Christ the King: A Different Kind of Kingdom

By The Rev. Matthew Simpson, Deacon

Christ the King Sunday is the last Sunday of the Church Calendar. It is in many ways an anti-climactic Feast Day as it comes right before the festive seasons of Advent and Christmas. But, I think this feast day is a wonderful time to contemplate how our King is so different from the worldly monarchs throughout history. And it is a time to contemplate how power is understood so differently in the Kingdom of God as opposed to the Kingdoms of this World.

Worldly kings are born in palaces with royalty and servants surrounding their birth; our King is born in a lowly manger with farm animals. Worldly kings are born with distinguished pedigree and in prestige; our King was born in scandal (a virgin birth was probably as believable then as it is now). Worldly kings have armies at their command surrounding them; our King was surrounded by crowds full of poor, sick, outcast and oppressed people. Worldly kings have scepters or banners to display their authority; our King has a towel and basin to wash feet to show his authority.

Worldly kings wear a crown of gold and jewels to show their splendor; our King wears a crown of thorns to show he bears our pain. A worldly king has a throne; our King has a cross. Worldly kings die, and their kingdoms eventually die with them; our King died and was raised, and His Kingdom is eternal.

In contemplating these contrasts, I find myself adoring and loving Jesus Christ, our King, more and more. Jesus contradicts worldly power and prestige in every major event of his life, and in these contradictions we come to understand a King and a Kingdom that gives us hope. That truly is Good News. A Kingdom where the power to care, the power to forgive, and the power to love reign eternal. This is what is revealed in the Kingship of Jesus of Nazareth. I invite you, therefore, to join me in a season of adoration and love for Jesus our King. May we shine with love for Him in this world!