Sunday, November 20, 2022

Christ the King
Malachi 3:13-18
Psalm 95:1-7a or Psalm 46
Colossians 1:13-20
Luke 23:27-43

“They shall be mine,” says Yahweh of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him.”

Fifteen years ago a group of about thirty Russian doomsday cult members, including women and children, sequestered themselves in a cave in Russia in November 2007 because they believed that the end of the world was coming in the spring of 2008. They threatened to kill themselves if anyone tried to intervene. Some Orthodox monks repeatedly tried to convince them to come out, but to no avail. They asked to be left alone so they could pray. Several women were forced from the cave in March as it began to collapse from melting snow. Fourteen others left a few days later. The last of the members left because the toxic gases of two who died were making them sick.

The leader of the group never even entered the cave with the others but blessed his followers as they entered. He was arrested for setting up a religious organization associated with violence. He was placed on house arrest and underwent psychiatric evaluation. His group and several others called themselves the only true orthodox churches, claiming the Russian Orthodox Church was not orthodox enough.

I don’t understand what they thought they would accomplish by hiding in a cave. Did they think the rocks would protect them? The end shows that it did not work, the cave became a trap for them. What did they expect when they came out? The police didn’t act, although they did ask the monks to try to help and they patrolled the area to keep others away. They feared that the cult would be provoked into doing something drastic and there were children in the cave. They expected that the group would come out when they run out of supplies. Nature helped end the stand-off.

A reporter at the time wrote, “After decades of state-enforced atheism under Soviet rule, many Russians and other ex-Soviet nationals have come under the influence of homegrown and foreign sects.” This makes sense. Though the Church Universal is not perfect, because it is made up of imperfect saints that are simultaneously sinners, the Church Universal has a way of keeping everyone on track. Even though there are hundreds of denominations, we correct, rebuke and encourage one another as we have been instructed. We hold one another accountable. We call each other to repentance. We lift one another in prayer. We encourage one another with love. It is dangerous for any Christians to think that they have the only answer and that they can go it on their own.”

Was God with those people in that cave? Perhaps He was. If they believe in the saving power of Jesus Christ, then God would not abandon them. However, is that hole in the mountain really where God calls us to live out our final days? When God sends a warning about the end of the earth, is He telling us to go find a safe refuge and hide away from the world?

The psalmist writes, “God is within her. She shall not be moved. God will help her at dawn.” When we are in the midst of difficult times God is with us. He is our refuge and our strength. Even the Temple was not strong enough to withstand the forces of Israel’s enemies, but God will always be strong enough. His hand moves mountains and His love melts hearts. He is our help in trouble.

The world could have ended in May 2008; it might end tomorrow. We can’t know for certain when the day will come. It is not for us to know, although many people over the millennia of the Church have tried to forecast the day and the manner. The very reason God has kept that detail from us is because we tend to do what that cult in Russia did. We try to save ourselves. We try to hide from the inevitable. We try to stand on our own strength. But God is our only hope.

God calls us to dwell in His presence knowing that Christ may come as King and change everything in the next instant, while still being actively involved in the ordinary and earthbound world in which we live.

We are familiar with the five senses; these are the sensory systems of the human body that help us relate to the world in which we live. We have the sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. I recently learned that we actually have eight senses, three of them are related to the inner world of our bodies. The sense of balance, movement, and the feelings of our internal organs (such as hunger.) One article on senses included temperature. The external senses help us understand the world, and the internal senses help us understand our bodies.

In some ways we might consider another sense, a more religious focus.

The movie “The Bells of St. Mary’s” was made in 1945 and stars Bing Crosby as the lovable, independent priest Father O’Malley who is sent to a failing catholic school run by nuns including Sister Beatrice played by Ingrid Bergman. Father O’Malley and Sister Beatrice disagree about how things should be done. She is upset that he has come to disrupt their school and he is just trying to find a way to save it. He has this way of making things happen behind the scenes that seem to be miraculous. He manages to manipulate the circumstances in a way a rich man donates a new building to the school. Sister Beatrice thinks the prayers of her sisters and the gracious way they approached him did the trick.

There is a student at St. Mary’s named Patricia who does not feel like she belongs. She has difficulty doing the work and keeping up with the other students. Father O’Malley knows that she just needs a little push, a bit of encouragement and a chance to shine. He visits her one evening and finds her trying very hard to write an essay. The topic is “the Five Senses.” Though she knows the five senses, she does not know what to say about them. Father O’Malley gives her some ideas which she is able to take and put into a wonderful essay.

She begins the essay with the title, “the Six Senses.” Of course, Sister Beatrice was taken aback at first because the assignment was the five senses. Patricia continued, “The Six Senses: To see, to hear, to taste, to smell, to feel... to be.” She goes on to say, “to be (or not to be) is the final sense, the common sense and the most important of them all.” It isn’t enough to just be aware of the senses we have. We should experience the things of this world with our whole being. Take a rose, for instance. How many of us have some sort of rose bush in our yards or pass some sort of roses each day and we barely even notice? Perhaps it is cliché to say, “Take time to smell the roses” but there is truth in that saying. God created that rose, just as He created each of us. We are part of the creation that God both made and loves. We are connected by the same creative powers that were present with Him at the beginning.

“To be” is a sense that is both external and internal.

I’m not talking about the New Age idea that the Spirit lives in everything and everything has a spirit. I’m not saying that I am connected to the rose bush because we all share the same spirit. However, that rose bush is part of what God has created and it is part of the world in which we live. It is even possible that you had a part in planting and caring for that rose bush. I do not have a green thumb and when I do have plants like roses, I manage to remember them a few times a year when I cut off the old flowers and give it some nutrients. I became part of the creative process by planting that bush in my yard, but I needed to continue to be part of that process to keep it beautiful and a live.

Scientifically, there is a reality that all things are connected. We experience the world with our senses: seeing the flowers, hearing the birds, smelling the bread baking in the oven, tasting that turkey and feeling the touch of a friend. It all seems separated by space and time. Yet everything in God’s world is made up of the same thing: atoms. Atoms are made up of parts. Those parts are connected by an indescribable force. A rose may seem like a solid thing, but it is made up of atoms and the parts of atoms that are swimming together in space. Scientists, when they discovered the indescribable force holding the parts of an atom together called it “The Colossians Force.” Note that verse 17 in our lesson from Colossians says, “He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.” He is the Colossians force holding all things together.

Christ is the image of that which we cannot see. He is the Word made flesh, the God of creation dwelling with us. He was there when God laid down the foundations of the earth and it was through Him all things were made. In Christ we see that God did not make the world and disappear, He didn’t plant the rose bush and forget to keep it watered and pruned. He has been with us always, planning even in the beginning the redemption that was to come. Everything is His, and through Christ we are re-created and reconciled to God our Father in heaven, part of the body of Christ and blessed with eternal life in Him.

Sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to our senses, external and internal. We don’t take the time to appreciate and enjoy everything that God has given us in creation. We forget the great and wonderful things God has done that can’t be experienced with our senses. If we don’t enjoy the roses, birds, bread, turkey or friends and attribute them to the One who brought them forth, how can we really every grasp God’s mercy and grace found in His redemption and re-creation of His world? How can we ever truly be?

What happens when we do not pay attention to our senses? In the example of the rose, we might miss something beautiful, but it can be more vital than that. If we ignore the smell of smoke, we might be caught in a house fire. If we keep our hands on a hot surface despite the pain, we might get a severe burn. Our senses help us stay well. This is especially true of our inner senses. Problems with balance and movement might indicate that we need to see a doctor. Hunger pangs make us eat and a high temperature sends us to bed. The senses are God’s gift to help protect our bodies so we can live long and productive lives. We are more likely to find peace when we are well.

Instead of serving God, the people in Malachi’s day served self. “You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?” They thought it was a waste of their time and resources to serve God. The same might have been said about those who hid in the cave in Russia.

I think it is true that peace comes when we do not put the focus on ourselves but turn our actions and thoughts to others. Those who take their lives into their own hands are not the lucky ones. Early in the chapter from Malachi, God says, “Return to me, and I will return to you.” They didn’t understand. God told them that they were focused on the wrong things. They were more interested in themselves. Instead of sharing their blessings with others, they were keeping it for themselves.

Jesus must have been the happiest man on earth.

I have a collection of crosses. They hang on the wall in my office. If I take a moment and look, I can see all the different types of crosses that I have collected over the years. There are crosses from all over the world. In a small oval frame is a Belgian lace cross. There are several made from wood. Numerous crosses are Mexican, some are pottery, and one is made from silver. One of the crosses has a bunch of grapes with the passage from John in which Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” The crosses bring back memories. Some were gifts. Some are handmade. Some were bought to support ministries. My favorite is a silver and green Celtic cross, the type that has the circle of life encircling the cross pieces.

I always wear a cross around my neck and I have been asked whether I would wear an electric chair. It is impossible not to see the beauty in my collection of crosses, but there is an underlying sadness about it: the cross was indeed used to kill people. It was used to kill Jesus. It was not a thing of beauty. As a matter of fact, it was ugly and horrifying. It was little more than two pieces of wood and a few nails, most likely already covered in the blood of previous victims. The death experienced on the cross was slow and painful, terrifying and disgusting. The death was not only physical, but also emotional and spiritual. It was humiliating to hang on the cross as the witnesses threw insults and accusations.

The world thinks it is ridiculous that our lives are wrapped up in the story of Jesus Christ. After all, He died a spectacularly horrible death. How could He possibly give us what we need for a full and happy life? How can He be our refuge? The story of Jesus is terrible, sad, even disturbing and yet we look to the cross and find peace.

Why would we want to remember this? Why would we want to hang this symbol on our wall or wear it around our neck? Why is this cross so important? Why would we choose to remember this moment of Christ’s life - His death - on this day which is set aside for Christ the King? In today’s Gospel passage we are reminded of the sign placed above Jesus’ head on the cross that calls Him “The King of the Jews.” This sign and title was meant as an insult, to remind the gawkers of Jesus’ foolishness. How could a king end up hanging nearly naked by a few nails on a cross?

We celebrate a different kind of king. Jesus Christ did not have a typical coronation. The kings and queens of the world celebrate their elevation to monarch with grand parties and ostentatious ceremonies. Charles became king the day Queen Elizabeth died, but the official ceremony will not be held until June. It has always been this way, with some monarchs ruling for months and even years before they officially took the crown to their heads. They need time to prepare. New gowns, new jewels, new furnishings are often created. Dignitaries are invited and accommodations are prepared. Some royals in the past even built new palaces, churches, or banqueting halls before hosting the party of their lives. It was such an important moment of their lives that they wanted everything to be new, beautiful and perfect.

Jesus’ coronation was much different. A week before He was lifted onto the cross, Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem like a king. He rode a donkey and was surrounded by people singing thanksgiving to God for giving them the Messiah. In less than a week He was hanging on the cross, having disappointed everyone who had hung their hopes on Him. The followers turned because He was not leading them into battle against Rome. Even His closest friends betrayed, denied, and abandoned Him. Yet, it was at the very moment that Jesus cried out one last time and gave up His spirit that He was crowned King. It was at that moment that He fully lived out the purpose of His life, bringing the entire burden of God’s justice on His flesh. His obedience to God’s will earned Him the greatest crown of all.

He is King because He died.

We see many images of God throughout the Church year and in the scriptures like Abba, Creator, Redeemer, Friend, Master, Shepherd, and Teacher. He loves and encourages and disciplines His people. He even scolds and rebukes us when we go the wrong way. He guides and teaches. He saves and calls us to live out our salvation.

We end the Church year with the image of Yahweh of Armies. The leader of that group in Russia did not even go into the cave with His people, but Christ will come again to lead His people to victory. He won’t come on a donkey, as He did when He entered Jerusalem before His crucifixion. He will come on the clouds with thunder and lightning, with a double-edged sword. He will come to fight the final battle, to finally and completely destroy the last enemy. He will come as King! He is coming to finish the work He began at the cross. Jesus Christ was crowned on that cross, not just with a ring of thorns. He was crowned with glory and the cross was His throne, because of His obedience to His Father on that first Good Friday. Now we wait expectantly for His coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Jesus is the One who truly saves us. As the psalmist sings, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” We may struggle, but we can trust in God’s promises. He has appointed His Son to rule over our lives. Our circumstances may seem out of control. The world may seem like it is upside down. We may find ourselves in exile or beaten by our enemies, but we can rest in the knowledge that God is the driving force behind our lives. When our leaders fail, and when we are led astray, God has not forgotten His promises. We don’t need to hide in a cave. God is faithful to save.

Be still and know. He is God and He is with us. And He has appointed the King who will not fail, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The scriptures for Christ the King show us images of God that are hard for us to understand. He is Yahweh of the Armies and the King of the cross. We can trust that He is by our side and that He is ready to save us from all that wants to destroy us; He will even save us from our own fallen and imperfect nature and forgive us our sin. Just like that criminal on the cross, we can cry out in faith to Jesus, “Remember me!”

It is hard to live in faith when the world around us is falling apart. It is especially hard when we do not think our human rulers are on our side. It is easy to give up and become pitiful. “Why me?” falls so easily off our tongues. We see the wicked prosper while believers are persecuted. Sickness, pain and death still reign, and we often mourn the loss of those we love. The question “Why?” has been a stumbling block for many, the straw that breaks the faith of those who do not trust in the Lord. There are those who say, “I can’t believe in a God that would allow this to happen.” They can’t trust a God that would die; they would rather have a ruler that will make their life better. Or, they’d rather deal with it themselves, relying on their own strength or power to get things done.

It is easy to lose sight of God when it seems like we’ve been waiting forever for something that has not yet happened. We ignore the sense of “being” and forget that God dwells with us.

Here we are again at the end of a Church year celebrating Christ the King, but He has not yet come. Next week we begin Advent, counting down the days until we celebrate His birth. Again. We cry out in our pain, “Come, Lord Jesus,” but He does not come. We prepare our hearts for His Judgment Day, but it never happens. We hide in a cave to escape the world and hope that today is the day when God will take us into His arms for eternity. But most of us will wake tomorrow to another day. It is no wonder that we ask “why?” We feel as though God has forgotten, that Jesus is late, and that we have been forsaken.

The people in Malachi’s time thought the same thing. They saw wickedness succeed and the righteous suffer. They wondered why they should even bother being faithful. They didn’t even see these words as being against God. Perhaps the people in that Russian cave thought the same thing. But God reminded the people in Malachi to trust in Him and to continue to live the life that He has called them to live, no matter what happens in the world around them. God says of those who do that they shall belong to Him and that He will take care of them.

We have been waiting a long time for Christ the King to come, and it is incredibly hard sometimes. Our kings fail us too often and we constantly turn away from God by trying to create our perfect world on our own. We are looking forward to a Kingdom of beauty and peace and joy, without wars and schemes. We long for a King who will not abuse His power or take advantage of His people. We look forward to the day when we will truly dwell in the Eternal Kingdom. But we have a hard time waiting for God to make these promises happen.

God says, “Trust in me. Do not trust in human kings or in your own strength.” Christ the King is coming. He is, even now, on the horizon. He is our salvation and will be faithful to His promises. “Why?” is a question that will remain in our minds and on our tongues as we wonder about the wickedness and suffering in this world, as we face our own pain and loss. We might even be tempted to hide in a cave.

Yet, we can rest in the promise of God that one day everything will be clear. For now, it is up to us to be, to live as God calls us to live, no matter the circumstances of the world around us, doing His work in the world. As we wait in faith, let us encourage one another and keep our eyes on Jesus, resting in the assurance that our cries of woe will be turned into joyful alleluias of praise and thanksgiving, soon.