Christ the King C

What kind of King is this?  This is the king who only wore the royal purple when they ridiculed him.  A king who was called one only to mock him.  A king who was only proclaimed one in a banner above the cross where his life was taken.  A king whose only crown was one of piercing thorn and whose only throne was a cross.

What kind of king is this?  He was never the king they expected anyway.  He was not the king to sweep the Romans out of power.  He was not the king to amass an army.  He was not the king to resort to violence in order to save.   He was the king that searched for a more permanent salvation; a king who campaigned for hearts, not for land and riches; a king who desired not liberty from Rome, but the true freedom of knowing his Father.

What kind of king is this? A king who will not be defined like any others.  Kings are known for their power to compel others.  He allows himself to be compelled so that others might live. Kings are known for how many serve them.  He is known as the servant of all. Kings are known by what they got. He is known for what he gave.  Others kings think of how to save themselves.   He saves everyone else. 

What kind of king is this?  Listen to what he says for he says but three things from the cross in Luke’s Gospel.  As they are murdering him he proclaims, “Father, forgive them, they know not they do.”  When others can only picture their vengeance or breathe white hot hate, he announces that he forgives them – that he forgives us.  As like is eking out of him, a criminal asks to be remembered as Jesus comes into his kingdom.   Even as he is about to accomplish cosmic redemption in an act of true power, he does not forget the person next to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” And when it appears that he has been abandoned even by God to such a cruel fate, he still trusts enough to say, “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.” What kind of king is this?  As they are killing him all he can do is forgive, promise life and believe.

What kind of king is this?  The one who had all things and knew all things:  “For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible…all things were created through him and for him.”  He had everything, but the only way to love is to give it all away.  This King holds back nothing.  He must hold all things together.  He can make peace by the blood of his cross so that every lowly, forgotten, unloved, despised, persecuted and beaten person would know this is their Savior.

What kind of king is this?  He is the one we are called to follow; the one we are to imitate for we are all kings somewhere in our lives.  We have some power in our families, in our work, in our classrooms and among our friends.  Will we be king like Jesus was king and look to forgive before we condemn, to welcome before we judge, to give before we take, to unite before we divide, to serve before we are served, to think of others before we consider ourselves?  Will we choose a gentle and giving Christian leadership?  Then all we would do is choose love.  Then all we would be is free.

What of kind of king do we follow? He is the king of the Universe.  He is the king of Love.  He is Jesus Christ our king.