Is Christ the king?
Day 676, Thursday, June 18
John 5:16 – 6:24
Usually when Christian terminology is appropriated by the secular political world it is misunderstood and misused. Such is the case with the straightforward phrase “Christ is King.”
The phrase comes from references in 1 Timothy and Revelation to Jesus being “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Handel famously used the phrase in the Hallelujah Chorus of “Messiah” that we often hear at Christmas. In Latin, “Christ is King” is “Cristo Rey,” which is frequently used as a church name, including one of the Catholic parishes in Beaumont.
It means that Jesus, as the Son, has dominion over creation along with the Father. Those we call rulers are subject to his authority. Before him every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
Today, as in the day of Jesus, some confuse it with earthly political power, which Jesus always made clear was not his goal. In today’s reading, after the feeding of the 5,000, we read in 6:15, “Jesus, knowing that they intended to make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” He neither wanted nor needed what we think of as political power. That had been one of the things Satan tempted him with in the wilderness, and which he rejected.
Later in the gospel of John, in 18:36, Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
The authority of Jesus is very different from that of a human king or ruler. “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to those to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.”
Jesus is a different kind of judge than we are used to, though. He is a judge who wants to find us innocent, and even sacrifices himself toward that end, if we will only accept his grace. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but crossed over from death to life.”
Thursday meditation
Psalms 145:1-7
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
Prayer focus
May our allegiance be to you above all others, merciful Jesus.
-Rev. Mark Fleming