Sermon: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom

         Today, the last Sunday of this liturgical year, as we end the time we’ve spent reading through the Gospel According to Luke and are about to turn the page and spend a year reading Matthew’s Gospel.

         Today we celebrate Christ the King Sunday, wrestling with what Christ’s Kingship means.

         Wrestling with it because we get this exalted description of Christ’s Kingship found in the letter to the Colossians—

-The Invisible God made Visible,

-The One Upon Whom thrones, dominions, rulers and powers depend,

-The Head of the Church.

         Wrestling because we also find this same king holding court with criminals, the cross his throne.

         Somewhere between these two realities of who Jesus is as King—lofty and laughed at,

we find ourselves in his presence.

         And, in this place, we become vulnerable, but so deeply loved. Humbled and in the presence of a ruler so strange he is strung up with us.

         Then we, like the second thief,

we can do nothing other than ask, “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.”

         Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom

Let us pray

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.

         Because the visibility of God you offer me, seems still invisible. We do not see you in the stable, we do not arrive with those unstable, or at least unwelcome, Shepherds.

We do not give room at the inn or go beyond the rumors about your strange family—Joseph and Mary, quite a scandal there.

The audacity of your forgiveness, we assign it to God and assess your healings as blasphemy.

When you hang out with the wrong type of people, we say there could be no Godliness in such association.

We choose to ignore you when you enter Jerusalem because we expected a war horse, but we got a donkey—because the donkey... (Makes all the difference).

We look at cross and see only God’s abandonment.

I cannot trust that you came here for me, in flesh and in real time, that I might have life eternal.

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom

         Because beyond your blessed body, and my ignorance of it, I also miss everything else!

I cannot believe all that is, seen and unseen, is a gift, from God.

I am given every opportunity to say thank you, and I instead say no thanks, and ignore my neighbor on top of it all…

No, ignoring them would be better, I grow to hate them, often over petty things. It’s like I’m starving and a feast beyond compare has been served, and I’m fiddling with the butter packet and do not notice the wonderful meal before me.

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom

         Because, I’m part of the Church, above me is the Head, the Lordship of Christ, I get to be a disciple, to follow after you.

Yet, I am the body, and choose to follow my appetites instead of the Mind of Christ. My eccentricities and limited view of the world gets in the way.

There is a whole community here

—one spanning space and time, yet today I’d break it for a moment of petty retribution.

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom

         (Pause)

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom… where God’s fullness is revealed. Where Emmanuel, God with Us, is obvious.

Where stable birth and Mary’s song—God’s in that.

Family Tree and Temptations—a God sighting.

Where when a woman speaks or a Samaritan of any sort is present, they are found in the gentle protection of Your wings.

Where Sabbath is for liberation, Repentance is regular, and Prayer is persistent.

Where poverty, wealth, or social standing do not bar thy gates.

Where entrance is costly, and utterly free.

Where your Holy Spirit moves me to trust in your gift of eternal life, for I do not have the power to do so on my own.

Yes, Jesus, remember me.

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom… where this creation I take for granted is recreated and I are unable to live any way other than in utter awe!

Where resurrection overflows everywhere! The great yearning this broken world has suffered under is at an end, it bursts forth with Joy at the new life you give us, give it, make of all that is—new life!

Where thankfulness is always at hand.

Where I can love my neighbor.

Where I can fully pay attention to all the grace you have given, this wondrous world on offer.

Yes, Jesus, remember me.

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom... you body, the Church… remember us here!

Where we are no longer beheaded, instead head and body work as one. The ideals of Christ and the actuality of your Church—are in sync.

Where your work of reconciliation is recognizable to those of us here together,

And also to those who hear of us second hand!

That this will be a place where breaches of relationship are repaired.

Where we hold one another to account, and also help each other to attain justice and receive mercy.

Yes, Jesus, remember me.

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.

         So often I do not see your presence, be present with me.

         It is hard to be thankful sometimes, give me eyes to see your wonders and lips to praise you for them.

         Your Church falls short of our high calling, call us by name and make us yours.

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.

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