Christ the King (C)
November 24,
2013
Colossians
1:11-20
Today is, as many of you know, Confirmation Day for Emma/Heidi. That is certainly a special
occasion, and we look forward to celebrating it with her. But did you know that
it is also another special day on the church calendar? Today is known as “Christ
the King” or “Reign of Christ” Sunday. It is the last Sunday of the church
year, the last Sunday before Advent begins, and a day when we remember that
Christ is the ruler of our hearts and our lives, and that Christ’s reign, or
the kingdom of God, is a reality of which we get glimpses now and then, but
which we are also still seeking. Every year this Christ the King Sunday falls
either the week before or the week right after Thanksgiving. So every year as I
prepare to preach on this Sunday, I am very aware that even as we proclaim,
“Crown him with many crowns!” and “Come thou almighty king!” our minds are also
occupied by Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, and Christmas shopping, and
acquiring all of those things that we didn’t even know we needed.
So then which is it, I wonder? Is Christ the king of our
hearts? Does Jesus take the primary position in our lives? Does God have all
the power? Or does our “Almighty King” take second, third, or tenth place,
falling behind our other priorities such as family, friends, work, and the
delicious possibility of a half price, big screen TV?
This year as I have reflected on this discrepancy, the
concept that has risen in my consciousness is power. That word comes up several times in our reading today from
Colossians, talking about the power that Christ has over all things. The
question that has been rolling around in my head is: what has power over us? Or
better yet, what do we allow to have power over us?
It’s a convicting question, especially as we enter this time
of consumerism and consumption. Perhaps a really effective advertisement has power
over you, convincing you suddenly that something you didn’t even know existed
is in fact something you absolutely need to have. Or a particularly delectable
looking Christmas goodie has power over you and you can’t resist just one bite.
Or more broadly and seriously, perhaps you have some fears or insecurities that
have power over you, that prevent you from doing or being all that you can be,
all that God calls you to be. I can’t do that, we think. I’m not smart or
good-looking or popular or out-going enough. How easy it is to let these fears
and insecurities have power over us, to have the final say!
There is a wonderful quote from Nelson Mandela. He suggests
that we are not so much afraid of failure as we are that we might succeed, and
hence shine too brightly. He writes: “Our deepest fear is not that we are
inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our
light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to
be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are
you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not
serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children
do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not
just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we
unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”
I first heard that quote when I was about Emma/Heidi’s age, and it spoke so
profoundly to my teenage insecurities, at a time when standing out was not
something I ever set out to do. I’d rather just go about my business and do
good things and be a nice person, but not draw any undue attention to myself,
for fear of embarrassment.
But what if Nelson Mandela is right? What if we do all have
this light inside us, a light just bursting to get out and shine on and in the
world? What if we do possess some extraordinary power and gift to offer the
world? And if we do, then the next question is: from where does that light,
that power come?
The
answer is right there in the first line of our reading today from Colossians: “May
you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power,
and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving
thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the
saints in the light.”
Boy,
if there is one thing I would wish for Emma/Heidi
as she is confirmed today, it is that. That you, Emma/Heidi, would be made strong with all the strength that comes
from Christ’s glorious power, and be prepared to endure everything with
patience, while joyfully giving thanks to God. And that you would not be afraid
to let that beautiful light inside you to shine!
That’s
not just my wish, of course, and it is not just for those being confirmed
today. It is also God’s wish, for each and every one of us, each and every day
of our lives. God made that wish for each of us even when we were still in our
mother’s wombs, but God made it a public statement in our baptism. At that
moment, God washed us, claimed us, called us beloved children, and instilled in
us the light of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Pretty remarkable
moment!
Of
course we cannot leave it at that. In our baptism we were given all of that…
and so who are we to simply let all that power and light just sit around? You
see baptism is not a once and done event. It is truly a gift in many ways, but
it comes also with a responsibility – a responsibility to then live like we are
baptized children of God! To love people even when they are difficult to love.
To speak out on behalf of people who are not treated fairly or justly. To serve
one another. To give of our selves, our time, and our possessions. To find ways
to be thankful for all that God has given us, even when we may feel more
depressed than thankful, more frustrated than joyful, more needy than generous.
Because you see, that is what it looks like to be baptized.
Of
course, Emma/Heidi didn’t know what
she was getting into when she was baptized – she was yet a baby. What if we did
know? I have a colleague who baptized a three-year-old once. The girl’s parents
were worried about how she would respond, so they practiced so the little girl
would know exactly what to expect. But when the moment came for her baptism,
she grabbed her dad’s neck and yelled, “But daddy! I don’t want to be
baptized!!” And it occurred to my friend, “Yup, that’s about right.” If we
really understood what happens when we are baptized, the power of the Spirit
that we receive, and the agency that is expected, we might also cling to safety
or even run the other way! Being a baptized Christian is hard.
And
yet, we are baptized. And Emma/Heidi
has made the choice to affirm that baptism, as many of us did as teenagers, to
say, “Yup, I’m on board with this. I want to be baptized, and I’m gonna do my
best to live into that identity as a baptized child of God.”
It’s
no easy task she has set out to do today, that we all set out to do, every day.
But one of the most important lines in the whole confirmation rite is Emma’s/Heidi’s response to the question,
“Do you intend to continue to live in the covenant of baptism…?” The answer is,
“Yes, and I ask God to help and guide me.” This is essential, because there
ain’t no way we can do this on our own! Because that power and light we’ve been
talking about? That doesn’t even belong to us – that is God’s. What strength we
have comes from Christ’s glorious
power. Our power is really Christ’s power, and we are the vessels. So yes, we
can intend to live in the covenant of
baptism all we want, but without God’s help and guidance, we won’t get very
far.
My
initial question going into this sermon was, “What has power over us?” Really,
it is not so much about power over
us, as it is power in us. And the
answer is indeed Christ the King, who made us strong with all the strength that
comes from his glorious power, who sends his Spirit to be in our every action,
who promises to be present, God-with-us, in all of our work and ministry.
Let
us pray… Christ our King and ruler of all,
you have given us power and strength beyond our comprehension. Help us know how
you would have us use it. As we enter now into this time of affirmation of
baptism, help us to remember our own baptism and the promises therein, and help
us to live out those promises every day. In the name of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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