To Whom Do You Give Your Allegiance?

Year C, Christ The King Sunday  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Pope Pius XI

The year was 1925. The world was still recovering from the shock of WWI. Philosophers, theologians, scholars and world leaders had become disillusioned. WWI had shattered their hopes for world peace. A rise of class division and unbridled nationalism had heightened internal conflict within the industrial nations. Consumerism ran rampant. The American economy grew by 42% but in Europe were much different.
Discouragement began to dominate the thinking of many. A Russian famine claimed the lives of 5 million victims. Hyperinflation of currency struck the Weimar Republic. Fascists gained control in Italy electing Mussolini prime minister. A general strike was crippling the United Kingdom. Internal conflicts were continuing in the Middle East and Africa draining both the economic and military power of the UK.
Writing in the aftermath of WWI Pope Pius XI attempted to counter the rise of class division and unbridled nationalism. He hoped to convince the faithful that world peace would not be found in world leaders but in the Prince of Peace.
He wrote:
...manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these had no place either in private affairs or in politics: and he said further, that as long as individuals and states refused to submit to the rule of our Savior, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations.
"For Jesus Christ reigns over the minds of individuals by His teachings, in their hearts by His love, in each one's life by the living according to His law and the imitating of His example."
The encyclical summarized the teaching of the kingship of Christ and encouraged the Bishops to celebrate the feast of Christ the King.
The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal. If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God.
Every once in a while someone with extrodinary talents and gifts really takes t
With this encyclical Pope Pius XI established Christ the King Sunday. The feast is not one of the more popular ones, even in the Catholic church. Protestants, esp. non-denominational churches, hardly give it lip service. That is a shame because I believe the implications of this Sunday are greater than we realize.
The early church was accused of treason for their unwillingness to bend a knee and declare “Caesar is Lord.” Many died as martyrs because they knew only one Lord, Jesus Christ. Some were beheaded. Some were crucified. Some were burned to the stake alive. Some were escorted into the Coliseum to become living toys for wild animals and the entertainment for the citizens of Roman. Some were even used as torches to light Nero’s patio during his parties. Their deaths were cruel and painful. They suffered gross indignities but, they knew that they endured them because they could only serve one King.
It is easy for us to make the connection between his lordship over our lives and his kingship. Pontius Pilate unknowingly made a profound theological statement by writing on the plaque “The King of the Jews.”
Luke 23:38 NIV84
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
He was attempting to make a political statement. He wanted everyone to know that only Caesar was Lord and the same fate awaited anyone who would attempt to usurp that title.
He was attempting to make a political statement. He wanted everyone to know that only Caesar was Lord and the same fate awaited anyone who would attempt to usurp that title.
Anyone who thinks that politics and religion are not linked together needs to re-read the Scriptures more careful. With the very first formation of a society into a village or a town, politics and religion were linked. For thousands of years the state insisted that every woman and every man pledge their allegiance to the God of the official religion. The events of 1776 and following changed that. We believe the state should never yield the sword to enforce one religion over another nor should it pass laws that encourage one faith to prosper at the expense of another. But religion, especially the Christian faith, has much to say about the moral and ethical conduct of the state and its political leaders.
Injustice was denounced by the prophets of Israel and. The prophets told the nation that women and men, rich and poor, old and young all stood equal under the law. Favoritism in legal matters was blasphemy against God Himself. The psalmist captured this thought:
Psalm 146:6 NIV84
6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the Lord, who remains faithful forever.
Psalm 146:6–8 NIV84
6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the Lord, who remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8 the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.
Psalm 146:7–8 NIV84
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8 the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.
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ps 146:7-
ps 146:
Trusting in military strength, treaties written on disposable paper rather than Yahweh, God of the wilderness, were proven time and time again to be unreliable.
Trusting in military strength, treaties written on disposable paper rather than Yahweh, God of the wilderness, were proven time and time again to be unreliable.
Trusting in military strength, treaties written on disposable paper rather than Yahweh, God of the wilderness, were proven time and time again to be unreliable.
The psalmist summarizes best:
Psalm 146:6–8 NIV84
6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the Lord, who remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8 the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.
Psalm 146:3–4 NIV84
3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. 4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Psalm 146:3 NIV84
3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
Psalm 147:5 NIV84
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
Psalm 146:5 NIV84
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
ps 147:5
ps 146:
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Patriotism can become excessive and detrimental to the faith. The Black Shirts of Mussolini’s Fascists and the Brown Shirts of Germany were very patriotic. They marched in perfect formation, waved the flags of their nation, and unthinkingly saluted leaders who were filled with power, pride and prejudice. Hugging a flag is a poor substitute for a heart of compassion, a spirit of sacrifice, words of humility, truth and deeds of kindness.
Patriotism can become excessive and detrimental to the faith. The Black Shirts of Mussolini’s Fascists and the Brown Shirts of Germany were very patriotic. They marched in perfect formation, waved the flags of their nation, and unthinkingly saluted leaders who were filled with power, pride and prejudice. Hugging a flag is a poor substitute for a heart of compassion, a spirit of sacrifice, words of humility and truth and deeds of kindness.
We are to render unto Caesar's that which is Caesar's but if Caesar ever asks us to do anything that we believe is contrary to the teaching of Scripture, we must refuse to bend a knee to the state.
The vast majority of Protestant churches in America have been fortunate. As a whole we have thus far escaped overt persecution but, not not every part of the Christian faith has. The Amish suffered terribly during WWI and II for their refusal to serve in the military. In 1906 a Pentecostal revival broke out in Los Angeles. At first most of the participants were African American. They were denounced with racist language and description of excessive emotionalism. However, they also took the Word of God seriously and decided that they must turn the other cheek rather than fight in the war. Over time their attitude toward military service changed. I do not know of one Pentecostal denomination that is opposed to military service.
This does not mean that an authentic faith will always be in conflict with secular authority. Augustine once said that believers are the salvation of the commonwealth.” (Colson, p246) The believer does not do this out of obligation or forced compulsion but because they love others and serve a Risen King. In obedience to Christ the King we live in obedience to governing authorities, love our neighbors and promote justice. Unfortunately Christians in his country have struggled to identify genuine concept of patriotism. We have vacillated between a God-and-country, love it or leave it mentality and a casual indifference. After the horrors of Vietnam faded from the America memory, the divide between the two camps has grown. Neither camp represents Augustine or Scripture. The African theologian believed that the Christian was called to love the whole world but that was just not practical. Therefore we should work in a positive manner to love others and do good in the community in which God has called us.
A patriot will see flaws in his country and weep for them MLK, Jr spoke of love for his country even as he attempted to change its loves. He would often say: “Whom you would change, you must first love.
Not every battle is fought at the national level. Some skirmishes will take place with local governments. Chuck Colson told the story of a church whose mission was thwarted by its local government. The church wanted to feed and provide shelter for the homeless population of the city. The city officials were unanimously opposed to this. The church was located in a downtown area and the city council believed that the church’s ministry to the homeless would discourage people from shopping in the downtown district. The city council tried zoning ordinances, random fire and health inspections to discourage the ministry.
When Pope Pius XI wrote his encyclical to establish Christ the King Sunday, to stem the tide of dysfunctional nationalism. His efforts were not enough to prevent WWII but they still challenge us to consider which King do we serve. John Adams once that a patriot must be a religious man. Colson writes:
When Pope Pius XI wrote his encyclical to establish Christ the King Sunday, he was not only aware of the growing nationalism but also the growing materialism and consumerism.
Christians understand the phrase a nation under God not as a license for blind patriotism or racial superiority but as a humbling acknowledgement that all people live under the judgment of God. Christians spend more time washing feet than waving flags.
Why? because that was the example are King displayed before his death.
Sermons on the latter two topics the Sunday before Black Friday is truly an exercise of spitting into the wind. Every year we talk about how commercialized Christmas has become but we then head to the mall and charge, charge, charge.
The Puritans, rather than just bemoan the commercialization of Christmas actually banned it after they took over Parliament in 1647. They believed it was a time of wasteful immoral behavior. Pro-Christmas rioting broke out. James the II restored it in 1660. The New England Puritans held the same attitude toward Christmas
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