The Rev. Carol S. Wedell
November 25, 2007

Our family recently applied for and received passports.  We don't have any exciting trip planned, but given the upcoming restrictions regarding travel even to Canada or Mexico we thought it would be a good idea.  So now we all have less-than-flattering pictures of us ready to show to whatever governmental agent needs to see them if we decide to take a trip outside of the United States.  Our citizenship is firmly established.

Any one who travels broadly has stories to tell of the "culture shock" one experiences when encountering a culture different than your own.  Americans are frequently surprised, for example, by the lack of central heating in many European countries.  Visitors to the United States from developing countries are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices available in an average grocery store.  We can tell when we are in a country different than our own.  Things just aren't quite the same.

As one who has lived on both the west coast and the east coast, and now, for much of my life, in the midwest, I can assure you that culture shock is also possible even within the same country!  Coming from Washington State to New Jersey for my first year of seminary, I thought I was in a different world. 

Some of you have heard me tell the story of a friend in my dormitory who came into my room with a stomach ache.  I had a small refrigerator and she asked if I had any soda.  Well-taught by my mother, I had a small box of baking soda in the corner of the refrigerator to help keep out odors.   When I emerged holding the box, she began to laugh.  "Well, I guess that might work - but I really was looking for 7-up or Ginger-ale - you know - soda!"    Now if she had asked for "pop" I would have known just what to get her!

When we move to a different culture, whether it be around the world, across the country, or perhaps even simply to a different neighborhood, we learn to make adaptations to the way things are done - or stand out like a sore thumb.  Not only language, but behaviors as well, are clues as to our primary identity - about the place we most consider "home."

Today is the final Sunday in the church year, which we celebrate as the "Reign of Christ" or "Christ the King."  This Sunday invites us to evaluate where our primary "citizenship" resides.  To what ultimate authority do we submit?

Right away we should notice that we are out of sync with the cultural calendar.  As we move into a new church year next Sunday, walking through Advent with the somber colors of purple or blue, we should be standing out like a sore thumb in contrast to the culture around us.  While the world around us urges us to "get into the season" by spending more on just the right gift for that special someone, a different place beckons to us - inviting us to pause, to reflect, to give time for others.  It's a critical time to face the questions:  Where is our true home?  What or whom has first place in our life?

Our reading from Colossians this morning concludes with a wonderful hymn of praise to Christ.  Its entire tone is worshipful, it's language lyric and poetic.  But before we even get there, the author reminds us that we have been transferred into the kingdom of God's son.  Think about the word "transferred."  It meant much the same thing in that context as it would mean for us today.  To be transferred is to be reassigned or relocated to a new place.  Those of us who seek to follow Jesus have been transferred - moved from one primary location to a new one.

So the question arises - what adaptations, what changes do we need to make in order to function in that new place?

The letter to the Colossians was addressing a group of followers who lived in a culture that found it very easy to worship other gods.  It was tempting for them to see Christ as merely one more in an impressive array of gods that they followed for any and all purposes.  The letter to the Colossians is clear -Christ is above all other gods.  Christ is to have first place in their lives - and in ours.

Now it's tempting from the relative ease of the 21^st century to discount the role these gods played in the lives of these followers centuries ago.  After all, we are far more sophisticated and knowledgeable than they were about the laws of nature and physics. But are we really any less likely to place Christ as one among the many gods competing for our attention?

Who has first place in our lives?  Who are the "lords" that seek our attention?  Who bosses us around?  If you're like me, you may feel that you are ruled by your calendar or PDA.  Maybe it's your children's calendar or sports or school schedule.  Perhaps we are ruled by our bank accounts - regardless of their size.  Some of us may feel that we are ruled by "powers and principalities" that are beyond us - "the economy" or "raging hormones" or "politics."  Who reigns over us?  Where is our citizenship?  Where's home?  Put another way, "who's in charge?

Fred Anderson, pastor at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City tells the following story:

 I'd seen her coming. Though newly installed as pastor, I had been warned about her. Knowing what was in store I had tried to slip away, but didn't make it. Seeing me, she called out, "Who's in charge in here? I want to talk to who's in charge."

Catching up with me, she reached out to take my arm, as if to keep me from running away, demanding, "Who are you?"

"I'm the new pastor," I replied.

"Oh good, then you're just the person I'm looking for."

"I don't think so." I said, "I'm not in charge around here."

"What? Well then, who is?"

"God!" I responded with a slight smile. I figured the devil had a firm grip on her, it wouldn't hurt to let him have a loose hold on me, if just for a moment.

"God?" came her reply. "I don't want to talk to God. I want to talk to somebody who can solve my problem."

Like the unnamed woman in this story, it is tempting, I think, to look to lesser "gods" to fix the problems in our life, to run the show.  Yet this Sunday, we are reminded yet again, that Christ wants to be in charge of our life, Christ has transferred us to a new place.  How can we best exercise our citizenship in this new reign?

I was fortunate enough to be born into citizenship.  But those who move to this country and choose to become citizens must take that process very seriously.  They go through classes - with exams.  They learn the history.  They study the responsibilities of citizens. When they stand to pledge their commitment to the United States, it is a serious matter.  There may be great celebration after the swearing in ceremony, but make no mistake - a lot of hard work and intentionality went into becoming new citizens.

Should we take our citizenship in the reign of God any less seriously?  Our reading this morning is clear, "Christ is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything."  To enter this new place is to put Christ first.

When you join the Presbyterian Church you are essentially asked one question - "Who is your Lord and Savior?"  We answer, "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior."  By answering that question in that way, we've taken the first step toward that new place.  We've announced where our primary loyalty lies.

Sometimes that primary loyalty, that primary citizenship places us at odds with the culture around us.  During Hitler's ascent to power in Germany, a group of church folks found themselves facing a critical decision of primary allegiance.  "The Theological Declaration of Barmen was written by a group of church leaders in Germany to help Christians withstand the challenges of the Nazi party and the so-called ‘German Christians,' a popular movement that saw no conflict between Christianity and the ideals of Hitler's National Socialism....Most Germans took the union of Christianity, nationalism and militarism for granted, and patriotic sentiments were equated with Christian truth.  Nevertheless, some in the churches resisted."  (From The Book of Confessions, PCUSA).  The  Confessing Church movement was born and a profound document declaring the priority of Christ was acclaimed.

To be sure, we are not in Nazi Germany.  Yet we are called, I believe, to stand firm in the face of all lesser "rulers" that would claim first place in our lives.  As we move into the new Christian year, what better time to define ourselves by our citizenship in God's reign?

How might we do that?  The answers are as challenging as they are simple:  by studying Scripture; by spending time with God in worship and prayer; by standing up to the lesser gods of our culture that ask us to put our faith in them; by seeing God's new world in "the least of these"  - and by choosing to serve them before we serve ourselves.

May Christ reign in our lives - this day - and every day.