Text Messages

Text Messages focus on the backstory of the upcoming text for this Sunday’s sermon. Provided by our pastors, these messages will give some background on that section of scripture text and give a few hints about where the sermon might be going. We hope you find these Text Messages helpful!

Sunday, November 24, 2024

SERMON SERIES:
“Unity In Christ”

MESSAGE THEME:
“Reign of Christ”

TEXT(S):
Revelation 1:4b–8

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

John 18:33–37

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

REFLECTION:
From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

Theologian Gail O’Day notes that in John’s Gospel, there are seven scenes in Jesus’ trial before Pilate, and this week’s reading is the second one. Religious leaders have brought Jesus to Pilate for judgment because they believe he has broken religious law. They’re not permitted to execute him, so they pass him on to Herod. Knowing Herod won’t care about intrafaith squabbles, they keep things vague and say, “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal.”

Pilate and Jesus seem to be talking at each other but not to each other as Pilate probes the issue. He asks if Jesus is king of the Jews and then infers, “If you’re a king, that’s a problem, but if you’re ‘Messiah’, I couldn’t care less.” Jesus refuses to answer the question directly. It’s an ironic conversation; the one whose power is shown in weakness makes the one whose power makes others cower uncomfortably. It’s also symbolic; Jesus connects belonging to the truth with listening to his voice, an important theme in John. He is the good shepherd who calls his sheep by name, and they follow him because they know his voice (John 10:1–18. See also the story of Lazarus in John 11:38–44.)

The religious leaders have handed Jesus over to Pilate, who will hand him over for crucifixion. But ultimately, it will be Jesus who hands his Spirit over to God on the cross. He will willingly die as the servant king. He is the good shepherd who will lay down his life for his sheep.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  • What do you think Jesus means by “truth”?
  • If Jesus is king, what does it look like for us to live in the kingdom or reign of God?

PRAYER:
Almighty God, your reign is not of this world. When we would fight or keep things safe, you show us another way. Help us to hear the sound of your voice and follow you. Amen.