Who’s In Charge?
By Bishop Chris Giesler
Preaching Text: John 18:33-37
The highly regarded Danish pastor and author Søren Kierkegaard tells a story that I heard long ago, and I don’t know where. In the story, he asks his listeners to imagine a lake which served as the home for a large flock of geese. Using a story teller’s license, he asks us to imagine that these geese are much like us. They think, talk, and live together in families much like we do. These are faithful church going geese who regularly attend worship each and every week where they are regularly inspired by a powerful, motivating sermons given by their goose pastor. Each week Rev. Goose would tell the assembled worshipers how wonderfully created they are. Their wings, their body shape, and their weight made them especially for flight. As he talks about how they could soar on the winds much as the eagles do, they would quack excitedly and flap their wings as if to say “Amen!” They were truly amazed at these words. In fact, there was no limit on how far they could fly. The thought of how wonderful their creator was filled their little goose hearts. And then, each week, after the benediction had been pronounced, they filed down the aisle, out the church doors, and they would waddle home.
Today we celebrate the festival of the Reign of Christ, which is the last Sunday in the Liturgical Calendar. This calendar keeps Christians from many different denominations moving together as we follow the church year. So, it is fitting that today we look back over the past church year, ponder what we have heard, and ask ourselves if we are still waddling home? And as we ponder the meaning of what it means to have Christ reign in our lives, we can also ask ourselves if we have placed Christ and our relationship to him at the center of our lives from which we define ourselves and guide our thoughts and actions.
Today’s Gospel lesson from John Chapter 18 relates the encounter between Jesus and Pontius Pilate just before Jesus is sentenced to die on the cross. There Pilate asks if Jesus considered himself to be a King. Jesus answers by saying, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
In the Lord’s prayer, where Jesus teaches us to pray, he gives us these words, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
I do very much affirm that the very image of God is stamped deep within each of us, and we have a calling to share God’s image as we live our lives day today. At the same time, we also have the option to keep that image hidden and instead reflect the spirit of this world in our daily lives. This is the option that free will gives us. While I don’t like to sound of this dualism, there is a reality that God’s way is different from the selfish side of our human nature. God’s way calls us to view the world through eyes of mercy and grace, while the darker side of our humanity would see the world as a means to improve our status, wealth, power, and influence.
Jesus said it well in Mark 10:43 and following: “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
As we ponder what it truly means to allow Jesus to reign in our lives and to follow him, this is where we start. This is where we move from waddling to flying! This is where we start to move beyond creeds and statements of belief to living as Jesus did. This is where we love those around us with the unconditional love with which we that Jesus loves us. This goes for those who are close to us, as well as those who are across the racial, language, gender, and political divide.
This provides us with a mission to live so that we care for others even as we care for ourselves. This is where we seek to extend grace in those places where we have been hurt or wronged. This is where we seek to make sure that the outcast is brought home, where the hungry are given food, and the homeless are given shelter. This is what it means to fly! This is what it means to follow Jesus! This is what it means to help see that God’s will is done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.
