1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:00,640 Foreign. 2 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:11,520 Thank you for engaging with the homily by Pastor Chill Will from 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:12,480 Chapel Hill. 4 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:17,520 I hope this message encourages you, challenges you and moves you 5 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:22,320 to go deeper in your faith and enrich how you love God and love 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:24,320 your neighbor in your day to day life. 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:25,880 Just a reminder. 8 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:29,240 Like the scriptures and Gospels themselves, this homily was 9 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,220 written for a particular community in a particular, particular 10 00:00:32,220 --> 00:00:33,900 context, time in history. 11 00:00:34,540 --> 00:00:38,780 And yet, like our sacred texts, I hope that these words hold 12 00:00:38,860 --> 00:00:42,620 timeless truths about God's unconditional love and grace. 13 00:00:43,020 --> 00:00:46,060 We hope these words speak to you in a meaningful way. 14 00:00:53,740 --> 00:00:54,780 I'm Pastor Will. 15 00:00:54,780 --> 00:00:57,100 We want to welcome you to worship this morning. 16 00:00:57,730 --> 00:00:59,570 Today is Christ the King Sunday. 17 00:00:59,730 --> 00:01:03,170 It is the last Sunday of the liturgical year, believe it or not. 18 00:01:03,570 --> 00:01:06,090 Next Sunday we'll start with Advent. 19 00:01:06,090 --> 00:01:07,330 And here we go. 20 00:01:08,130 --> 00:01:11,130 The Holy Gospel according to Luke, where they came to the place 21 00:01:11,130 --> 00:01:12,690 that is called the Skull. 22 00:01:13,490 --> 00:01:17,610 They crucified Jesus there with criminals, one on his right 23 00:01:17,610 --> 00:01:19,010 and one on his left. 24 00:01:20,130 --> 00:01:24,720 Then Jesus said, father, forgive them, for they do not know 25 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:25,840 what they are doing. 26 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:29,520 And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 27 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,520 And the people stood by watching. 28 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,400 But the leaders scoffed at him, saying, he saved others. 29 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:40,000 Let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one. 30 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:45,920 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 31 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,600 and saying, if you are the King of the Jews, save yourself. 32 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,440 There was also an inscription over him. 33 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:55,360 This is the King of the Jews. 34 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:01,760 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and 35 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:03,680 saying, are you not the Messiah? 36 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,680 Save yourself and us. 37 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:11,760 The other rebuked him, saying, do you not fear God, since you are 38 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,000 under the same sentence of condemnation? 39 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,770 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting 40 00:02:17,770 --> 00:02:19,410 what we deserve for our deeds. 41 00:02:19,410 --> 00:02:21,210 But this man has done nothing wrong. 42 00:02:22,330 --> 00:02:23,090 Then Jesus. 43 00:02:23,090 --> 00:02:26,970 Then he said, jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 44 00:02:27,930 --> 00:02:32,210 Jesus replied, truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in 45 00:02:32,210 --> 00:02:32,810 paradise. 46 00:02:33,770 --> 00:02:35,010 The Gospel of the Lord. 47 00:02:35,010 --> 00:02:37,850 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 48 00:02:38,410 --> 00:02:39,050 Amen. 49 00:02:40,730 --> 00:02:45,480 As we share, today is the last Sunday of the liturgical year. 50 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,960 We culminate the whole liturgical year with Christ the King 51 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:51,320 Sunday. 52 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:57,080 So let's have a short recap what led us to today. 53 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,720 We've used the acronym ASLEEP before to assist us in remembering 54 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,360 the Seasons of the Church year. 55 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,720 We do it at Confirmation camp and we've done it here in worship. 56 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,330 Asleep is an acronym, the Seasons of the Church Year. 57 00:03:11,330 --> 00:03:12,330 So, pop quiz. 58 00:03:13,290 --> 00:03:14,890 What does the A stand for? 59 00:03:16,090 --> 00:03:17,850 Yeah, yeah, we do that next week. 60 00:03:18,090 --> 00:03:21,330 We are one week away from the start of the new liturgical year 61 00:03:21,330 --> 00:03:22,650 and the season of Advent. 62 00:03:22,890 --> 00:03:26,650 I know that Christmas decorations and Christmas commercials 63 00:03:26,650 --> 00:03:30,970 are already flowing, but next Sunday we get a jump on the rest 64 00:03:30,970 --> 00:03:33,290 of the world by saying Happy New Year. 65 00:03:34,250 --> 00:03:39,850 As we start all over again the cycle and process of waiting and 66 00:03:39,930 --> 00:03:42,170 longing for the Savior of the world. 67 00:03:43,370 --> 00:03:47,130 Not only remembering and celebrating God coming to us in the 68 00:03:47,130 --> 00:03:52,890 Christ the first time 2,000 years ago, but also still standing 69 00:03:52,890 --> 00:03:57,090 in solidarity with the prophets of old as we continue to 70 00:03:57,090 --> 00:04:02,010 long for and look for Christ's return. 71 00:04:03,700 --> 00:04:05,940 Okay, so what does the C stand for? 72 00:04:06,020 --> 00:04:06,740 Pretty easy. 73 00:04:07,460 --> 00:04:10,180 Yeah, if you missed that, you'd go right back to confirmation 74 00:04:10,180 --> 00:04:10,500 class. 75 00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:15,180 The celebration and fulfillment of the prophet's longing 76 00:04:15,180 --> 00:04:15,780 and hope. 77 00:04:15,860 --> 00:04:17,540 The Messiah is born. 78 00:04:17,860 --> 00:04:22,060 Flipping over and reversing expectations of what the Messiah 79 00:04:22,060 --> 00:04:26,260 looks like and his birth reveals to us the kind of Messiah 80 00:04:26,980 --> 00:04:29,140 that this Christ is promised to be. 81 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:31,480 Okay, maybe a little harder. 82 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:32,800 What does the E stand for? 83 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:34,880 Epiphany. 84 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,280 Wow, I just had an epiphany. 85 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:43,440 This is a season of revelations and aha moments and revealing 86 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,440 what God is up to in Jesus. 87 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,000 We longed for the Messiah. 88 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:49,600 We witnessed his humble birth. 89 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,240 And now we see Jesus in action. 90 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:58,590 The spotlight shines on Jesus and we see the kind of work that 91 00:04:58,590 --> 00:05:04,470 he does, the type of sermons and parables he teaches, who he hangs 92 00:05:04,470 --> 00:05:07,750 out with and who he pays attention to. 93 00:05:08,710 --> 00:05:13,670 All the while he turns to us and says, come, follow me. 94 00:05:15,590 --> 00:05:17,110 What does the L stand for? 95 00:05:18,630 --> 00:05:20,310 What length? 96 00:05:20,310 --> 00:05:21,030 There you go. 97 00:05:21,110 --> 00:05:25,970 The 40 day journey of holy too Holy Week in Christ's passion and 98 00:05:25,970 --> 00:05:28,530 suffering and death for the sake of the world. 99 00:05:29,810 --> 00:05:32,210 Okay, what does the second E stand for? 100 00:05:33,890 --> 00:05:35,410 Easter surprise. 101 00:05:35,650 --> 00:05:38,450 Death does not have the final word. 102 00:05:38,450 --> 00:05:41,010 Death will not have the final word on our lives. 103 00:05:41,250 --> 00:05:43,570 Because Christ lives, we will live also. 104 00:05:45,250 --> 00:05:46,450 What will that look like? 105 00:05:47,570 --> 00:05:50,530 When will the resurrection of the new creation take place? 106 00:05:51,020 --> 00:05:51,820 We don't know. 107 00:05:52,860 --> 00:05:58,860 In the meantime, we become the embodied body of the living Christ 108 00:05:58,860 --> 00:06:02,140 in the world, which leads us to the final season. 109 00:06:02,700 --> 00:06:08,780 A C E L E stands for Pentecost. 110 00:06:09,820 --> 00:06:14,180 The third person of the Holy Trinity shows back up like it did 111 00:06:14,180 --> 00:06:18,510 way at the beginning of creation, hovering over the chaotic 112 00:06:18,510 --> 00:06:19,750 waters of our lives. 113 00:06:19,750 --> 00:06:24,510 And the fire of the Holy Spirit ignites and empowers and equips 114 00:06:24,510 --> 00:06:25,110 the church. 115 00:06:25,990 --> 00:06:30,470 You and me and all those who follow Christ to continue what he 116 00:06:30,470 --> 00:06:36,190 did and what he taught and to pay attention to what Jesus paid 117 00:06:36,190 --> 00:06:40,150 attention to and to be his hands and feet in the world. 118 00:06:41,350 --> 00:06:46,500 And they will know that we are Christians by loving the way Jesus 119 00:06:47,140 --> 00:06:49,660 loved Christ. 120 00:06:49,660 --> 00:06:50,180 The King. 121 00:06:50,180 --> 00:06:54,420 Sunday pulls all the seasons of the church year together into 122 00:06:54,420 --> 00:06:58,500 a crescendo of who we believe Jesus to be. 123 00:07:00,580 --> 00:07:05,100 Interestingly, we are at the centennial anniversary of when Christ 124 00:07:05,100 --> 00:07:12,020 the King Sunday was instituted by Pope pius xi in 1925. 125 00:07:13,700 --> 00:07:20,020 Due to the rise of secularism, fascism and governmental overreach 126 00:07:20,020 --> 00:07:24,940 and authoritarianism, Pope Pius instituted a feast day to be 127 00:07:24,940 --> 00:07:31,740 clear that Christ is the Lord of all and that in him alone all 128 00:07:31,740 --> 00:07:32,900 things hold together. 129 00:07:34,420 --> 00:07:39,510 For Christians, we have one king and one king only, Jesus, who 130 00:07:39,510 --> 00:07:41,190 we call the Christ. 131 00:07:43,030 --> 00:07:47,830 Over the years, and especially in the last few decades, we there 132 00:07:47,830 --> 00:07:51,510 have been some who have questioned if the title and label 133 00:07:51,590 --> 00:07:54,710 King is still relevant for this kind of Sunday. 134 00:07:56,070 --> 00:08:00,510 In democratic societies where monarchs no longer wield any kind 135 00:08:00,510 --> 00:08:04,250 of power and authority, why call anyone a king? 136 00:08:04,490 --> 00:08:05,690 Isn't that outdated? 137 00:08:05,850 --> 00:08:06,890 Seems kind of weird. 138 00:08:08,010 --> 00:08:11,890 And yet how would we reframe this particular Sunday and this title 139 00:08:11,890 --> 00:08:12,650 for Jesus? 140 00:08:13,610 --> 00:08:16,250 We wouldn't call it Jesus the President Sunday. 141 00:08:17,050 --> 00:08:19,530 We don't vote for Jesus into any kind of office. 142 00:08:19,610 --> 00:08:21,290 He is already ruler. 143 00:08:22,570 --> 00:08:25,530 There are some who have renamed this Sunday the Reign of 144 00:08:25,530 --> 00:08:30,850 Christ Sunday, leaning into his kinship and kingdom with all 145 00:08:30,850 --> 00:08:34,530 of creation reigning over all creation. 146 00:08:35,970 --> 00:08:40,410 And yet a hundred years later, this feast day is still relevant 147 00:08:40,410 --> 00:08:41,650 today, isn't it? 148 00:08:42,850 --> 00:08:46,570 With the rise of secularism and fascism and governmental overreach 149 00:08:46,570 --> 00:08:49,850 and authoritarianism, questioning who has the ultimate 150 00:08:49,850 --> 00:08:54,170 say and where our allegiance lie is just as relevant today as 151 00:08:54,170 --> 00:08:55,570 it was a hundred years ago. 152 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:03,480 During the no Kings March last month, thousands upon thousands went 153 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:07,320 to the streets to let their voice be heard about what they think 154 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:09,280 about the rise of authoritarianism. 155 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,840 Looking over the crowds and seeing all get different kinds of 156 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,080 signs that were raised and created. 157 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:21,280 I saw one particular sign that didn't have any words, it just had 158 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:27,980 a drawing of a crown and it was crossed out, but instead of an 159 00:09:27,980 --> 00:09:32,060 X it really looked like a Christian cross. 160 00:09:33,100 --> 00:09:37,180 Don't know if it's their intention or not, but I definitely 161 00:09:37,180 --> 00:09:40,460 saw a cross right there on their sign. 162 00:09:42,460 --> 00:09:46,540 Our Gospel story from Luke seems like it should be situated 163 00:09:46,620 --> 00:09:50,730 in the season of Lent and Holy Week, and it usually is. 164 00:09:52,170 --> 00:09:54,490 And yet here on Christ the King Sunday. 165 00:09:55,450 --> 00:09:57,370 Wow, I just had an epiphany. 166 00:09:58,730 --> 00:10:04,810 It reveals to us the kind of king and Lord Jesus is the cross 167 00:10:05,050 --> 00:10:09,530 and Christ's passion and suffering and execution gives us 168 00:10:09,530 --> 00:10:11,850 an alternative vision of power. 169 00:10:12,730 --> 00:10:17,860 What power looks like this king who wears a crown of thorns 170 00:10:17,860 --> 00:10:24,260 undermines how the world sees power and authority. 171 00:10:25,940 --> 00:10:29,380 When I was reading back over this Gospel text this past week from 172 00:10:29,380 --> 00:10:38,420 Luke, I was just moved by how mean and brutal this text is revealing 173 00:10:38,500 --> 00:10:43,610 to us to Me, human nature in our human condition. 174 00:10:44,810 --> 00:10:49,530 Not only did they crucify Jesus and the convicted criminals, 175 00:10:49,530 --> 00:10:57,450 but I see how they played games with Jesus's last piece of 176 00:10:57,450 --> 00:10:58,650 property, his clothes. 177 00:10:59,850 --> 00:11:01,850 They scoffed at him, they mocked him. 178 00:11:02,730 --> 00:11:06,690 They were not only torturing him, literally suffocating him on 179 00:11:06,690 --> 00:11:11,300 the cross, but they piled on with sour wine and calling him a 180 00:11:11,300 --> 00:11:11,700 king. 181 00:11:13,300 --> 00:11:19,740 And yet Jesus turns and says, father, forgive them, for they know 182 00:11:19,740 --> 00:11:21,060 not what they are doing. 183 00:11:23,220 --> 00:11:27,500 All those moments that led up to this point in Advent and Christmas 184 00:11:27,500 --> 00:11:31,780 and Epiphany and Lent and Easter and Pentecost, where we see 185 00:11:31,780 --> 00:11:35,390 Jesus undermining what the world thinks of when it comes to 186 00:11:35,700 --> 00:11:40,980 to power and authority by flipping over the tables of what 187 00:11:40,980 --> 00:11:42,580 mercy and love looks like. 188 00:11:42,580 --> 00:11:47,420 Here is Jesus in his moment, last moments, breathing his last 189 00:11:47,420 --> 00:11:47,860 breath. 190 00:11:48,820 --> 00:11:49,940 Father, forgive them. 191 00:11:50,580 --> 00:11:52,100 They know not what they are doing. 192 00:11:54,260 --> 00:11:57,700 The scene on the cross gives shape to what Christ's reign really 193 00:11:57,700 --> 00:12:02,230 looks like in humility and sacrifice, lifting up a kind of power 194 00:12:02,230 --> 00:12:06,270 that is rooted by a death, extending mercy to those around him 195 00:12:06,350 --> 00:12:08,830 and to those who are hanging with him. 196 00:12:11,150 --> 00:12:16,950 For Luke, the focus of this crucifixion is of course them mocking 197 00:12:16,950 --> 00:12:20,910 him and playing games with his clothes and calling him a king. 198 00:12:21,070 --> 00:12:25,190 But I love how Luke turns the conversation and we get to listen 199 00:12:25,190 --> 00:12:29,000 in to this conversation between Jesus and those hanging with 200 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:29,320 him. 201 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:34,160 One criminal derides him, but I also think it's a deep cry for 202 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:37,640 help, save yourself, but also us. 203 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:39,560 Also us. 204 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,120 The other literally has a come to Jesus moment. 205 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:48,200 And his plea has become a beloved prayer and song that has 206 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:49,560 endured for millennia. 207 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:54,540 Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 208 00:12:56,540 --> 00:12:59,580 And don't miss Jesus's response. 209 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:06,220 He doesn't ask for a magical prayer or for any completed spiritual 210 00:13:06,220 --> 00:13:10,300 to do list, or even asking him to swear allegiance to any creed 211 00:13:10,300 --> 00:13:11,180 or denomination. 212 00:13:12,220 --> 00:13:19,390 Rather, he says, today, not far off in the future, today you 213 00:13:19,390 --> 00:13:20,870 will be with me in paradise. 214 00:13:23,110 --> 00:13:27,350 You see, the cross of Christ isn't a sign of weakness or giving 215 00:13:27,350 --> 00:13:33,070 up, nor passive complacency, but rather a resistance to empire 216 00:13:33,070 --> 00:13:35,110 that wants to keep building crosses. 217 00:13:36,310 --> 00:13:40,470 It's a sign of God's solidarity with those who the crosses 218 00:13:40,470 --> 00:13:45,550 are built for our calling as Christ followers. 219 00:13:45,550 --> 00:13:49,360 As we've learned across these seasons for a whole year, it's hard 220 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,640 to capture Jesus in just one Sunday. 221 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,240 But over the course of the whole year, what we have learned 222 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,760 and what we have wrestled with and what we've discerned with walking 223 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:05,560 together as a community, our calling is to again reflect and discern 224 00:14:05,560 --> 00:14:12,810 and question where our allegiancies lie as we witness and 225 00:14:12,810 --> 00:14:16,050 remember who Jesus is and how he loved. 226 00:14:17,010 --> 00:14:22,770 The Crucified One is calling us to discern the difference between 227 00:14:23,650 --> 00:14:26,930 cross bearers and cross builders. 228 00:14:29,570 --> 00:14:34,090 This go around as we wrap up another liturgical year and head 229 00:14:34,090 --> 00:14:38,210 full steam into another holiday season and another liturgical 230 00:14:38,210 --> 00:14:38,530 year. 231 00:14:39,980 --> 00:14:45,860 As I look at the world and the communities around us this time I'm 232 00:14:45,860 --> 00:14:49,020 captivated by two words from this scene from Luke. 233 00:14:50,220 --> 00:14:52,940 Remember and today. 234 00:14:54,779 --> 00:14:59,380 Each week, we gather around a table and we remember his body broken 235 00:14:59,380 --> 00:15:01,660 and his blood poured for you and for me. 236 00:15:02,860 --> 00:15:06,940 Then we are called to become what we consume, the Body of Christ. 237 00:15:08,230 --> 00:15:11,830 Not far off in the future or way down the road, but today. 238 00:15:13,670 --> 00:15:14,070 Now. 239 00:15:15,590 --> 00:15:17,270 The seasons will come and go. 240 00:15:18,310 --> 00:15:20,470 Empires will rise and fall. 241 00:15:21,110 --> 00:15:23,990 Those claiming to be king will come and go. 242 00:15:24,390 --> 00:15:29,350 And yet, each and every day, each and every season, we remember 243 00:15:30,070 --> 00:15:35,040 the Body of Christ given for you, the blood of Christ shed for 244 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:35,360 you. 245 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,200 Thousands of years the Church has done this. 246 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:46,320 And so today, in the midst of a world that's still wrestling with 247 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:51,600 what it means to be king or what power looks like, or what love 248 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:59,370 looks like, may we remember who Jesus is, how he loved. 249 00:16:00,890 --> 00:16:03,530 Today, may we stand in solidarity with each other. 250 00:16:04,730 --> 00:16:09,930 Let Christ lead us into what it means to follow him, to love how 251 00:16:09,930 --> 00:16:11,050 he loved. 252 00:16:12,650 --> 00:16:16,330 If Jesus is king, he's the weirdest and most countercultural, 253 00:16:16,650 --> 00:16:19,770 intuitive and counterculture king in the world has ever witnessed 254 00:16:19,930 --> 00:16:20,570 and seen. 255 00:16:22,810 --> 00:16:25,930 And yet we will continue to walk together and learn what it means 256 00:16:25,930 --> 00:16:26,930 to follow Jesus. 257 00:16:26,930 --> 00:16:34,540 Together we will remember him, follow him as he calls us to follow 258 00:16:34,540 --> 00:16:36,260 him today in the days ahead. 259 00:16:38,980 --> 00:16:44,460 And so God, the nuisance of the Pharaoh Christ, the threat to 260 00:16:44,460 --> 00:16:51,940 Herod, Jesus, the confuser of Caesar, the Crucified One who lives 261 00:16:51,940 --> 00:16:58,170 empire upside down, is the one who will never forget you, remembers 262 00:16:58,170 --> 00:17:04,370 you at this table, who leads you to follow in his footsteps today. 263 00:17:06,210 --> 00:17:06,850 Amen. 264 00:17:14,210 --> 00:17:15,410 Thank you for listening. 265 00:17:15,730 --> 00:17:19,210 If there is anything that stood out for you, or if you have 266 00:17:19,210 --> 00:17:20,300 a question or. 267 00:17:20,370 --> 00:17:23,570 Or you just want to have a conversation, you are always free 268 00:17:23,570 --> 00:17:25,410 to reach out and contact us. 269 00:17:25,890 --> 00:17:28,490 And remember you are not alone and. 270 00:17:28,490 --> 00:17:31,970 That you are loved with a love stronger than death. 271 00:17:46,060 --> 00:17:55,620 Sam.