Not Just Another King

This message confronts us with a radical truth: our King is unlike any earthly ruler we've ever known. Drawing from Colossians 1 and Luke 23, we encounter Jesus at his most paradoxical moment—crowned with thorns, reigning from a cross, extending forgiveness to his executioners. The sermon challenges us to examine what kind of allegiance we offer in a world that constantly demands our loyalty to political systems, national identities, and cultural powers. We're reminded that Christ the King Sunday, established just 100 years ago, was born as a direct rebuke to nationalism and fascism—a prophetic statement that remains urgently relevant today. The contrast is striking: while Caesar Augustus claimed titles of 'son of God' and 'savior of the world' through military conquest, Jesus earned these titles through sacrifice, service, and love. His kingdom operates on entirely different principles—mercy instead of coercion, compassion instead of domination, towels and crosses instead of scepters and thrones. As we stand between Thanksgiving and Advent, we're called to remember that the baby we'll celebrate at Christmas grows into this servant-king who challenges every power structure that claims ultimate authority over our lives. His kingdom isn't someday—it's now, wherever wounds are tended, truth is spoken with love, and the hungry are fed.