Christ our King?

This sermon can be listened to here

Gate Pa –  Christ the King Sunday and/or Aotearoa Sunday - Year C - 2019 

Readings:

Psalm -             The Song of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79)  

First Reading -  Jeremiah 23:1-6

Second Reading - Col 1:11-20

Gospel -            Luke 23:33-43

What I want to say:

Christ the King Sunday reminds us that our primary allegiance is to Christ, not the church; not to our country; not to our tikanga. And yet Christ the king too often has been used as a support to our real primary allegiance – one or all of the above.

If Christ’s kingship was first, what would that look like?

How does Christ the king help us respond to some of the big issues of our time, including climate change, nationalism and white supremacy?

What I want to happen:

As we approach advent – where do we look for such a reign?

The Sermon

     1.     Introduction:

What is kingship?

What images or words of Christ’s kingship come to mind?

What is unhelpful about Christ the King?

What does Christ the King offer us?

    Ø Discuss

    Ø Plenary

     2.     My thoughts which may or may not come up

Christ the king is a reminder that our primary allegiance is to Christ

-         Not church

-         Not country

-         Not Tikanga

I am follower Christ first and that should shape my allegiances to church, state, tikanga.

Too often been other way around

I am going to be provocative

Christ the King has been subservient to needs of church

-         Needs of state

-         Our identity

In our recent history we can see this

WWI – Christians fought for king and country

-         King there was king of Great Britain

-         First allegiance was to British Empire

-         Christ King was seen as important supporter of British endeavour

-         Those Christians who placed Christ first and refused to fight were vilified by fellow empire supporting Christians

o   Imprisoned

o   Some taken front line and strung up

    è Continued in WWII

-         Story of Ormond Burton and his ejection from Methodist Conference 1942 for refusing to adhere to their policy on not preaching anti-war sentiments

-         Christ the King sounds great

-         Much harder to live out

     3.     Te Pihopatanga

See how hard this is in story of formation of Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa

Talk bout on other occasions

-         Te Pouhere Sundays and Aotearoa Sunday

For many British settlers and church leaders in this land

British way life superior

First allegiance was to that

Church was vehicle to spread that tikanga

Hence sad story of struggle of Maori Anglican church

     4.     How to finish

We need different images for Christ the King

Maybe we need different language

Idea behind this is important

As we face climate change

-         We as Christians have helped create using understanding that because Christ is our king, we can do whatever we want to this world with impunity

As we face rise nationalism

-         Donald Trump, Brexit

-         Acknowledge role conservative Christians in both movements

-         Chanting America first, Britain first

As we see around world rise white supremacy in many disguises

-         Places being white

-         Being WASP as priority

What does kingship of Christ invite us to offer as alternative?