Do you recall the Trial of the Century? Actually, in the last hundred years there were a few: the Scopes Monkey Trial; the Lindbergh trial; the Nuremberg trial; the Eichmann trial; and try as we might, who can forget O.J.? There are trials and there are trials. But our Gospel text presents the most famous trial in all of history - for all eternity: One defendant: Jesus, one judge: Pilate. The King of Kings standing before the Wimp of Wimps. Pontius Pilate is the governor, serving at the pleasure Caesar, and since Caesar is not fond of kings in lands ruled by Rome, Pilate has his work cut out for him. The Jesus religious leaders want Jesus crucified, dead, buried; that is, crucified, dead, buried - and forgotten. And the Roman authorities are sailing that same boat. And the decision falls upon the shoulders of the governor. Pilate still has enough of a conscience to recognize Jesus is guilty of no crime. But he has enough political savvy to recognize that either Jesus dies, or his own career will be dead, buried - and forgotten.

If things aren't bad enough in the courtroom, consider Pilate's bedroom. Pilate's own wife sends word to him, "Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him." So now Pilate is caught in the middle of dilemma. Caesar on one shoulder ... his wife on the other. If he sides with Caesar, he'll have to live with his wife. If he sides with his wife ... well, he just might not live. We know how the story ends. We tell the story of Jesus weekly, and how he "suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified died and was buried." But obviously, not forgotten! Obviously.

In his play, "The Trial of Jesus," John Mansfield pictures Pilate's wife remaining in the judgment hall long after everybody else has left. Finally, a soldier who has taken part in the crucifixion comes in, and she asks him, "Is he dead yet?" The soldier shakes his head and says, "No, lady, he is not dead." "But surely he is dead, he has been hanging there so long now." And the soldier replies, "No, lady, he is not dead. His love is let loose in the world now, and neither Jew nor Roman can stop his truth." His love is let loose ... and this is still a few days before Easter.

This is Christ the King Sunday, a day when Christians throughout the world consciously pledge allegiance to their Lord, and to the love for which he died. It is a higher allegiance, or ought to be, than our homage to flag and nation. In a perfect world allegiance to Jesus, loyalty to our King of Kings, will never mean a choice between our Christ or our country. Pontius Pilate discovers divided loyalties as he is confronted by Jesus. His country versus his conscience. Pilate wanted to wash his hands of any decision, but nevertheless - history records that the King of Kings died at the hands of the Wimp of Wimps. If that sounds a bit harsh, I'll be quick to add that sometimes I find myself in cahoots with Pilate rather than aligning myself with the King of Kings. Perhaps you've also found yourself from time to time in such a situation. How do we show our loyalty to his royalty?

One afternoon this past week, I visited with two families from the congregation. At both homes I heard a similar story about loyalty to royalty. In both homes no king was mentioned, but there was a common theme of earthly power and ultimate loyalty.

Maigonis Viksna grew up in Latvia, under Soviet rule. His brother, Imants, was among hundreds of Latvians rounded up by the Soviets in 1944. Eventually Imants was sent to a gulag, a forced labor camp, in Siberia. It was a one-way trip, because under Stalin, once you were sentenced to the camp, the usual way out was a grave. For up to thirteen hours a day, seven days a week, the prisoners were roused from their bunks before dawn, given a little food for the day, and then marched into the forest to cut down trees, sometimes in weather as cold as twenty below. But one day the routine changed. Much earlier than usual the prisoners were told they were going back to the camp. This had never happened before. When they arrived, they were lined up in a semicircle and listened as the commandant addressed them. "I don't want any response to what I am going to say. I want silence. Our beloved comrade, Stalin, has died." There was a moment of silence. A brief moment of silence. A flicker of silence before the cheering began and men hugged and threw their hats in the air. Stalin was all powerful and demanded complete loyalty. He earned the hatred and disdain of his own people.

And so, I went from the home of Maigonis and Louise to the home of Rosa. As she and I chatted, Rosa told me that back in Germany her mother worked in a small office in her hometown. "My mother would go to work every morning," Rosa said, "and people would greet her, 'Heil, Hitler,' which of course means, Hail Hitler. My mother would always respond, 'Yes, it is a beautiful morning, isn't it?'" Hitler was all powerful and demanded complete loyalty. He earned the hatred and disdain of his own people.

This is a cheap shot and may not be close to good theology, but you can almost imagine the words of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates upon the death of old Adolph: "No, no no. Hell Hitler. And you can greet Comrade Stalin when he arrives."

The point of these stories is not to compare Jesus with Hitler and Stalin. Who wouldn't look good next to the likes of those two? The point is that no matter how cruel people are as they exercise power over others or,no matter how compassionate leaders might be, Jesus Christ, our King our Kings, is the only deserving recipient of ultimate loyalty and allegiance. Rosa's mother, a staunch Roman Catholic, bent her knee to Jesus alone; her faith helped see her through those terrible years in Nazi Germany. And for Imants, a Latvian of the Lutheran tradition, in those darkest of days, when the cold and hunger were especially unbearable, perhaps it was his faith in Jesus that saw him through the endless horror of the gulag.

Ultimate loyalty and where does yours lie? Especially in the context of this rather strange Gospel text. We soon shall be singing, "Crown Him with Many Crowns," but thorns await him. "Are you the King of the Jews?" Pilate questions. But already Pilate knows the answer. "Kings have power and this man has no power at all." In his heart of hearts, Pilate probably knew differently. If the might of Rome and the limited power of the Jewish authorities were aligned against Jesus, certainly Jesus was a threat to something. And Jesus was a threat - a threat to the status quo!

Just like Pilate, we are challenged to determine the truth. Is Jesus the Savior of the World? Or is he a self-deluded, wannabe king? Ladies and gentleman, we are always the jury. And like any good jury, we look at the evidence, presented this past church year. We see that the blind regain sight; we hear that the ears of the deaf are opened. We are told those who cannot talk - are given the gift of gab. People are fed, some raised from the dead! Is this evidence enough?

If this most famous trial were happening today (and in a sense, Jesus is always on trial) and I were a lawyer, I would walk you through the evidence and point you to Exhibit A, April 12 - Luke 24. The date was Easter, the theme Resurrection. "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen." In terms of Jesus being King of Kings and Lord of Lords, we have a lot more evidence than old Pilate could have hoped for or even imagined. We stand on the near side of an empty tomb.

How do we show loyalty to royalty? It would be heresy and the utmost disrespect toward both Jesus and the members of Grace if I were to say, "Your loyalty is shown only by numbers on a pledge card. If I were sitting in the pews and heard that, I'd find myself another church. If I were standing in the pulpit and said that, I'd better find myself another career.

And yet, we are called by the King to "do unto others," and to care "for the least of these my brothers and sisters." Our individual gifts don't have to be the proverbial king's ransom. However, as we are willing to share with our church on behalf of our neighbor, we proclaim in one small way our loyalty to Royalty - the King who ransomed us and the neighbors we seek to serve!