Today is what we call in the church year, Christ the King Sunday.  It’s the last Sunday in the Church year before we turn the corner and begin a new year with Advent.   Christ the King Sunday is not just about Jesus as “King” but about the Reign of Christ as the one and ONLY King we, as God’s children, will ever need. 

Earnest Hemingway once wrote a story about a Spanish father who longs to reconcile with his son who, after a terrible falling out, had run away to Madrid.  Remorseful over the misunderstandings that drove them apart and not wanting to live out his life without his son in it, the father takes out an ad in the Madrid newspaper saying, “PACO, MEET ME AT THE HOTEL MONTANA AT NOON ON TUESDAY, ALL IS FORGIVEN.”  PAPA

Now Paco is a common name in Spain, and when the father goes to the square at the hotel he is astonished, for he finds 800 young men named Paco are waiting for their fathers.

Perhaps this story came to my mind because of its tone of longing for reconciliation.  An exhaustive longing for an outcome of mercy over judgement.  It is a picture of broken hearts that have been hurting too long.

We come now to the end of our gospel year of Luke, and the last text we read has Jesus on his cross, responding with undeserved mercy to a criminal.  Can you hear the longing in the criminal’s voice as he derides the other criminal for his cruel mockery of Jesus?  He acknowledges not only his need for God, but Jesus’ reign as the Son of God.  “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  he pleads.   And like all those Paco’s… Today, Jesus promises, He will know His Father’s love in paradise.

A decade ago, when I was a pastor at Christ the King Lutheran Church in the cities, I led a Bible Study on the Old Testament.  We were studying the history of Hebrew kings prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the Israelites into Babylon.  A time in history when Israel begged God to give them a king like all the other nations around them.  But God, through his prophets, objected.  For God knew that kings have a nasty habit of taking on airs and misusing their powers, as if they are gods themselves,  But God gave His creation free will, and allowed the people what they demanded, so there was a long period in History where the people of Israel were governed by kings.  

So our class had a little fun learning about all these good and bad kings of Israel.  I made some paper crowns and prophet’s head gear and invited the members of the class to role- play various OT characters.   A couple played King Aham with his queen, Jezebel who did lots of evil in God’s sight by bringing  BAAL, the pagan god of fertility into temple worship with wild and drunken parties and lurid acts were performed.  Another played King Hezekiah, a king who tried to restore some sacredness to the one true God, but failed to reign in those who were drunk with power and lust.  Another played King Manassah, a king who took evil to a whole new level by sacrificing children on altars of fire to terrible pagan gods.  Another played King Josiah, who became king as a child and had a heart of love for God like King David.   This child king restored hope that true worship and obedience would return, but of course was soon killed in battle and another evil king took the throne.  The rest of the class played the prophets, Elijah, Jeremiah and Isaiah who tried to reason with these kings and turn things around.  You can imagine what fun and laughter followed…as well as the realization of our human tendencies to get carried away when given “kingship!” 

“Be careful what you ask for,”  God had warned, knowing full well human’s capacity for sin and depravity.  Over and over, God sent prophets with warnings and pleadings for God’s children to turn their hearts back to their Father, the one and only TRUE GOD.  

 Listen again to the Prophet Jeremiah: “woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture,” says the Lord. I see your evil doings, BUT I will not forget my flock!  The days are surely coming when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a king who shall reign to execute justice and righteousness.  He alone will be THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

OT history tells us that Jeremiah’s words were discounted.  Finally, a foreign King Nebacannezer from Babylon,conquered and destroyed Jerusalem, tore down the temple, and thousands of Israelites were dragged off into exile as slaves.  Bereft of a King, cut off from their temple where they trusted God lived in their midst, they found themselves now lamenting by a river of sorrowful regret, and cast into a prison of their own making.  

The Old Testament concludes with a period of desperate longing and waiting.  For 400 years, there was NO PROPHETIC VOICE AT ALL!  It’s as if Father God and His children are lost to one another.  Their hearts are broken.   Like a haunting love song, the people go down to the rivers of Babylon to pray for God’s intervention, and for restorative forgiveness and grace.  God’s heart too must have been crying.  Like the Father of Paco… the longing for restoration and reconciliation is at the HEART of God’s purpose and plan.  After many many years….they finally return to Jerusalem, rebuild the temple and try to reestablish their Jewish identity through a priesthood of religious legalism.  But continue being oppressed by the all consuming, cruel power of the mighty Roman Empire.

Into this time in history, Jesus is born to do what no other human being or temporary  King could do. Jesus is the Branch of Righteousness God promised.  He is the Christ, the true King, but a king very different from the expectations of this world.

Like all those “Paco’s” who came to the square of the Hotel longing to reconcile with their fathers, don’t we find ourselves longing for our Father God to find us too?  Into this longing,  Jesus comes, bringing self-giving acts of love, mercy, justice and truth.  And we are asked to meet him…NOT at an EARTHLY THRONE, but at the foot of a cross.  A place where human sin and evil throws its worst into the face of their God, yet hear amazing,  life giving words…”Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”   

To REALLY hear these life changing, life giving words, we have to follow a different kind of King than this world will ever accept.  You see, Jesus is NOT just a kind, moral teacher…but a crucified Savior.  We have to understand that the cross is not a ONE TIME ATONEMENT of sin, but an eternal mark of our loving Lord who SHOWS UP IN OUR SUFFERING, and takes away our sin.  Our resurrected Lord returned with scars and wounds still visible.  Jesus is our Shepherd King, who lays down his life for his flock; who makes us lay down in Green Pastures; rest beside still waters and restores our souls.  Jesus is the King who rode into the terrors of humanity on a donkey (an animal of service) rather than a horse of war.  Jesus is the one and only RIGHTEOUS BRANCH this world can hold onto.

And yet, how hard it is for us to see and trust this Shepherd King.  I was at bone builders in Silver Bay the other day and someone came up to me saying they had heard I’ve gone back to preaching.  I invited her to come and worship with us, and she quickly pulled back and said “Nah…I think that Jesus guy was just a DUDE.”   Just a dude. 

I couldn’t help but think that as “just a dude, Jesus is still  Not the King this world really wants, is he?   He is NOT a king that will “kick butt” and scare enemies into submission.  A king that will get even and grab intimidating power no matter who gets hurt.  A king who will wage war and get even with all perceived enemies, with or without the law of justice and truth.  The king who is the father of lies and deception, and protects ONE tribe whose loyalty is rock solid.  

 I hope our current generation in this time of history doesn’t have to cry at the rivers of Babylon before we lift our eyes to the cross and hear our Father’s forgiving words…Come home my children and let Jesus be your one and only Shepherd King. 

The good news, my friends, is that we stand on THIS side of Christ’s resurrection, and forgiveness is followed by the promise…”It is Finished!”  On Friday, before I began to write this sermon, I stood on our deck looking up at the clouds and noticed that high overhead soared a great and mighty eagle.   There was no resistance or hesitation in his soaring grace…just trust…and courage…and life.  So…let us be like that eagle.  Let us lift our eyes to the cross and give thanks that our father has called us back to His Heart through the LOVE and forgiving grace of our Shepherd King…Jesus…who is definitely NOT just some dude!  Amen.