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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2022
10:30 AM (kids + communion)
Proper 29 - Reign of Christ, Year C
​Christ the King with Josh Liem
Jeremiah 23:1-6, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 23:33-38
Christ is King.  In the final week of the liturgical calendar, we will focus on this rich statement using the lens’ of Jeremiah, Paul, and Luke.  Do you feel scattered, anxious, or at a loss for how to cope with news about unrest and executions in Iran, or the mental health, housing, and opioid crisis in Vancouver, or paying your bills amidst the third recession in three decades?  The kings and kingdoms of this world will offer you solutions in exchange for your allegiance, but it is only Christ the Shepherd / Pantocrator / Crucified King that can promise true and lasting justice, peace, and hope. 

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Last week, we considered how our calendars shape us deeply.  By changing from our yearly (Gregorian) calendar to the church’s liturgical calendar, how might we grow as disciples of Christ?

Christ the King Sunday occurs at the end of the liturgical calendar, right before Advent season begins.  It emphasizes Christ’s dominion over all of creation, and it leads towards anticipating Christ’s second coming in Advent season.
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The Revised Common Lectionary is a tried-and-tested selection of readings for worship gatherings, split over a three year timeframe, that considers the seasons in the calendar.  They value having multiple biblical books read each week throughout the year, which encourages dialogue with the authors’ different lenses.
These three passages come from the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Reign of Christ Sunday.  Today, we’ll focus on three images of Christ the King presented in these readings.  

Jeremiah 23:1-6 — the Shepherd King

Colossians 1:11-20 — The Παντοκράτωρ / Pantocrator / Sustainer of All

Luke 23:33-38 — The Crucified King

The Big Idea: All kings and kingdoms demand our allegiance.  What is different about Christ?

For Discussion and Reflection

Warm up: Have you heard Kanye West’s Jesus is King album?  What kind of Jesus does he portray in his lyrics and in his life?  How does it compare to these passages in Jeremiah, Luke, and Colossians?

1. Jeremiah’s passage begins with the “woe to the shepherds.”  Can you identify any influential or powerful people who have abused or misused their authority to drive people away from each other or away from love? 
2. Who are our kings and shepherds?  Who do we allow to have power over us in exchange for money, protection, or relief of anxiety?
   
3. Paul in Colossians places Christ as the head of the church, and through Christ, God reconciles and makes peace with all things.  What specific ways do you feel we are called to participate in this peace-making process?  Think on an individual level, home church level, and Pilgrim-wide level.
   
4. The image of the mocked, humiliated, and tortured King, crucified between two thieves in Luke’s Gospel, is quite a sharp contrast compared to modern ideals of grandeur, wealth, and untouchability of the day’s influencers.  Why do you think people gravitate towards arrogant and proud politicians and leaders?  How does this image of Christ relate or contrast to the ideals of Christian Nationalism?