Sunday 11/20/22 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!”
Old Testament Scripture: Jeremiah 23:1-6
New Testament Scripture: Colossians 1:11-20
Gospel Lesson: Luke 1:68-79
For so many years, I have watched and have
seen things about Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. There is even a show
on Netflix called “The Crown” that follows the life of Queen Elizabeth II from
a child, to, I am guessing her recent death. We of course are not in a county
that has titles of nobility, or knights, or kings and queens. Yet, part of me
has always been fascinated with kings and queens. I mean you rule over a
country, a territory, or an empire. In some cases, you can say and do anything you
want. Not always, but some kings and queens, or pharaohs, etc., had absolute
power.
These people could order that someone
be put to death, or simply decide to make war with another country. Often these
kings and queens and other similar rulers had great wealth, lived in a massive
palace, and had incredible power. One of the primary reasons that the American colonists
of thirteen colonies fought the British in our American Revolution, was because
we did not want King George III of England ruling over us. As Americans we have
always had this strand of a cowboy like mentality. So many people want freedom,
less government, and low taxes. Not everyone feels this way, but I think part
of this mentality comes from being oppressed by the British King, King George
III. We do not want to be subjects, we do not want to be controlled, and we
want freedom and democratically elected government.
With all of this said, today in Christ
the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday. Today is the last Sunday of the
Christian liturgical calendar. Next Sunday, on the First Sunday of Advent will
be the first Sunday in the Christian liturgical calendar. The Season of Advent
starts the liturgical year, as prepare for the birth and the second coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
As I said, our country has a strong
tradition of not liking big government or kings telling us what to do. To declare
that Jesus is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!” on this Sunday is
interesting thing as Americans. For if Jesus is the “King of Kings and Lord of
Lords,” are we not losing are rights and freedoms? Or maybe the problem
historically has been there have been enough corrupt kings and queens that many
people do want or trust kings and queens. I mean do we want one person to have
complete control over our lives, and do we want to submit to the authority of a
king?
I ask all of this once again, because
the scripture tells us that Jesus is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!” Of
all the kings and or leaders throughout history, none of them have been as
great as Jesus. If we were to declare on this Christ the King Sunday or Reign
of Christ Sunday that Jesus is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” is he
worthy of such a title? Is Jesus worthy of being our king and out Lord?
Certainly, the American Colonists, did
not think that King George III was worthy of ruling over us, which once again,
is why we fought our American Revolution. So is Jesus Christ worthy, if King
George III was not? The answer is yes. Why? Jesus was the only person who has
every crossed the horizon of this world who was perfect, sinless, and was truly
God in the flesh. Jesus Christ is the only person that has even been on this
planet that meets the qualifications to be all-sufficient savior. Only one who
is without sin, can die for the sins of humanity. Jesus our pure and spotless Passover
lamb, the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!” In a country where do not want kings
and queens, Jesus is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!”
After Queen Elizabeth II of England
died, many of us learned that while she was indeed the queen of the United
Kingdom, that Jesus was her “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” The former Queen
of England bent the knee to the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” and so do I.
Do you?
In just coming off of our mid-term
elections, I don’t know about you, but I am glad that the elections are over.
So many commercials, and the mail, etc. So many politicians that want to
present themselves to be like someone like Jesus, but there is only one “King of
Kings and Lord of Lords!”
In our reading from the prophet
Jeremiah for this morning, once again, we hear in Jeremiah 23:5-6 the prophecy
about Jesus Christ saying:
5 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness” (Jer. 23:5-6, NRSV).
There
have been so many kings, queens, emperors, pharaohs, etc., but only one “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!” This Sunday, at
the end of the Christian year, we focus our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We
elect leaders to run our government, but my king is Jesus Christ. As Jesus is
the very center of the Christian faith, this why our liturgical church calendar
year ends with a focus on Jesus.
In looking at our reading for tonight
from Colossians 1:11-20, the Apostle Paul says of Jesus, once again, picking up
in Colossians 1:15:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross (Col. 1:15-20, NRSV).
So,
the Apostle Paul is telling the church in Colossae or the Colossians that Jesus
is God in the flesh. All power, authority, and dominion rest under the feet of
Jesus. Jesus is the sovereign head of the church, is the beginning, the end,
and fullness of God. God sent his son Jesus to reconcile the world to himself,
through the blood of his cross. The only one who is worthy to be the “King of Kings
and Lord of Lords!” As Americans we don’t have kings and queens, knights, Lords,
Earls, Dukes, etc., but I do claim Jesus Christ as the “King of Kings and Lord
of Lords!” Do you? Is he worthy to be your sovereign leader? Is he worthy to be
the head of the church? Is he worthy to be the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”
in your life? As Christians, may we every day try with God’s help, to live and
love like Jesus. Becoming more and more like Jesus is the goal of the Christian
life. To love more fully, care more deeply, and serve more joyfully, to become
more like Jesus.
In looking at our gospel of Luke 1:68-79 reading for this
morning, we have the prophecy of Zachariah. This is not the Prophet Zechariah,
but the father of John the Baptist, Zachariah. John the Baptism had just been circumcised
and named on his eighth-day of his life, which is the Jewish custom. After this
his father Zachariah shares with us a prophecy this morning. Or to put it
another way, Zachariah is making a prediction about the future. What I do not
know however, is if Zachariah predicted that his son John the Baptist would
live in the wilderness, cover himself with camel hair and a belt, and eat bugs
and honey. Who knows!
Once again, the prophecy or the prediction of the John the
Baptist’s father Zachariah begins in Luke 1:68 saying, once again:
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on
his people and redeemed them. 69 He
has raised up a mighty savior
for us
in the house of his child David, 70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets
from of old, 71 that we would be saved
from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors
and has remembered his holy
covenant, 73 the oath that he
swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of
our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most
High, for
you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their
sins. 78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break
upon
us, 79 to shine upon those
who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of
peace” (Lk. 1:68-79,
NRSV).
Zachariah says that
someone is coming soon. This person will be related the great King David of Israel.
This person will deliver and save us from ourselves. This person will change
the world. Further, Zachariah’s son, John the Baptist will prepare the way of
this savior, this Jesus Christ, the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!”
I now want to show you a
great video, taken from a sermon from the late Pastor S.M.
Lockridge. This video is called “That’s My King,” and I truly believe
that this video sums up all that Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday
is.
(Show Video)
Friends, have a blessed Christ the King Sunday or Reign
of Christ Sunday, for Jesus Christ is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!” Amen.
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