Christ the king- year A, 2023

Well, we’ve made it to Christ the King Sunday.  The end of the Church year and our annual reminder of who Jesus’ really is.  Last week we were referring to Christ as Lord, today we recall him as king.

“far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.”

Christ is king and Christ is Lord and we are not only his followers, but as we looked at last week in the reading of the Parable of the Talents, we are also Christ’s stewards.  

Last week we discussed what it means to be a steward, entrusted with management in the absence of the Lord…in the time between resurrection and the second coming.  We read of the Parable of the Talents which spoke of two slaves entrusted with a great deal, and who managed, in their Lord’s absence, to double his investment and were praised and rewarded.

We also read of a third slave, a third steward who viewed the Lord as harsh, and fear inspiring and in that mindset buried his investment in order not to lose it.  This didn’t go well for him, we read that having done nothing he receive nothing and was cast out.

Today we see the Lord, the King, has returned for good and is seated on his throne; and now those whom the King has trusted in, the stewards entrusted with everything in the absence of the King are brought before him for an accounting.

In our gospel today we hear details of what a good steward does.  This time however, we aren’t reading an allegory where money represents what the King cares about, this time the meaning is direct. What the King cares about is clearly stated.  It is clear what the nations of the earth have been given stewardship of.  The King isn’t focused on the investing of money, or gifts, or produce or land.  Our eternal King is invested in, cares for, his people. 

This is not new; from the very beginning of creation God has cared for creation which of course includes us.  The oldest books of the bible are laden with the imperative to care for the widow, the orphan, the stranger because these were some of the most vulnerable people in Old Testament times.  They were without protectors, without legal recourse, often overlooked and seen as a burden.  These people were the vulnerable and commended to the especial care of the faithful.   In the time before the Kings return we are called to be stewards of those in need.

It wasn’t only in Old Testament times either.  When Christ came in person, born vulnerable and dependant among us in order to redeem us, he had an especial care for those on the outskirts of society.  Christ the King, who is one God be it Old Testament or New entrusts to all the greatest of treasures, the vulnerable and those in need.  We are to be stewards of the King, and to acts in the Kings name and as if each one before us is the King himself.  In our gospel reading, Christ makes this abundantly clear;

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'”

The hungry and thirsty, the stranger, the naked poor, the sick and those imprisoned…in other words the most vulnerable in Christ’s society.  It is the same with us.  We are called to care for the most vulnerable in society not only because it is the right thing to do, but because we are called to be stewards of the King.  We have a responsibility, a stewardship and that is a large part of being Christian, being aware of our roles as stewards.

It is notable in our gospel reading that ‘all nations’ are gathered before the King, not just the faithful, not just Jews or Christians, but all people are held accountable for the care of the vulnerable.  In this reading it also seems that both the righteous and the unrighteous are equally unaware that in their stewardship or lack their of they were caring for the King himself. 

Both groups we read protest at the words of the King, saying “'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?”  They did not know that the King was so invested in his creation, loved us so much that even something as simple as offering a drink on a hot day, would be seen as a gift given to God.

This was something that those who were righteous would do on a regular basis.  After all they know God, they know their King, and the law that they had been given to care for the vulnerable.  The righteous know God’s word, the bible, the law and they know that each of God’s people are called to care for those in need. 

After all the word righteous means to be in good relationship with God; in thought, word and deed.  So, the righteous know that they are to care for God’s creation and all in it and the unrighteous, they apparently do not know, do not have the relationship with God and they do nothing.  Not unlike last weeks Steward who buried what the Lord had invested with him.  The Unrighteous we read also question when they denied the King needed care and assistance.  Implying that if they had known it was the King, someone important, they surely would have helped, but that the vulnerable in front of them did not merit the same care.

Last week we read that the third steward had hid his talent, the money invested with him because he saw the Lord as harsh, thieving and someone to be feared.  Whereas the other stewards interacted with a generous, kind and joyful Lord.  Today, we are challenged to reimagine what our King looks like, and see him present in those vulnerable among us. 

“ 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?'   Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'”

Society may consider the vulnerable as the least among us, but the righteous know God has called us to take special care.  Furthermore, we who have this scripture to guide and to teach us, we know that God, the King eternal, calls us to see in the most vulnerable persons the face of Christ the King.  This is how we are to be stewards of the King.  Though care for all those around us, by caring for those society casts aside. 

This is a responsibility for us as individuals and as a church.  Each of us are called to be stewards of the King, to see Christ in the face of all we meet and treat them accordingly.  We are called to put a priority of helping the vulnerable, caring for those in need, mending relationships, caring for the earth, reconciling with our brothers and sisters.  We are called to care for all of creation, all in creation with the same love, justice and intentionality as our King, and if we forget how deep that love is, then we can recall those comfortable words that preface the Great Thanksgiving in the BCP. “ come to me all that labour and are heavy laden and I will refresh you” “for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, to the end that all who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

We are blessed to be a part of a faith that is immersed in scripture, liturgy and tradition.  We know, and we recite regularly what we have been given and what we have been entrusted with as stewards of Christ the King.

We have an advantage over those in the gospels, unlike those who lived it we have the gospels to guide us and tells us what the King has commanded us to do.  Just like those 1st century Jews had the scriptures of Isaiah, Micah and Deuteronomy commanding them to care for the widow and the orphan.  We have the awareness, so we have the added responsibility.

We are those first two stewards of last weeks gospel:  We have a relationship with the King, we know God, Christ and we know the commands we have been given.  There is no mistaken identities and no reason to hid our talent or deny our responsibilities.  We know what we are called to do and we pray that we too will hear those words.

 “'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'”

We are called to be good stewards and to rejoice with the King.