On June 2, 1953, an
estimated 23 million watched as Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at
a coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey in
London. 8,000 were in attendance at the
abbey. Most of the guests were other
royalty and dignitaries from around the world.
An estimated 3 million were gathered in the streets of London and
another 20 million watched the BBC broadcast that was aired in 44 different
languages.
The coronation, the first
to be broadcast on television, was complete with fireworks and a fly over from
the Royal Air Force. Elizabeth was
adorned with symbols of authority – the orb, the scepter, the royal ring of
sapphire and rubies and the Archbishop of Canterbury crowned the Queen with St.
Edward’s Crown. When the coronation was
complete, the abbey, London, and the world echoed with a shout of “God Save the
Queen!”
The beloved monarch’s
coronation is set in stark contrast the coronation event of Christ the
King. Jesus’ naming as “King of the
Jews” was a claim made by the Roman government in order to mock him and a name
that the Jews rejected. Instead of millions of people shouting, “God Save the
King”, an angry mob gathers to shout, “Crucify, crucify him!”
While Jesus is adorned
with certain kingly ornaments, they are all done in gest. King Herod and his soldiers give him a purple
robe in order to mock him. The other
gospels tell us that Jesus is crowned with a crown of thorns and blood drips
from his forehead.
Elizabeth II was
surrounded by royalty and dignitaries who knelt before her at her crowning
while the defining moment for Christ the King comes when he is nailed to the
cross between two criminals surrounded by soldiers who mock and insult the new
king.
At her coronation,
Elizabeth II says to the people, “Throughout all my life and with all my heart
I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.”
At his coronation event, Jesus looks over the crowd and says, “Father,
forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
Jesus, the only one in
this world who is worthy of our trust, has compassion on the unruly crowd and
intercedes on their behalf. Jesus asks
that his Father in heaven show pity and grant forgiveness to those gathered.
Jesus’ reign as King is
to be marked by words of forgiveness and love even in the face of the worst
kind of evil. Perhaps the only
similarity between the two coronations is the fact that the sun refused to
shine.
As we read in this week’s
chapter of The Story, we are a people
who choose to follow earthly leaders instead of our God in heaven. Like the Israelites before us, we are a
stubborn and impatient people.
Realizing that God can’t
be manipulated into giving us everything we want when we want it, we shift our
trust toward earthly leaders who can be more easily manipulated and coerced
into meeting our selfish and shortsighted demands.
While not all earthly
leaders intentionally mislead or deceive us, they all cave to the temptation of
giving the people what they want instead of what they need. On some level, all leaders constantly fight
the temptation to be popular rather than judicious and fair.
Essentially, we create
golden calves out of our leaders. We
anoint our leaders as messiahs, those who will save us from whatever we think
we need saving from. But even the
shiniest golden calves can be burned and melted down into dust.
Eventually, our leaders
will fail us and not just the corrupt ones but the honest ones too. Like you and me, our earthly leaders are
formed of the earth and to dust they shall return.
As I continue to reflect
on the state of our country’s leadership, again I will say, what concerns me
most is not who will take the oath of office in January. Instead, what concerns me most is how our
nation, who seems to be worshiping donkeys and elephants, will ever possibly
work together as a people who are united.
Of course, there is a
litany of reasons why we are so divided.
And while we claim to be one nation under God, it seems that we are a
nation who worships many different gods.
And I’m not talk about our pluralism per se. Instead, I am talking about the idols and
golden calves we have erected to take the place of God Almighty.
And these gold calves
are, of course, created in the image of who we think God should be instead of
the God who says, I AM who I AM. These
golden calves look like political parties, politicians, ideologies, agendas,
sporting events, entertainers all created out of the pursuit of money, power,
and instant gratification. Martin Luther
said it like this, “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, is really
your God.”
A brief stewardship note,
some of the highest paid people in our country are entertainers and sports
figures. While I love sports and
entertainment, this should tell us a lot about what we as Americans value most
in this world. The good news, of course, is that God gives us a king that
shatters the golden calves we have created for ourselves.
Christ the King makes our
constant desire to be entertained look hideous and repulsive for Christ the
King bows low to weep with those who mourn.
Christ the King makes our
worldly attempts to claim status and standing in the community look haughty and
vain for Christ the King gives up his kingly throne for the sake of those who poses
no worldly titles.
Christ the King makes our
attempts to gain power and control look weak and pedantic for Christ the King
stares down those with the most power and control and says, “do your
worst.” But even then, Christ the King
issues a pardon to all – father forgive them; for they are an ignorant people
who can’t help but to keep on worshiping dumb idols.
At the end of the day, no
matter how good and honest and able our earthly leaders seem to be, the only
way this nation, this world can come to know true peace is according to the
rule of Christ the King – the one who rules with justice and mercy, the one who
rules with compassion and forgiveness, the one who rules with goodness and
light, the one who gives value and standing to all in his kingdom especially
the poor and lowly, especially the weak and disabled, especially the unlovable.
The only way to live more
fully into that perfect community that God dreamed up for us in Eden is to
serve Christ the King. The only way to
live in Paradise that place Jesus promises to the thief is to join our true
king on the cross and die to the illusion that our earthly leaders can save us. And admit that, at best, our earthly kingdoms
only delay the inevitable – death and destruction.
And unlike the kingdoms
our leaders promise but never deliver on, Christ’s kingdom is available today,
a kingdom that is glimpsed when we follow Christ the King – the one whose only
agenda is to draw the whole human family together as one with a love that will
go to any measure to save the lost, the lonely, and the last.
Only when we serve Christ
the King, will our hearts be shaped to desire what is good and noble and
just. Only service to the King of Kings
can make us love to do the will of God.
So for the sake of the kingdom, for the sake of this country and this
world, God Save the King of Kings! Amen.
