This is my "Christ the King Sunday" sermon. Again, I was asked by several to have it available. I'm so glad to be able to share it with you.
“'NO CALORIE 'JESUS!!”
The Reading is Colossians 1: 17 - 20
Some of us take our calories seriously. If we’re on a diet, watching our intake or just being as healthy as we can be, some of us take those calories seriously. Lo Cal, no cal, fat free, sugar substitutes, natural fats and the like. I don’t know how you are in this regard, but for me, I want all the taste, all the richness, as much body as possible, with none of the calories. I want the most for the least.
Today we arrive at the end of our church year cycle. We come to this point with this day called “Christ is King”. The bridge between the long season of Pentecost – which has to do with the life of the church, and Advent – a time of expectation for the coming King.
Today is a time for us to focus and reflect on the real Jesus. It is a time for us to ponder what kind of Jesus we believe in. It a time to dig into what it might really mean to say, and act, like, “Christ is King.” It is a day to take a look to be sure we don’t treat Jesus like we treat our low/no calorie food options. Paul’s letter to the Colossians gives us a framework for considering the Jesus we claim to believe in.
You see, we have a tendency to want the same Jesus we desire in our food. We tend to want all of the taste and note of the calories. We tend to love the concept of Jesus, but not the impact that Jesus might make on our lives. We tend to be attracted to being a fan of Jesus, but we don’t want to be a follower. We want Jesus to save our souls, but to leave our daily lives alone. We want to be part of Jesus’ family but we aren’t so quick to take seriously what Jesus has to say about discipleship, generosity, loving our neighbors or His priority in our lives.
But, to think of Jesus like that is as misdirected as over eating accompanied by a diet drink. Or a Starbucks with skim milk to make room for the mocha and whipped ream.
When it comes to faith we can’t check off the “saved” box and then not take a look at our lives. We can’t be saved and stay the same. “We are a New” Creation, Paul says. In Colossians he says, “He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom. (Vs. 13). That means that we are different. We are changed. Not just forgiven and given a fresh start to keep doing things the same old way. But changed. Part of a new way of living. Part of a community that makes different choices, spiritual choices, ethical choices, God choices rather than the same old shortcuts and life by worldly values. Being in this new community means that we are challenged to look more and more like Jesus, rather than just bearing his name.
As you know, the big headlines this week had do with Prince William and Kate Middleton becoming engaged. It took lots of press. Some of the press of course has to do with whether or not Kate – a commoner, a classy commoner to be sure – can make the move to “look like” what a Princess of England must look like. Can she make the transfer to Princess Catherine Elizabeth? Questions like, “Can she face the press?” “Can she live up to the public scrutiny?” “Can she handle herself like a Princess?” “Will she look like, act like and be like the ‘royal family’?” Such stuff makes great press and gives room for much speculation. On the other hand, it can be a serious question.
Certainly it is a question we can ask our selves, our faith. Given that we are “commoners”, we say “sinners”, who have been by our baptism “transferred into the Kingdom”, elevated to brothers and sisters of the King and made heirs in this Royal Family what might the press say about our move. Have we made the jump? Is our place now full bore, or are we still looking for that “no calorie Jesus”, great for the taste, but we don’t want those calories to stick to us. All of the gifts, but none of it really taking root. Not just an additive to things once in a while, but also a reality
Paul gets at that to, in these introductory words to the church at Colossae. There are plenty of images, metaphors and superlative language to make the point. In this new place, as new people, as subjects of the king, Jesus offers “all the strength” that comes from his power (vs. 11). There is nothing that God wants us to take on alone. There is nothing that Jesus doesn’t want us to be part of. Jesus is nosey in that way. Every thought, every insecurity, every goal, every aspect of who we are. Jesus wants to be the entire concept behind our lives.
That can't take us back to the Prince William image. Yes, we have plenty of fascination with this whole story. We will love the great wedding. We’ll talk about the Prince, and eventually the King, probably. But the fact is, we wont’ have to live under this king. What I mean is it is easy to talk about a King, if that King doesn’t have any power over us. It is easy to talk about a king, if our “queen ego, Prince, selfishness, princess, I love my freedom” can still be in charge.
You see, at this point, Jesus is no lo calorie Jesus. Jesus is no additive. Jesus is no trend, fad or flash in the pan. Jesus is not a King that we can just admire and pay lip service to.
Jesus is “first place in everything” (vs. 13). Starting with creation, the first born of creation (vs. 15), the first from the dead. From before time, eternal Jesus had his passion and love and creating and dominion over every aspect of this universe. From eternity past, through 2000 years of history, Jesus has demonstrated staying power, reshaping souls. The full bore, calories enriched, protein added Jesus has been changing lives so people can help change the world.
You see, as for the priority of the created order Jesus is the head that holds it all together. Jesus is the fullness. Jesus is first place in everything. “Everything” here, as in the Greek, means everything. It means that the only thing that Jesus doesn’t care about is nothing. Jesus is everything, fullness, and completeness.
That means in very simple terms that we can’t take out our priority list and ask, "Where can I fit Jesus in"? There is only one place for this king Jesus. That’s first place. There is only one place for Jesus sin our life. That everywhere. There is only one place where Jesus is pleased to work, in everything!
To become effective servants for God, we must let go of our self-righteousness that says, "I know what is right," our self-will that claims, "I know what is best for me," and our self-centeredness that declares, "What I want is most important."
You see, this King Jesus, is no “lo cal”, “fat free” diet King. This Jesus is full bore. Jesus is “fullness”. Jesus is the one come from heaven to enter our lives and “stick with us” – stick to our bones, stick in our lives, hold first place with us.
Jesus is king.
God, send your Spirit to empower us to live under His Kingship and people who have made the move to the “kingdom life”, the Kingdom place, under the head, from whence comes all good and gracious things.
Amen.
“'NO CALORIE 'JESUS!!”
The Reading is Colossians 1: 17 - 20
Some of us take our calories seriously. If we’re on a diet, watching our intake or just being as healthy as we can be, some of us take those calories seriously. Lo Cal, no cal, fat free, sugar substitutes, natural fats and the like. I don’t know how you are in this regard, but for me, I want all the taste, all the richness, as much body as possible, with none of the calories. I want the most for the least.
Today we arrive at the end of our church year cycle. We come to this point with this day called “Christ is King”. The bridge between the long season of Pentecost – which has to do with the life of the church, and Advent – a time of expectation for the coming King.
Today is a time for us to focus and reflect on the real Jesus. It is a time for us to ponder what kind of Jesus we believe in. It a time to dig into what it might really mean to say, and act, like, “Christ is King.” It is a day to take a look to be sure we don’t treat Jesus like we treat our low/no calorie food options. Paul’s letter to the Colossians gives us a framework for considering the Jesus we claim to believe in.
You see, we have a tendency to want the same Jesus we desire in our food. We tend to want all of the taste and note of the calories. We tend to love the concept of Jesus, but not the impact that Jesus might make on our lives. We tend to be attracted to being a fan of Jesus, but we don’t want to be a follower. We want Jesus to save our souls, but to leave our daily lives alone. We want to be part of Jesus’ family but we aren’t so quick to take seriously what Jesus has to say about discipleship, generosity, loving our neighbors or His priority in our lives.
But, to think of Jesus like that is as misdirected as over eating accompanied by a diet drink. Or a Starbucks with skim milk to make room for the mocha and whipped ream.
When it comes to faith we can’t check off the “saved” box and then not take a look at our lives. We can’t be saved and stay the same. “We are a New” Creation, Paul says. In Colossians he says, “He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom. (Vs. 13). That means that we are different. We are changed. Not just forgiven and given a fresh start to keep doing things the same old way. But changed. Part of a new way of living. Part of a community that makes different choices, spiritual choices, ethical choices, God choices rather than the same old shortcuts and life by worldly values. Being in this new community means that we are challenged to look more and more like Jesus, rather than just bearing his name.
As you know, the big headlines this week had do with Prince William and Kate Middleton becoming engaged. It took lots of press. Some of the press of course has to do with whether or not Kate – a commoner, a classy commoner to be sure – can make the move to “look like” what a Princess of England must look like. Can she make the transfer to Princess Catherine Elizabeth? Questions like, “Can she face the press?” “Can she live up to the public scrutiny?” “Can she handle herself like a Princess?” “Will she look like, act like and be like the ‘royal family’?” Such stuff makes great press and gives room for much speculation. On the other hand, it can be a serious question.
Certainly it is a question we can ask our selves, our faith. Given that we are “commoners”, we say “sinners”, who have been by our baptism “transferred into the Kingdom”, elevated to brothers and sisters of the King and made heirs in this Royal Family what might the press say about our move. Have we made the jump? Is our place now full bore, or are we still looking for that “no calorie Jesus”, great for the taste, but we don’t want those calories to stick to us. All of the gifts, but none of it really taking root. Not just an additive to things once in a while, but also a reality
Paul gets at that to, in these introductory words to the church at Colossae. There are plenty of images, metaphors and superlative language to make the point. In this new place, as new people, as subjects of the king, Jesus offers “all the strength” that comes from his power (vs. 11). There is nothing that God wants us to take on alone. There is nothing that Jesus doesn’t want us to be part of. Jesus is nosey in that way. Every thought, every insecurity, every goal, every aspect of who we are. Jesus wants to be the entire concept behind our lives.
That can't take us back to the Prince William image. Yes, we have plenty of fascination with this whole story. We will love the great wedding. We’ll talk about the Prince, and eventually the King, probably. But the fact is, we wont’ have to live under this king. What I mean is it is easy to talk about a King, if that King doesn’t have any power over us. It is easy to talk about a king, if our “queen ego, Prince, selfishness, princess, I love my freedom” can still be in charge.
You see, at this point, Jesus is no lo calorie Jesus. Jesus is no additive. Jesus is no trend, fad or flash in the pan. Jesus is not a King that we can just admire and pay lip service to.
Jesus is “first place in everything” (vs. 13). Starting with creation, the first born of creation (vs. 15), the first from the dead. From before time, eternal Jesus had his passion and love and creating and dominion over every aspect of this universe. From eternity past, through 2000 years of history, Jesus has demonstrated staying power, reshaping souls. The full bore, calories enriched, protein added Jesus has been changing lives so people can help change the world.
You see, as for the priority of the created order Jesus is the head that holds it all together. Jesus is the fullness. Jesus is first place in everything. “Everything” here, as in the Greek, means everything. It means that the only thing that Jesus doesn’t care about is nothing. Jesus is everything, fullness, and completeness.
That means in very simple terms that we can’t take out our priority list and ask, "Where can I fit Jesus in"? There is only one place for this king Jesus. That’s first place. There is only one place for Jesus sin our life. That everywhere. There is only one place where Jesus is pleased to work, in everything!
To become effective servants for God, we must let go of our self-righteousness that says, "I know what is right," our self-will that claims, "I know what is best for me," and our self-centeredness that declares, "What I want is most important."
You see, this King Jesus, is no “lo cal”, “fat free” diet King. This Jesus is full bore. Jesus is “fullness”. Jesus is the one come from heaven to enter our lives and “stick with us” – stick to our bones, stick in our lives, hold first place with us.
Jesus is king.
God, send your Spirit to empower us to live under His Kingship and people who have made the move to the “kingdom life”, the Kingdom place, under the head, from whence comes all good and gracious things.
Amen.
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