"From the Pulpit" - reflections on the weekly texts from Pastor Greg at Living Lord Lutheran Church Vero Beach, FL
Then Pilate entered the headquarters[a] again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ 34 Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ 35 Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ 36 Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ 37 Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ 38 Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’
John 18:33-39
"Two Different Worlds"
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ.
Ah, yes. One of my favorite Engelbert Humperdink songs - "Two Different Worlds". That could be the theme of this Sunday's gospel reading. Check out his recording of this song below - it's really beautiful.
This Sunday in the Christian church is known as Christ the King Sunday, or the Feast of Christ the King Sunday. It's the last Sunday in the current church year - next Sunday we begin the first of the four Sundays of Advent (and we're into the month of December - who can believe it?) We turn to John's gospel, and this Lenten encounter with Jesus facing Pilate, the Roman Empire's rep in Jerusalem.
These two worlds of Jesus and Pilate couldn't be further apart if they tried. For Pilate, his world is one of power, authority, privilege, might. It's one of boundaries and borders. Geographic locations. It's one of things that can be measured. Wealth. Status. And more. You're either in, or you're out, in Pilate's world. A crown defines Pilate's world. An army defines Pilate's world. Luxuries and wealth define Pilate's world. Access to power define Pilate's world.
On the other hand, Jesus' world is one without borders. Jesus' world is one with no worldly authority - no armies. No ornate buildings. No wealth. Nothing much at all, except, according to Jesus as he faces Pilate, the "truth" - the truth of Jesus' voice. And those who hear and know his voice are what make us this "kingdom. It can't be measured. This kingdom has no borders, no boundaries, no army to defend it against its enemies, no geographic coordinates to locate it on any map. This kingdom of God is intangible in terms of being able to be measured, or located on a map. Jesus wears no "crown" or has no governmental designation as a "king", so Pilate has difficulty grasping what sort of "kingdom" Jesus might be king of.
And yet, as we sort of hear in this dialogue between these two, Pilate, despite his asking Jesus a series of questions, can't "get" Jesus' kingdom thing. We live in both Pilate's world, and in this kingdom of God that Jesus is referring to. In Pilate's world, we want things to be able to be measured. To be seen and located on a map. Things in PIlate's world are finite. They exist in a time and place that we can see and touch. But in Jesus' world, one can't see it. It can't be located on any map. There are no borders in this kingdom. You can't get to it by following any map or set of directions.
And so, Pilate is frustrated. Flummoxed. In this story, in v. 37(b), you can even hear Jesus almost invite Pilate into this kingdom, "Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." You can almost see him extend a hand, an invitation to join others in his "kingdom", to follow the voice of this shepherd, to see what life is like in God's kingdom.
But how does Pilate respond? Probably in much the same way many in our world today would respond, by dismissing this hand of welcome to Jesus. Bah!, Pilate, is saying. "What IS truth?" It's a rejection of Jesus' invitation to join him. Because Pilate can't see this kingdom, because he can't measure it or locate it on a map, he chooses instead to just dismiss Jesus and his claim. Sound familiar? Try inviting someone to church, or to engage in life with Jesus, and what might you hear? "Man, leave me alone." Or worse.
Both of these worlds exist today. As the baptized in Christ, you and I live in and understand, to the extent that we can, life in this kingdom of God. It's where we welcome the stranger. It's where we look beyond borders and boundaries and see in others the same blessings we share. Love, grace, forgiveness, welcome, and more. In this kingdom of God, there are no boundaries, no borders, no insiders and outsiders. Just the body of Christ, regardless of where you are located on a map. It's a beautiful thing, this kingdom of God on earth. And while we can't completely understand the amazing grace that exudes from this savior of ours - love your neighbor, forgive those who choose to do you harm, death is not the end for us, and more, we trust in the gospel promise of life in Christ Jesus.
With all of his power and authority, with all his military and political might, Pilate never quite got it all. He just never took the time to lean into the gospel message of Jesus. But I trust and pray that you do. Today and everyday. Amen.
"Two Different Worlds"
"Beautiful Savior" (an a capella version - nice!)
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