Party time!

Oh wow the last Sunday before we start Advent for this year. Time for a celebration? Could it be Party time? Perhaps it’s when important people might arrive, a celebrity even? Have we met any celebrities in our time? What of Royalty? If so, please drop a comment below – I’d love to hear.

As a Church, we have been on a journey the past twelve months as we have travelled through the Christian Church Year. We have followed in the steps of Jesus as he was birthed in a stable, as he walked the dusty hillsides of Galilee, as we have heard today: opened blind eyes and made the lame to walk again, as he taught the multitudes and the disciples, as he was crucified, and gloriously rose again. We have celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, reflected on the mission of the Church, and what it means to be a disciple of the Christ. Today is the last week of that journey for this year. Next Sunday we begin celebrating Advent as we once again begin that journey to remind ourselves who we are and whose we are.

David’s Reign

In the Hebrew Scriptures, in 2 Samuel 23:1-7, we read of David and his kingship.

Here David tells us that he is akin to the Son of Jesse, anointed by the God of Jacob, the Lord’s word is on his tongue, he is a prophet. But it is how you act that we might see what you are made of David…

• We read that a Good King (or royalty) must be righteous : in other words they need to demonstrate equality, fairness, concern for the other – not greatness.

• The need to fear God. What does this word fear really mean? Is it completely scared witless, panic stricken perhaps. Some in the OT might have appeared like that as they were so desperate to sacrifice whatever to God to appease God for they feared the retributions. Many however in the OT saw that God was of love, and fear was understood to be more about worship, they could find worthship in being with God. Nevertheless, we do need to be in dialogue with God, to show that we understand that we seek to at one with God – perhaps we are accountable with God. Perhaps that’s the same with royalty, they need to be accountable to God as well?

• They also need to encourage, to bring life as the sun and the rain. 

Success?

David’s reign as king wasn’t a great success. The kingdom of David was divided and the idea that Jerusalem was the central place – seen very much today with the tension between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem – became lost. 

Throughout scripture we read of Jesus as King, from the royal line of David, proclaiming the kingdom of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.

My time with Royalty has been rather limited, seeing them as perhaps distant, to be revered from afar.

My Time with Royalty – limited

When I went to Buckingham Palace I recall walking up a red carpet from the inner quadrangle. It was so special. I then stood with my colleagues as we awaited Prince Philip. He asked us when we jointly undertook our expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh. They all responded in unison June whilst I said July. I can see his face now, staring at me quizzically. 

At RAF Lyneham, near Swindon, the Squadron was to host the Queen as she presented a new standard, a special form of flag. My wife and I were requested to attend.  She entered the chapel, presented the Standard and upon exiting stopped at looked at Mandy, my wife. She was the only one not to be wearing a hat. It was the done thing then. Time stopped. We prayed that the earth would open up, fortunately the Queen moved on. 

At RAF Benson, in Oxfordshire, when the Queen came to visit, she had her own toilet. Nevertheless, issues persisted whether the seat should be up or down…

At RAF Finningley, near Doncaster, for the visit of Princess Anne, now the Princess Royal, they painted the grass green for it was a nasty shade of brown given the lack of rain. Sadly the Princess Royal’s shoes’ then received a beautiful green fleck around their edges.  Heads rolled on that occasion.

Is this really what meeting Royalty is about?

Nearer to home…

Royalty may have walked along Buchanan Street (in Glasgow), people may have flocked there but for what, party time? A selfie? Tagging on FB so others know we were there? The royalty we refer to is different. 

Is there a palace? The Kingdom of God is here, the land God created was given to us and it was good. The Kingdom of God is a palace here and we need to allow others to find that, not a materialistic palace but one where they are welcomed, accepted and loved. 

We may not wish to wear a hat, although I’m told that my hair is a crown of wisdom so I could be some way there already. That tension I saw every Sunday in my link church in Birmingham where people come in their finest clothes, not jeans or trainers…

Should we dress up to meet our God?

Jesus sits on a throne, different again to the throne the Queen had issues with at Benson. 

We may read of these images of the palace, the Crown, the throne, the need to wear fine clothes or shoes, do we need this to be with God? For it makes God separate from us, aloof, not able to be in direct contact, when in reality God is with us, Emmanuel. Through grace we are afforded that opportunity to be with our God, to talk and listen to Christ our King whenever we wish, without need to get an appointment. Do we take this opportunity to speak to Jesus one to one?  Jesus the King is one who goes to the least, to the margins, mingles and associates with all. There isn’t protocol to be satisfied, our King is willing to be with all.

What’s Truth?

In John’s Gospel (John 18:33-38) we can see why this day might be called Christ the King.

However it originated only in 1925 by a Pope decreeing that all nations should see that the Church has the right to freedom and immunity from the state; and that the faithful were to be reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills and bodies. 

Jesus doesn’t appear to be much of King in this text, and there;’s not much evidence of any party time. He appears powerless, a bit feeble even although good with words. He is in a bit of a corner really as all the power seems to lie with Pilate. But even Pilate realises that he is out of his league, 20,000 leagues in fact, out of his depth. Even Pilate knows that he has no answer so resorts to the crowd eventually, to make him a popularist. Is that what leaders do?

It would seem that the Israelites, Saul, David, the disciples and Pilate all misunderstand Jesus. What is truth? Says Pilate. Truth may be seen when we stand back from our stereotypical views and see the whole situation. Jesus’ reign as King isn’t one of power – as we generally use it – but to be a servant of all. That’s been a thread throughout the Gospel over the past few months. The Truth is not seen, as Pilate would have like it expressed, as academic rationale but a way of living and being in the world. It comes from within – through our prayers, that dialogue with God. It’s an outpouring from within. 

It’s from within

When we might claim that Jesus is our King, we don’t seek so much to look to God to do it all, but God is looking at us so that our hearts be of Christ wherever we are, and whomever we are with. It comes from within us, to desire to follow Jesus, being comes before doing. We don’t have to so much think of ways of ding Christianity but beingfollowers of Christ .

People can see that in you. They will very quickly discern your motives if they are self focussed. They will also see when your motives come from within. It’s such a different perspective, one 180 degrees in fact from often is seen. Sometimes showing others where the Kingdom of God is, is by seeing you.

Takeaway

What of the neighbourhood near us and to lands afar who may not know of Christ, how shall we journey in the year ahead so that they will come to a real and full experience of Jesus as one who comes alongside, not in a golden horse-drawn carriage, but who is seen in every person in every walk of life, and gives us all an invitation to meet with God without needing to go to the palace or wear a fancy hat. 

How might people see that invitation in us, in our very being today and in the year ahead?