Foretaste Of the Sermon to Come

A little nibble of the Revised Common Lectionary

Sunday’s readings are Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Revelation 1:4-8 and John 18:33-38

What do you see as the thread that ties these readings together? 

Daniel and Revelation are apocalyptic literature, the Greek word “apocalypse” meaning revelation.  Because of disaster movies, many think of apocalypse as cataclysm and devastation associated with the end of time, and there is certainly language in the books of Daniel and Revelation that gives us these ideas.  But I think the title is really what we should be focusing on when we read Revelation and any apocalyptic literature…what is being revealed, uncovered, shown to the readers that has been hidden?

Our first 2 readings show a glimpse of Christ in the heavenly throne room, his “kingship one that shall never be destroyed”.  This vision is regal, with God sitting on a throne of fire, thousands of thousands serving and attending him with his court and books of judgement open before him.  And Jesus, given everlasting dominion, glory, kingship, served by all in a kingdom he created through his blood, a kingdom made up of people from all nations, and who will come in with the clouds when he returns. 

And then we have a revelation of Christ in John 18, arrested, likely in chains, wearing the same simple dirty clothes he was arrested and jailed in, summoned by Pilate to answer Caiaphas’ charges.  Hours ago he got on his knees and washed his disciples’ feet.  He has revealed himself all through his ministry, but most did not understand him because he didn’t flaunt his kingship or act like they thought a king should act, and they would not fully understand until his resurrection and Pentecost.  Caiaphas has decided that Jesus deserves to die, but he could not under Jewish law have him executed, so he turns him over to Pilate to do the deed. 

Pilate questions him, trying to find out just what kind of a king he is because he certainly doesn’t look like one.  And then Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world”.  He doesn’t say he’s not a king, he says his kingdom is not of this world.  Pilate doesn’t care about him after that, he’s no threat to the Roman Empire.  But Jesus goes on to tell Pilate that the reason he came into the world at all is to testify (this is the Greek word from which we get the word martyr) to the truth, and everyone who is of truth listens to him.  And Pilate answers, “What is truth?”

What is truth?  We live in a world where everyone has their own personal truth.  Political and world views have become truth.  Interpretation has become truth.  Subjective perception has become truth.  Truth has become based on internal synthesis of stimuli rather than objective reality. Titling subjective things as “truth” divides rather than unites.

We who are of Christ, are of Truth, the objective Truth, the self-revelation of God, that is our strong rock and foundation.  The eternal Truth who was active in creation, who dwelt in and among humanity, who became our sin on the cross and in exchange, who gave us his righteousness.  The Truth who is our true King, our Righteous Merciful Judge, and our Savior.  The Truth who unites all people to be called people of God. The Truth who is True whether we believe or not, whether we understand the theology of the Trinity or not, whether we fully rely on him or not.  Listen to Sunday’s sermon, and you can listen to the Truth manifestly revealed.  Jesus is the Truth who has set us free. 

Thanks be to God.