Past, Present and Future

For Christ the King Sunday, the gospel text is John 18:33-37. The second lesson is also referred to which is Revelation 1:4b-8. I also started this sermon by first showing pictures of The Burger King, King Kong, Elvis, Michael Jackson and the king of hearts to ask what makes a person a king.

Who are these people? Kings What makes them kings? What does it mean to be a king? Who else are kings?

Well today is Christ the King Sunday, so tell me, how is Jesus Christ a king?
See I knew you would have an answer for this, probably more than most adults which is why I started with talking to you today.

So here it is Christ the King Sunday and we have a gospel lesson about Jesus being on trial, about to be put to death, something that is very un-kingly. Jesus was not being treated as a king. He was mocked, he was put on trial, he was persecuted, he was sentenced to death on a cross and he died a horrible death.

Jesus was a king without a physical realm. He was a king without a throne, court, money, gold, and prestige that comes from being a king.

Then again Jesus says it himself, his kingdom is not from this world. Jesus was not treated as a king because Jesus was not the type of king that people had seen before. Kings are still mortal, they were born like any other human, they still die like any other human, but Jesus was not just human.

Jesus was and is also God. Jesus was born in a manger, his birth we will celebrate in just a few weeks, but the beginning of the gospel of John also tells us that: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The gospel continues: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

Jesus was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Jesus was born like any other king, maybe a little more humbly, but still a very human birth, but yet Jesus was also at the beginning, Jesus was not created, Jesus was eternal.

And Jesus did not die like any other king. He was put to death on a cross but unlike all other humans Jesus did not remain dead, he rose again, was resurrected on the third day. Jesus then ascended into heaven, Jesus is eternal.

Oh how I have changed tenses, Jesus was eternal, Jesus is eternal. And guess what? Jesus will be eternal. Past, present and future. All three at once. Isn’t that one of the very first rules you learn about grammar in writing classes, to stay in the same tense, to not switch back and forth between past, present and future. But we still do it.

In fact, as we have started using the first setting in the ELW have you caught when we switch tenses when referring to Jesus. Open your hymnal now to page 109. Do you see it? Christ HAS died. Christ IS risen. Christ WILL come again. Christ is past present and future, Christ is truly eternal. And again in our reading from Revelation: “The Lord God who is and who was and who is to come.’” Past, present and future. Truly eternal. From the beginning to the ending. The alpha and omega, the A and the Z.
But what does this have to do with us now, here today? Jesus lived in bodily form a long time ago, the beginning was a really long time ago and hopefully the end will be a long time in the future.

Well Christ still was, is and will be. Christ has been in our lives, Christ is currently in our lives and Christ will continue to be in our lives. We have been beloved children of God, marked with the cross of Christ forever. Christ died for us, for our sins. Christ was sent into this world for us.

Today and each day we are given reminders of Christ’s love and grace for us. We are continually reminded of God’s love and grace through the bread and wine of the Lord’s Table. We are continually reminded of Christ love and grace through the healing and life giving waters of baptism. And we are continually reminded of Christ love and grace through the love, joy, and patience of friends, family, loved ones, and fellow members of the body of Christ.

And we will be resurrected with Christ into a life like his. We will be given eternal life with Christ in heaven.

We have been, are and will be given the forgiveness of our sins.
We have been, are and will be marked with the cross of Christ forever.
We have been, are and will be loved with a love so strong that God gave his only son to die for us.
We have been, are and will be given eternal life with Christ.

Christ is the King. He is the king of love. He is the king of forgiveness. He is the king of compassion. He is the king of grace. He is the king of us.

Even through his trial, suffering, crucifixion, death and burial, Christ was still King. Even when he was treated in a very un-king-like matter, as he was mocked, persecuted and was killed, Christ was still king. Even when people did not know that they belonged to the kingdom of heaven, Christ was still king.

And today even though we often stray from Christ, Christ is still king. Even though we do not always listen to his voice, Christ is still king. Even though we do not treat him as a king and worship other things besides him, Christ is still king. Even though we do not always know and obey the truth, Christ is still king.

And when the end times come, when the living and the dead are judge, Christ will be king. When people repent for their sins, Christ will be king.

For Christ was, is and will be king. Christ, the Lord God who is and who was and who is to come. For Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. For Christ is the king.