Understanding Roast Beef

The Last Sunday after Pentecost

The Feast of Christ the King

Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37

November 25, 2018

St. Mark’s Boligee

           When it comes to Thanksgiving there are certain traditions that are essential to my celebration.  I traditionally eat too much.  There are certain foods I look forward to such as sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, and of course – turkey and dressing.  One of my mother’s favorite Thanksgiving stories was the year she served a Roast.  My father had finished his Ph.D. and he was now a college professor.  My mother wanted to celebrate with a very special Thanksgiving meal.  She prepared a true feast with the finest Roast from the meat market.  It was my father’s favorite meal, but my brother, sister, and I didn’t quite see it that way.  We decided that we must be poor – so poor that we couldn’t afford a Thanksgiving Turkey and instead could only afford Roast Beef.  It took quite a bit of convincing from our parents for us to understand there is more than 1 way to celebrate Thanksgiving.

           And today we celebrate more than just the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  This is also the Last Sunday after Pentecost.  The longest season of the church year that spreads through Spring, Summer, and Fall.  Pentecost always seems to last forever.  But next Sunday begins the Season of Advent and then there will only be 3 more Sundays and 2 mornings until Christmas. 

           Today we also celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.  And it may seem a bit odd.  Here we are about to begin the Season of Advent and prepare for the birth of the Christ Child in Bethlehem, but our Gospel lesson takes us to Jerusalem and the trial of Jesus before his crucifixion.  Why Easter before Christmas?  Jesus is brought before Pilate who asks if He is king of the Jews.  Now we have to understand what is going on here.  The Jewish Leaders wanted Jesus crucified.  Pilate was the Roman Governor and only he could condemn a man to death.  But Jesus was accused of violating Jewish law – and for Pilate, this was sort of like Governor Ivey being asked to settle a problem in the Episcopal Church.  It just wouldn’t make sense.  And Jesus didn’t make sense.  He didn’t look like a king.  He wasn’t dressed like a ruler.  Jesus wasn’t even claiming to be the king of an earthly kingdom.  His followers served others.  His power was love.  This was the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.  And with Jesus – this was an entirely different way of looking at what it means to be King.  And Pilate didn’t understand, and the Jewish Leaders didn’t understand.

           Do we?  This is perhaps the most important question we need to ask ourselves as we look forward to the Season of Advent.  For most of our world, the preparation began weeks and weeks ago.  The stores began stocking their shelves with all the Christmas stuff right after Halloween and even earlier.  Carols are playing on the radio.  Black Friday started on Thursday and for the next month, we will be inundated with advertisements in the mail, the newspaper, and on TV promising the best stuff at greatly reduced prices.  Tis the season to be rushed and stressed so that all will be ready by Christmas Day.

           Jesus said to Pilate “My Kingdom is not of this world.” Perhaps what we need during the coming Season of Advent is a new way to celebrate.

           There is the story of a very wealthy man who took his young son to the poor country town where he grew up.  The father had left long ago and made his fortune.  He was successful in business and provided his family with all the things that money can buy.  Now he wanted his son to see the humble roots from which he had come.  They stayed in the local hotel and walked the streets seeing the places where the man had grown up.  The local store owner turned out to be a friend from long ago.  He invited them to supper that night with his family.  The boy played with the shopkeepers’ children in the backyard.  Though the family was poor by any standard – the food was good and the fellowship even better.  On the return trip home, the father asked his son, “Did you see how poor people live?”  Oh yes said the son:

• ·       I saw that we have one dog and they have four.
• ·       We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.
• ·       We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.
• ·       We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
• ·       We have servants – but they serve others
• ·       We must eat what we buy, and they can grow a whole garden of good food.
• ·       We have walls around our property to protect us – they have friends.
• ·       Truly the poor live richly, while we have so little even with all our money.

The boy’s father was speechless!

           Christ the King was born in a manger.  Soon a star will shine once again over Bethlehem, Boligee, and the world bringing to all the light of the Kingdom of Heaven.  And we will celebrate Christmas.  Prepare once more throughout the season of Advent.  As you shop, give thanks to God for the blessings He gives to you and me.  As you celebrate the fellowship of friends and family, give thanks for the Holy Spirit who fills our lives with Grace.  And as you gather around the holiday table - give thanks for the Bread of Life.  It may not make sense to this world – But it will to all who believe in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Celebrate Thanksgiving all through Advent as we prepare for the birth of Christ.  AMEN.