KING JESUS!

As I mentioned last week, both the priestly and kingly offices of Christ are less understood in our American "republic" than in times past. It may be observed that the rugged individualistic American spirit was generated when by one's and two's the early colonists disappeared into the forested wilderness, with their rifles, bibles, axes and plows. And there amongst the manmade glenns, paths and homesteads, Americans learned to tackle nature in spite of the regulations and taxes of distant old world governments. It may well be said that the American spirit has allowed the government to believe itself important only so long as it did not interfere with the hopes and ambitions of the hard working country farmers and craftsmen who by God's grace and providence were allowed to create a prosperous and promised land.

Today, you have to experience the worst aspects of the cutthroat corporate power structures to appreciate the once tyrannical aspects of the divine right of kings. Yes, there are aggressive, arrogant corporate lords and magistrates at loose within the land, and sadly enough even within Christ's own Church. Yet, they have not yet harnessed the American spirit to their entire control. The congressional races of 1994 were tacit rebellions of hard pressed workers and craftsmen. The recent election is notable only in the attempts of both candidates to purchase blocks of voters by broad or specific promises. Emotional issues were left aside so as not to inflame the passions of the electorate. In disgust, enough passionate voters left blanks on their ballots, cast them for minor candidates or even stayed home. An adequate republican vision, any vision passionately argued could have made up the four to six per cent deficit in the recent election.

What could be true for politics is more true for grass roots theology. There are more disparate theologies passionately held than there is orthodoxy sincerely tolerated! With that said, may we sincerely put our political passions aside to consider the doctrine of Christ's kingship. Our first point in this regard is the sovereign crown rights of King Jesus. In the past, the worst of the oriental despots and even the best of Anglican monarchs, before the Reformation, understood that the lives, wealth and privileges of their citizens were at their sovereign disposal. People in effect in unenlightened times were property, pure and simple.

Certainly, the sovereignty of our Lord and Savior is a blessed one, yet even as we might theologically say that "He is ours", most assuredly "we are His" as well. In Ephesians 1: 5, we read that "he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." In another place, which I could not find after several hours searching, Paul assures us that at the end of life, we are entirely at the disposal of our Father God. He in and through Christ may do with us as he pleases.

Thankfully, God is not a monster as some human masters have proven to be. Thankfully, God is honorable, without guile and faultless in His awesome holiness. So, like Paul, David and all the rest of the Saints, we may throw ourselves gladly into the hands of a righteous God. But the fact remains, Jesus, by God's appointment is King and that my friends is enough to keep far too many noble savages apart from His Kingdom of grace! And noble pagan savages there have been aplenty since time immemorial.

When the assorted displaced Celtic, Germanic, English, French, Dutch and Swedish families first came to the New World to establish a better place for faith, families and freedom, they found a cruel wilderness instead of a pristine wilderness. No matter how Hollywood and the Media choose to portray it in our time, the savage wilderness of the Americas both North and South was a grim reality. The Pilgrim shores of Massachusetts were uninhabited because of a plague which destroyed the most warlike tribe on the East Coast. Cannibalism was rife in the Caribbean and the Carib Indians were the most notorious. Human sacrifice appeased the mountain gods from Terra del Fuego all the way to the Mexican halls of Monctezeuma. Indians of the Great Plains lived a life on the edge even with the advent of the horse. French traders helped make life bearable and more prosperous for many North American tribes. Certainly, the Iroquois under the inspirational guidance of Hiawatha gained the most democratic government achievable in the circumstances. But, the prosperity and freedoms of that Confederation were established and maintained by the most rigorous and fearsome warriors of their time.

Some of you have heard me say this before, but I do think the comparison is worth the retelling. Once I almost ran over a ragged wild fox. Even as I slowed down to miss him, he paused to glare at me from the side of the road. His hair was matted, an ear was torn, he limped badly, his ribs showed and his jaunty little tail which he wagged proudly, was missing half its length. But he was free!

By contrast, take the oppressed fox which you might find in any zoo. He has the luxury of sleeping all day because his food is brought to him. Every once in a while he is caught and given shots and medicine to improve his health. Exercise space is provided and breeding rights are free from weeks of wretched fighting for the privilege. If you were a fox, which life would you rather live?

I know, that American temptation to be master of your fate is difficult to overcome. But look there at the first part of the answer to our question twenty-six for today. "Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself." Just as I have said several times in the past, the wild life on the edge of humanity is not for me. I am happy and content to have been caught and brought into the wholesome atmosphere of the very family of God!

The second phrase in that answer is the real challenge for us. We have to learn to live under His rule and allowing Him to defend us. Yes, there is much in our society that needs to be changed and I believe we could find as many warriors to wage a fundamentalist "holy war" against those who would destroy unborn humans as our forefathers were able to find to give their lives to end slavery. However, if Christian soldiers, statesmen and scholars in Nazi Germany hesitated to fight bloodily against the Nazi scourge, so should we hesitate long and hard while we give God the time and opportunity to bring down the ruthless revengers of life in our time and place.

By saying that, I do not mean that we are to stand idly by if and when the state comes to destroy our children or parents. I do believe that our Father in heaven has weighed modern America, found it wanting and is even now preparing to humiliate those who would take His rightful place in society! After all, if we are astute in our theology and our living, then the enemies that He will restrain are rightfully His as well as ours.