Whose the King

This is the sermon I preached at St. Timothy Lutheran Church on Sunday, 11/24. The text is John 18:33-37

When confronted with a question, Jesus seems incapable of providing a definitive response. Here in today’s gospel, we have three sets of questions and answers. I want you to listen to them and then tell me if Jesus answered Pilate’s questions.

First question: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus responded, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” 

Next: “What have you done?” Jesus answered this one, “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.” Jesus is a different sort of king. He is the King of truth, love, mercy and forgiveness. His kingdom is a different kind of kingdom. It is the now, but not yet, kingdom, earthly and spiritual. His kingdom is where he, the king, is.

Pilate’s last question in this passage is: “So you are a king?”  Jesus said, “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.”

Is it just me, or did Jesus answer any of Pilate’s questions? Why is this? We have a clash of two different kingdoms—the Roman kingdom and God’s kingdom, the earthly and the spiritual. It’s much like other conversations Jesus had in John. When he met with Nicodemus, they were obviously speaking from two different planes: the physical and the spiritual. 

Pilate’s concern was that there could be a revolution starting. The Romans had enough trouble with insurrectionists. If Jesus was just one more revolutionary, they had to get rid of him. Pilate is feeling Jesus out; trying to determine if he was a threat or not. In the end, Pilate had no problem with him, leaving Jesus’ fate up to the crowds. 

When Jesus states that his kingdom is not of this world, it “does not mean other-worldly but that his kingdom is not determined by or grounded in the values and strategies of the world,” according to Fred Craddock (Preaching Through the Christian Year B).

This is the first of three related points made in today’s gospel. Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world. 

The second point is that Jesus came into the world to testify to the truth. Let’s talk about the truth. There are many kinds of truth and many ways to look at it. There’s scientific truth, there’s everyday truth, things we learn from observing the world around us. But, there is also spiritual truth, God’s truth. 

Jesus states at the end of this passage that his purpose was to “testify to the truth” (v. 37)—to who he is as the true King, not just of one race, but of all. If we are people of the Truth, we will listen to Jesus’ voice—in prayer, in worship, in scripture and through our brothers and sisters in the faith. Through concrete means, we can hear the truth, as mysterious as it may seem. By listening and hearing, we will grow in our faith. 

Jesus and Pilate had very different ideas of truth. I am reminded of elsewhere in John where Jesus says he is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus not only proclaims and lives truth, he is truth. Truth is embodied in Jesus Christ—whom one could see and hear and touch. He was a real person who testified and witnessed to the truth. The Greek for witness is martyria, from which we get martyr. In the purest sense, Jesus witnessed and was martyred for his testimony. 

The third point is that persons of truth heed Jesus' voice. Jesus said, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice” (v. 37). Listens can also be translated as “hears.” Because Jesus embodies truth, is truth, those who belong to Jesus hear his voice. This word has many shades of meaning, including: to attend to, consider what is or has been said, to understand, perceive the sense of what is said, and to comprehend, to understand (netbible.org). Truth followers embrace Christ, the truth, in the nitty-gritty areas of their lives. 

Jesus, the embodied truth, speaks truth to power, in this case, Pilate, who held Jesus’ fate in his hands. This is so we may lead kingdom lives. What does this look like? We heard the truth that even in Bemus Point, there were hungry children. We joined with the Five Loaves and Two Fish Ministry to eliminate childhood hunger, one child at a time. I have to say that it is pure joy to work side by side, to hear the happy hum of conversation as people work as we do our monthly packing.

Others are involved in various service organizations, such as Rotary, The Lions Club, or Zonta, that seek to help various people in need. That’s how we live and embody the truth of the kingdom of love, of Jesus’ love. That is how we heed Jesus’ voice.

Some wonder what a small church, like ours, can possibly accomplish. As I think about all our people are involved in both at church and beyond, I have to say, “Plenty!” Thanks be to God! Amen.