Sermon for Christ the King preached at the Eucharist, Sherborne Abbey on Sunday 24 November 2024 by The Reverend Rebecca McDonnell (Revelation Ch 1: v 4b – 8; John Ch 18: v 33 – 37)
Who is truly powerful? Who reigns? These are the questions being raised by our readings for today, Christ the King. The day when we think and reflect on Christ’s reign, the Kingdom of Heaven, and what sort of King he was and is. This feast, that will celebrate 100 years since it’s introduction in 1925 next year, was instituted after the first world war. Partly as a response to rising secularism and to remind all, after the horrors of war, that no earthy power, however great and terrible they may seem, has true Kingship or authority, that always rests with God. It reminds me of the Wizard of Oz (as the latest origins film ‘Wicked’ has just been released) who styles himself as an unstoppable wizard, ‘Oz, the great and terrible,’ but who turns out to be ordinary man, with no magic power, hiding behind a curtain. The villains of the real world are far more to be feared, and I don’t wish to downplay the darkness, evil or horrors of this world, but in the same spirit of how this feast began, to point to Christ as King of all here and in Heaven.
John crafts his narrative in our Gospel reading to show Christ’s Kingship through his trial and crucifixion; and no matter how Pilate tries to assert his power and authority in his questioning, and later in mocking Christ’s Kingship by nailing ‘King of the Jews’ over his head, we know he ultimately is powerless to God’s reign. And where Earthly Kings and rulers often win their power by battle, by fear, by politics, Jesus’ mounts no violent defence. He doesn’t rally his followers to come to support him or save him by force. He says he has come to ‘witness to the truth,’ the truth of God and His love.
Christ the King, and the nature of his Kingship, is interesting to dwell on in our world today, where leaders and controlling groups are often violent, power hungry, wanting to oppress and gain control of land, of assets, and wishing to control people, their rights, freedoms, even their bodies. This, I am sure for many, feels like an unsettling place to be right now, especially for those who exist on the margins or who belong to vulnerable groups. Where can we find our voice in this world or help others who have no voice. It is in the model of Christ’s Kingship that we find our hope and our salvation. Our King was wrongly tried and accused and killed under an oppressive regime. But he is still the King, the most powerful and glorious, whose Kingdom is far beyond the pain and suffering of this Earthly realm.
Christ says that his Kingdom ‘is not from here.’ This could be interpretated as God’s Kingdom being separate from what happens here on Earth, but I think it could also be understood as God’s Kingdom operating in this world, but that it operates by entirely different rules. He doesn’t establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven through violence or coercion. He doesn’t defend Himself with armies or swords. Only with truth, and with love.
It is fitting, I think, to have Toy Sunday on the same day as reflecting on Kingship. As we gather toys and gifts for children and women who have sought refuge from aggressive and controlling powers in their own lives, we can pass on something that represents the light of Christ, the joy and hope of the Advent and Christmas season that is coming. Children are diametrically opposed to those violent powers of our world, vulnerable and without any influence (except over their families when it comes to lists of wanted Christmas presents.) And even more so if we consider the children of the world living in war zones, places of natural disaster, those neglected or abused, and the refugees, of which Christ himself was one as a baby and young child. Once again, we see the order of this world flipped on its head in God’s love and priorities. Thank you all for what you have donated, to send God’s love out into the world.
Providing for the refuges, the end point of awful violence inflicted on the most vulnerable, is just one part of a campaign endorsed by the UN and fronted here in the Salisbury Diocese by the Mothers Union and the Soroptimists to tackle domestic violence. Tomorrow sees the start of 16 days of activism where the Mothers Union will join with over 6,000 organisations from over 185 countries to raise awareness of and call for an end to gender based violence and abuse, in every way that happens and in all places. The same violent forces that have torn these lives apart, can only be counted with the truth of God’s love, and we can respond with prayer and with loving action.
Our epistle today also picks up the theme of Christ as King, Christ on the cross, who gave up his life to free us from our sins by his blood. When we stand before our great East end here, looking upon the reredos of the risen and ascended Lord, enthroned as King on high, to receive his body and his blood, we are reminded that we aren’t merely looking to the past, but we are in the present and looking to the future. ‘Look!’ Cries John, ‘He is coming with clouds!’ The Lord is the Alpha and the Omega, he was at the beginning of all things, he is here with us now, and he will be at the end of all things. What earthly ruler can say that? Our mortal lives our so short and redeemed by faith. Christ is not a King separate and above us, he rules from on high but also walks amongst us and journeys alongside us. And by His strength we can spread the truth of the Gospel and show his love to the world.