Today we’re celebrating Christ the King Sunday. I believe it’s difficult for us today to imagine Christ as a King. We live in the world where there are no kings and if they are, their power is very limited. We hear about kings, and royal families, but only when there is some kind of scandal or maybe a social event worth mentioning. The royal families long time ago joined the club with celebrities and the rich ones of this world.

Is that what we imagine when we hear the words Christ the King, a celebrity in the spot light? (pause) As I said I believe it’s difficult for us today to see Christ as a King. And yet we read in today’s Gospel words that speak of Christ as someone extraordinary, with magnificence and splendor. We read: “When the Son of Man, that’s Jesus, comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.”

When I was still in seminary I was asked by one of my professors what is the key message of Christianity. I said: “To do good, to teach the morals, to help others…” My professor looked at me and said: “No, the key message is that in Christ there is life after death. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

I know many of you still ask yourself this question. What will come after death? As we part with our loved ones we want to believe that they have gone to a better place. And yet our hearts are broken and many times scared in doubt for we don’t know what will happen. It goes beyond our understanding.

In moments like that we hear the words of Jesus saying: “When the Son of Man, comes in his glory, all the nations will be gathered before him…” This is the good news, the message of the Gospel. This is the answer to one of our toughest questions: “What will happen when my time here on earth comes to an end?” Sooner or later, all of us will ask ourselves this question. And I want to say, the sooner the better! For this question and an answer to it is closely connected to our everyday lives, and the way we live them.

For I am persuaded that our faith and belief in Christ strongly influences our actions and the way we live our lives. For it is out of faith in Christ that we do things and the things we do witness about our belief. And so if I believe that Christ is the King, my personal Savior, if I believe that in Him I have life and it is going to be Him who will come in his glory, I will do anything to let Him to be the center of my life. Right now this very moment. It would only make sense.

Let’s say if you believe that in order for your kids to be smart, or to get to college, or to learn an “occupation” they need to go to school and learn new things, you will get up in morning with them, get them ready, feed them breakfast and send them off to school. You will spend your time explaining to them things they don’t understand, you’ll study with them and encourage them daily for you believe this is crucial for them to be educated. Your belief influences your actions and your actions witness about your belief.

Now Jesus in today’s Gospel talks about two different groups of people that when he will come in his glory will be gathered in front of His throne and then will be judged and separated. Now this is a tough one. These words are so unpopular. We don’t like to be judged, we don’t like to be separated. Well when you’re entering the college you’re interviewed by the panel that looks at your academics and your involvement in different activities and then they judge and decide whether you’re in or out. When you interview for a job, they review and judge your qualifications and then decide whether you’re in or out.

We’re being judged or I should say evaluated on everyday bases. And we work so hard, everyday endless hours parents and kids in school and sports just so that when that day comes and the decision is made whether I’m accepted to the college I applied for, it will be positive and I’ll be in. So much work for four years of your life. And why do we do it? Because we believe it is important.

So let me ask you a question: How hard you’d be working if you’d knew that one day you’ll be evaluated by Christ and he’ll decide whether you’re in or out? How much you’d be working if you’d know that this decision will change your life not for four or five years but for eternity? “All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the sheep from the goats.” Jesus’ words not mine. If I believe this, if I believe Christ is the King who will come to judge me one day how will it affect my life today? That is the question.

If you’ll go to some of the Pentecostal revival churches they will scare you to death of eternal punishment, damnation and torment in hell that is prepared for all of those who don’t accept Jesus as their personal Savior in that very moment. Is that what Jesus is trying to do when he shares with us the words of last judgment? I truly don’t think so!

These words dear friends aren’t here to scare us. They aren’t here to pressure us into doing something we don’t want to or we don’t believe in. These words are here to give us hope. These words are spoken to bring comfort. These words are said to give us the strength to step up, and to start with everything within us to live out our faith in Christ Jesus. (repeat)

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Simple, little acts of love, peace and mercy will bring you to Christ. Simple little acts of compassion, hospitality, and generosity will help you to experience His presence. Simple acts of comfort, peace and righteousness will make you the inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.

(For all these acts are the brightest testimony about our faith and Christ’ presence in our lives. Without these acts there is no faith, and where there is the faith people act in this way for they believe that’s what they’re called to do. For they believe this is the way to share the Christ in real and visible ways. Can you see the pattern? Can you see what is Jesus trying to say? If you believe, it’s time to act, to give, to serve.)

But don’t worry; it’s not only about giving, serving, and following what is asked of us to do. For whether we like it or not all of us are at some point of our lives in both of the groups, the one that’s giving and serving and the one that is in need of help. And even though this message emphasizes the giving part, in the way it underlines the ways Christ as the King identifies Himself with those who are in need, the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick and persecuted. For it is for them the King was born, for them he is the Messiah who gives new hope.

And so if you are in any kind of need, whether it’s need of forgiveness, new beginning, courage, strength, if you’re struggling with tough questions of life and death, or if your faith is being tried Jesus says to you this very moment: “Do not be afraid, trust in me, for I’m your King, the one who came and died for you. The one who gives you comfort, peace, strength and hope of eternal life. That is the message of Christ, our Messiah the one who’s coming we’re preparing for during the approaching Advent season.

May you during this Advent experience Christ in new exciting ways whether it’s through being helped, strengthened and encouraged by his faithful servants or through being there for those who are in need.

Amen