Today is the last Sunday of the church year. It seems strange this time of year to read this lesson of Jesus being mocked and crucified; very much out of season. After all, this Thursday is Thanksgiving and next Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent, which begins a new church year. Our church year always begins its celebration with the expectant birth of a baby, and concludes with the celebration of his reign as King of Kings. And for today's reading, it is not so much the cruelty we focus on, but the sign hanging over his head.
Although we worship the God of the Jews, our focus as Christians is his son Jesus Christ. Jesus is hung on a tree like a common criminal, but over his head is a designation, "King of the Jews." Some protested at the proclamation. Those who knew Jesus simply thought it was ironic if they noticed it at all. But those who took offense thought it made a mockery of all they believed, and if it were true, -- then that meant they were very, very wrong.
This view of Jesus is not a view of power and authority. It is a view of submission and of obedience. Maybe this view helps us understand that what we see, the way things appear, may not in fact be true. When we feel most powerless may be when God is working in us most strongly.
When I read only one interpretation of events or circumstances, that is most often when I misinterpret what is happening. And when I get angry, and am filled with (what in my view is) righteous indignation – that is when I most likely will do something stupid like back my car into a tree. Because I get caught up in my own perception of right and wrong, or worse yet, my sense of entitlement to some particular thing; when I try to be too assertive and take control of a situation, that’s when God so graciously brings me back down to earth.
During the time of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, the church is being persecuted. And even in the face of pain and suffering, people of faith could say that Jesus Christ was the image of the invisible God. In the Greek language, Jesus is "the icon" of God. He is the God who suffers with us, the one who cares for us, the one who cries with us.
Paul tells us - "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created. . . For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, in heaven and on earth. . ." Colossians 1
In Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God is with us now, in this present day and age. We don’t have to wait until some glorious future. We have to look behind the power and glamour. God is here with us in the nitty-gritty of everyday life. All through the gospels Jesus reminds us of the great reversals – the paradoxes of our faith: the first shall be last; the master shall be servant; - - a king who is born in a stable.
In this day and age, especially in our current political climate, we can look at the political and professional mess of our leaders and remember that there is another kingdom where things are done differently. When there is so little we can do to change the world, we can proclaim that God is sovereign and holds the world in his outstretched arms.
When we look around and see pain and suffering, from people hit by earthquakes in the Oklahoma around the world, from people who are held prisoner, indentured slaves right here in America to those who are living in refugee camps, from those who find themselves ravaged by cancer to those who find themselves without jobs or means of support, we can know that Christ understands and carries us during our deepest need. In Christ we can seek comfort and strength when we lose someone we love, and we can look forward to seeing them again.
With this wonderful view of Christ on the cross – who, even through his suffering, reaches out to another – the thief who cries out, “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.” (There was no hesitance, no “If you are who you say you are…”; no “If you are a king…”; and no expectation for this life.)
And the wonderful assurance Jesus gives him, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” It was a little late for this guy to turn his life around or to make amends… but Jesus still accepts him – as is. This is an assurance that there is no one who can go so far that they are outside the reach of his saving embrace. There is no piece of our human experience which cannot be redeemed.
In Christ we find a god who views the world from a different perspective. In Christ we can live in the middle of a world that measures everything by power and popularity, and the lives of the rich and famous – and we can see a God who judges by a different measure. His love is all encompassing – reaching out to those in need, who have no power, no authority, those who are not beautiful or popular.
With this coming season of Advent, I think the greatest gift we can give ourselves is the gift of not having to always be in control, not always having to be on top. If we sit back and allow God room to work, we have more freedom to be ourselves and to live into his plan for our lives. (The last few days, I have been overwhelmed by everything I saw that needed doing, so I'm in need of this message as much as everyone. I had gotten the feeling that it was all up to me and leaving God out in the equation.)
During Advent, I invite you to ponder a god who comes to us, not as a powerful king, but as a little child. Advent allows us to give Jesus "gestation time" - time to grow in us - before being born anew in our hearts. During Advent, ponder that this little child will grow and take on the cares of the world. This little child will one day offer himself up to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. And that one day, he will come again - in glory - to rule the world in perfect peace. This is a victory he has already won – that glorious day many years ago on a hill called Calvary. Amen.
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