the disciples, to the very end truly believed this Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed was the kingdom of material things. Jesus would be the new David. Disciples would sit at his left and right hands on a throne in the Temple and Rome would be overthrown. The disciples marched in Jerusalem in the last week of the life of Jesus debating these very points. The people in the street who shouted hosanna thought that liberation from the oppressive power of Rome was at hand.

My friend essentially said, “I’ll keep my handgun ready to defend my possessions, my wealth, my home, my life, because I’m not sure about God’s defense of my fleshly things.” The world of flesh has a strong appeal even God’s chosen. But…who will have the last say, the World or the Word?

Pilate examining Jesus says Power will have the last say. Jesus says no, revelation will have the last say. Everything about the message of Jesus challenges rational thinking. His message of revelation subverts our rational thinking. Why is it subversive?

For Paul, Ancient Rome perfectly represented the kingdom of flesh. If we want to understand the underlying message of the world that Jesus gives us. We have to understand Rome in Paul’s time was the antithesis of the message Jesus proclaimed.

Power was the most highly regarded Roman virtue. Power is the ideal ethical imperative, the perfect virtue. “I have no fear, can crush you with my fist, or my armies.” Pilate was the representative of that Roman world in Jesus’s time.

Jesus on the other hand said that the most highly regarded perfect virtue is humility. “I have no fear, I came to serve.” His humility directly challenged the virtues of Rome because in Rome, humility was the virtue of a slave.

In the last day of the life of Jesus, Pilate questions Jesus after the Sanhedrin examined him. Pilate assumes confidently that power will have the last word in this pesky affair.

The exchange went this way, Pilate summoned Jesus and asked, 33 “Are you the King of the Jews?’” 34 Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ 35 Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’

Pilate does not seem to take this matter seriously. It is another bothersome interruption in his day of ruling Jerusalem for Rome that he must resolve. His questions clearly acknowledge that this is the case.

Jesus responded, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”  Jesus in his own special way is saying that crying, death, and oppression as embodied by Rome will not have the last word.

Does this mean if Pilate or the Sanhedrin invaded the Kingdom of God, the followers of Jesus should fight? Not really.

Recall the reply to Pilate. “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” That truth is humility towards everyone. Love God the way God loves you. Love your neighbor the way God loves you. Who is my neighbor? Everyone is my neighbor, even Pilate standing before Jesus with the Power of Rome at his back.

Fight to defend the Kingdom of God? No, the Kingdom of God is not founded on physical power and strength to overwhelm people. It is founded on faith in his message of salvation through humility of a servant that will overwhelm the world of flesh.

This is why when we hear the words,” the Lord is King,” or “Jesus is Lord,” we should always ask of our self, “Do I accept it with complacency or as serious truth?” This kingdom of God is the place where the important things that sustain life are found. My life, my soul, my strength, my salvation are gifts by grace of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus and Pilate confronted the question of which Kingdom do we want? Do we want the kingdom where Grace is found in humility before God and fellow, or do we want the kingdom where Grace is found principally and fundamentally in earthly power and preoccupation with power?

The message of the Kingdom to my good friend who said he would help God out by defending himself, is that if we rely on our own strength we are lost before we begin to defend our self.

Jesus made it clear. Power does not reside in one’s ability to overwhelm, or defeat another person. Power resides in our ability to proclaim and live a life that proclaims God’s grace. God’s Grace trumps power. It trumps the world of flesh. God’s Grace trumps human judgment.

It’s normal human emotion to fear and avoid people who present threats to our lives, and prudence is a good attitude when fear and violence threaten.  But the essence of Christianity is rooted in two great commandments.

As told in the gospels the first is, ”The Lord is one. You should love the Lord with all your mind’s soul Power and strength. The second is that you should love your neighbor the way the Lord loves you.”

Yes violence and strife in other lands create fear in our own hearts that it will visit us. We impulsively seek power motivated by the world of flesh to defeat the threats to our complacent existence and all the things that world says are important to us.

But I ask you what if Jesus had succumbed to those worries of the world of flesh?  Would we celebrate our salvation with the proclamation, ”Jesus is Lord and I shall Live and love my Brother as I love God?” Would we be able to voice the words of Martin Luther King, Jr, with their true meaning, “Free at last! Thank God Almighty I am free at last!” 

The Lord is King, and Jesus is Lord of all.

AMEN