Sermon -25th October 2020

King of Kings, and Lord of Lords

Gospel Reading: Revelations 19: 11-16

​Dear community of Christians,

Let me begin with a little story that came along my way.
​
One day there came a journeyman to the front of the city gate. And he suddenly discovered that Death was sitting at the entrance of the gate. The journeyman asked Death: “what are you doing here, what is your purpose here at the gate”? Death answered: “I am here to collect 500 people”. Full of horror, the journeyman ran to the market place and reported the arrival of Death. Fear and horror seized the people. Then, in this city there died not only 500, but 1000, and even more. After a time, the journeyman passed the city gate again and still saw Death sitting there. Full of furious anger, the journeyman said, “you said, you would take 500 people and now there are 1000 and even many more”. Then Death answered: “I have fulfilled my task and fetched 500 people. The other, many 1000s, are on your account.”

This little story can teach us quite a lot. The fear that the journeyman has spread all over the place killed so many more people than was meant. 

In our time, the fear that is spread out by the media about the dangers of the virus, lies like a spell over the souls of men. This disease may or may not be dangerous to the extent that it is described. But we have to ask ourselves, what are we scared of? One day Death will certainly also be part of our destiny. And everybody knows this. 

What we are confronted in the last Century, and in this Century has an intensity with regard to death and evil that has never been seen before.

Do we recognize, as people of our present time, that we are confronted with these two facts: death and evil? In view of death, we might fear, that we have to look back on our lives and have to recognize where we have failed. As we look back, we are caught, thoughtlessly, and gullibly, in dark tasks and evil deeds. And this is mostly outside of our consciousness. But this means that we must face up to it.

In the time of the old mysteries: special people on the path of initiation had to go through trials and ordeals to become an initiate. One of the first, most important tasks was they were confronted with overcoming fear. In doing so, they developed the capacity to trust in, and be part of the Spiritual World. 

Could it be that in our time mankind as a whole has to go through an initiation? To bring to bear the influence of the spiritual world. And now we are tested, can we see and recognize the working of the evil forces and the shadow of death? When we do so, then we can recognise and counter this fear with trust in the Spiritual World. 

Rev. Ute Koenig

Hans Holbein's Dance of Death (1523–5)