Sermons
In nineteen sixty-nine, a vote was held in West Papua…
about whether the former Dutch colony would become independent…
or become part of Indonesia.
From its beginning, Indonesia had laid claim to all of the former Dutch East Indies colonies…
although the Dutch continued to administer West Papua…
with the Indonesians sporadically launching military skirmishes against them.
The United Nations intervened in nineteen sixty-two…
transferring administration from the Dutch to the Indonesians…
with an agreement that an independence referendum would be held by nineteen sixty-nine.
In the intervening seven years, the Indonesians moved in large numbers of troops…
turning it into a de facto military occupation.
When the time came for the referendum, rather than permit all West Papuans to vote…
the Indonesian military trotted out a little over one thousand “representatives”…
who all raised their hands in support of Indonesia…
rather than independence—
allegedly, under threat of violence.
The “unanimous” decision was then rubber-stamped by the United Nations.
Obviously, many West Papuans were enraged.
A resistance movement was formed…
and, although poorly organised, trained, and resourced, they have been fighting ever since.
Over the years, there have been numerous reports of independence supporters disappearing.
There have also been credible reports of torture, rape, murder, and the torching of villages.
Any form of political protest—
including the raising of a West Papuan flag—
has been deemed a criminal offence.
Some human rights groups estimate that…
since the Indonesian “occupation”…
about one hundred thousand West Papuans have been killed by Indonesian forces.
But none of this can be verified…
because Indonesia has banned all reporters and human rights groups from entering the province.
Meanwhile, West Papua remains one of the poorest and least developed regions of Indonesia…
despite being one of the most resource-rich…
with large gold and copper deposits.
Sadly, haven’t we seen that sort of thing so often throughout history:
military occupation and brutal suppression…
the infringement of basic human rights…
and exploitation…
all backed by propaganda and a distortion of the truth…
simply because one group is more powerful than another…
simply because they can get away with it.
That also would have been how many of the early Christians experienced Roman rule…
and the power of the Roman Emperor.
And, it’s in that context—
and to that end—
that the author wrote the Book of Revelation.
In it, he sought to offer a word of encouragement to a number of churches…
who were under pressure—
churches who felt isolated and oppressed;
who saw themselves at the mercy of fickle authorities…
and an Emperor who claimed and wielded absolute power and control.
If you read the Book of Revelation you don’t always get that sense—
given the proliferation of bizarre, sometimes grotesque, and often violent imagery—
but it was intended as a message of encouragement.
And, in our reading this morning, the author tries to do just that.
He sends them greetings…
reminding them of the grace or goodwill of God and of Jesus Christ…
which leads him into a doxology or hymn of praise in which he describes Jesus as…
“him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood”.
Now, on the surface, that doesn’t seem particularly relevant.
It doesn’t seem much of a word of hope or encouragement—
certainly not to people who felt oppressed.
And yet, the author rarely uses the word “sin” in the Book—
and never in the sense of sin as a problem separating God and humankind.
Rather, for this author, sin is a synonym for “evil”.
Indeed, sin is specifically linked with allegiance to the Roman Empire and to the Emperor.
Sin is an accommodation to Roman cultic practices…
a collaboration with its economic policies…
and an acquiescence to its political claims.
In short, sin is acknowledging…
celebrating…
and supporting the lordship of Rome.
But this is the sort of sin from which he claims that Jesus has set them free.
He doesn’t say how, specifically…
although he does link it to Jesus’ blood—
that is, to his death and the manner of his death:
namely…
that Jesus endured unspeakable suffering—
incarnating the love of God through powerlessness;
Jesus gave his life as an act of non-violent resistance against an oppressive system…
against those who wielded power oppressively.
And, notwithstanding the violent imagery of the Book of Revelation…
the author presents Jesus’ death as a repudiation of violence—
with the dominant image or metaphor for Jesus being “the lamb that was slain”.
In other words, Jesus gave his life to demonstrate that violence, prejudice, and oppression do not…
will not…
and cannot have the last word;
that evil will not, ultimately, triumph over good.
Jesus gave his life to free us from the tyranny of violence and oppression…
and to show us a better way—
a truer way—
to be human.
And, in the process…
he became a sign and a symbol of God’s new creation…
of God’s new world order—
a new creation and a new world order…
which has already begun, in and through him…
and which will, in time, be brought to completion.
Because God “is and… was and… is to come”.
And yet, in describing Jesus Christ as the “firstborn of the dead”…
the author also expects us to follow his example…
to embody the powerless power of God…
to repudiate violence…
to resist oppression…
to liberate those who suffer because of it…
and to be willing to give all that we are towards that end.
Because “he made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father”.
So, today, as we celebrate the festival of “Christ the King”—
as we reflect upon the image of Christ as king…
and upon the nature of his reign;
as we reflect upon the promise that Christ will come again…
and that the whole creation will be made new—
the author also reminds us that new creation has already begun…
that it is already in process…
through us.
The reign of Christ is realised whenever we live out our calling as the people of God—
as priests and witnesses;
whenever we mediate the impartial and inclusive…
all-embracing…
forgiving and freeing…
re-creating love of God—
revealed to us in Jesus Christ.
The reign of Christ is realised whenever we repudiate violence;
whenever we actively resist the forces of oppression and injustice…
and all of their propaganda.
The reign of Christ is realised whenever we strive for peace and equality;
whenever we work to bring healing, wholeness, or reconciliation;
whenever we liberate those who are buckled under the yoke of tyranny or subjugation.
The reign of Christ is realised whenever selfishness gives way to generosity and grace;
whenever humanity triumphs over inhumanity.
Indeed, whenever we incarnate the love, the justice, and the peace of Christ…
the reign of Christ is both already present and being more fully realised.
Because God will come and God does come…
as God has always come—
incarnated…
in human form.
God’s kingdom—
Christ’s reign—
does come, and will come, through every act, every word, and every sign…
that embodies and manifests the peace, and love, and freedom of God…
“till earth, and all on earth, are blessed”.