Strange Shepherd Leader King

Revised Common Lectionary Reflection, Reign of Christ Sunday, Year A, Proper 29
November 26, 2017

Lessons: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24, Psalm 95:1-7a, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46

Theme: God’s faithful and generous people worship and follow a very different kind of leader — the strange shepherd king of kings.

Key Scriptures:  And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’  Matthew 25:40

Preaching/Teaching Reflection

Leadership is one of those topics that is consistently written about, studied, analyzed, and critiqued. We want easy, textbook, teachable models that will produce competent and visionary leaders for all possible situations in our increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and anxious (VUCA) world. Good leaders are a precious commodity in business, politics, and even in the church.

This Sunday we both finish out the church year and recall that our leader, Jesus the Messiah, is not only a shining example of leadership but also a countercultural one. His leadership was as controversial then as it is now. He is strong in what appear to be weaknesses, and he serves the most marginalized and vulnerable rather than making grabs at ever more power at the expense of others.

His kingdom is not of this earth and is not measured in palatial dwellings and excess but in rivers of life and the restoration of all creation. He speaks of flocks rather than minions and disciples rather than peons. He leads by example with everything from foot washing to sacrificial death on a scandalous cross. He weeps at the sight of Jerusalem and keeps company with those who don’t make the “A List.” Even so, Jesus is still gaining followers centuries later and is still lifted up as the prime example of a true leader.

In finishing yet another liturgical church year, we come full circle and are reminded that the reign of God is not yet complete, is indeed happening now, and we as Jesus followers are expected to be a part of the work. We are active participants using our gifts and talents to the best of our abilities. Perhaps this is why the illustration of the separation of sheep and goats is so troublesome to us. We like to think we are like the sheep, serving others and being goody-two-hooves. But dear friends, there’s definitely a goat side to us, a side that misses the obvious and overlooks the need right in front of our eyes. And this is precisely why we need our strange shepherd leader king who loves us dearly in spite of our shortcomings and failures. We need Jesus to stand in the breech for us, making us righteous because of his amazing love and grace, loving us and saving a seat for us in his reign. Yep, that’s pretty countercultural when you really think about it.

Just who is this King of Everything, this strange leader? Who is this Jesus hanging out in the least, the lost, the poor, and the imprisoned? How were we supposed to know to look for God in the dark and dirty places of the world? We are trained to look for the winners, not the losers in life. Both sheep and goat folks express surprise at where Jesus was hiding in plain sight. He’d been right there with them in the midst of daily life in all its mundane messiness rather than holed up with the holy in the temple or marooned on some majestic mountaintop. It’s not even in the recognition that Jesus is interested; as a leader he’s focused on action. Plus, Jesus knows more than a little bit about humankind, about suffering, and about stewardship of all life. He took real life and our brokenness so seriously that he gave up everything in order to save every iota of creation. We do have a really strange King in Jesus the Christ, and that is a very, very good thing indeed.

Yes, as we end the year with this strange shepherd leader king, we also walk toward Advent to await again the coming of our leader in the most vulnerable and powerless way possible — the baby of Christmas. It’s so impossible that it is the only possibility we have that makes any sense. So go ahead and praise the king of everything whose reign of grace includes you.

In Worship
Could this be our prayer? Consider carefully Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus. Might we pray this prayer for one another? Could we challenge worshipers to find a translation or paraphrase of this prayer and pray it faithfully for the congregation all through Advent? Go to www.biblegateway.com to look at different versions such as the Common English Bible, The Message, or The Easy-to-Read Version. You could also write your own paraphrase. Emphasize the source of our power and God’s reconciling action in Christ as we daily live our our calling as disciples in the world.

With Youth
Consider contrasting and comparing the Old Testament reading from Ezekiel 34 with this week’s gospel lesson. Why might the lectionary authors have paired these two lessons for Christ the King Sunday. There’s judgment aplenty and sheep and goats, but what’s the big picture connection, and what does that mean for us today? Invite youth to do a “mash-up” of the two passages using video, animation, or live drama.

With Children
Use Psalm 95:1-7a as an action praise prayer with children today. Use the Easy-to-Read version or write your own version and invite the children to act out the verses. They can bow, shout, sing, kneel, and praise. Consider putting each verse of action on a separate poster board. Keep it simple. End with “And all God’s children say AMEN.” If you play an instrument, consider turning this psalm into a simple song. Use a tune like “Jesus Loves Me” and modify the words:

Verse 1: Oh, come let us sing to the Lord/give our praise forevermore./God is great. God is our King./To God now we praises bring.

Chorus: Yes, let us worship. Yes, let us bow down. Yes, let us praise God. It’s good to give God praise.

Verse 2: God created earth and sky./Valleys low and mountains high./The sea is God’s and dry land, too./God made me and God made you.

Weekly Stewardship Bulletin Insert
Jesus the Christ is indeed a strange sort of king, but he’s also an amazing example of authentic leadership and the stewardship of all life. As you consider how your God-given gifts, talents, and resources can best be put to use to further the mission and ministries of the congregation, look to Jesus for the best example and then walk boldly in your gifts to love and serve, trusting God to guide you.

Stewardship at Home
This week spend some time with Teresa of Avila’s (1515-1582) lovely poem “Christ has no Body”:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Draw pictures or keep a journal of how you can be Christ’s hands, feet, eyes, and body of Jesus in your day to day living.

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