“WHO IS YOUR KING?”

Nov 23

In this Sunday’s Gospel from John 18:33-37, Pilate asks Jesus in today’s gospel. “Are you the King of the Jews.” What he really wants to know is if Jesus is a threat to his identity, his power, his rule. “What have you done,” he inquires. His real concern is: “Have you upset the status quo that I seek to maintain? Are you changing the usual way of doing business and life – our beliefs, values, and relationships?”

Whether spoken or unspoken, conscious or unconscious, those concerns get triggered every time we encounter another person, a different idea or belief, or a new decision or an event that might affect us. The kingdom we most often defend is the kingdom of our own status quo. We do not want someone messing with our self-identity, values, beliefs and opinions. And we certainly do not want them taking away our power, privilege, control, or comfort. We have worked hard to build that kingdom and we do not want just anybody coming along to make changes to what we believe.

Yet, Sunday after Sunday that is exactly what we ask for. We ask that those very systems would be changed. We do that when gather each week and pray, “thy kingdom come” – thy kingdom in which you, Christ, are king; thy kingdom of love and compassion; thy kingdom of mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation; thy kingdom of justice and concern for the poor; thy kingdom of surrender and humility; thy kingdom of peace and holiness. Thy kingdom come! We are praying that God might rule our hearts, lives, and world. We are asking for change – that this world, our lives, and relationships might be different.

If we truly mean “thy kingdom come” then we must also pray, “Our kingdom go.” Our kingdom of domination, power and greed must go. Our kingdom of violence and oppression must go. Our kingdom of fear, prejudice, and resentment must go. Our kingdom of judgment and labeling must go. Our kingdom of indifference must go.

And, when you come to think about it, that is the beauty of hearing and listening to the voice of Jesus. The reign of Christ the King frees us to step outside the status quo, and to not just live in the new kingdom, but to become the kingdom of God by those to whom we speak, knowing who our king is – Jesus Christ!

As we celebrate Christ as king of our life this week, consider accepting this invitation to attend Grace Lutheran Church this coming Christ the King Sunday! Be part of this congregation that is filled with prayer, fun, laughter, and love for Jesus! Experience the presence of Jesus in the Holy Sacrament. All come at Jesus’ invitation – the young and old, the assured and the doubting, the wise and the foolish, and the in-between. All are welcome here! Come to the Feast!

Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday as we “celebrate God’s love together,”

Blessings and Peace,

The Reverend David O. Guss, Ph.D. - Pastor, Grace Lutheran Church

Pastor David Guss

Pastor David O. Guss serves as the lead pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Learning Center, a congregation that is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). With a strong commitment to community outreach, youth ministry, and spiritual education, Pastor Guss leads the church with a focus on both traditional and contemporary worship styles. Under his leadership, Grace Lutheran Church fosters a welcoming environment where faith is nurtured, and the community is actively engaged through various programs and ministries, including the Grace Early Learning Center.

Pastor Guss's ministry is rooted in compassion and service, reflecting his dedication to spreading the message of Christ while supporting the spiritual and emotional needs of the congregation.

“WHO IS YOUR KING?”

“THERE WILL BE SIGNS?”

“DO NOT BE ALARMED!”