November 25 - Is Christ Your
King?
For months our gospel readings have dealt
with Jesus teaching, as we’ve been following Him on His final journey to
For in him the
fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him God was pleased to
reconcile himself to all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace
through the blood of the cross. Colossians
1:20
Christ
the King Sunday is a time to focus and reflect on who Jesus is for us -- to
consider what kind of Jesus we believe in.
+
Some
people’s picture of Jesus reminds me of Diet
Coke. They want all
the flavor and none of the calories.
This Jesus is for people who love the concept
of Jesus, but not all the impact He might make on their lives. They want Jesus to save their souls but leave
their life-styles alone. The Jesus who gets people out of hell but leaves the devil in them.
This take on Jesus is as mis-directed
as the people ahead of you on line at McDonalds
who order a double cheese burger, large order of fries, and, of course, a diet
coke. Are they kidding themselves? If you’ve ordered a 1500 calorie meal, what’s
the point of a diet beverage?
Faith is the same way. You can’t check off the saved box and take no
look at the rest of your life. The
scriptures are clear. We can’t be saved
and stay the same. In Christ we are to
be a new creation.
Paul
speaks of the radical change in our allegiance which occurs when we are in
Christ.
He has rescued
us from the power of darkness and transferred
us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13
Transferred: It’s as if we have been traded to another
team - Christ’s team - the winning team - so start living like winners.
This
liberation doesn’t mean we are free to live as we please. Rather, it means that sin and self-directed
lives are no longer the only option we have.
Christians don’t have to be in bondage to sin - for Christ can free
us. We’re freed from the old flabby
life-style and set free to live by kingdom values.
Jesus offers more than forgiveness of
sin. He brings redemption, which
includes canceling the debt of sin - and the opportunity to walk in freedom -
freedom from the way of sin that we might walk in His way.
Lead lives
worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, as you bear fruit in every good
work, and as you grow in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10
+
Other people seem to picture Jesus as
something to be added to their already full life - the “additive Jesus”. Think of Cherry
Coke or Vanilla coke. It’s coke with
a little additive to flavor it.
It’s a subtle yet strong temptation. Some people can define their lives as family
and friends, career and recreation, savings and retirement accounts. And then just throw in some Jesus additive to
life once a week. He’s a nice flavor
enhancement to an otherwise intact formula.
Sometimes this is called “Country Club
Christianity.” Make a visit to church a
couple of times a month to show everyone you’re still a member.
But while some may unintentionally, without
thinking about it, practice their Christian spiritually in this way, Jesus is not an additive to your life. He’s more than just an add-on.
If
we are followers of Jesus, all of our life - all 7 days of it - should be
impacted by our faith.
Jesus
has first place in everything.
He himself is
before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is head of the body, the church... so that
He might come to have first place in everything. Colossians 1:17, 18
We
can’t approach this Jesus and put him somewhere on our priority list. There is only one place he will be. First place. More important than
everything else - everything. He
is the source
of meaning and purpose in life.
+
Those
verses could be simply summarized by saying Christ is King - Lord of all - who
comes first in our lives and in our church.
Thus, we serve a mighty king, who can use His great power on our behalf.
He
offers us the strength we need to follow His way.
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from His glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father... Colossians 1:11
In
other words, there’s nothing we experience that God wants us to take on
alone. Every negative thought. Every insecurity. Every temptation. He wants to be involved in every aspect of
who we are. He offers us a share of His
mighty power, reconciling all things in every aspect of our lives.
+
There’s
a scene in the movie, Catch Me If You
Can, when Frank, played by Leonardo DiCaprio,
confesses to being a con artist.
“Brenda,
I don’t want to lie to you anymore. I’m
not a doctor. I never went to medical
school. I’m not a lawyer. or a Harvard graduate, or a Lutheran. I ran away from home a year and a half ago
when I was 16.”
Brenda
is shocked and almost in tears. She
says: Frank, Frank. You’re not a Lutheran?
+
Today Steven Martinez is baptized. And your baptism here doesn’t make you a Lutheran - but something much better than that - a disciple of Jesus Christ. Your baptism is the outward sign of the work of the Holy Spirit within you - and of the Spirit working through others to bring you to this day - the support of your wife Tracey, the example of your son and the encouragement of others. All of which has led you to publicly respond to God’s call by affirming that you wish the historic faith to also be your faith. Standing before the congregation today is an act of faith.
+
Finally God can only be known by faith.
Its not that first we know God, and then
come to believe, to have faith - It’s
just the opposite - first we
have faith - we make that leap of faith
- and then we come to know God.
By faith we know that the Lord can speak to
us - to our lives - through the words
of Holy Scripture.
By faith we discern that His Spirit is among
us in our fellowship as we sing and pray
Christ is present and comes to us personally in the bread and wine of
Holy Communion, as He said He would.
In faith we pray and receive His comfort and
strength.
The invisible God comes to us today, just as the invisible God dwelled in Jesus
when He walked this earth, but now as then, His presence may be recognized, discerned - only by faith.
Then and now, the Lord offers everyone the
same choice: either to believe or not.
He forces no one.
Those who make that leap of faith - who
believe in Jesus as their Lord - come to know the power of God in their
lives.
But even among those who are indifferent,
who have their doubts, some may be prompted to suddenly make that leap of
faith.
Like one of the criminals on the cross, who,
as others ridiculed Jesus, suddenly changed sides - He rebuked the other
criminal who had mocked Jesus, saying: “Do you not fear God . . .” and then he
turned to Christ and said: “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your
kingdom.”
He had the insight to recognize who Jesus was - he
was in fact the King
And Christ welcomed Him as He still welcomes those who turn to Him, saying: “Today, you shall be with me in
In Christ you are rescued from the power of darkness and transferred
into His kingdom.
Joyfully give
thanksgiving to the Father,
... who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:12