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THEY WERE ALL DESCRIBING
THE SAME THING.
One said, “It is a snake.”
Another: “It feels like a tree trunk.”
Another: “It is a leafy plant like lettuce.”
Another: “It is hard and solid like an icicle.”
Another: “It is large with skin like a
hippopotamus.”
They were all correct. This was a group of
people who could not see, and they were describing an elephant. They described
the part of the elephant that had been revealed to them. And they were all
correct in part. Yet they were all incorrect in describing the animal.
Paul described the Kingdom of God saying: Now we
see but a poor reflection like in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
(Corinthians)
We each see a part, we each experience a
part, and we each proclaim a part of what we have learned about God. Taken
together, the words we say about God may describe a small part of what God is
really like. So we are wise to listen to others as we speak the truth that God
has revealed to each of us.
Today is Christ the King Sunday. This day
sometimes gets sandwiched in between our Thanksgiving celebrations and the
beginning of Advent. But we dare not miss it. Advent is the beginning of the
church year. Today we celebrate the end of the church year, and all that we
have learned from our walk with the Lord in the year that is ending. It is like
a balance sheet at the end of the year.
We have
remembered another year of our Lord, and today is the day that everything leads
up to.
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THIS IS END OF
THE
CHRISTIAN CALENDAR YEAR.
The calendar says this
is Christ the King Sunday. King, however, is not my
favorite description of Jesus Christ. It is a word that is easily abused.
Jesus' earthly ministry was not one of military might nor
oppressiveness. Rather, it was one of peace, liberation, and above all,
service. Jesus turned the whole concept of Kingship and Kingdoms and
Lords-a-Leaping on their heads. Let’s leave it topsy turvey. After all, it was not Jesus
who proclaimed himself king, but it was Pilate. We read the words this morning.
SO WHAT ARE THE WORDS
THAT DESCRIBE JESUS?
I made myself a list of all the things I
could think of that the Bible says in simply answering the question, “Who was
he?” I came up with a lot more words than “King.”
On this last Sunday of
the Christian Calendar, we have learned a lot more about Jesus than King. I found not one word but thirty-four words that
Jesus uses to describe himself, and that come from his own
lips and from the pens of the authors of the scriptures.
I would like to do some score keeping
today.
I
am going to read the words the Bible uses to describe Jesus, and ask you to
take out a card and pencil, and pick the top three that describe who Jesus is
for you.
Maybe you will want more than three; maybe
you will end up with fewer. These are the words that the Bible uses to describe
Jesus. On this day when we sum it all up, it is a good idea to consider all of
them, not just the word that Pilate selected.
Let me repeat my
question.
THE QUESTION IS NOT
WHAT IS TRUE OF JESUS.
THEY ARE ALL TRUE OF JESUS.
THE QUESTION IS,
WHICH OF THESE IS TRUE FOR YOU?
WHICH WORDS DESCRIBE THE JESUS
THAT YOU KNOW OR WANT TO KNOW,
OR EVEN WANT TO RUN AWAY FROM SOMETIMES?
Write down several;
then reduce the list to your top three.
1
Jesus/Immanuel – God With Us
Matthew 1
20. … an angel
of the Lord appeared to (Joseph) in a dream and said, "Joseph son of
David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21. She
will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Jesus’ name describes his life’s work.)
22. All this took place to fulfill what
the Lord had said through the prophet:
23. "The virgin will be with
child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --
which means, "God with us."
2, 3,
4, 5
Mighty God
Wonderful
Counselor
Everlasting
Father
Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9
6. For to us a child is born, to us a son is
given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince
of Peace. 7. Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on
and forever.
Holy One
Mark 1 (and the synoptics)
22.
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one
who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23. Just then a man in their synagogue who was
possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24.
"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to
destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy
One of God!"
7
Lamb of God
John 1
29. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him
and said, "Look, the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world!
30. This is the one I meant when
I said, `A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'
31. I myself
did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might
be revealed to Israel."
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8
Prince of Life
Acts 3.
13. “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our
fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the
presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14. But you denied
the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15. and killed the Prince
of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” (King James Version)
9
Lord God Almighty
Revelation 16
7.
And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous
are Your judgments.''
(4 references)
10, 11
Lion
of Judah
Root of David
Revelation 5
5. Then one of the
elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the
Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to
open the scroll and its seven seals."
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12
Word of Life
1 John
1.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we
proclaim concerning the Word of life.
13
Author and Finisher of Our Faith
Hebrews 12
1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about
with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is
set before us, 2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
14
Advocate
1 John 2
1.
My little children, these things write I unto
you, that you sin not. And if any person sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2. and he is the
propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world. 3. And hereby we do know
that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
15,
16, 17
The Way
The Truth
The Life
John 14
5. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know
where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through me. 7.
If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do
know him and have seen him."
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18
Dayspring
Luke 1
76.
And you, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before
the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, 77. to give
knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78.
through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited
us, 79. to give light to them that sit in darkness and
in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. KJV
19
Lord of All
Acts 10
35. But in every nation he that fears him, and
works righteousness, is accepted with him. 36. The word which God sent unto the
children of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord
of all.)
20
Son of God
Romans 1
1. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle
and set apart for the gospel of God -- 2. the gospel
he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3. regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a
descendant of David, 4. and who through the Spirit of
holiness was declared with power to be the
Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
21
Good Shepherd
John 10
10.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that
they may have life, and have it to the full.
11. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd
lays down his life for the sheep.
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22
Messiah/Christ
John 4
25. The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is
coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26. Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you
am he."
23
Savior
Luke 2
9.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone
around them, and they were terrified. 10.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good
news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is
Christ the Lord. 12. This will be a sign to you: You will
find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
24
Chief Cornerstone
Ephesians 2
19. Consequently, you are no longer
foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of
God's household, 20. built on the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
25, 26
King of Kings
Lord
of Lords
1 Timothy 6
14. I charge you to keep this commandment without spot or
blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15. which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed
and only Ruler, the King of kings and
Lord of lords, 16. who alone is immortal and who
lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor
and might forever. Amen.
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27
Righteous Judge
2 Timothy
8. Now there is in store for me the
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me,
but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
28
Light of the World
John 8
12.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
29
Head of the Church
Ephesians 5
21. Submit to one
another out of reverence for Christ.
22. Wives, submit to
your husbands as to the Lord.
23. For the husband is the head of
the wife as Christ is the head of the
church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives
should submit to their husbands in everything.
25. Husbands, love your wives, just as
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
30
Morning Star
2 Peter 1
18. We ourselves
heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred
mountain. 19. And we have the word of the prophets made
more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light
shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
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31
Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 5
17. So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I to think that I could oppose God?"
32
Resurrection and the Life
John
11
25. Jesus said to
her, "I am the resurrection and the
life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
26.
and whoever lives and believes in me will never
die.
33
Horn of Salvation
Luke 1
68. "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and
has redeemed his people. 69. He has raised up a horn of
salvation for us in the house of his servant David.
34
The Alpha and the Omega
Revelations 1
8. "I am the Alpha and the Omega,"
says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the
Almighty."
MORE
THAN KING
I hope I have convinced you that today is far more than “Christ the King Sunday.” It is “balance
sheet” Sunday; it is “review-the-notes-I-took” Sunday. It is the culmination of
your year with the Lord. No, it doesn’t fit neatly into the shopping for
Christmas weekend we have been having. But it deserves a place even without
gifts and pageants and costumes to celebrate it. A year with our Lord would
make no sense without a day of reckoning like this. Christ himself is the gift.
No one could be luckier than those who discover it.
Barbara Streisand said that “people who
need people are the luckiest people in the world.” It’s a great song, but
people who remember they have walked with the Lord are even luckier.
I would be interested to see what the top
vote-getters are, but that is not the point either. It is not about votes,
profit or loss, winning or losing. This is about life. Jesus Christ’s meaning
is exactly what you make of it. I hope you give today great meaning, sincere
thanks, and profound appreciation.
Let us praise God for
another year with our Lord.
Please stand and join
in singing the Doxology.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Dr. John H. Cushman
Presbyterian Church of the Roses
2500 Patio Court
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
November
26, 2006
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