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Last Pentecost, Proper 29 Lesson: 2 Samuel 2;1-73
November 22, 2009 Psalm 132:1-13
The Rev. Kirk Lee Epistle: Revelation 1:4b-8
St. James’ Church, Marietta Holy Gospel: John 189:33-37
In the Name of God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Some years ago (and I actually do not know where it is today, probably in the garage in a box of books), I had a large coffee table book that chronicles the images of Jesus Christ through the centuries, the images that we know so well. Then there are some general categories of the presentation of Jesus. We have Jesus the innocent and vulnerable baby, cradled in Mary’s arms. We have Jesus the great shepherd, usually seen in a pastoral setting. We have Jesus crucified, painfully displayed hanging on a cross. And we have Jesus the King, robed in rich fabric and wearing a gold crown.
I think of these images as we go through the church year, as I did yesterday, because today we conclude our church year. Today we celebrate Christ the King. During the cycle of the church year, we recall the time when the world did not know Jesus, and then we celebrate his birth, then recall his baptism, we recall his life, his crucifixion, his resurrection, and his gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church, and we celebrate his promise to return one day.
The Psalmist writes, “The Lord has sworn an oath to David; in truth, he will not break it. “A son, the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne.” This all leads us to where we are today. We look to the future and to the return of Jesus, the Christ.
Today’s readings tell us that Jesus will return as King one day to rule the world. I was wondering what will the reign of Christ be like at that time, at that point? In 2 Samuel, the writer imagines that Christ will reign like King David. This is the problem that I have. Israel was expecting the Messiah to be the next King David. We know that they missed the point. That is what Jesus was teaching. King David conquered his enemies. He was a ruthless fighter. He established through that, though, a safe and prosperous nation of Israel. That is what everyone wanted at that time. But that is not what the Kingdom of God is about.
If this is the case, though, does the world need to be conquered in the Name of Christ before Christ returns? Some think so. I do not. Or, will Jesus conquer the world and claim it as his Kingdom after he returns? The Revelation suggests that this is the case. It reads, “Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him…and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.” So, at least from the writer of Revelation’s perspective, the world does not seem like it is prepared for Christ to return.
Both of these images do not seem to fit well with what I think the overall message of the Gospels is. The Jesus we know in the Gospels does not seem to be the kind of person or deity who uses power and might to conquer people. So I am not so sure that plan is to conquer the world to Christianity before or after Jesus returns to this world. In fact, he goes on to distinguish between this world and his Kingdom.
He tells Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over…” You know what, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not from this world. The operative word here is “from.”
And why not? Because kingdoms of this world are human institutions. They have every strength and every weakness of the human condition. These kingdoms are, indeed, structured much like David’s kingdom was. There are those who dwelt in privilege and there are those without it, in varying degrees. The kingdoms of this world have boundaries. The kingdoms of this world are vulnerable. The kingdoms of this world can be destroyed. The Kingdom of God cannot.
It is interesting to note, though, how the Church over the centuries has developed into an institution – some of the churches, not all. Some of the churches have developed into an institution much like the one that Jesus condemned in Jerusalem – the Temple. The Temple had become the stumbling block between God’s people and God. Is that not human nature, really, to try to structure things like that?
I am reminded of Dante’s Paradise, where he illustrates so well the idea of society as being tiered, hierarchical. He goes on, though, to project the same structure of life in heaven, that it is somehow going to be tiered and hierarchical.
I do not believe, based on my overall reading of the Gospels, that this is how Jesus would structure the Kingdom of God when he reigns. If we were to look through the Gospels, it has often been said that the point of the Gospels is telling about the Kingdom of God. It is amazing that is always the theme it seems in Jesus’ preaching. I went through and picked out some points that I think illustrate what the Kingdom of God will be like, to contrast it to what human kingdoms are like.
First of all, the Kingdom of God is present today. We live in it. The Kingdom of God is not something that we are to wait for until Jesus returns. The Kingdom of God does not conquer its subjects. Anyone, and indeed everyone, by choice, by the grace of God, may become a subject of God’s Kingdom. Everyone and anyone, by the grace of God, is welcome – even the ones who you and I might believe do not deserve it or should not be there.
The Kingdom of God is not hierarchical as the world is. Remember, “there the last shall be first and the first will be last.”
I actually believe we will be brothers and sisters in God’s Kingdom, and that we will be equal with one another.
The Kingdom of God is in our hearts and minds. The Kingdom of God does not issue a passport. Instead, subjects of the Kingdom of God have a seal on their foreheads that can never pass away. Remember at baptism, “you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism, and marked as Christ’s own forever.”
The Kingdom of God is like finding buried treasure. However, it’s value is measured not in terms of wealth; it’s value is measured in the quality of life that we have today, not in the future. For the person who need wealth for self-esteem, or needs wealth for security, it will be difficult to enter the Kingdom of God. Subjects of the Kingdom of God are not here to conquer the world. We are here to serve the world, and through our presence, improve the world for all, just like salt and leaven -- salt brings out the best; leaven lifts bread up to the heights. That is what we are called to do as the royal priesthood for God.
Eventually, we will know that when the world gets to the point where people are ruled in whatever kingdom, are ruled with the fear of God, and justly, compassionately. The reign of God on earth will certainly be in place.
While we are alive, here and at home, we live on the edge of the Kingdom. There is a reason for that at work, because from moment to moment, day to day, we do not always live fully in the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately, we fall here and there, make mistakes.
To summarize what I am trying to say here, when we love our neighbors as ourselves, we are experiencing today, the peace and love of the Kingdom of God. However, there are times when we do not love our neighbors as ourselves, and those are the times we risk losing the Kingdom of God. It is only by the grace of God and the cross of Christ that we are not banished from the Kingdom when we stumble, when we fall. Upon our death, we will inherit the promise of God’s Kingdom. That promise is eternal life in the presence of the Kingdom of God.
That being said, what image do I have of the reigning Jesus Christ in God’s Kingdom? For me, it is not Jesus dressed in rich robes, a crown of gold, sitting high on a throne, coming back here to conquer the world. What I expect to find in the Kingdom is Jesus, the Good Shepherd – humble, caring, and one of us. Amen.
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