Proper 29 C Christ Holds All Things Together

 Proper 29 C Christ Holds All Things Together
November 23, 1989 (Last Sunday after Pentecost)
By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell



One of the questions that I have learned to expect in my 9th-grade confirmation class is this; “Why doesn’t Jesus come again and put the world back together!” Their question suggests to me that they have come to have faith in Jesus to accomplish great and wonderful things -- And, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all learn to better get along with one another! It may be that they have come to think of Jesus like some kind of magician, able to wave his hand over the broken places in the world to bring peace. (Just as he spoke to the raging storm at sea and said, “Be Still!”).


One of the reasons I love to teach children is to witness their unhesitant minds plunge into the world of theology without even realizing it, and then watch them enjoy the adventure of digging for and discovering God’s truth. 


The one who asks -- why doesn’t Jesus come again -- has realized that in this earthly life we are on a journey…. together. By simple observation one concludes that journeying together is not an inherent skill. (Please witness with me – three children in the back seat of an automobile on a long trip.) But – if we don’t learn to journey…. together in this earthly life…. there have been, and will continue to be some destructive collisions.  


So…. why doesn’t Jesus the healer…. peace giver…. savior…. come again and put this world back together? Interestingly enough the collect for the last Sunday after Pentecost prays for that very thing to happen: 


“Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule.” 


We know that Jesus Promised that He would come again to restore all things under His rule, but we also know and believe that when he came into the world…. the first time…He came to bring the message of love and the assurance of forgiveness to all people, in all places, and in all times. That means (I say to the ninth-grade confirmation class) that if we choose, we can let Jesus into our lives NOW! Through His word and sacraments, we can allow the process of transformation to begin in ourselves…. NOW! 


Two men were crucified with Jesus. Both men were guilty of crimes against society – both deserved to be punished. Both of them realized they had only a few more agonizing hours to live. One criminal chose to use his final breaths to rale at Jesus (along with the mob) because while he was called ‘a king’ he was seemingly powerless to save himself or anyone else from the closing jaws of death – king indeed!


The other criminal chose to use his last breaths to ask a favor of the King. He was convinced of Jesus’ innocence, and saw something, even in this dying man that gave him hope that he may yet be worth remembering. Jesus turned to him and made this promise, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” – King indeed!


You and I are bound to make this journey to the promised land together. If we don’t make it together – we won’t make it at all. We all have a choice. We can be like the thief who chose to enter the process of transformation; yes, even at the hour of his death, toward becoming a citizen of the Kingdom of God. 


Jesus said, “When I am lifted up, I will draw all people unto myself.”


When Jesus is lifted up, we will see the way God intends us to live, we will see the truth of God’s wisdom and power and we will celebrate the life in Christ that transcends the petty battles we wage to prove we’re right and that somebody else is wrong.


So, I say to the ninth-grade confirmation class, the reason Jesus Christ came into this sinful and broken world in the first place was to give us the grace to make our journey…. together. Our King carries a scepter, not a magical wand. The transformation process that will bind us together in love begins

with a willing and steadfast obedience to Christ the King.


Our world has taught us to approach our problems with a ‘win-lose’ mentality. That seems to be what our court system, politics, and military structures are all about. Somebody wins and somebody loses. Our world is locked in a perpetual power struggle which shapes the way all of us learn to relate to our families, and friends. When differences surface – somebody wins and somebody loses. 


The message from the cross is meant to free us from the necessity of having to win. The message from the cross is that the victory has already been won! That good news is vital if we are to have any hope of making this journey…. together. The winners are those who know they are loved. The winners are those who know that the only power we have comes from God – to do His work. What is Hiswork? His work is to spread the Good News that THE KING LOVES YOU!


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