Two Kings, Two Kingdoms
a sermon based on John 18:33-37
by Rev. Randy Quinn

Did you know – you probably don’t want to know – Christmas is only 28 days away?

Because Thanksgiving falls so late in November this year, Christmas will seem to come a lot sooner than normal – even though Advent hasn’t officially started yet!  But that doesn’t mean we haven’t heard Christmas Carols already!

 ^♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel. ^♫

  ^♫ This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing . . . ^♫

  ^♫ Joy to the world, the Lord is come!  Let earth receive her King . . . ^♫

 ^♫ Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heaven’s all gracious King . . . ^♫

  ^♫ Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King.^♫

You can probably think of several others that you have already heard, will soon hear, or will be singing in the next few weeks.  But a common theme in these carols is the sense that Jesus comes as the King.

But what does it mean for Jesus to come as the King?

The Lectionary cycle begins and ends with the affirmation that Jesus is King.  At the beginning of the Lectionary Year, we looked forward to the coming King during the season of Advent.  Today we reach the end of the Lectionary Year and our scripture readings point to the reign and rule of Christ, the King.

Our text today provides an interesting context in which to consider the question of what it means for Jesus to come as and reign as King.

Let’s stand in honor of the living word, whose voice is heard in the written word.

Read text.

I don’t know when it started, really.  I’m not even sure how.  But somehow I got “hooked” on the “Law & Order” television shows.  Sometimes I think it’s a good thing I go to as many evenings as I do or I’d probably watch “Law & Order” every night of the week!

I know a part of the reason I enjoy them is that there are episodes that address social issues from a variety of perspectives.  How we, as a society, treat those with mental illness, for instance, or how corporate fraud affects the lives of every day people.  Since the show takes place in New York City, there have been several episodes addressing the long term impact of September 11, 2001.

But the shows also raise the legal dilemmas facing our courts and those who are charged with enforcing those laws.  One episode may address freedom of speech while another may explore the limits of the free exercise of religion.

Some of the recurring legal issues have been when and where and who and how plea bargains are used and the role of politics in our court system.  And while they portray them as contemporary topics, those two issues are not unique to our court system, nor are they unique to modern history.

In fact, both politics and plea bargains are at play in the trial of Jesus – if you can call it a trial.  In a system where the accused are presumed guilty and the court simply imposes the sentence, Pilate finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place.  He looks for a way out, but cannot find one.  If we continued in our reading today, we would hear Pilate concluding that Jesus is innocent, but claiming his hands are tied (Jn 18:38; 19:12).  He will try to offer to punish another man, in a plea bargain-like proposal, but the opportunity will be denied him (Jn 18:39-40).

Pilate, who serves at the whim of the Emperor in Rome, is trying to appease the local citizenry.  He has the authority to condemn or to set free but he does not have the political will to use his authority.

It becomes the ultimate irony in the Gospel of John.

§  Pilate, who rules with the authority of a King, seems to be on trial by a man who prefers to talk about Kingdoms rather than Kingship.

§  One has authority while the other speaks with authority.

§  Jesus is confident while Pilate is reticent.

§  One rules with power and might and violence; the other rules with truth and love and peace.

§  Pilate, a man who rules his own little corner of the world as if he were a King, stands before a man who can equip no army and no land and is being charged with claiming the title of King.

Curiously, the only times in the entire Bible where we read the title, “King of the Jews,” it is said by Gentiles.  And every occurrence is in the New Testament.  It is not a Jewish concept.  And yet it becomes the key factor in this trial by Pilate.

But what does it mean for us today?  What is so important about Jesus being “King of the Jews” that we sing Christmas Carols about it?

The founders of our nation rejected Monarchy as a form of Government.  Tradition credits George Washington with being the primary reason for that as he refused to accept the title of King.  Consequently, most of what we know about Kings and Kingdoms comes from the media’s portrayal of England’s Royal family and fairy tales.

Like the other Monarchy’s in today’s world, the British Monarchy seems to be primarily a symbolic role.  There is a Kingdom – the United Kingdom – and her subjects appear to be loyal, but the Queen seems to have little effect on the daily affairs of the Kingdom.

The other places we have heard about and learned about Royalty is in the fairy tales and maybe Shakespeare where the focus is often on the King and Queen or the Prince and Princess, rather than on the Kingdom itself.

I suppose there is yet another place Americans have learned about Royalty.  Elvis.  The King.  J

And in a strange way, his Kingdom – the Kingdom of Elvis – may give us more insight into the Kingdom of Jesus than the British Royalty might.  There are no geographic borders to this Kingdom.  It is a Kingdom of the hearts and minds of people who hold allegiance to their King.

For Pilate, a Kingdom required borders and troops and taxes.  For Pilate, a King held absolute power.  For Pilate, a King was sovereign.

For Jesus, the focus is not on the King, but on the Kingdom.  Jewish law was clear that the role of the King was to care for the people – much as a shepherd takes care of the sheep.  The King was not sovereign, but ruled under the direction of God (Dt 17:14-20).

Pilate, who maybe longed to be a King himself, belies his powerlessness when he turns to the people for help.  His hands are tied because he is not sovereign.  Jesus, on the other hand, turns no where but to the absolutes of truth and righteousness and the will of God.  As sovereign, he willingly lays his life down for the sake of those who desire to live in his Kingdom (Jn 10:11).

For us to acclaim Christ as King is to suggest that we are both the focus of his concern and the beneficiaries of his providence.

There are some, I suppose, who see God as a tyrant-King who is to be feared.  He has all power and can execute justice based on the standards of perfection and sinlessness.  The world has seen its share of tyrant-Kings and dictators who rule with only one concern – their own self importance and power.

Like Pilate, like Herod, like Caesar, these rulers really derive their power from the fear of the people over whom they wield their sword.

In contrast, Jesus derives his power from God in heaven and uses that power to grant us grace and forgiveness.

He fulfills the role of the Jewish ideal for a King.  His concerns are for the people being ruled and the Kingdom over which he has been given authority, an authority that comes from God in heaven.

And since his Kingdom has no geographic borders, those who enter the Kingdom do so of their own free will as they accept the gift of God’s forgiveness.

I’m glad Christ is my King.  I hope you can say the same.

Let’s pray: God in heaven, thank you for your son, Jesus.  Thank you for giving him the authority to rule in our lives.  We know we do not deserve to be citizens of your Kingdom for we know we have sinned.  We have all fallen short of the mark you have set for us.  But with grateful hearts we accept the gift of your forgiveness and proclaim you King.  Amen.