Proper 34 – Christ the King

‘This is the King’

The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “1f you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ Luke 23:36-38

‘He saved others’

Meaning Lazarus and the son of the widow of Nain? Meaning those he had healed of sickness and disease? Oh, yes, but he was to save so many more! There is a sad irony in these three little words, which were to be proved truer than the scoffers intended. They are all of a piece with the earlier remark of Caiaphas, that ‘it is better for you to have one man die for the people, than to have the whole nation destroyed’ (John 11:5o). The soldiers knew enough about the title ‘King of the Jews’ to believe that, if he chose to do so, Jesus could have come down from the cross. Probably the majority of onlookers around the cross were expecting something dramatic to happen. And even the two thieves believed that Jesus had the power to save (Luke 23:39), though only one turned belief into full-blown faith (v. 42). We are usually so taken up with the King on the cross that the impact he had on the others involved in the trauma doesn’t always find its mark.

King of our hearts

Giving Jesus the seat of kingship in our hearts puts us in the firing line of Satan, who hates authority because he has been stripped of any he once had. But it also means that we are ‘part of the family’ – the Royal Family of God – with ambassadorial status to tell others of Christ, to show Christ to the world and to get people to want what we have already accepted by faith: eternal life. It is the King’s present – hardly won but freely given – to all his followers.

King of glory, King of peace,
I will love thee;
And that love may never cease,
I will move thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
Thou hast heard me,
Thou didst note my working breast,
Thou hast spared me.
George Herbert

Our allegiance

If allegiance is due to an earthly monarch, how much more to the King who has conquered death for us! Witnessing for him in a largely alien culture is not easy: there are so many contenders for his throne – just as there were in the earliest days of the Church. When St Paul reached Athens, he was given a ‘ready-made’ sermon in the Athenians’ ‘Altar to an Unknown God’ (Acts 17:23). I’ll tell you who he is! said Paul, and witnessed for Jesus with as much eloquence as he could, to reach the sophisticated, erudite grandees on the Acropolis. They were too highly bred to show anger, calmly announcing as they departed that they’d give him another hearing some time.

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate’er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
William Cowper (1731-1800)

There is only room for one throne in our hearts: either Jesus is on it – or someone else. We owe allegiance to one monarch – either Jesus, or someone else. We obey one King’s laws – either those of Jesus, or someone else. We bow the knee to one Master – either Jesus, or someone else. We shall meet one Lord in glory, and it will be Jesus – or we shall be somewhere else, with someone else. May God keep us faithful, while there is still time to decide to be loyal to no one else but Jesus.

Speaking in Jesus’ Name

As ambassadors for the King, we are invested with authority to speak in his Name. Can we reflect, on this Sunday of Christ the King, exactly what this means? It’s a question of speaking like Jesus, loving like Jesus, caring like Jesus: in short, walking the right Royal Way.

Suggested hymns

All hail the power of Jesus’ name; From glory to glory advancing; King of glory, King of peace; Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour.