A Sermon for Christ the King Sunday 

Luke 23:33-43

November 20, 2016

I pulled out a favorite old story about a mythical king and then wrote an update.  The first story is from one of our era's finest minds.  The second draws on the readings for the day and ancient tradition.

You can listen to the whole thing here.  Or you can read Yertle the Turtle on your own and then the second story below.  

A long time ago 

in a land far away

lived a wandering clan

who traveled all day

They camped out at night 

under great starry skies

where they sang and told stories

before closing their eyes

Their leaders sometimes 

heard a voice in the air

who pointed the way 

saying go over there

where the pastures are greener

come travel with me 

I’ll keep you safe 

you’ll be happy and free

So they traveled quite happy for quite a long while

up and down mountains for many a mile

as the traveled they saw many marvelous things

they saw countries with cities and castles and kings

and they said to their leaders we need a king too 

just imagine the king things our own king could do

our king could make speeches and build us a town

with walls up to there we just need us a crown

and a head to accept it oh let’s tell the voice 

that what we need’s a king, yes that is our choice.

so they sent their best talker to talk to the voice 

who said are you sure, that’s just not the best choice

you’ve really done fine as a wandering clan

kingdoms are trouble it’s not a good plan

But the people insisted and the voice said “I give”

so the voice found a king and a place they could live

they piled up great stones over here, over there

they built toll booths and towers way up in the air

they formed a great army and went out to war

for the trouble with kings is they often want more

and kings are not always the best they can be

too often they say, hey what’s in it for me

And that’s how it went with kings one, two and three

the city they built rose spectacularly

with turnpikes and temples and all of that stuff

till finally the people said we’ve had enough

we’re tried of working so hard we are through

we’ll start our own kingdom so phooey on you

And that’s pretty much how it went from that day

kings came and went and were carted away 

their buildings were smashed they were no longer free

for other kings too said “what’s in it for me?”

And through all of these troubles the voice still was heard

as a tiny small sound not as loud as a bird

by the old folks who struggled and tried to recall 

when the voice led the clan and they trusted the call

And the voice never left them and here is the thing

the voice said I’ll teach them a thing about kings

I’ll send them a king who can teach them that kinging 

is more than great walls and loud trumpets and singing

and soon there appeared a new king with no crown

a very plain fellow who walked through the towns 

telling stories of fields and farms birds and trees 

saying kingdoms can be just as plain as all these

but the people weren’t happy they’d waited so long 

for a king like the old days who’d right all the wrong

in the end they got others to take him away 

and hang him up high at the end of the day

It is such a hard lesson we’re still trying to learn

but the voice thinks we’re ready that now is our turn

to learn from the sign tacked on top of that tree

real kings never say, hey what’s in it for me.