Christ the King

Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Sermon

Invocation

Welcome

Today is:

The Great Feast and Solemnity of

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

With a title like this, you just know that this celebration stretches back in the mists of history. Right?

Back to the days of chivalry, of knights & squires & ladies fair?

All the way back to, would you believe… 1925?

No kidding. 1925.

Why would the Church set up a feast for Christ the King in modern times, when most countries had either gotten rid of kings altogether or had shelved them in a ceremonial role?

Exactly!

Did you know that Christians did not use pictures or carvings of the Cross for the first 300 years?

They didn’t need to.

Because everybody knew what a crucified man looked like. They saw them every day. It was only when the practice of crucifixion of criminals died out that we needed to paint or carve crosses and crucifixes to show what Christ had done for us.

In this way, we had no need to set aside a Sunday to teach what in means that Christ is King, when we had free-range human kings running around making laws and giving judgments.

But, by 1925, human kings were getting thin on the ground, so the last day of the Church year was set aside as a Feast to the Reign of Christ.

But instead of reading a passage, like: the Transfiguration – showing Christ in Glory attended by Moses and Elijah; or the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday with the crowd shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David!”  - Instead we read today the mocking tablet, affixed to the horrible cross, “King of the Jews.”

What kind of king is this?

A king should be lifted up on a golden throne.

He is lifted up on a horrible cross.

A king should have an honor guard of soldiers to protect him.

          He has a detail of prison guards to punish him.

A king should have wise counselors on either side to advise him.

          He has common thieves mocking and pleading.

A king gives judgments from his high seat. Ruling on war & peace, life & death.

          Ah, here we are.

Hear the judgment of Christ the King, pronounced from the highest throne in all creation, words not of death in that place of death, but words  of life, of life eternal:

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

This week we will be reminded many times to give thanks. As we gather at our tables. As we gather with friends and families. We lift our eyes to the horrible throne of our bloody murdered King and say, with a heart full to breaking.

Thank You Lord Christ.

Amen.