Sermon April 5, 1998 King of the Jews? based on Luke 23:3-4

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?""Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd,

"I find no basis for a charge against this man."

This man claims to be a king, said the crowd. Yet when He was put on trial, there was not enough evidence to convict Him. This Pilate said with these words, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."

Jesus clearly claimed to be a king. His own words before Pilate again made that claim. "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," said Jesus. Jesus confessed His guilt. "Yes, I am the king."

Still, that wasn't enough for Pilate to convict Him. What do you suppose Pilate thought?

There really are only three responses to Jesus claiming to be king, or for that matter, claiming to be God. You can think He is a liar, insane, or truly who He says He is.

You might think that Jesus is lying. Jesus claimed He was king, but He was really not telling the truth. It would seem sort of strange, however, to lie in order to plead guilty to the crime you are charged with. Why not just tell the truth and go free? On top of this, the apostles and other martyrs died for Jesus. Why would they also die for a lie. In addition, what lie could continue on for 2000 years and be the basis for the Christian Church?

Jesus could have been insane. This is hard to accept, however. Most people, regardless of whether they believe Jesus is King or God, still believe He was a wise man who had many important things to say. The whole history of what Jesus said and did do not warrant the notion that He would be insane. Jesus did not behave as an insane man.

Finally, we are left with the truth. Could it be that Jesus was telling the truth? Was He really the king of the Jews? Pilate couldn't bring himself to this truth. He had to say He found no basis for the charges that Jesus was king.

Probably Pilate was led to this conclusion because Jesus had not done the kind of things that Pilate would expect a king to do. Despite Jesus' confession to being a king, Pilate did not see any other evidence that supported that claim.

Maybe if Jesus had had an army who went around attacking the Romans, then Pilate would have believed Him. Yet, this peacemaker was heard to say, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."

Perhaps if Jesus went around elevating Himself and making arrogant claims Pilate would have believed He was a king. If He had been one who was always claiming glory and honor for Himself He might seem more like a king. Yet, this humble one was heard to say, "I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge."

Jesus had not behaved like Pilate, or the world, would have expected a king to behave. Pilate would say there was not enough evidence to convict Jesus of being a king. Perhaps Pilate though Jesus was lying or insane. This wouldn't agree with his actions, however, since Pilate later had posted the sign above the crucified Christ which read, "This is the King of the Jews."

We have with Jesus a king, but not the type of king the people wanted. This king was different. I am reminded of a story I heard this week. Actually, it is a joke, but just in case you don't laugh, I'll call it a story.

A woman was getting a pie ready to put into the oven when the phone rang. It was the school nurse: Her son had come down with a high fever and would she come and take him home? The mother calculated how long it would take to drive to school and back, and how long the pie should bake, and concluded there was enough time. Popping the pie in the oven, she left for school. When she arrived, her son's fever was worse and the nurse urged her to take him to the doctor.

Seeing her son like that-his face flushed, his body trembling and dripping with perspiration-frayed her, and she drove to the clinic as fast as she dared. She was frayed a bit more waiting for the doctor to emerge from the examining room, which he was doing now, walking toward her with a slip of paper in his hand. "Get him to bed," he told her, handing her the prescription, "and start him on this right away."

By the time she got the boy home and in bed and headed out again for the shopping mall, she was not only frayed, but frazzled and frantic as well. At the mall she found a pharmacy, got the prescription filled and rushed back to the car. Which was locked.

Yes, there were her keys, hanging in the ignition switch, locked inside the car. She ran back into the mall, found a phone and called home. When her son finally answered, she blurted out, "I've locked the keys inside the car!" The boy was barely able to speak. In a hoarse voice he whispered, "Get a wire coat hanger, Mom. You can get in with that." The phone went dead.

She began searching the mall for a wire coat hanger, and after combing through a dozen stores, she found one that still used wire hangers.

Hurrying out of the mall, she allowed herself a smile of relief. As she was about to step off the curb, she halted. She stared at the wire coat hanger. "I don't know what to do with this!" Then she remembered the pie in the oven. All the frustrations of the past hour collapsed on her and she began crying. Then she prayed. "Dear Lord, my boy is sick and he needs this medicine and my pie is in the oven and the keys are locked in the car and, Lord, I don't know what to do with this coat hanger. Dear Lord, send somebody who does know what do with it, and I really need that person NOW, Lord. Amen."

She was wiping her eyes when a beat-up older car pulled up to the curb and stopped in front of her. A young man, twentyish-looking, in a t-shirt and ragged jeans, got out. The first thing she noticed about him was the long, stringy hair, and then the beard that hid everything south of his nose. He was coming her way. When he drew near she stepped in front of him and held out the wire coat hanger. "Young man," she said, "do you know how to get into a locked car with one of these?" He stared at her for a moment, then plucked the hanger from her hand. "Where's the car." Telling the story, she said she had never seen anything like it-it was simply amazing how easily he got into her car. A quick look at the door and window, a couple of twists of the coat hanger and bam! Just like that, the door was open. When she saw the door open she threw her arms around him. "Oh," she said, "the Lord sent you! You're such a good boy. You must be a Christian." He stepped back and said, "No ma'am, I'm not a Christian, and I'm not a good boy. I just got out of prison yesterday." She jumped at him and she hugged him again - fiercely. "Bless God!" she cried. "He sent me a professional!"

Yes, God sent the woman a professional. He wasn't quite what she was expecting. We might spend some time thinking about what she might have said next. For this sermon, however, the important point was that God answered her prayer with a professional.

God answered our need for a professional king too. Jesus Christ came as king, not looking or behaving the way the world expected. The important point was He was a professional. Indeed this king is God Himself. No better king could be found.

Because this king was God, He did not have to worry about bringing Himself honor. He could, as our epistle said, make "Himself nothing." He could take on the "very nature of a servant." This God-king could come as a humble servant.

This God-king did not need to worry about military might. Though He has armies of invisible angels, the power of Christ did not need assistance. As our Old Testament reading from Deuteronomy said, "I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand." The Lord has all the power He needs in Himself. His power was demonstrated in a special way, however. He demonstrated power in weakness and humility. He demonstrated His power by being obedient to death on the cross.

The woman locked out of her car prayed for someone to come help get her out of her predicament, and God sent a professional. We too are locked out-locked out of heaven and locked into our sins. Our sins include the times when we reject Jesus Christ as our king. The times when we fail to give Him the glory He is due. We fail to give the honor and respect we should be giving to the king of, not only the Jews, but the universe. We owe that king our very existence and our complete obedience. Yet we are not worthy subjects of this king. This is a situation we are locked into. We can't get at the keys and we are stuck.

God sent a professional to get us out of our sin and unlock heaven. This professional worked differently than the world expected Him to work. He came in a humble fashion. Even on Palm Sunday, He rode a humble donkey. He made Himself nothing and took the very nature of a servant for us. Yes, He is the king of the Jews, but He was a humble king who was obedient to death, even the lowliest of deaths, on the cross. For this death on the cross, Jesus earned for us freedom from our sins. He unlocked heaven. Our king has blessed us!

Because of what our King has done, He is to be exalted to the highest place. He is given the name that is above every name. Jesus Christ is a name, and a reputation, which is second to none. The professional king saved us by humbling Himself such that the world didn't even recognize Him as a king.

The Palm Sunday procession into Jerusalem didn't last long. It wasn't enough people. He only rode a donkey. It just wasn't enough for the king of the universe. How much better it will be when every knee will bow before Him. How wonderful will be that day when every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. All glory, laud, and honor to You, Redeemer, King-Jesus Christ. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.