Whose bright idea was it for the American church to celebrate "Christ the King" Sunday? The last time we had a king, over 200 years ago, it was crazy King George. Or should we think "Elvis"? Neither one of those guys is what comes to my mind about coming in glory to separate the sheep from the goats. But what image would be more appropriate to Americans? Christ the President! Lately the question of chads and dimples and the meaning of "is" hangs over the office. What about Christ the CEO? Naw. I hate the idea of insider-trading. And would Jesus be more like Martha Stewart or Ken Lay? Well then, what about Christ the Task Force Moderator? No. Too Presbyterian, and even I have to admit that Jesus is more non-denominational than that. Christ the King. Why bother? Is it important to name "king" accurately to worship Jesus? Only if you want to know if the Bible still applies to our everyday living.

One of my friends says, "Only what is retained can be subverted." What he means is, Jesus is radical and outrageous. Jesus turns the whole world-all of creation-upside down on its head, but we only appreciate this if we know what he is subverting-what exactly he is turning upside down. Jesus is revolutionary only if we know how little (and how much) Jesus' way of being is like our human way of being. We can only appreciate the donkey he rides when we remember that kings ride chargers and are surrounded by guards and armies and chariots and missiles and landmines. When we acknowledge that male gender was a prerequisite to power. When we know that many kings through the ages-ancient Egypt to modern-day Japan-claim divine parentage. When we catch glimpses of "good" kings who understand that having the power of life and death over subjects means providing life-food and healthcare and infrastructure and education and protection. When we can see those things about kings and rulers and governments, we will see how thoroughly, completely, absolutely ridiculous it is that Jesus identifies with-says he is-those whom he calls "the least of these." When we can see that, we will stop worshiping Jesus' journey and start worshiping Jesus, start doing his journey ourselves.

That is what Paul's prayer is about for the church in Ephesus (which also means it's his prayer for us). First Paul says how thankful he is for the church's faith, then he moves through prayer on their behalf (for wisdom and revelation), and finally he rips into a doxology-a summary of how amazingly powerful God and what God did through Christ is. But then Paul gets down to the brass nubbins: since Christ is above all, we are powerful, because we are the skin worn by Jesus in the world. You know that story, don't you? The child fearful of going to sleep at night, comforted by the parent who says there's no need to be afraid of the dark, because God is present and protecting the child. The child responds, "But I'd like something with skin on." Well, that skin-on is us, the church. Not just for kids afraid to go to sleep in the dark, but for the hungry people of Oregon-the hungriest state in the nation. We're God's-skin-on for the Interfaith Volunteers of Clackamas County who take our used furniture and give it to abused women transitioning out of the safe house in Oregon City. We're God's-skin-on for harried, worn-out parents of toddlers who just want to speak in full sentences with adults once a week. We're God's-skin-on for care-givers who need respite care in order to shop for groceries. We're God's-skin-on for people who no longer drive but still need to go to the doctor or to go out after dark. We are invited to do Jesus' journey, to do what Jesus did. Because this is our call, we have already been filled with Christ's power. We have the where-with-all to do it.

Christ the King. What kind of king would this be? The kind of king making the most obvious point in the world. That point is the one that God has been trying to make since humans were created back in Genesis. Do you remember what "kind" of creatures God decided to make after everything else had come into being because God spoke it? God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness." It says that in Genesis 1. You can look it up. If we are those humans in God's image and likeness, then the point Christ the King makes is not that God is different from humanity but that Jesus is the most complete, most absolute "yes" to what it means to be Human. Jesus is what it means to be in God's image and likeness. So, we already know how to do and be God's reign in the here and now. When we pray, "thy kingdom come"-which is exactly what I hope we are praying this day, this Christ the King Sunday-when we pray, "thy kingdom come" we already know what to do. Listen to this [read responsively-indented lines read by members of the congregation from their seats]:

I sat alone in the lunchroom, with only a little to eat,
And you sat with me and shared your lunch.

People laughed at my old hand-me-down clothes,
But you treated me as if they were brand new.

I was never chosen to be on a team,
But when it was your turn to choose, you chose me.

I used food stamps to pay for groceries and people stepped away from me,
But you smiled and looked me in the eyes.

Everyone laughed when I made mistakes,
But you said kind words to make me feel better.

My jail term had been served, which made me unemployable,
But you helped me find a job and a place to stay.

I rode in a wheelchair and couldn't get in,
But you asked if I needed help and held the door for me.

When I missed church and stayed home, I thought no one would miss me,
But you called me and asked me when I would be back.

What kind of king would identify with the down and out? This kind of king, the kind who says we are his skin-on, the continuation of his ministry in the world in the here and now. Please read with me selection 1 in the back of your hymnal-the part of the Brief Statement of Faith that says what it is that we believe about this king.