Christ the King-a mighty savior-a mighty price

Christ the King –a mighty savior - a mighty price Jeremiah 23:1-6 Luke 23:33-43

Summary

This sermon reflects on Christ the King Sunday as the church year ends, transitioning into Advent. It highlights the paradoxical focus of this Sunday: Christ’s suffering and crucifixion rather than his triumphant reign. Drawing from Luke, Jesus’ vulnerability and humiliation is explored, revealing the true nature of his kingship and the transformative message of our Christian faith.

As we prepare to enter Advent, the season of expectation, let’s not just hope for Christ’s Kingdom to come, for the brokenness of this world to be fully redeemed and healed. Let us all do our part in making this happen. Before we can begin this new church year, we need to end this church year.

This year we have been following Luke’s gospel. If we have learned only one thing from Luke’s gospel, it is this - when Jesus Christ shows up, everything gets flipped. Our expectations often are upside down.So, it is not surprising that on this Christ the King Sunday, our text does not focus on the triumph of Christ over sin and death, but his most vulnerable moments.

Still, it’s a little shocking, I think that the scripture for this day does not show us Christ on his glorious throne, reigning in splendor in the New Jerusalem. Instead, the emphasis is on Christ’s humiliation and suffering. Rather than preaching about Christ’s ultimate reign over the new heaven and the new earth, I’m talking about his crucifixion.

Instead of white robes and a golden crown, we see him stripped of his last shred of dignity, bleeding and dying under a crown of thorns, crucified. A stark contrast to the carol singing and tree trimming. It’s enough to make me want to turn on the Hallmark channel. And I admit, I have already watched my favorite Christmas episode. Sometimes escaping for a moment is helpful.

But, getting serious again, this horrible event is the reason for the season. Had Jesus not been crucified, he would not have been resurrected. And we would have no reason to celebrate his birth or even be here today. Crucifixion was an intentionally gruesome procedure with of that torture was the public humiliation.

Jesus suffered ridicule on three levels - first by the religious leaders, then by the Roman soldiers, and finally by one of the criminals being crucified with Jesus. But Jesus doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t crumble. He’s heard all this before in the wilderness with Satan’s temptations.

The crowd stands by, watching, listening to the religious leaders berate Jesus. They do not defend Jesus. One of the criminals alongside Jesus recognizes something in Jesus that the other doesn’t. The other criminal kept derides him. While the first criminal joins in ridiculing Jesus, along with the rulers and the soldiers, the second criminal shows us, with amazing self- awareness and frankness, three things: He recognizes his own sin and contrasts his own sin with the lack of sin of Jesus. He proclaims that Jesus has done no wrong and doesn’t deserve to die. He calls him “Yeshua,” “The Lord Saves.” Finally, this second criminal has a simple yet powerful request. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus responds with a powerful promise: “This day you will be with me in Paradise.”

Imagine that you are on Skull hill. Which character is the one with which you identify in this scene at the place called “Skull”? Are you among the Jewish leaders and the Roman soldiers, ridiculing and tormenting Jesus? Do you stand to the side, with the silent crowd, unwilling to join in the ridicule, but equally unwilling to stand up to it? Or do you identify with the second criminal, announcing Kingdom truth where you see it, even when all appearances point to a different view of reality, or when you are rejected for proclaiming truth? We’d like to think we identify with Criminal Number Two, wouldn’t we? We’d like to believe that, under any circumstance, we’d boldly stand and proclaim that Jesus is Lord. Yet sadly, like Peter, we might deny him. This criminal had more faith than the disciples on the walk to Emmaus who respond unknowingly to Jesus, saying 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.  (Luke 24:21)

It can be a lot easier stating that Jesus is King of Heaven and earth than boldly proclaiming that Jesus is Lord of my life. Or asking Jesus to remember me in his Kingdom. Submitting to Christ can be challenging as few of us want to give up control.

What kind of leader do we want? Is it a king who dictates every aspect of our lives, so we don’t have to think for ourselves? However, this is not the king God gave us. Jesus is the king of vulnerability, of peacemaking and loving our enemies. Jesus’ reign is one of friendship and love. Rejecting jewels and gold, his crown is made of thorns.

The question isn’t “what kind of king do you want?”  It’s, Are you ready to make Jesus your king and pursue his mission, believing in a kingdom you can’t even see yet? Only you know in your heart.

So, as we begin a new season of hope, of looking forward, of anticipating the coming Kingdom of God - you only need to do one thing. Every day, choose Jesus to lead your life. Let each of us ready ourselves so at that crucial moment, we may hear Jesus say to us, Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise. Amen