Christ the King

Christ the King Sunday

Christ the King

1. Who he is

2. What he does

3. Who we are

4. What we do

Text: Colossians 1:13-20

Intro

Who is Jesus Christ?  “Uh.  Silly question, Pastor!  We are at church right now.  We’re at Christ the King Church right now.  Come on!”  But really.  Who is Jesus Christ?  We talk about him a lot.  As Christians we base our whole faith on Christ.  It’s kind of important to know who Jesus Christ is.

Most people in this world know about Jesus.  Many people in this world talk about Jesus.  There are cross earrings and necklaces all over the place.  There are Christian bookstores and publishing houses.  There are Christian magazines.  Even Time magazine has had Jesus on the cover.  Men roll up their sleeves to show a cross and/or crown of thorns tattoo on the arm.  Women show the little cross tattoo on their shoulder blades or ankles.  There are Jesus and cross bumper stickers.  There are “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelets.  There are “Jesus is my homeboy” tee shirts.  Jesus pictures and artwork.  Jesus coffee mugs.  There was even a Saturday Night Live skit with Tim Tebow having a conversation in the locker room with Jesus.

But who is Jesus Christ?  Muslims call Jesus a great prophet, but not as good as Mohammed.  Jews call Jesus a great teacher, but not the Messiah.  Many Americans use his name like a curse word, shouting it when something bad happens.  Some Christians think of Jesus like a lucky rabbit’s foot—they pull him out when they need him and hopefully he’ll make something good happen.  Similarly, other Christians view Jesus simply as a best friend or a guardian angel—if you commit your life to him enough he’ll make your life happy and easy.  And many, many others who don’t have an opinion about Jesus Christ might admit they simply aren’t sure—but they know he’s important.

If you want to know who Jesus Christ really is and what he has done, there is hardly a better or clearer place to look in all of the Bible than the book of Colossians.  The eight verses before us today from the first chapter of Colossians are a beautiful description of him on this glorious day to help us better understand Christ the King.

What Does Humility Look Like?

15th Sunday after Pentecost

What Does Humility Look Like?

Text: James 2:1-13

What Does Humility Look Like?  Does humility look like the Pharisees in the gospel today?  They would go to dinner parties and feasts and sit down at the places and positions of honor.  If it was a dinner party, they would have sat at the head of the table.  If it was a wedding, they would have sat at the head table with the wedding party.  If it was a king’s feast, they would have sat down at the royal table.  After all, they were Pharisees!  Is that humility?

Does humility look like our American celebrities?  They scratch and claw for millions of dollars to act in a movie or perform at a concert or simply endorse perfume.  They have houses in the most prominent positions.  When you drive over that bridge to South Beach or weave through Beverly Hills, you can’t miss their mansions.  They fight to have their faces on magazines and billboards.  They Tweet foolish comments to get publicity, or they make stupid choices like naming their child North West (yes, Kim Kardashian actually did that).  Anything they can do to gain recognition, fame, or money.  Is that humility?

Does Tim Tebow’s Faith Make Him Great?

Everyone’s Talking These Days

In case you missed it, Tim Tebow is a Christian.

But if you did miss it, you have either been sequestered with a jury on a high profile case, or you just landed from Mars.

People of all faiths are cheering for Tebow these days.

Whether they love him or hate him (and whether they love or hate his Christianity), Americans are currently obsessed with the missionary’s kid from Florida. Just today ESPN reported that Tim Tebow is currently ranked as America’s most popular athlete. That is apparently pretty impressive if your last name isn’t Jordan, Woods, or James. Also, not too bad for a “goody two shoes Christian.”

It’s not just Broncos fans or fanatic Christians either. Last Sunday I was at the airport in Atlanta during the Broncos-Steelers game. I stopped for a bite to eat and to watch the game. As the game was drawing toward the end more and more were gathering to see if Tebow “could do it again.” There was only one guy at the restaurant cheering for the Steelers, and everyone else–even a guy in a Dolphins jersey–was cheering every move of of the Denver QB. I could have done cartwheels down the concourse unnoticed. No one would have seen. Eyes were glued to TV monitors as random shouts and cheers could be heard from gate to gate throughout the airport.

Then there’s the media. Oh boy. Everyone wants a crack at a good Tebow story. (And here I am, too. Guilty as charged I guess.) Rick Reilly juxtaposed Tom Brady and Tim Tebow in a column that made for good reading but where only the last two sentences mattered:  “They play Sunday. Who do you like?” I suppose the article could be reprinted today if he just changed “Sunday” to “Saturday” since the two QBs are about to duel again tomorrow.

Not every article or conversation is as jovial. Last December Charles P. Pierce blasted Tim Tebow and Christianity with an article that argued that his faith ought to be fair game for criticism, critique, and mockery, too. As an American only, I’ll concede to Pierce that he does at least have the right as an American citizen to say whatever spills from his mind to his keyboard. But as a Christian pastor, I must say that the article was ridiculous, ill-informed, and filled with the bigotry he charged Tebow with.

The Newborn Christ Brightens the Way We Live

1st Sunday after Christmas, the Presentation of our Lord

The Newborn Christ Brightens the Way We Live

Text:  Luke 2:25-40

Intro

The waiting game is never easy.  There’s a reason why patience is called a virtue.  Waiting for family or a dear friend to come to town takes a lot of effort.  There are preparations to be made—cooking, cleaning, planning.  The excitement of knowing that your loved one is coming and that you will see them very soon makes you want to jump out of your skin.  It might make you lose some sleep.

Waiting for a baby to come brings similar excitement.  Like cute little Abigale who was baptized today, the anticipation of waiting for something so precious and so special like the birth of a child is sometimes unbearable.

In our house we end up counting sleeps with our little ones.  “Ten more sleeps till grandma and grandpa get here.”  “Five more sleeps till presents on Christmas.”  Or as of today, twenty-two more sleeps until a certain boy turns 5.

I.a.

Simeon must have been jumping out of his skin.  An older man of faith who lived in Jerusalem, Luke tells us that he, “was righteous and devout.  He was waiting for the consolation of Israel.”  Like so many other believers throughout the ages—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, and many more—Simeon was waiting for the one who would bring consoling and encouragement for Israel.  Simeon was waiting for the Lord’s promised Messiah, or Christ.  Even better, the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that before he died he personally would see the Messiah with his own eyes.