Christ the King?

This sermon can be listened to here.

Gate Pa – Year B  34th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reign of Christ Sunday, Aotearoa Sunday

Readings:
Psalm              Psalm 132:1-12, 13-18                                                                                   
First Reading:    2 Samuel 23:1-7      
Second Reading:   Revelations 1:4b-8                          
Gospel:                John 18:33-38a                 

What I want to say:
I want to use the story of the first Bishop of Aotearoa as a way of looking at what the reign of Christ might look like? Where is it and how do we recognise it?

What I want to happen:
People to be stirred up into living in this reign more intentionally

The Sermon

       1.     Introduction – Aotearoa Sunday:

Set aside by General Synod in 1980’s to give thanks for and celebrate the ministry of Te Pihoptanga o Aotearoa
all pre 3 Tikanga constitution stuff.
really interesting story
-         tell quick version of the story of the formation of Te Pihopatanga

       2.     This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday

This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday
not big fan
much happier with reign Christ Sunday.
what exactly do we mean by Christ the King?
last week we looked at the story of the disciple being dazzled by the large stones of the temple
On one hand - temple was important symbol that God was present
-         that God was in control
-         that God is winning
On the other also become symbol of what many thought was wrong with Israel
-         collusion of high priests with both Rome and Herod the Great and his successors
o   their corruption - made themselves wealthy by impoverishing poorest
o   made themselves comfortable at expense of adherence to law
One disciple had been very impressed by the size of this enlarged and beautified temple
-         dazzled by its size,
-         it’s grandeur,
and all it represented
-         power
-         wealth
And Jesus warning him to not be taken in by such things
How all that was destroyed with destruction of Jerusalem and temple in 70 CE

       3.     What Kingdom?

One of the problems Christ the King is that we have too often been like that disciple
we keep saying “what large stones!”
keep thinking that God’s kingdom will have same kind of elements that most powerful kingdoms have
-         those kingdoms based on wealth and grandeur
-         privilege and power
-         authority and majesty
see that in Israelites clamouring to have a king like the other nations
è despite Samuel’s warnings
see that in some of the art around Christ the king
-         imperial Christ modelled on Roman or Byzantine emperors
see it in how church has developed since Constantine
in name Christ mirroring what see in kingdoms and empires around us
see that in our own mother church
failed hear Jesus warning last week
this temple
these stones
all that is powerful and grand and dazzling will fall
-         if this is not what kingdom of God is like
so if that is not what the kingdom of Christ is like
then what?

       4.     Reading from John

help answer that given really interesting reading from John
middle part Jesus trial
interrogation
where Pilate not trying ascertain guilt
-         guilt is assumed
simply needs to know crime for which Jesus will be put to death
interrogation about nature of Jesus kingdom
Jesus replies to Herod’s question
-         first with a question – confrontational in itself
-         "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."
statement “My kingdom is not from this world”
led some believe that reign Christ has nothing to do with this world
-         not this time
-         not of this place
è so we as followers of Christ the King need not care about what is happening
o   hunger, poverty, war, injustice are not our concern
we are to look to future
our role is simply to get ready for life after death
in heaven
            real realm of God.
some problems with that
-         led us on occasions to treat people very badly
-         or to ignore way people were being treated
o   not our concern
-         or led to think that Jesus kingship is spiritual
o   I am not even sure what that means
This kingship stuff is pretty tricky
so for all those reasons I have really struggled with this Sunday
If Christ is king
-         where is this kingdom?
-         when is this kingdom?
-         what does the kingdom of Christ look like?

       5.     Not like other kings

Like how The Message paraphrases it
-         "My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king."
So what kind of king is Jesus?
while Jesus kingdom doesn't consist of what Pilate might see around him
I think it does consist of what we might see around Jesus
In the way he Jesus lived and treated people
-         in washing disciples feet
-         honoured and blessed the sinner, tax collectors,
o   those not supposed to honour and bless
Kingdom of God is when that is being lived out in the here and now
I wonder who Christ the King is for us
wonder
-         What does Christ’s kingship look like for us?
-         Where do we live in the reign of Christ?
-         How is God stirring us up so that we get on with the work of the kingdom?

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