Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year.  The Church Year is divided into two halves.  The Lord's Half deals with the life and ministry of Jesus and starts next Sunday with Advent and concludes at Pentecost.  The Church's Half Year is the 26 weeks of the Pentecost Season, and emphasizes the teachings of Jesus.  If you see in the bulletin, "Tenth Sunday after Pentecost," that means we're in the Church's Half Year.

          The last Sunday of the Church Year is Christ the King Sunday, the day we rejoice that Jesus of Nazareth is King of kings and Lord of lords.  In Revelation 17:14, St. John calls Him this when he wrote, "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings."

          George Friedrich Handel made those words famous in the "Hallelujah Chorus" of the "Messiah".  Choirs will sing, "King of kings and Lord of lords - and He shall reign forever and ever" once again this Christmas season, although the "Hallelujah Chorus" was not intended for Christmas, but for Easter.  It was Handel's joyful praise for Christ's resurrection, not His birth.  The church in its sentimentality, has made this the song of the Christmas angels.  Whatever the case, the Son of God and Son of Mary is truly King of kings and Lord of lords, and so today we "Crown Him With Many Crowns."

          These days we don't place much stock in kings or queens.  Queen Elizabeth is a mere showpiece for the British who like to harken back to the "glory days" of their many monarchs.  It's hard to imagine what America would be like if they'd crowned George Washington a king.  Most countries today elect their leaders as we are trying to do.

          By the way, I have decided to stop taking issue with our elected leaders from the pulpit, unless what they say or do becomes a direct affront to God's Word.  It's tempting to make a political slap at someone here and there, but I don't believe it helps.  The Gospel must be defended, but it must not become lost in social issues.  So I will only refer to trends or laws that clearly go against Scripture.  God's Word, even at two or three thousand years old, is always more relevant than the morning news.

          At the funeral of France's Louis XIV, the cathedral of Notre Dame was packed with mourners, each one paying final tribute to a king they all considered great.  The cathedral was dark with only a few candles and lamps here and there.  But on a tall pedestal next to the pulpit, one large candle was lit to symbolize the greatness of the king and also to illuminate his golden casket.  At the appointed time, Massilion, the court preacher, stood to address the assembly.  But as he rose to do so, he leaned over and snuffed out that one candle.  Then he stood erect and said four memorable words, "Only God is great."

          One Old Testament ruler, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, thought he was so great that he required he be addressed King of kings.  The prophets Ezekiel and Daniel did so, but only with tongue in cheek, knowing full well who the real One was.  The greatest of all earthly kings can be in power only a few decades before going to the grave.

          Our King Jesus also spent time in a grave, but not for long.  His resurrection on the third day showed Him to be higher than all kings and lords.  No matter how powerful they may be, Christ is greater;  He outlasts them all!  And all rulers must know this!  I find it interesting that most European kings and queens who honored God reigned longer than those who didn't.  Our president needs to remember that.  A leader who acknowledges his limitations and honors God is showing strength, not weakness.  Only the tyrant and megalomaniac think themselves invincible.

          After the people of Israel came to the Promised Land, they were ruled by a series of judges and prophets.  The Israelites saw that all the pagan nations around them had kings, but they didn't, so they begged Samuel the prophet for a king.  But he warned against it.  A king would force their sons to serve in his armies and their daughters in his industries.  He would take the best of their fields and vineyards, servants and flocks, and enforce cruel laws.  When that day came, they would cry out to God for relief from this king they had chosen, but God would not answer them. (1 Samuel 8)  But the people refused to listen to Samuel.  "No!" they said.  "We want a king over us.  Then we will be like all the other nations."

          They wanted to be ruled, and so do we.  Most often it's easier to have someone tell us what to do than to decide for ourselves.  Complete freedom is no easy street.  We want someone to be our king or president or prime minister who can make all the big decisions so we can get on with living.  Trouble with that is we don't always know how the new king will turn out.  Will he keep prosperity going, and our nation at peace?  Will he be the answer to our troubles or the source of new ones?

          We all want some kind of king, but who will it be?  Who is your king?  Who is it that rules over you?  Who sets your standards and laws to live by?  We'd like to think we do that ourselves, but there is always someone to do it for us.  Humorist Dave Barry once said, "When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command.  And very often, that individual is crazy."

          Friday night Carol and I watched a TV show about one of America's minor kings named Elvis.  He grew up in poverty and became rich.  He lived hard, died young, and still has a following 23 years after his death.  People either loved or hated him.  Growing up in his era, I never liked his music, but it filled an emptiness in millions of people, at least for awhile.  Watching his rapid success and decline, I couldn't help but wonder how I'd have reacted to all the adulation if I'd been standing in his blue suede shoes.

          Some soldiers were guarding a crazy young man that morning.  They'd been ordered to watch a rabbi, a man people seemed to love or hate.  Things had dragged on all night and finally the order came down - crucify Him.  But first they would have their fun, so the Bible says, "The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head.  They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!"  They had no idea how true were their words.  They mocked Him, but they were still right.  This pathetic "king of the Jews" really was King of kings.  His crown of thorns was more precious than the Crown Jewels.

          It's difficult to believe that some obscure Jewish rabbi could be the King of kings, the Son of God.  Believing that takes faith!  It takes humility and courage.  It takes a giant step out of ourselves and into the hands of God.  It's like jumping off the bridge at Royal Gorge and believing God will catch you.  But He will, because He says He will.  God sent His Son to save us, and He has.  All we need is to accept Him as our King.

          Remember last Sunday's story of the king who offered a young farmer his daughter in marriage and a place to rule his kingdom?  All he needed was to get into the royal carriage and it would all be his.  But the young man thought it would require too many changes.  No more Saturday nights at the tavern and no more old friends.  He'd have to take a bath every day and learn court manners and duties.  He declined the greatest of earthly blessing because it required too much.

          Who is your king, my friends?  Let it be Christ!  God offers us a place in His Kingdom but we can't just sit there.  By faith, get into His carriage and accept what He offers.  It's so much greater than anything the world can give us.  May the Holy Spirit move us to believe Christ is our King of kings and Lord of lords.  Amen!

Copyright © 2000 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.