King of kings and Lord of lords

Today we celebrate The Solemnity of Christ the King, a feast in the Church that affirms that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16).  We will also begin the season of Advent next week which will then lead us into Christmas, when Christ our Lord was born.  Today’s feast is much different than Jesus’ first coming into this world.   When Jesus (the eternal Word) was born it was in Bethlehem in a manger it was by simple and humble means, not many people around except for a few shepherds and farm hands, along with some animals, it was humble indeed.  However, as the today’s reading points out the next time Jesus returns it will be magnificent, powerful, and awesome, a King on His coronation day. 

I want to look at two things, one) that Jesus is truly a King, but secondly that we too are royalty – we share in His Kingship.

During Jesus’ public ministry He was careful not so much to proclaim that He was King and this I think He did this for two reasons. One) The Jewish people were oppressed by the Romans, they were seeking a new King, someone like David and Solomon of old who would rise up, defeat the Romans, and return Israel to its former glory and freedom.  Two) the point of Jesus’ ministry was salvation, a repentance of sins.  I am sure Jesus could have freed Israel from under Roman oppression quite easily if He wanted to, but it wasn’t the time for it, as the message of “Repent and believe in the Good News for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk 1:15) was much more pressing for “We were all dead in our sins” (Rom 5:8, Eph 2:1).

The other thing about Jesus as King is that it reminds us that Jesus will not come humbly the next time, but to judge the nations. (C.f. Mt. 25)  This type of Jesus is a little tougher to accept, we like the nice Jesus, the one who tells us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28, NIV).  All of us like the nice – cute little baby Jesus, who is tender, meek, and mild.  And it is true, Jesus is all of those things, for there is no one who has more compassion than Christ Himself, but Jesus is also the King of kings, and as a King He must rule and render judgment, He must be both just and administer judgment otherwise He would be no King at all.

We, are however, not to fear this Jesus as in fear meaning scared out of our wits, but rather to fear him meaning respect, wonder, and awe.  We must also invite the King of kings to look into our hearts and convict us if we have sinned in order to repent as Jesus reminds us to do so often through the Gospels.  It is the repentant heart that receives the Good News and not only receives it but it becomes engrained in us so deeply that we too share in the royalty of Christ. 

Jesus’ promises are true and we partake in them.  All who are baptized, by sharing in Jesus’ death and resurrection are made priests, prophets, and kings.  When St. Paul says we share in Christ’s death and resurrection he was not talking symbolically or using pious platitudes, he was being literal, everything that is Jesus’ is ours and we are so intimately united that we were on the cross with Him when He was crucified, we were also buried with Him in the tomb, but we also resurrected with Him on the third day, resurrected to new life. 

In that new life we share in Jesus’ ministry and role as priest, prophet, and king.  There is not enough time to discuss each of these, but since we are celebrating Jesus as King of kings I want to say this, “you and I are royalty!”  We don’t belong to just a group, a committee, or fellowship gathering; we belong to the Kingdom of God, royal, majestic, and eternal.

Isn’t it amazing that this God who is so different than us, so much more powerful than us, would give us everything?  It is hard to imagine, but it is answered by one word, “Love!”  We are loved beyond logic, beyond explanation, beyond what we could ever imagine.  Even with all of our flaws and sins, God breaks through our darkness, our sadness, and even our despair sometimes, and places a crown on our heads, reminding us, you are not only my friends, but I give you my kingdom, our Kingdom.

This is why we should not fear the end of the world as they say, but rather we should long for it, because it won’t be revealed to only a few in a manger in Bethlehem, no indeed, it will be revealed to everyone, and the glory of God will shine as we see our King coming to us, making all things new and giving us our final reward, life forever with our family – with our friends, and most of all with our God and Savior, Jesus Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Amen. FJ