{"id":4413,"date":"2013-03-19T07:14:12","date_gmt":"2013-03-19T12:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=4413"},"modified":"2013-03-14T08:23:36","modified_gmt":"2013-03-14T13:23:36","slug":"march-24-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/march-24-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"March 24, 2013&#8211;Fit for a King"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Contributed by David Dodson, Fort Walton Beach, FL<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Warm-up Question<\/h3>\n<p>Do you think that the way we dress or present ourselves reflects our personalities?<\/p>\n<h3>Fit for a King<\/h3>\n<p>A few months ago, a fairly small story surfaced about British Princess Kate Middleton and reality TV show star Kim Kardashian.\u00a0 That these two women would be involved in a single story is surprising enough \u2013 they are about as different as possible!<\/p>\n<p>Kate Middleton recently married Prince William, becoming a Princess and the Duchess of Cambridge herself.\u00a0 She has widely been regarded as a wonderful person to fill that role.\u00a0 She has a warm smile and a very classy style that many British citizens have expressed great approval of.\u00a0 Kim Kardashian, on the other hand, is best known as a reality TV star and frequently finds herself on the front of tabloids.\u00a0 Her fashion style is known for its flashiness and frequent immodesty.<\/p>\n<p>Our story happens when those worlds collide.\u00a0 Kim Kardashian sent Kate Middleton a gift of several outfits from a fashion line she designs called Kardashian Konnection.\u00a0 Kate politely thanked Kim for the gift, but sent the clothing back, stating that she preferred not to accept free gifts in her position as Duchess.<\/p>\n<p>Many fashion commentators have claimed that the outfits were likely sent back mostly because of their style.\u00a0 The Kardashian Kollection is characterized by low necklines, short dress lengths, and other features that the Duchess of Cambridge seems to absolutely avoid.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Discussion Questions<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Have you ever received a gift that you were not sure what to do with?<\/li>\n<li>What do you think about Kate Middleton\u2019s decision to return the gift?<\/li>\n<li>Based on what you know, do you think that Kate Middleton is a good role model and example in her country?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, March 24, 2013 (Sunday of the Passion\/Palm Sunday)<\/h3>\n<p>Isaiah 50:4-9a<\/p>\n<p>Philippians 2:5-11<\/p>\n<p>Luke 19:28-40<\/p>\n<p>(Text links are to <a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/\">Oremus Bible Browser<\/a>. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.elca.org\/Growing-In-Faith\/Worship\/Lectionary.aspx\">Lectionary Readings<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic <a href=\"http:\/\/www.agnusday.org\/\">Agnus Day.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Gospel Reflection<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2013\/03\/shutterstock_96298346edit.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4429\" alt=\"shutterstock_96298346edit\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2013\/03\/shutterstock_96298346edit.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/a>We often use royal language when speaking of Jesus.\u00a0 We refer to Him as the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings, and the scion of the royal line of David.\u00a0 But if we really want to understand Jesus\u2019 kingship, we are going to need to reexamine how we define royalty.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus constantly turning royal imagery on its head.\u00a0 It begins with His birth.\u00a0 Consider the story of the nativity:\u00a0 When Jesus is born, shepherds and wise men travel from far and near to bow before Him and present Him with gifts.\u00a0 This is precisely what would have happened with the birth of an earthly prince.\u00a0 The child of a king would be visited by honored guests and presented with the best gifts after his birth.\u00a0 With the birth of Jesus, however, it isn\u2019t the richest and most powerful who are invited to the court of the newborn King.\u00a0 Rather, it is the lowly shepherds and the foreign wise men.\u00a0 Already, Jesus is an unorthodox King \u2013 his court is made up of the poor and foreign!<\/p>\n<p>As if to emphasize the point, when Jesus makes his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, He does so in an unusual way.\u00a0 An earthly king, arriving in a city as a conqueror, would ride on the back of a magnificent mount (usually a stallion), showing off his power and wealth and demanding adoration from the people.\u00a0 With Jesus, the King of Kings, things are a bit different.\u00a0 Jesus rides in with great triumph, cheered on by the adoring crowd, but not on a beautiful horse.\u00a0 As predicted in Zechariah 9:9, Jesus arrives instead \u201chumble and riding on a donkey\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>What?\u00a0 A donkey?\u00a0 Why would the greatest King the world has ever known choose to make his triumphant march into Jerusalem on the back of a lowly donkey?<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps this is a message to us.\u00a0 Our Lord and Savior humbled himself in lowly birth in a manger, rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey and \u201chumbled himself\u2026 even [to] death on a cross\u201d (Philippians 2).\u00a0 Jesus was concerned with something far, far more important than the appearance of greatness.\u00a0 Instead, His mission was to those who needed him the most \u2013 the poor, the lame, the outcast, and those who felt that God\u2019s love was too far away to reach.<\/p>\n<p>If Jesus could humble Himself to serve those in need in the world, then we are certainly called to follow his example.\u00a0 If you want to find Jesus, open your heart to a world in need \u2013 you will find Jesus there!<\/p>\n<h3>Discussion Questions<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>How would the Gospels have been different if Jesus had insisted on being treated like an earthly king?<\/li>\n<li>How can you show the humble love taught to us by Jesus in your daily life?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Activity Suggestions<\/h3>\n<p>Use resources available on the ELCA website (such as those at <a href=\"https:\/\/community.elca.org\/sslpage.aspx?pid=607\">https:\/\/community.elca.org\/sslpage.aspx?pid=607<\/a>)\u00a0 to plan an Alternative Gift Fair.\u00a0 In these events, congregational members can make donations on the behalf of a friend or family member, and this donation is offered as an \u201calternative gift\u201d to that person.\u00a0 Many congregations find that these often make the most meaningful gifts they receive all year!<\/p>\n<h3>Closing Prayer<\/h3>\n<p>Heavenly Father, help us to be your eyes in the world, looking out for those who are struggling or lost.\u00a0 Help us to be your feet in the world, carrying your message of love and good news to all of your people.\u00a0 Help us to be your ears, listening to the needs of those around us daily.\u00a0 And help us to be your hands, reaching out in joyous love to our brothers and sisters.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contributed by David Dodson, Fort Walton Beach, FL &nbsp; Warm-up Question Do you think that the way we dress or present ourselves reflects our personalities? Fit for a King A few months ago, a fairly small story surfaced about British Princess Kate Middleton and reality TV show star Kim Kardashian.\u00a0 That these two women would [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1400],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>March 24, 2013-Fit for a King - Faith Lens<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/march-24-2013\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"March 24, 2013-Fit for a King - Faith Lens\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Contributed by David Dodson, Fort Walton Beach, FL &nbsp; Warm-up Question Do you think that the way we dress or present ourselves reflects our personalities? 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