Mindekirken Nov 23, 2003
Pastor Jens Arne Dale

In the Lord’s Service
John 18.33-36

When I was 11, I visited with King Olav. My father was the chair of the gardener’s flower exhibit in Norway, and the king was the patron of the exhibit. My father wanted to thank the king for this, and my sister Ingrid and I joined him. I got a new suit for the occasion, and for the first and only time in his life, my father had a permanent and two waves in his hair. We were picked up with the royal vessel, and brought on board the King’s ship Norge at Horten harbor. We met with King Olav on the deck.
"What’s your name?" the king asked me.
"Jens," I said.
"Yes, but don’t you have another name?"
"Yes, Jens Arne," I said.
"But don’t you have a last name?"
"Jens Arne Dale," I said, and the king seemed to be satisfied. It’s always nice to be able to talk about oneself.

Today’s text is about a meeting with the king. But this is a king who is different. Jesus didn’t look like a king at all when he stood bound before Pilate. The leaders of the people demanded that Jesus should be convicted to death. "Are you the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked. It didn’t look like that. Jesus was despised, rejected and mistreated. Soon they would press a crown of thorns down on his head and let him die like a criminal. Was Jesus a king? In fact it looked like Pilate had all the power there and then. He was representing the ruler of the world, the Emperor in Rome. Pilate ruled over death and life. Even so, here he found his match.

"My kingdom is not of this world," Jesus said. In other words: Jesus admitted that he was king, but his power had nothing to do with the kind of power Pilate was in charge of. It’s two different kingdoms and two different orders of power that meet here, face to face. Pilate tried to get away from the situation. His dilemma was that the people wanted him to convict Jesus to capital punishment. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent. Could he get away with treating this as a "case?" "What is truth?" Pilate asked as if he would like to discuss an interesting topic. "Who is of the truth?" Jesus says. It’s your personal character which shows if you are true yourself. Pilate demonstrates his powerlessness by choosing the lie. When he convicts the innocent, he condemns himself. Wherever the Christian creed is confessed, Pilate’s name is mentioned: "He suffered under Pontius Pilate." It was not because he didn’t know what was right, but because he chose what seemed to be the most convenient solution there and then.

Even though Jesus was standing bound before Pilate, he was free. He was tortured and convicted to death, but that didn’t turn down the fact that he was the Truth. "The truth will make you free." Jesus said. He calls us over on his side. "Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Jesus said.

It’s easy to be caught by lies. Maybe we, like Pilate, know what is right, but choose what we find the most pleasant for ourselves? Or we might avoid doing what is expected of us. We might be cowardly and think more of ourselves than of others. Egoism might have been a motive for what we have done. Jesus is a king who sets free. He (God) has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. Col 1.13. These words tell what happened in our baptism. We were freed from the power of darkness, and transferred into the kingdom of God. We belong to king Jesus. When we are being trapped in lies, he is the truth who sets us free. When we sin, he is the one who forgives again and again. When we doubt our own value, he is the one who confirms our value as humans, not only by words, but also with a love that he is willing even to give his own life for us. We are valuable in his eyes. We are loved and recognized by him.

I remember my meeting with King Olav. The fact that he was interested in my name gave me a good feeling. "I have called you by name, you are mine," the Lord says in Isaiah 43.1. We are seen by him, loved by him, and given the entire grace of heaven by him, totally undeserved.

It’s said about Earl Zinzendorf, that he looked at a painting of Jesus on the cross. Beneath the picture was written: "This he did for you. What have you done for him?" The picture spoke strongly to the Earl. He dedicated his life to Christ. Through the Brethren congregation he organized in Germany a lot of people got to know the love of God.

Today we celebrate Stewardship Sunday here at Mindekirken. Jesus is our king. He has given us everything. To serve him is to give back to him what we ourselves have received from him, with gratitude. This little story might illustrate this: A man dreamt that he would buy a place in the kingdom of God.
"How much does it cost?"
"Everything," God answered.
"I’ve got $70,000 in the bank," the man said.
"Yes, but do you have a house and a car? That must be sold." God said.
"But then we have to sleep in the RV," the man complained.
"Do you have a RV? That does also belong in the price."
"But what about my wife and my children then?" the man said.
"They also have to go to me, if you would like a place in heaven," God said.
"But then I haven’t anything left," the man complained.
"That doesn’t matter," God said. "You also have to become mine if you are to receive the kingdom of God."
The man had nothing more to say. But he realized that a place in heaven was worth everything, and he went for it.
"Now everything belongs to me," God said. "But I don’t really need it myself. Would you be so kind to use it on my behalf?"

"We offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us- ourselves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love." Stewardship starts by having Jesus as Lord in our hearts. It means to serve him with all the gifts and skills he has given us. Mindekirken is a place where we may serve Jesus. We do it by participating. It’s worth noting that the gathering Sunday morning is called service. We serve by spending time, strengths and skills in numerous connections, from the Treasure Chest Sale and lutefisk to altar guild and construction work. There is an endless line of tasks. We also serve by giving of our treasure. Some give 10% of their income to the church as we read about some places in the Bible. Paul says: "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Cor 9.7 It’s a gift to be generous. God uses our time, talent and treasure to bless others. We might think: "My contribution is so small." Be confident even so. What is small in our eyes might be to great blessing for others.