November 21, 2004; The Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:35-43; Psalm 46.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith Be Still and Know On this Last Sunday after Pentecost, Christ the King Sunday, we come back to those moments of certainty and confusion; those moments of power and vulnerability; those moments that contained with in them loss and hope. Jesus would be King, but not in the way people expected. We are accustomed to hearing about Jesus being our King. We talk about his Kingdom and how we are part of it now here on earth. We worship the one who is our Lord, our King. Millions of people have been certain about Jesus’ kingship, but on the day that at the cross, Luke’s gospel focuses on just one person who experienced the truth. The faith of one person can lead to many opportunities for our Lord to act. The faith of one person means everything to God. Each person, each of us is precious to God. In Luke’s gospel the crowd is not so much condemning of Jesus as they are witnesses to the painful events. We hear that the people stood by watching as Jesus faced the end of his earthly ministry. Watching a moment in time that would be a moment not forgotten. The people watched as those in authority mocked Jesus. "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" If he is the King, he should be able to save himself, the soldiers said. If he is who he says he is, he should meet our expectations of power and authority. If he is the King, he should be able to save himself and us, one of the criminals said. The other criminal, who is usually referred to as the penitent criminal, rebukes the other. The penitent one recognizes that Jesus is innocent. He recognizes that Jesus is in fact his King—the one who can protect him and bring him peace. Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." As in other parts of Luke’s gospel, Jesus says that he has the power to transform that man’s life today. Now, right now, everything that you hope for is here in me, Jesus says. The promise of life, the promise of eternal life is here, now. By focusing on one man’s faith and hope, Luke has given us a window into the Kingship of Jesus. Christ is King not because he defeated the ways of the world, but because the ways of the world are put into perspective through him. Faith gives us perspective, a saving perspective. Faith helps us to know that is important and what is not. What can wait and what cannot. Who to believe and who not to believe. We see there in that scene of Jesus with the Penitent Criminal what is important. Each person is of great value and can be the person to bring a word of grace to others. As Jesus died on the cross, a promise was given to one man that became a promise to all. You will be with me in Paradise. If you were to turn to Jesus, with the concerns that you have, what would he say to you? How can he be there for you? The church celebrates Jesus as King today because we believe that he reigns over all. He is involved and has the power to deal with everything that we can bring to him. He meets us where we are, and brings a compassion and love to the situation that is beyond our understanding. If you were to share with him your hopes and fears, what would he say? What do you think he would say? Does God have a word of grace for you and me? Certainly. And like the penitent man, will our relationship with God make a difference for others? Certainly. Through you and me, God does seek to touch others. I have said it before, but it is worth saying again. There are many churches in Winchester, but there are not many like ours. We who have gathered here have heard God’s word of grace in someway that makes this community of faith our home. We are open to all people, we care for each other, we support each other, we worship together week by week. We really do celebrate. Today we celebrate the Kingship of Jesus. We are able to celebrate Christ our King because of what we have seen and heard—what we know from first-hand experience and what we have been taught. Like the Hebrew people who prayed with Psalm 46, we too can say that: "God is our refuge and strength...our help in trouble." Though the "nations make much ado," God is mightier. This is the faith of the church. How can we experience the Kingship of God in our lives? I’ve talked in the past about the Ingatian method of prayer. The scene of Jesus and the criminals on the cross is a great gospel scene for the Ingnatian prayer method. Imagine that you are there next to Jesus, you turn to him and you ask him for the deepest desire of your heart; share with him your hopes and fears; ask for the word of grace that you seek. What does he say to you? It might just be the word of grace that another also needs to hear. God will work through us if we open ourselves to that possibility. Opening ourselves to that might mean slowing down a bit---backing off from all that we can do. Psalm 46 also contains some good spiritual guidance: v. 11 "Be still, then, and know that I am God." Being still does not come easy to many of us, and yet it is so important to spiritual growth. When we are still and open to God’s presence in our lives, we might hear that word of grace. One of my clergy colleagues once told me that he was able to pray in a new way using this verse from psalm 46. He had gone on a retreat during which he was instructed to use these words from the psalm, pausing after each phrase and resting in the Spirit of it: "Be still and know that I am God (pause)." Be still and know that I am...(pause) Be still and know...(pause) Be still...(pause) Be...(pause). O God, in our stillness, give us that knowledge of you that makes everything new. Amen.