Ep. 38: JC- King of the Ring! or Christ the King/Proper 29C/Ordinary 34C/Pentecost +27

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For Sunday November 24, Christ the King/ Proper 29C /Ordinary 34C /Pentecost +27

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Opening Music: Do Lord Remember Me by Mississippi John Hurt

For Sunday, November 24

Episode 38- Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday

Welcome to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, where two local pastors discuss the lectionary reading for the week.  Rooted in scholarship and grounded in progressive theology, we hope to keep the discussion lively, challenging, insightful, and from time to time a little humorous. This is episode 38 for Sunday November 24, Proper 29C, Ordinary 34C and 27 weeks after Pentecost also known as Christ the King Sunday. We will be discussing:


Check-in

  • Advent cometh! TNS plug?
    • Thursday November 21, 2013
    • Christmas Songs before Dec 24?
    • Purple Candle Blue Candle?
    • Hope, Peace, Joy, Love or Patriarchs, Prophets, Angels, Shepherd? Hope, Search, Follow, Believe, Rejoice (from Ministry Matters)
    • #BeChristInChristmas
    • Fat Pastor Virtual Run to Bethlehem
    • All this and more!
  • Rachel Held Evans and the super boost - one week to share on facebook or twitter

Primary Scripture - Luke 23:33-43 - Death of Jesus

  • “father forgive them”- v. 34
    • not included in earliest manuscripts
    • echo of Stephens prayer in Acts 7:60
    • Characteristic of Jesus who often to prayed to God as “Father” and the theme of forgiveness is definitely consistent.
  • Escalating violence
    • leaders make fun of/scoff
    • soldiers ridicule/mock
    • criminal blasphemes/derides
      • questions Jesus as the Messiah
        • is concerned only for his physical life
        • he doesn't understand grace
        • grace is not a ticket away from judgement, but through
        • doesn’t want to pay for his crimes
  • Kingdom of the world
    • “save yourself”
    • Beaten, mocked, humiliated
    • anger
    • vengeance
    • outrage
  • Kingdom of God
    • “give yourself”
    • forgiveness
    • forbearance
    • patience
    • empathy
  • What is the Kingdom of God like?
    • Bless those who persecute you and curse you (6:28)
    • a wasteful son returning to a father’s loving arms
    • a shepherd searching for one lost sheep
    • a weed grown in a garden to provide shelter for the birds
    • a rich man’s feast opened to the poor and the lame
    • “We would rather have had Jesus say that God loves the people we like and the people we say we are like, and that God does not love the people we do not like and the people we say are not like us. We would prefer if God did not love the crackheads and addicts, the adulterers, the thieves, the prostitutes, the rebellious teenagers, and the disgruntled employees. We would prefer it if paradise were exclusively for the nice people, the clean people, the polite people, the well-behaved people, the right people.” - Nancy Lynn Westfield, Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 4: Season After Pentecost 2 (Propers 17-Reign of Christ).

Secondary scripture - Luke 1:68-79 - Zechariah's Canticle/Benedictus

  • Zechariah’s Canticle
    • Year C Advent 2 - about bringing a new era about
    • honors the birth of John the Baptist
    • Mainly about Jesus whom John will “prophesy” v. 77
    • Zechariah means “God Remembered”
      • God remembers the covenant with creation
  • Jesus
    • mighty savior (69)
    • save from enemies (71)
    • give light to those who sit in darkness (v 79)
    • Guide people to peace (v. 79)
  • Different Theme from Mary’s Song (Which was Advent 4C)
    • Mary - Good news to the poor
    • Zechariah - Freedom for Israel
      • 68 - delivered God’s people
      • 71 - brought salvation from enemies
      • 72 - promise of ancestors and remembered his holy covenant
      • 74 - rescued from the power of our enemies
      • 79 - guide us on the path of peace
        • In contrast to the Roman peace, which is no peace at all
  • Zechariah sees a mission for his son
    • Rejoices over the coming of his son.  He sees great promise in the child, and praises God.  
      • “Zechariah praised God when his son was born.  He praised God for the promises that God made.  He praised God for the promises that God kept. He praised God for the promise that was in his son.  For he knew that his son was created for a purpose.”  (Robb McCoy in “Declare that the Dawn is Coming”
    • “But I’m here to tell you that God rejoices no less for you than did Zechariah  for his son.  Zechariah so loved his son that he could glimpse him through God’s eternal eyes.  God so loves you that he has laid out a path for you to follow.  God has given you something that makes you uniquely you.  There is something in you that transcends employment, labels, gender, race, or status.  God has created you with a purpose, and is calling you to that purpose today.  You were created to do no less than John once did – to prepare the way of the Lord, and “to show the people the way to salvation through the forgiveness of sins.” (Robb McCoy in “Declare that the Dawn is Coming”

Closing - King of King and Lord of Lords by Zambian Acapella

TY: listeners
Opening Music: Do Lord Remember Me by Mississippi John Hurt
Transition Music: King of King and Lord of Lords by Zambian Acapella
Theme Music: Dick Dale and the Deltones “Misirlou”
TY: Closing music,Paul and Storm, “Oh No”

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All, Christ The King, Luke, Proper 29cEric FistlerComment