Christ the King Changes the Scene
Even though the enemies of God constantly try to attack God's people, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 clearly shows us that "Christ the King Changes the Scene," as he will on Judgment Day when he defeats every enemy and triumphantly hands his kingdom over to God the Father. November 20, 2011.
The recall battle has hit full force. Papers have been filed. Petitions are expanding by thousands of signatures a day. Protestors are rallying. Governor Walker, along with other Republicans, has become the target of an aggressive effort to change the political scene of Wisconsin. Today’s section of God’s Word from 1 Corinthians describes a much more monumental recall battle. The enemies of God have been pushing their propaganda, and they’re petitioning as many as possible to join their effort to recall Christ the King. They want him off the throne forever. And when they can’t successfully attack Christ himself, they sabotage Christ’s people.
Need convincing that the enemies of God are on the attack? A friendly face and voice we welcome into our own churches on the WELS Connection has been arrested for child pornography—Satan is waging war and the battlefront isn’t out there but in here, among our own! A husband, a father, a child, a friend loved by those who sit next to you in this church has been robbed of life when clutched by death, which refuses to let go, and you could be next—the grave poisons and imprisons, and if it doesn’t make you angry or afraid, it should. An honest peek inside our own hearts and lives uncovers our own shameful, secret sins that we willingly allow access to our body, our mind, our money, our time, our pleasures, or our relationships because we’re too busy or too tired to fight—such resignation from spiritual discipline could be the most dangerous evil attack of all because it is so subtle, so easy to shrug off, “Oh well, I’ll worry about that tomorrow.”
“Enough of this!” thunders the triumphant voice of Christ the King. He launches a recall effort of his own against his enemies, visible and invisible, worldly and otherworldly, and Christ the King Changes the Scene. If there is one final speech for God’s Word to make on this last Sunday of the church year, one concluding remark to punctuate our scene with heaven’s exclamation point of certainty, it is this: “the end will come.” The end of what? The end of his enemies, which will change the scene permanently. Here’s how…
“Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.” The Corinthians agreed that Christ had been raised from the dead, but they considered it simply an isolated incident, no different than the resurrection of Lazarus or the widow’s son or Jairus’ daughter. Don’t live as if the resurrection of Jesus Christ is confined to the pages of history. Like a diary discovered by Harry Potter comes to life, enveloping him into its contents, when the Bible proclaims the resurrection it opens the tomb of your own life and death, and draws you into Christ’s. Christ, then, is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Firstfruits were the first fruits, or crops, harvested by the Israelites and then sacrificed as offerings to God, symbolizing their trusting intent that they’d be gathering more crops by God’s abundant blessing. And there was always more. So the Bible is telling believers that Christ’s isn’t the only resurrection from the dead. His is the first of many more. Yes, we will “all die,” like Adam, but “in Christ all will be made alive.” Believers who die simply fall asleep, with expired bodies planted in the ground like bulbs. On Judgment Day our bodies will wake up, burst forth, and live in heaven forever. Christ the King Changes the Scene of death, recalling it with his resurrection, which assures us of ours.
“But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.”You do not belong to your boss or to the burden of caring for others—so why are you living as if they own you? You do not belong to cancer or to college classes—so why are living as if they are your only identity? You do not belong to sin’s curse or addiction’s control, you do not belong to your temper, your inability to say no, or your past mistakes. You “belong to him,” Christ the King. He owns you. So serve him first, before all others, and then let other good causes have their place but not first place, not first say, not first love. Because soon “the end will come, when [Christ] hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.”
Like a captain returns from a victorious battle and hands over the keys of a conquered military compound to the general, Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father upon completely recalling and rendering powerless every enemy. Not one of them will remain, “for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” On Judgment Day Christ the King Changes the Scene for his foes when he will recall once and for all any of their dominion to wreak havoc in this wicked world, any of their authority to tempt even believers in sin, and any of their power to make people die. For now, throughout the end time, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil…Take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:12,11)!
Right now, the kingdom of Christ is incomplete. That’s why we pray, “Your kingdom come.” Right now, the kingdom of Christ is not perfect. That’s why Christians still sin. Reading your Bible, going to church, proudly conversing about your Lutheran heritage, even being baptized doesn’t spare anyone from temptation or trouble, as much as faith didn’t create some utopian existence for Job, or David, or the disciples. If Satan can convince you that because you’re Christian everything will always go your way and every day will be picture perfect, he’s snared you with one of his greatest lies. Then when things don’t go your way, when decisions of faith make life difficult, when temptation trips you or others around you, your utopian world comes crashing down and you ask, “Where is Christ?” when all along he was warning you, “Watch and pray! Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God! Fight the good fight! Be careful! Avoid every kind of evil!” And when you don’t heed his warning, he has the right to ask, “Where are you?” That’s why Christ looked his disciples in the eye and reminded them, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The scene among us and Christ’s enemies in this world has indeed changed since he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, but not with permanent perfection. That’s heaven, so stop expecting heaven on earth. Stop believing the devil’s lie! Be better prepared for life in an imperfect world, for saying no to sin and for fighting the good fight.
Soon, on Judgment Day, Christ will declare the battle to be over, and his kingdom will be complete, and transferred from the church militant to the church triumphant, from fighting a war to celebrating a victory, from the Son’s saving blood to the Father’s Sabbath rest and the wedding feast of the Lamb. On Judgment Day, Christ will declare the final recall of all his enemies.
The termination of Coach Joe Paterno at Penn State, the assassination of Moammar Kadafi, and the recall of government officials remind us that no leader is safe, no kingdom is invincible, no reign is perfect except Christ’s. He is and always will be Christ the King. So today we show the WELS Connection as we normally do on the third Sunday each month even though its scene has changed with the arrest of its director, because within this imperfect world’s scene of sin, Satan, and death, Christ is still King. Christ’s blood forgives sin for all who repent, and we need that. Baptism in his name gives power over Satan for all who believe, and we need that. His resurrection rescues from death all who die in the faith, and we will need that. Christ is perfect. Life in this world is not. Let Christ recall everything in your life that opposes him, and let him rule your scene now and forever. Amen.
Preached at Grace Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI (www.gracedowntown.org) on November 20, 2011
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