Jesus Is Lord (Sermon - Reign of Christ Sunday)

“Jesus Is Lord”

Ephesians 1:15-23

Allen Huff

Jonesborough Presbyterian Church

11/20/16

         A preacher climbed in the pulpit one Sunday morning and began repeating over and over, “Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord”

After ninety seconds, a few folks realized that this wasn’t going to change, so they got up and left.

         “What’s with that fool preacher?” one said when they got outside. 

         “Don’t know,” said another, “but at least we get to the buffet ahead of the Baptists.”

         “Yeah,” said a third. “And God knows that fried chicken is to die for!”

And they all said, “Amen.”

         On Reign of Christ Sunday, Christians declare without apology that for us, Jesus is Lord. Not the individual. Not health, and wealth, and beauty. Not military or economic power. Not globalism or nationalism. Not baseball or apple pie. Not freedom, the flag, or the good old US-of-A. Not even the Bible or Christianity itself.

Jesus is our Lord. We follow Jesus.

         Acutely aware of the world’s anguish, Paul’s usual word on the kingdom is future-oriented. Writing to the church in Rome, Paul says, “I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed…”

To the church at Corinth he says, “We will not all die, but we will all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.”

All is expectation and hope. And as Christians we are indeed called to expect and hope for the fulfillment of the kingdom. That’s what Advent, which begins next Sunday, is all about.

         Then we read Ephesians. In this letter, the Apostle begins to implore his readers to remember that Christ rules “in this age [as well as] the age to come.” This teaching reflects a dramatic shift in Paul’s theological understanding. He urges us to live in and to witness to our hope through an active spirituality that becomes real-time inhabitation of God’s kingdom on earth.

         Having said all that, who among us does not dabble in the kingdoms of other lords? To what or to whom do we often give the energies for worship and service that God has given to us to give back to God? Do we give them to a house, a car, a job? A family member, a friend, a lover? An athlete or a team? A political party or ideology? A prejudice or a fear? All too often, in churches a favorite lord-of-choice is The Almighty Way We’ve Always Done It. What other “lords” are out there?

         When our kids were in elementary school in Mebane, NC, some sort of school program sent them home with four tickets to go see Elon College host South Florida in a friendly game of football. Today, Elon is a university and their mascot is the Phoenix. But back then they were still the Elon College Fighting Christians. I don’t remember what S. Florida’s mascot was, but just for fun let’s call them the Lions.

When we arrived at the stadium, the game had already begun. The Christians and the Lions were going at it down there in the arena. The game itself was marginally interesting, but during the second quarter, the PA announcer came on and yelled, “Ladies and gentlemen, you are less than one minute away from the Domino’s Pizza Scream!”

         “What,” I wondered, “is the Domino’s Pizza Scream?”

After a few minutes longer than less-than-a-minute, five male cheerleaders – the loudest and beefiest of the Christians who weren’t actually out on the field of battle – each picked up a Domino’s Pizza box from the sidelines and headed for the stands.

         The cheerleaders mounted the steps like ancient priests ascending the stairs of some towering ziggurat. Each raised his sacred, cardboard ark over his head then lowered it again. At every elevation of the host, the worshipers stood up, raised their hands, and began to wail and shriek at the top of their lungs. They actually screamed louder for the pizza than they did for the Christians who, for our entertainment, were out there fighting for their lives against the Lions! A man in front of us pulled a dollar bill from his wallet and waved it at the pizza priest who passed nearest us.

         The holy men walked all the way to the top of the temple and turned around. Then in breathtaking unison, they raised their pizzas one last time before an ecstatic congregation. As the chiseled shamans descended the stairs, each bestowed his blessing upon someone in the crowd. If there were some liturgical purpose behind the decision of who received the pizzas, it was not clear to me. Their doctrine of election seemed different from ours. But the one person whom I saw chosen seemed genuinely moved as she reached and received her irresistible, life-transforming gift.

         Hallelujah! Pizza is Lord!

After the sacrament, the congregation settled back into football.

         “Preacher, get a grip! That was just folks having fun!”

Was it? I admit there was a time when I would have enjoyed it as much as anyone. And I guess I enjoyed it that time, too, but as grist for the mill. It’s hard for me to sit back and watch something like the Domino’s Pizza Scream and regard it as completely harmless. Such rituals serve as jarring reminders of how, in very seductive but seemingly innocent ways, we create, and offer ourselves to idols.

         It is hearing Scripture read and proclaimed, coming together in prayer, celebrating the sacraments, and working for justice and transformation in the world that makes us who we are as Christians. If pizza is Lord, then what good are we? We’ve been formed in the image of pepperoni and processed cheese. But if Jesus is Lord, we will acknowledge him in our worship of God.

If Jesus is Lord, we will participate in his life, death, and resurrection.

If Jesus is Lord, we will live in the midst of his kingdom of compassion, justice, and peace – here and now.

If Jesus is Lord, our lives will reveal the dynamic and eternal image of God within us and within all humanity. Even pizza worshipers.

I have good news. Pizza is not Lord. Jesus is Lord.

We’re not celebrating the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper today, but the table before us remains set as a reminder of Christ’s Lordship. At his table, we find a meal worth celebrating and sharing. We find a promise worth trusting.

         I hope all of you enjoy Thanksgiving this week, but let us always remember that for followers of Jesus, our lasting nourishment is found at this table. Our Lord is always present here. And every human being is and must always be welcome here.

For us, Jesus and Jesus alone is Lord!

Thanks be to God!