Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year.  The Lord's Half Year goes from Advent to Pentecost and the Gospel lessons are about the life of Jesus.  The Church's Half Year is the 26 weeks of Pentecost and the lessons are the teachings of Jesus.

          The last Sunday of the Church Year is Christ the King Sunday, the day we rejoice that Yeshua ha Nosari, Jesus of Nazareth, is our King of kings and Lord of lords.  Today's Gospel tells us the soldiers put a sign on the cross that read, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." ("INRI" - seen that before?)  Some church people, ever correcting others, told Pilate to change it, "He only says He's King of the Jews."  Pilate said, "What is written stands written." (John 19:22)

          Revelation 17:14 says, "The Lamb ... is Lord of lords and King of kings."  Handel made those words the center piece of his "Hallelujah Chorus."  You've heard it sung - "King of kings and Lord of lords - and He shall reign forever and ever."  It was Handel's joyful praise for Christ's resurrection.  Somewhere along the line, the church made this into the song of the Christmas angels, not a resurrection chorus.  Whatever the case, today we hail the Son of God and Son of Mary as the true King of kings and Lord of lords.

          We don't place much stock in kings or queens today.  It's hard to imagine what America might be like if the founders had crowned George Washington king.  Most countries elect their leaders as we do.  That's why we're helping Iraq get organized so they can elect their leaders.  The country that chooses its own leaders is always better for it.

          At the funeral of France's Louis XIV, the cathedral of Notre Dame was packed with mourners, each one paying final tribute to one they all considered the greatest of French kings.  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 very tall candle was lit to symbolize the greatness of the king and also to illuminate his gold casket.  At the appointed time, Cardinal Massilion, the court preacher, stood to address the assembly.  But as he rose to do so, he leaned over and snuffed out that large candle.  Then he stood up straight and said, "Only God is great."

          King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon thought he was so great that he required people address him as "King of kings."  But Nebuchadnezzar died.  Castro, dictator of Cuba, is dying.  Julius Caesar, Genghis Kahn, Napolean, Hitler - all are dead.  The greatest of earthly kings rule at the most only a few decades, then they go to the grave.  The earthly king dies; only King Jesus rose again.  And only those who trust in Him will also live forever with Him.

          Our King Jesus spent some time in a grave, but not for long.  His resurrection proved Him greater than the graves of kings and lords.  No matter how powerful the world's leaders may be, He is greater; Christ outlasts them all!  All rulers and politicians must know this!  Most of the world's kings and queens who honored God reigned longer than those who didn't.  American presidents who honor God are usually more respected than those who don't.  A leader who acknowledges his limitations and honors God is showing strength, not weakness.  The "invincible" tyrant is the actually the weakest leader there is.

          After the people of Israel came to the Promised Land, they were ruled by a series of judges and prophets.  They saw that pagan nations around them had kings, but they didn't, so they begged God's prophet for a king.  Samuel, however, warned against it.  A king would press their sons into his armies and their daughters into his service, he said.  A king would take the fruit of their fields and vineyards, the best of their servants and flocks, he said, and would enforce cruel laws.  Someday they would cry out for relief from their king, but God would not hear them. (1 Samuel 8)   But the people ignored Samuel.  "No!" they said.  "We want a king over us.  Then we will be like the other nations."  Even back then, following the pack, doing what others do, always seemed more important than doing what is right.

          This past week in Arizona I planted cactus around our place.  "Don't buy cactus," my neighbors said, so they gave me cutlets from their cactus.  "And wear leather gloves," they told me, but of course I knew better.  My cotton gloves would be just fine.  And I'm still picking the thorns out.  The littlest ones are the worst.  You can't see them.  You think you have them out, but a day or so later a spot on your finger turns red and starts to hurt.  There's a tiny thorn in there.  And if I'd taken their advice, my hands would be just fine right now.

          Sometimes we don't like to be told what to do, and other times we're glad for it.  Sometimes it's just easier to have others tell us what to do, and kings are always ready to do that.  Complete freedom is no easy street.  It requires responsibility.  We want a king or president or prime minister to make all the big decisions so we can get on with living.  Trouble with that is we don't always know what the king will do.  Will he be fair and just?  Will he keep up prosperity, and 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?  The question I'd like to place before you is this:  Who is your king?  Who is it that rules over you?  Who sets your standards and laws to live by?

          Ron Mehl writes the true story about a man named Bob who was going through his neighbor's garage.  Hidden in the very back under an old tarp was the unmistakeable shape of a motorcycle.  "Bike for sale?" he asked.  "Yup," his neighbor said, "Got it at an auction, but the motor's seized up.  It'd cost you a bundle to get it running."  "So how much do you want for it?"  "They said they'd give me $35 for scrap metal."  Bob looked at the rusty old heap and thought it had potential.  "I'll give you $35," Bob said and soon a rusty old Harley Davidson was in his own garage, much to his wife's chagrin.  After a few weeks he started working on it.  He called a Harley shop to see what a few major parts would cost and was asked for the serial number.  Bob gave him the number and after a long few minutes the man said, "Uh, sir, I'm going to have to call you back.  What's your name, address and phone number?"

          After he hung up, Bob wondered why.  Was the old bike stolen or maybe involved in a crime?  Maybe the police would come to his door.  A few anxious days later another man called back, a Harley executive, he said.  "Would you do something for me, Bob?  Would you look under the seat and tell me what you see?"  Bob grabbed a screw driver, did as he was told, and came back to the phone.  "It says THE KING.  Listen, is there some trouble here?"  The man on the phone hesitated a moment and then said, "Bob, my boss has authorized me to offer you $300,000 for the bike, payable immediately, no questions asked.  He really wants that bike.  Do we have a deal?"  Bob was stunned, so he stammered that he'd think about it.  The next day he received a phone call that jolted him.  The man said he was Jay Leno, the comedian.  He offered him $500,000 for the old Harley.  "I have a thing about old Harleys," Leno told him.  Bob said he'd call him back, and went to work on the phone.  The serial number and inscription made it official.  That old rusty bike had belonged to none other than the "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley.  Bob bought a fortune for only $35.  Its value had nothing to do with its condition, but to the one who had owned it.  It's the same with you and me.  Our value comes from who owns us.  In our baptism, God adopts us into His family.  We're now God's child and we have incredible worth, far more than anything "The King" may have once owned.

          The soldiers guarding Jesus that afternoon put a crown of thorns on His head.  They put a sign over his head on the cross, and they had no idea the truth of their words.  They mocked Him, but they were right.  This pathetic looking "king of the Jews" was the genuine article.  The crown of thorns He wore was more precious than the Crown Jewels.

          It's difficult to believe that an obscure Jewish rabbi could be the King of kings, or the Son of God.  It takes faith to believe that!  It takes courage, and it takes trust.  It takes a giant step out of ourselves and into the hands of God to believe in Jesus.  It's like jumping off a mountain and believing God will catch you.  But if He says He will, then He will!  God sent His Son to save us, and He has done just that.  All we need is to accept Him as our King.

          I once told a story of a king who offered a young peasant man a place to rule in his kingdom, and even the hand of his daughter in marriage.  All he needed was to get into the royal carriage and it would all be his.  At first it looked great, but then the young man realized it would require many changes.  No more Saturday nights at the tavern and no more drinking buddies.  He'd have to bathe every day and learn court manners and official duties.  So the peasant chose poverty.  Becoming King required too much of him.

          Becoming a follower of Christ requires some changes.  We have some new members joining Epiphany.  They, too, will find life is no longer the same.  Being God's child means making some changes that will bless them.  Your weekends are no longer completely yours.  God has a claim on a few hours; in fact, on your whole life.  He is our King, and we must acknowledge this.  God cannot be our King if we ignore Him or what He calls us to do.

          My son and his wife have had to make some changes.  Newborn Micah is chronologically 8 weeks old, but due to his being 10 weeks early, he is still about a minus two weeks.  His parents feed him every three hours, and caring for his needs has changed their entire lives.  Their house has baby things all over and they don't just run out the door like before.  Their lives now revolve around a tiny human who quietly slipped into their lives.  Mary and Joseph knew what that was like.  Nothing is the same when Jesus comes into our lives.  It's no longer business as usual.  Now it's God giving us the unusual, the unexpected, for this life and in the life that is to come.

Copyright © 2005 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.