Title: "Born to Be King"
Theme: The Reign of Christ: Proper 29/(34) 26th Sunday after Pentecost Year B
Object: A crown
Scripture: "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37 (NIV)
What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher, a policeman, a lawyer, a doctor, or a nurse? There are so many jobs from which to choose. How do we decide? Some might choose a job where they think they can make a lot of money. Another might choose to be a teacher because of their love for children. Another might choose to be a doctor or a nurse because they want to help sick people become well. Some might choose to follow their parents in their chosen profession. Quite often a person starts out in one job and then decides it isn't the right one for them and they choose another type of work. When we are children, we may say, "I want to do this or that when I grow up." It doesn't always work out that way.
Do you think Jesus ever thought about what he was going to be when he grew up? He could have become a carpenter. His earthly father, Joseph, was a carpenter, and when Jesus was a young man, he worked with his father in his carpenter's shop. Perhaps Jesus might have chosen to be a doctor. He certainly had a gift for healing people. He might have chosen to be a wine maker. When he turned water into wine at a wedding feast, the guests thought it was the best wine they had ever tasted. Surely Jesus could have gone into the fishing business. He once told some fishermen where to cast their nets and they caught so many fish that their nets could not hold them all.
Those would have all been good choices for Jesus, but that was not what he was born to do. Here is something that will give you a hint. (Hold up the crown.) Who would wear a crown? That's right! A king. Now, a person doesn't just wake up one day and say, "I know what I want to be... I want to be a king." No, a person has to be born to be a king.
During the last days of his life on earth, Jesus was arrested and put on trial. He was asked by Pilate, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Is that your idea, or did others talk to you about me?" Jesus asked.
"It was your people who handed you over to me. What have you done?" Pilate replied.
"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to defend me. My kingdom is from another place."
"So, you are a king then," said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world."
He was born to be King, but not the kind of king that wears a crown and rules an earthly kingdom. His kingdom is in Heaven where he rules now and forever.
Heavenly Father, we offer praise to Jesus, our King. We choose to follow him each day. We look forward to living with him in heaven where he reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
| 
