November 25, 2007; The Last Sunday of Pentecost: Christ the King Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 19:29-38; Psalm 46.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith Christ the King Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Today we give thanks for Jesus who is the King of our lives. Through baptism we have been united with Christ forever. Last night at the 5pm service we baptized three children. Jesus will be their King and he will guide them and shape them. They will grow up as members of the church, this wonderful and scared mystery. As members of the church, the body of Christ, they will share with us in the life of grace. We are always growing as Christians in love and faith, whether we were baptized yesterday or 60 years ago. Every day we can consider in a new way our identity as citizens of God's kingdom. When Jesus entered Jerusalem that day long ago, the disciples were beginning to be aware of this life of grace offered to them by Jesus. They praised God with joy for all of the great deeds of power that they had already seen: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." They and the other followers, were not, however, entirely clear about how Jesus would be their King. By entering Jerusalem in a triumphant way, Jesus claimed kingly authority as others had done before him. But even in that entry, Jesus was showing that his kingdom would be different; his rule would be a new experience for all the people. He rode in, not on a fine horse, but on a borrowed donkey. What sort of King will this be? What sort of Kingdom will be built? Through baptism, we become members of Christ's kingdom What does that mean for us, and what will it mean for Ryan, Logan and Lauren baptized last night? The life of grace that we share through our citizenship in God's kingdom is one characterized by freedom, peace, and justice. In life, we are faced with many things, situations, and sometimes people, who seek to claim us. There are temptations everyday to find our value through material things or the systems of evaluation created by our culture. While not all of these systems are bad in and of themselves, the problem comes when we put them ahead, or they just get ahead, of our life in Christ. We have been given the freedom to be who God has created us to be. We know that we have been created in God's image. With Christ as our King, we are able to serve the one who cares for us, who loves us, deeply. Jesus brings us together, filling us with a sense of our preciousness in God's sight, to build the kingdom. If you don't feel that love God has for you, believe me when I tell you that you are precious to God and irreplaceable. In fact, through Christ, God has insured that you will always have a place in the kingdom. We really have to rethink the meaning of "King" when we think about Jesus as our King. Who will this King be who rode into Jerusalem in humility? He will not be a dictator who favors one group over another. He will not force us to worship him. He does, however, rule over all. He does call forth our devotion and loyalty to him. Whenever we spend time with him, in personal devotions and in corporate worship, he gives himself to us and calls to be his. What sort of Kingdom will be built? Our baptismal vows contain our mission statement and core values. We seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves. We strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being. We have seen the kingdom in all who have worked to make the love of God known. That can be done in many different ways. I just finished reading the book of Mother Teresa's letters and papers. In her writings, she conveys her sense of Jesus' call to her that she be his light in this world. She is famous; but the way it works, the way God calls us, is the same for you and me. The details will be different, but the intent will be the same - that we shine as God's light in the world. How will you and I contribute the to building of Christ's kingdom? The Spirit shapes the Kingdom, in every generation, according to the needs of the times. When people are hungry, they are fed. When there is war, peace is sought. When there is injustice, justice is our cry. Today we celebrate the Lordship of God in our lives. We affirm God's claim on us and acknowledge that our relationship with God is everything; our relationship with God our King is the one that shapes us and sustains us. Through baptism, we share the life of grace as citizens of the kingdom. We give thanks to God for the knowledge of our true citizenship that puts all of life in proper perspective. As we will pray during the Great Thanksgiving, the communion portion of the service: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and every- where to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Because in Jesus Christ our Lord you have received us as your sons and daughters, made us citizens of your kingdom, and given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. Amen.