Christ the King Sunday November 23-24, 2024
“The Clash of the Kingdoms” Daniel 7:9-14
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
If you are a Christian you have responsibilities to two different kingdoms. The first kingdom is the country in which you live. You are the citizen of a country, of a state, of a county and of a certain city or town. You have a great calling to be an important and beneficial person in your community. You are called to add to, not subtract from, the community in which you live. Jesus said of you, “You are the salt of the earth”, “You are the light of the world”.
You are also called to be a part of God’s kingdom, God’s rule. This is the kingdom when we say, “Lord, Thy will be done.” It is us seeking His ways in our life. It is a life of obedience to the word of God. It is a life lived by trust in God’s mercy. It is a having a faith where we trust God’s ways are higher and better ways. We call the kingdom of being a citizen in this land, “The Kingdom of the left.” We call the part of being part of God’s eternal kingdom, being saved, looking forward to being with God forever in heaven, “The Kingdom of the right.” Got it? Right and left. Citizen in this land. Citizen of God’s rule.
We are just one person, but we are gladly part of two kingdoms. In Romans 13 Paul states something spectacular, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” Later in the same chapter, “Therefore it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience…Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” (Romans 13:1, 5, 7)
Thursday is Thanksgiving. Thank God for being part of a great society. Much good happens in our communities. Peter speaks about being part of this “Kingdom of the left”, this earthly kingdom, like this, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (I Peter 2:16-17)
Looking the other direction now – being part of the “Kingdom on the right”, God’s kingdom, was not your choice but it was God’s choice of you. Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit – fruit that will last.” (John 15:16). God is always the initiator of redemption. Your baptism, the gifts from the Lord’s Table, Holy Communion, and the power of God’s written word are gifts that make you part of God’s kingdom. Paul would remind us, “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’, except by the Holy Spirit.” (I Corinthians 12:3)
But at times these two kingdoms that we belong to are not compatible. There is a conflict, a clash. The Book of Daniel is probably known to most of you, especially with some stories you have heard since you were a kid. How about Daniel who was thrown into a den of lions? (See Daniel 6). A decree was made in the Babylonian kingdom, where Daniel lived, which said that no one could pray to any god or man other than to the king. If they disobeyed that decree they were to be consumed by lions. But Daniel was defiant. Three times a day he prayed to the only God, “Giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” (Daniel 6:10) And that is where the two kingdoms clashed. Daniel would not give up his faith. He would not become part of idolatry. He stood firm and would not forsake God. And as a result he ended up in a lion’s den. But who was there with him? His God. The lions became pussy cats. Daniel was safe. God made everything all right.
How about the three men in the fiery furnace? (See Daniel 3) An image of gold, nine stories high, was built and that giant figure was to be their god. The command from the authorities in Babylon was this, “As soon as you hear the harp, flute and horn and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship immediately will be thrown into a blazing furnace.” (Daniel 3:5-6 – some musical instruments omitted in verse 5!) Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego rejected such man-made drivel! “O, Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18) What did God do? When people were looking at the three men thrown into the fire they saw a fourth man join them. God, who rules over all kingdoms, came to be present. Those three were not harmed.
We are part of two kingdoms. One is temporary and one is eternal. It is good to be part of a community, a state and a country, but at times we are asked to accept values and morals and ways that are not God’s ways. In that case we join with Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the apostles who, when told they could not speak of Jesus said, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)
This is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year. This is the Sunday to look back over the whole church year and come to a grand conclusion. Our God rules!! You see the miraculous birth of Jesus, you grasp how powerful He is over all nature and illness and death and you acknowledge how great He is. You experienced His death and resurrection. One of the great words in the Old Testament is our reading from Daniel about the son of man. “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting kingdom that will never pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)
Do you remember when Jesus was on trial either late on Holy Thursday after being arrested, or during the night early on Good Friday and He was brought before the high priest? The high priest asked him directly, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus answered, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (See Mark 14:61-62) The high priest tore his robes, declared that Jesus had committed blasphemy. But Jesus hadn’t committed blasphemy. He was, and is, the one that Daniel spoke about.
As a pastor I am directed to teach the “whole counsel of God”. Part of that whole counsel is this – our God rules. Jesus is triumphant over all evil and sin. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Paul would say about Jesus, ‘Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) St. John, in the Book of Revelation, exalts Christ over and over again. In the first chapter he says, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests and to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6)
It is this kingdom to which we belong. Can you imagine seeing this King, this Savior, this Lord? When you see Him, and you will see Him, will you bow with joyful respect, or will you throw your hands in the air and with tears in your eyes run to Him and embrace Him? Maybe we’ll get to do both.
Our Jesus is truly King, and we are forever His. Amen!!
