Transcript

Some of us recall vividly that when we were lads, there was a lively little game called King on the Hill which growing boys greatly enjoyed playing. It was a simple game wherein one boy would take a position upon a designated spot and seek to defend his kingdom from all comers. If some other lad succeeded in pushing him from the spot, that lad became king, until in turn another boy was successful in dislodging him. That simple game of our youthful years dramatized in childish fashion the common desire of every human being, whether he be a child of the city streets or a lad of the countryside or a workman on the assembly line or a farmer following his plow, the desire to be king in the sense of finding for oneself in life those things that the historic figure of the king symbolizes. This common human desire was in the hearts of the twelve men who accompanied with Jesus. It accounted for their joining with him. When they first became his followers, they believed that this was he who would deliver Israel and restore again the ancient glory of the Jewish nation. This conviction deepened as the days came and passed. The fact that he spoke so frequently about the kingdom of God deepened it. His miracles, which were convincing evidence of his unusual power, deepened it. His bearing and manner deepened it, for while he wore a peasant's garb, he conducted himself with the dignity of one of high estate. The note of authority in his preaching deepened it, for they could not escape the conclusion that never man spake like this man. They waited long and patiently for him to reveal his true identity and manifest his full glory. At last the time came when it seemed the hour had struck and the erstwhile peasant preacher would become the king upon his throne. It was the first day of the week when Jesus entered Jerusalem, and the people gave him royal welcome, waving their palm branches and greeting him with loud hosannas. But nothing more happened. With this simple pageantry the day passed, but still the disciples clung to their hope. A few evenings later came the last night that they were to be with their Lord, and still the hope to share the glory of his kingdom lingered in their hearts. It was the night of the institution of the Holy Communion, and there was a strife among them which should be accounted the greatest. The Master understood. He knew that in their humanness they wanted to be kings and viceroys and prime ministers, like those petty potentates which Rome had designated throughout the world to rule her vassal states and provinces. Breaking into their argument, he said with gentle reproof, I appoint unto you a kingdom. The next day he died, the cruel, ignominious death of the cross. It was a long time thereafter before they ever came to understand what he meant that evening in the upper room when he said, I appoint unto you a kingdom. But when that day did come, they saw that the kingdom of which he talked, far surpassed in its desirability and power to satisfy the human heart, the most glorious earthly kingdom of which they had ever dreamed. That same kingdom to which Jesus referred on the last evening is his bequest to every man who will receive it. He left to his own no material thing, for no foot of land did he possess. Even the poor robe he wore was gambled for by the soldiers who crucified him, and his broken body was laid away in a donated grave. But he did leave them a kingdom beyond all the kingdoms of the earth for value, and more to be desired than the splendor that was Greece and the glory that was Rome. Let us look then at this bequest of Jesus. What is involved in his appointing unto us a kingdom? The answer is that he offers to us all those satisfactions which men hope for when they cherish the ambition to be like a king who sits upon a throne and exercises sovereignty and power. First of all, Christ makes it possible for each of us to enjoy the satisfaction of ruling. This desire to rule is an altogether natural and human desire. It appears early in life as the infant insists by its crying that its will shall not be thwarted. Children manifest it as they play at their childish games. Grown-ups betray it as they insist upon assuming leadership and dictating the policies of various groups to which they belong. Jesus offers this satisfaction of ruling, but not as we normally think of it. He proposes no rulership of others, for he would have all men enjoy happy freedom. Rather he offers the possibility of a far more satisfactory rulership, the ruling of ourselves. What a glorious rulership that is! He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. How blessed is the man who has learned with the help of Christ the fine art of self-mastery, who knows how to say no to wrong, how to refuse to give free reign to his desires, and how to control the driving force of his impulses. That man comes to know the holy thrill of moral victory. In two ways Jesus helps us to know the satisfaction of ruling our own spirits. First of all, he sets before us a thrilling, stimulating, inspiring example of self-mastery. No man ever knew and practiced that art more completely and satisfactorily than did he. As a lad of twelve, he said affirmatively, I must be about my father's business. As a young man in the temptation in the wilderness, he gained a decisive victory over self. All along life's journey he kept saying no to self, until in life's last hour he could say with triumph in his heart, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. But Jesus does more than merely give us an inspiring example of self-mastery. If we but let him, he brings to bear in our poor life his own power to help us master self. Paul tells us that such was his experience. He says, I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. George MacDonald used to tell the story of a little Scotch lassie who would visit the village and gaze at all the lovely things in the store windows. Then on her way home, pause at the village limits to remove her shoes and swing them over her shoulder and walk barefooted across the hill singing to herself, oh, to have what you want, that is riches, and to be able to do without it, that is power. Only those who have found Christ truly know such self-mastery, for he appoints unto them a kingdom, not the smug pleasure of exercising lordship over others, but the holy joy of self-mastery, which is the only rulership that truly noble souls desire. In the second place, Christ makes it possible for us to enjoy the satisfaction of possession. This desire for possession is also a perfectly human desire. We desire to be successful merchants or wise investors or prosperous farmers or professional men who get somewhere in their professions. We dream of fascinating journeys to interesting places and of living at home, if not in luxury, at least in comfort. Thus we build our castles and indulge our hopes. Jesus sympathizes with us in this human desire for possession, and he offers us the high satisfaction of experiencing it, but again not in the way that we usually think of. He does not offer us material things. Rather he offers us the possession of those spiritual treasures which money cannot buy, and fluctuating markets cannot cause to depreciate, and passing years cannot destroy, and thieves cannot steal, and death itself cannot take away. He says to us, there is no man that hath left father or mother or brethren or sisters or wife or children for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive a hundredfold more, now and in the world to come, eternal life. He offers us freedom from guilt and from the chains of habit, as he says, thy sins be forgiven thee. He offers us an overflowing cup of gladness, as he says, these things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you. He offers us the blessing of a serene and a quiet heart, as he says, peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. He offers us the very heaven of God, as he says, I go to prepare a place for you. What gold of Ophir, or ivory of Africa, or diamonds of Kimberley, or pearls of all the seas, could be compared with possessing such treasures as these, which Jesus offers to all those who love and trust him? I think the richest man I ever knew was an elderly man who, according to earthly standards, had very little. He lived in a modest cottage on a side street in a poorer section of town. It was a simple home-like place, with old-fashioned lambricans on the mantles, and neat little tidies on the backs of the chairs, and old family portraits that stared at you from the wall. There, the old saint lived in daily conscious possession of the gifts that the Master promised, the peace and the joy and the power which belong only to Christ very own. One could see it in his shining countenance, and read it in his daily manner of life. Many a time as we have parted company, he has taken my hand in his, and with a heaven-born smile upon his face said in his quaint way, Brother Pastor, I can read my title clear to a mansion in the skies. Long since he has gone on to the house of many mansions, and has claimed the heavenly riches to which he lived long as conscious heir, yes, Christ does appoint unto us a kingdom whereby we find the everlasting satisfaction of the possession of righteousness and joy and peace, and are able to sing, The treasures of earth are not mine, I have neither silver nor gold. But a treasure far better is mine, I have riches of love yet untold. Oh, the depth of the riches of love, the riches of love in Christ Jesus, for better than gold or wealth untold are the riches of love in Christ Jesus. Finally Christ makes it possible for us to enjoy the satisfaction of service. Almost all men in their nobler moments want to know the satisfaction of rendering some service to humanity, and thereby living a meaningful life. Jesus offers each of us this satisfaction. He does two things to make it possible for us. First of all he proposes a philosophy of life that regards every honest walk of life as a holy ministry, as he says, Whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, he shall not lose his reward. A Christian miner who accepted this philosophy of life was asked if digging coal was not monotonous work. He answered, No, you see a piece of coal isn't just a piece of coal to me, it is life and warmth and power. While I am digging I sometimes think of all the streets I am lighting, all the homes I am warming, all the trains I am running. And then I am not a miner, but a minister to people who never heard of me. In addition to giving us such a philosophy of life, Jesus does one thing more. He brings us the satisfaction of being of service. He makes us partners with him in the glorious enterprise of saving the world. He trusts us to be his witnesses unto the ends of the earth. He accepts the offering of our love and our resources and our prayers and transforms them by the alchemy of his divine power to build his kingdom throughout the earth. And thus despite our weaknesses and limitations, he lifts the level of life for us to where we can say with thanksgiving, we are laborers together with God. Here is the bequest of the master for all who will receive it. I appoint unto you a kingdom. You cannot be king perhaps in the sense of acquiring great wealth and large success. You cannot be king perhaps in the sense of reaching a place of prominent leadership in public affairs. But you can be king in the sense that Jesus came to make us all kings and priests unto God. You can be the ruler of your own spirit. You can be the possessor of spiritual wealth beyond calculation. You can be the glad servant playing your part, though it be only a modest part, in helping to build a kingdom of God in the world. Take this kingdom for yourself this morning, right now, just where you are. Reach out to receive for yourself from the hand of the Lord of Light that kingdom of righteousness and joy and peace, which is his free gift to all who will receive it.