-
·
Christ, a king? (Proper 29C)
In wrestling with the image of Jesus as king above all kings, we’ve got the chance to see both the good and bad of it.
-
·
Better Than a King
Christians have long called Jesus their king as a way of describing his place. The trouble is just how much that limits him.
-
·
Kings and the price of granting supremacy
We are all familiar with the saying “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” – John Dalberg-Acton. We also know that it doesn’t come from the Bible but from a historian, John Dalberg-Acton. OK, we know the first part, I had to look up who actually wrote it. This is also the stuff…
-
·
The Innocent One Can’t Be King
Trying to make Christ into a king, we misunderstand the nature of power and its purpose. Especially our foolish attempts to wield it for good. The problem is powerProper 29CLuke 23:33-43 Here we are, at the end of the church year; the Last Sunday After Pentecost. Next week will be the first Sunday in Advent,…
-
·
Not a King
There’s a fundamental flaw in calling Jesus the king. But it isn’t just our perception of kings. It’s how it changes our relationship to Jesus. Proper 29B | 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Psalm 132:1-13 (14-19), John 18:33-37 I’ve heard the argument for an American king. It goes something like this. Our president has two jobs: being…
-
·
The Innocent Man
Our church year ends this morning, the Last Sunday after Pentecost, and we end with a doozy: the crucifixion. The most fitting gospel choice for today, dubbed in 1925 as Christ the King Sunday. The day we are to celebrate the primacy of Christ over human authority. And today, we’re reminded what that primacy actually…
-
·
On the Other Side Of the Wall
GOD wants that perfect community and we go “But that’s too hard. Give us a tyrant who can just tell us what to do. A good one, not a bad one.” And GOD says there’s no such thing. The reign of Christ and the end of fear Proper 29B | John 18:33-37 The Leadership of…
-
·
Asking/Responding
a homily for Proper 29C Text: Luke 23:33-43 This is a potent ending to the church year. Jesus on the cross, mocked, brought low beside two criminals. A passage full of questions—like the questions we all bring with us to church. Questions about… Jesus—Who is He, what is He? What does He want? GOD—What is…