On Earth As It Is In Heaven

John 18:33-37

Today is Christ the King Sunday. Church junkies know that on the church calendar, this marks the last Sunday of the liturgical year, a calendar quite different from our January-December calendar. The liturgical year begins with Advent, followed by Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Then we have ‘Ordinary Time,’ remembering the work of God and the life and ministry of Jesus. We travel from the Lord’s miraculous birth to his death and resurrection, and culminate the journey with our most basic affirmation of faith: 

Jesus Christ is Lord!

It is a way of wrapping up a year’s worth of worship by claiming again 

who and whose we are. 

We reiterate our mission – to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. That is the kind of disciples that we are. We aren’t disciples of our own wisdom; we aren’t disciples following the winds of this world. We are disciples of Jesus Christ.

After listening to the scripture, it is a little disconcerting that we hear about Jesus’ trial before Pilate and upcoming execution when the real world is full of decorations, music, and sales centered around Christmas and, sometimes, the birth of Jesus. This is the Sunday when we make an abrupt change from His impending death to awaiting His birth. 

For a bit of history: in 1925, Pope Pius XI established the Feast of Christ the King as a direct response to the growing nationalism that was taking hold across the world. The First World War had just recently ended, fear was everywhere, and the time was ripe for the rise of tyrants. This Feast was established to reassert the sovereignty of Christ and the church over all forms of government, and to remind Christians of the fidelity and loyalty we owe to Christ. By his birth and death we have been made both adopted children of God, and future citizens and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ the King Sunday is the parallel of the Super Bowl trophy or the Final Four in college basketball, or the last game of the World Series. The Feast was also a reminder to Mussolini and Hitler and other totalitarian governments that Jesus Christ is the only Sovereign King. Christ, our spiritual King and Ruler, rules by Truth and Love

In the scripture we heard Jesus respond when questioned by Pilate:

“My kingdom is not of this world. . .  my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)

Many have interpreted this to mean that Jesus’ Kingdom is somewhere in Heaven and not relevant to this world; the values being very different from those of the current world. In other words, Jesus does not have to exercise the type of authority that seeks to be on top, which results in oppression, corruption of the judicial system, and precisely the kind of hypocrisy that Pilate exhibited in the interaction with Jesus. The values of Jesus’ Kingdom are so vastly different from those of this world that we often fail to understand them.

So, what is the Kingdom of God?

The Kingdom of God is a space. It exists in every home where parents and children love each other. It exists in every region and country that cares for its weak and vulnerable. It exists in every parish that reaches out to the needy.

The Kingdom of God is a time. It happens whenever someone feeds a hungry person, shelters the homeless, or shows care for the neglected. It occurs whenever we overturn an unjust law, or correct an injustice, or avert a war. It happens whenever people join in the struggle to overcome poverty, erase ignorance, and pass on the faith.

The Kingdom of God is in the past in the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth; it is in the present in the work of the church and in the efforts of many others to create a world of goodness and justice; it is in the future, reaching its completion in the age to come.

The Kingdom of God is a condition. Its symptoms are love, justice, and peace.”^[1] A community in God’s care lives in radical love, joy, peace, truth, and righteousness.

Jesus lived doing his Father’s will and fulfilling his Father’s work. He taught values that were upside down to the way the world worked. Why? Because his Kingdom was a heavenly Kingdom. Because his goal was to bring Heaven’s glory to live in earthly people. He wanted people’s hearts to be changed and their lives to reflect the spirit of Heaven. Jesus wants our hearts — not so that he can conquer us, but to glorify us and make us ready for a home with him. Jesus is a king who never rose so high that he couldn’t see those who were below him. If we hunted for Jesus, we would look in places kings seldom go.

The piece of scripture that is not included in this week’s reading follows Jesus’ declaration of the Kingdom of Heaven when Pilate asks:

“What is truth?” (John 18:38)

When we quit following Jesus we get the very opposite of truth. 

• Instead of love, we find hate.
• Instead of justice, we find injustice. 
• Instead of Godly community and relationships, we find unrighteousness.
• Instead of grace and forgiveness, we find vengeance.

When we, as a community, decide that we know what is truth, we become divisive and struggle for power. We seek our own glory. We become known in the world as petty and hateful instead of as loving and compassionate.  

The Kingdom of God is God’s reign—not over a country or a group of people but over the whole of human history. This realm of God affirms what is good, faithful, and just in every age, and it corrects what is misguided, unjust, and wrong. It is not about a geographical country or a particular race or ethnicity. God’s realm does not settle on boundaries that we make, or the specific version of the faith that we practice. The reign of God is not about a sentimental vagueness that requires nothing of us except that we try to be nice. Nor is God’s realm a national or a political entity.

I apologize to those who feel this sermon is a little or way too long after you have heard it, but as a Deacon in the church of God, I felt this needed to be said and I needed to say it.

At least twice in my time preaching, I have felt compelled to rewrite part of my sermon at the last minute, because of current events. This is one of those times, particularly because the scripture centers on the Kingdom of God.

The verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial does not represent the Kingdom of God! We all know that if Kyle had been a black teenager, he may have never lived to see a courtroom, or if he did, he would have been found guilty on all charges and probably spent the rest of his life in prison.

The current environment in the United States is stacked against any people of color and for white males (and especially those professing white supremacy). Most people following the case knew what the outcome would be – we have seen it too many times since people started protesting the egregious persecution and murder of LGBTQs and persons of color by authorities.

Where have we lost the understanding and reverence for the ultimate commandment from Jesus:

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34) 

– this is the fundamental premise of the Kingdom of God.

This injustice is representative of the nationalism present in the United States. The incident brought to the surface many of the issues that our country wrestles with – and all-too-often attempts to ignore –racial justice, white vigilantism, and gun violence. 

And the Rittenhouse trial is not the only injustice we are currently watching. Ahmaud Arbery was hunted down by two white supremacists, who swear ‘they were afraid for their lives’ by an unarmed, skinny young black boy. He had been spotted

trespassing through houses under construction in his area, something quite common when there is new construction. The men hunted Ahmaud down for five minutes in a pickup truck; he tried to protect himself when they caught him. He didn’t have a chance.

Surprisingly, or maybe not, the prosecutors in this case have complained to the judge that there are ‘too many black pastors’ at the trial and want them banned. Pastors who are there to support the family and possibly control the crowd.

We all remember the killing of George Floyd and the conviction of Deryk Chauvin – one of the few times that justice has been done. That justice came because members of the Kingdom of God reacted to the injustice and took to the streets. So much pressure was put on the justice system by Black Lives Matters and their allies that the usual white privilege could not withstand the pressure. 

People following the teachings of Jesus made a difference! We need to take action to right these wrongs and further the Kingdom of God on this earth, and particularly in our country.

I listened to a presentation at the 2020 Human Rights Award Performance by baritone Davóne Tines, singing his rendition of The Times They are NOT Changing.^[2] He eloquently points at that unless we become active in these struggles, nothing is going to change, and we will not have another chance. We have to roll up our sleeves, make contacts with those in our sphere of influence so that we can make changes.

I encourage everyone of us to take what action we can; the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations has tips and lists of organizations that we can join to work to overturn injustice. And we have local organizations right here in Columbus and Ohio that are actively supporting overturning white supremacy and fringe groups.

(End of rant!)

The values of Jesus’ Kingdom are so vastly different from those of this world that we often fail to understand them. The church, which says it does understand —and should—represent Jesus’ Kingdom, is here to serve in humility rather than to seek earthly power.

Let us take this opportunity to remind ourselves and our congregations that we serve a king who is not seeking power and glory. We who identify as the church should seek to engage in humble service to others. Everyone interested in seeking the truth will embrace the values of this other Kingdom, which contrasts sharply with a society that attempts to ‘win at all costs’. Those who seek power and prestige at the expense of others will reject the true Kingdom represented by Jesus.^[3]

The question is whether we, each of us, will serve the government of this world or the Kingdom of God. 

Can we say that the government we serve is not of this world, but of Jesus? 

Does God’s Kingdom reside in our human hearts?

The challenge of the Kingdom of God is for each of us:

1. To let God be God…in us
2. To let God be God…in our church
3. To let God be God…in our neighborhoods
4. To let God be God…in our lives, our families, and our world.

To find meaning, peace, and purpose in our lives, we must keep asking ourselves, 

“What is Jesus telling us to do with our lives?” 

“What do we need to do to earn a place in the Kingdom of God?

When we ask and listen for the answer, we are experiencing the power of his Kingdom in our lives.  

As we plead in the Lord’s Prayer:

Thy Kingdom come.  Thy Will be done,  on earth as it is in Heaven.

Amen.                

---

[1] Gerald Darring, The Perspective Of Justice, Spiritual Reflections on Sunday Readings

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN4t0Gr_bDM

[3] Jürgen Moltmann, The Crucified God: 40th Anniversary Edition (Fortress Press, 2015)

 

Delivered at Saint John’s Episcopal Church, Columbus, OH; 21 November 2021

Privilege or Service?

Mark 10:35-45

I want to set the stage before we examine the scripture: Jesus had been traveling, preaching, and teaching for three years with these twelve disciples. Everything he had done was in preparation for them continuing his ministry – and time and time again, it was evident that they were “not getting” it. I am sure that he was frustrated and disappointed and very tired of their incomprehension. If the disciples were going to start practicing His teachings, it ought to be now. But it wasn’t happening.

Five days before Jesus’ crucifixion, four days before his betrayal and trial, one day before the clearing of the temple, and a few hours before his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, the disciples were bickering and jockeying to be ‘the elite’ of the disciples.

It is significant to note that this is the THIRD time Jesus has foretold the coming events: his trial, crucifixion, and resurrection.

Moments before the most significant events in their lives, the disciples are a bickering, petty, bad-tempered quarrelsome lot. We just heard that James and John were asking Jesus to name them the ‘most important’ among the disciples. Interestingly, in a similar passage in Matthew 20, their mother was the one who asked Jesus to elevate her sons. What prompted them (or her) to think that they were any more special than any of the other disciples was not indicated in the scripture, but they felt special. You notice that they didn’t ask Jesus for a favor, or ask him to consider their request. What made their inflated egos believe that they could DEMAND anything of Jesus?

Brothers James and John ask Jesus for a big favor. In their minds, they thought they should hold a special place, having privileges that the other disciples didn’t have. They saw this request as elevating themselves into a position of power and control over the others. They wanted the ‘good’ seats, the ones right beside Jesus when he finally was king of the Kingdom of God. They wanted prestige and power. The other ten disciples were no better. They became angry at James and John because they also wished to sit at the ‘high’ seats.  They also wanted prestige and power. And they didn’t want the other disciples to have any.

All twelve disciples miss the point about the kingship of Jesus. Although he had told them repeatedly of his impending execution and resurrection, they did not get it.

They were asking for three things. They wanted the glory and honor that came from being elevated to a throne. They wanted to be close to Jesus in the kingdom. They also wanted to have positions of great authority in the coming kingdom.

Humans tend to exercise pride and self-promotion. The attributes associated with pride are revealed at a very early age. Children don’t have to be taught to be selfish; this is their nature. Left unchecked, our pride and selfish desires continue to become more apparent as we mature, often in unhealthy ways. Many problems today and the majority of past conflicts result from pride and the desire to possess power, prominence, and prestige.

In the world, you are a leader if you have power, a title, some delegated authority, you can tell people what to do. From God’s point of view, leadership is something entirely different. Jesus clearly states:

“Whoever would be great, must become a servant. Whoever desires to be first, must become the slave of all.” (Matthew 20:26)

If you want to be a leader, be a servant. If you’re going to be Number 1, become a slave. At least three times, we have heard this warning in the Gospel of Mark. But did the disciples, and do we really “get it”?

God’s view of leadership is servanthood. The way to become a leader is first to become a servant.

In our current society, it is not what you know; it’s who you know, and if you know the right person at the right time, they lift you to an elevated position. But Jesus said that might be the way the world does it, but not in His kingdom.

Do you want to be a leader? Great!

Be a servant.

Do you want to be #1?

Become a slave.

In the church, we haven’t heard and heeded his words. We have popes and cardinals, we have archbishops, we have bishops, priests, deacons, Senior Wardens, and Junior Wardens – we have denominational muckety-muck. We have presidents, vice-presidents. We have celebrities, superstars, radio preachers, TV preachers, Christian celebrities, and Christian superstars. Everybody has a title, and everybody has a position; everybody has a place. And in the church, almost as much as in the world, there is a kind of pecking order. And you’d better know your place, and you’d better keep in your place.

But in Jesus’ world, service was His passion; service was His life. Jesus freely served those who would break His heart. Jesus performed the greatest service of all when He went to Calvary to die on the cross for sinners who hated Him and wanted nothing to do with Him.

How did Jesus arrive at such a holy place? It wasn’t because He was God! He was there because He took the position of a slave. He was there because He willingly chose the lowest place of all, and God elevated Him to the highest place of all.

A servant has an honest heart, without guile or deception – a person where what you see is what you get. When they say something, you don’t have to think to yourself, “Gee, I wonder what he meant by that.” An honest heart means truth, integrity, wholeness, no trickery, no deceit, no game playing.

Honesty is hard to come by, even for Christians. It’s like the man called to testify in a court case. The bailiff said, “Raise your right hand.” The judge said, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” The man looked up at the judge and said, “Well, which one do you want?” There is the truth, there is the whole truth, and there is nothing but the truth. You can tell a servant because he has an honest heart – truth is truth!

A servant has a humble heart. Humility is that virtue which, when you think you are humble, you have lost humility. Humility is a non-threatening attitude; you are approachable. You interact with others without getting angry, hostile, or defensive. Humility is a deep sensitivity to the needs of others.

A servant has a generous heart, not arguing about who’s the greatest – being willing to acknowledge that someone else has something or a position they may have wanted. They do not worry about Who is #1? Who is on top? Who’s the greatest.

What is the mark of greatness according to Jesus? It’s not arguing about who’s the greatest. How do you find a great person?

The great person is likely the one who is on his knees playing with the children in the nursery – behind the scenes and out of the limelight, where you don’t get praise and applause and gifts – there you will find the great people of the Kingdom of God. The ones who are with the children and the young people, in the kitchen, and driving the bus—the ones that we don’t see and never hear from, the ones that don’t get the press,  that’s where you find greatness.

True greatness comes from a generous heart that understands that God’s kingdom is bigger than anyone is.

A servant has a giving heart – the heart of Christianity:

For God so loved the world, that he gave. . .” (John 3:16)

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, had traveled with Jesus for three years, and still, they wanted to assume positions of leadership that would give them great prestige, satisfy their egos, and give them power over others. Someone so filled with themselves that they said to Jesus:

“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

How’s that for confidence? They sure didn’t need any courses in self-esteem, did they? And yet, they are not very different from many of us who desire nothing more than to follow Jesus, if only He will give us what we want and not challenge us to change the way we live.

Today Jesus is inviting each of us to let go of all of those things — those desires for things we think we have to have — those things we think we most definitely deserve — and to come and walk with him. How much did the disciples miss what was truly going on around them by going off into dream worlds of their own making and scheming? How much do we miss when we are busy wondering what’s in it for me, rather than asking,

“Lord, what are you showing me right now, here, today, at this moment, in this crisis, in this opportunity?”

Instead of saying,

“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you,”

we still have time to say,

“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

In summary, this is the THIRD time that we have heard these warnings/instructions from Jesus about our behavior if we want to follow Him. And this is the THIRD time that the disciples didn’t understand! Is it the THIRD time we don’t understand?

Let us ask ourselves:

Are we as dense as the disciples that we “don’t get it”?

Are we as clueless as they were??

Do we understand the key to the Kingdom of God is to be a servant?

Have we learned we show our servanthood through acts of mercy and kindness – a cup of water to the thirsty, a bag of groceries to the hungry, the offering of the shirt off our backs to one who has no clothes, a visit to those who are shut-in?

Are we willing to:

•    Fervently pray for one another

•    Greet one another

•    Love one another.

•    Accept one another

•    Forgive one another

•    Continually build up one another in love

•    Speak words of life that give grace and energize

•    Serve one another.

•    Use our God-given gifts.

•    Restore the fallen

•    Support the weak?

If we are willing, we are following the teachings of Jesus, Yet we must also acknowledge that we are human, and sometimes the desire for power and prestige, and glory overcomes our good intentions. But we must keep trying.

which is to sit closest to you,

and all the glory I need.[1]

Amen

Let us pray:

God, I confess. I want glory.

I want to be on the winning side.

I want things to go my way,

even if that is not your way.

Christ, give me your heart,

to find delight in serving others,

not for glory, but to love them,

which is to sit closest to you,

and all the glory I need.[1]

Amen