On the 6th of May next year, Charles the third will be crowned King. He will be 74 Years old. Being the oldest son of Queen Elizabeth, he has been waiting for some time to be King and given his age his reign is likely to be relatively short – especially in contrast to his mother! He will be King of England, the United Kingdom, and the Commonwealth. He was born and lives in a palace surrounded with the best comforts and luxury.
Around 2000 years ago Jesus was crowned King of the Jews. Instead of a crown of jewels, his was a crown of thorns. Instead of pomp and ceremony and fine robes, he was stripped and whipped at his coronation and hung on a cross to die. He was born in a stable and died a criminal’s death.
Some would say his reign was very short and yet…
Today is Christ the King Sunday in the liturgical church calendar, the week before Advent. Advent is the beginning of the Church year, when we look with hope to the coming of the Messiah. On this the last Sunday in the Church year we celebrate Jesus, as the King of Kings, the exalted one. Jesus whose reign will never end, who is above all earthly Kings and who reigns with justice, mercy, and grace. Who lived a humble life on earth. Jesus the good shepherd and servant King.
Jesus’ earthly life may have been short lived, but he is the Lord of all creation, the Alpha, and the Omega…he was there at the beginning and will be there at the end. Jesus is not a King in the political sense (even though Pilate had the notice ‘King of the Jews’ put on his cross), he is King of all, He is God. He is a perfect ruler who invites everyone, not just Jews, to listen to his voice, and he calls us to follow him, to love, serve and glorify him.
Is Jesus King of your life?
He is a King we can trust. Not like the Kings Jeremiah was referring to… “the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord.
While actual shepherds were among the poor and lowly in ancient Near Eastern Societies, “shepherd” was also a term used to refer to kings and prophets. It is kings, – specifically the kings of Judah – who are the subjects of God’s wrath and judgement in Jeremiah 23. You just need to read Kings 1 and 2 to see how many kings did “evil” in the sight of the Lord! There was the occasional good king, but they would be followed by one who followed other gods and set up idols to worship. Kings who led their people astray, instead of guiding them with justice and truth. The kings were selfish and greedy and turned away from God.
Without pointing to any specific leaders in our world today, we can quickly think of kings and presidents and prime ministers who would fit the category of the ‘evil’ kings in Jeremiah’s day. They are not good shepherds; they do not lead with wisdom and justice, compassion, and love. They cause harm and wars; people live in fear rather than safety.
Shepherds are responsible for protecting and providing sustenance for their flocks, defending them against attackers, searching for lost sheep who have gone astray, and rescuing those in danger. The shepherd, and by analogy the king, is expected to act for the well-being of the sheep…
And yet, the kings in Jeremiah’s time were not doing this, there was injustice, inequality, and oppression. So, the Lord says he will gather his sheep and he will care for them. These words from the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah, point to the good shepherd, the King, that the Lord will provide.
5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David[a] a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
Jesus is our righteous Saviour. The Lord of all who humbled himself to come to earth and be born as one of us, a vulnerable baby, to live a perfect life, to be our good shepherd who, as described in John chapter 10, laid down his life for his sheep, that we may be saved for all eternity.
His humble, sacrificial actions are in such contrast with most earthly kings and leaders.
As the shepherd sent to rescue the lost sheep, Jesus did this in his death and resurrection.
In our reading from Luke today we read of the crucifixion. How Jesus died a criminal’s death. Pilate had found no basis to charge him, but he caved in to the pressure from the crowd who called for his death.
Pilate ordered the sign “This is the King of the Jews” to be placed over his cross, and I think Pilate recognized some truth there. Jesus did not deny it. But others saw the sign as mockery.
The people and rulers sneered at him hanging on the cross. “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen one.”
Jesus asks his heavenly Father to forgive his murderers and mockers “for they know not what they do”.
There were two criminals hanging either side of Jesus and one joined in hurling insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah, save yourself and us!”
In the gospel of Luke alone we read that the criminal hanging on the other side of Jesus did not join in with the insults. This man recognized Jesus as the rightful King and because of that he was indeed saved.
It is a remarkable story depicting Jesus as King and Saviour.
What made this criminal realize the truth about Jesus? We don’t know, but he knew that while he and the other man were getting what they deserved, Jesus was innocent. But he didn’t just recognize his innocence…he recognized Jesus’ divinity and his royalty. That is why he say’s; “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom”. He knows that even death cannot prevent Jesus, the Son of God, from coming into his kingdom.
This criminal knows Jesus by name. He doesn’t just call him rabbi or teacher, he calls him by his name Jesus or Yeshua, the meaning of which is “The Lord Saves”. He bears witness to the identity of Jesus as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
And what is Jesus’ response? In the midst of his suffering, Jesus saves this man and promises that “today you will be with me in paradise.” While hanging on the cross, Jesus exercises his dominion, his authority in the heavenly realms.
And when Jesus dies and rises 3 days later, he provides a way for all to be saved. For those of us who turn to him, like the man on the cross beside him, acknowledging our own sin and asking for his saving grace; Jesus says yes, I forgive you… see you in paradise!
It’s an upside down, amazing picture of Kingship, isn’t it? No Buckingham Palace or White House or Lodge or Kirribilli house for Jesus, who we will soon be remembering as being born in a barn with the smelly animals. Whose crown was made of painful thorns.
And yet He was and is King. Not just of the Jews, but he is King of all creation.
He was so humble, and I am so humbled every time I reflect on this. In Colossians 1 we read that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities…”and yet God sent him to earth to take on human form, to suffer, to be stripped of dignity, to die on a cross…for our salvation. His Kingship is one of serving, and suffering.
This is Jesus the King! While on earth he showed glimpses of his might and power and glory as he turned water into wine, healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, was transfigured on the mountaintop with Moses and Elijah beside him…but mainly he walked humbly in his sandals, preaching and teaching and loving and turning things upside down. Welcoming the leper, the women, the tax collector, the sinner…pronouncing forgiveness.
That is what he came to do, to offer salvation so that we can have peace and reconciliation with God and be with him in his Kingdom.
What do we need to do to be with him in glory, in Paradise? We need to not just recognize him as King but make him King of our lives.
I ask again, is he your King? Do you follow him as your shepherd and guide?
In today’s individualistic world we don’t like the idea of people having authority over us. We like to be King of our own lives.
Is King Jesus just a figure head in our lives? Like the British monarchy are generally just seen as a figurehead that don’t really have anything to do with us?
Do we think that Jesus is still relevant in our lives today?
Is he really King and Lord in your life?
Do you bow your knee before him? Offering him all the praise and honour due his name?
Do you recognize him for who he is and stand up for him?
Or are there times when you stand silently by the mocking crowd? Not willing to perhaps be ridiculed for his name’s sake?
That second criminal is a great model for us. He called it as he saw it. Others thought that Jesus had been defeated on the cross, even most of his disciples had run off and left him. This criminal proclaimed him as King and repented of his sin.
How about you?
And what does it mean for us live under the reign of Christ today?
It means submitting our lives to follow Jesus. To obey his commands, to love him with all our heart and love others as we love ourselves. It means to seek his pathway for our lives, to commit our plans, our relationships, our career, our finances to him. To allow him to lead us. To follow his example of serving and sacrifice. To be compassionate and generous, welcoming, and hospitable.
It means spreading the good news of the Kingdom, that others may come under his rule and reign today. That they may experience the sacrificial love of Jesus the good shepherd and grow under his wise and just leadership.
One day Jesus will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and every knee will bow before him. We will see him as he is in all his glory.
Advent begins next week. This is a time not just to prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth, but to prepare for his return.
Jesus is the King that we can trust and put our faith in. We may not have much faith in Royalty or others in authority especially those who rule with arrogance and self-interest.
But Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, ruling with truth, mercy, and justice.
He is the King who knows us and calls us by name, who loves us. He is the good shepherd who rescues and protects us.
Let us bow our knees before him and live in the paradise of peace and joy that he offers us both now and for eternity.
Crown Him with many crowns,
The lamb upon the throne:
Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns
All Music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.