Luke 23: 35-43
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The handsome Prince William and the pretty Lady Katherine. The news people couldn’t get enough of their engagement this week. A big wedding is coming. Then someday I suppose there will be a big impressive coronation. A new King will reign. King William.
Yet for all the pomp and excitement, the royals of England have no real authority.
We have no King ruling our land, but it’s hard to forget the tremendous crowd that came to witness our current presidents inauguration. People came from all over on a day that would rival the coronation of many kings.
On this day Luke describes long ago, the Romans posted a sign above a man made to suffer a terrible death. It wasn’t meant to testify to the truth. It was meant to mock the man and those who wanted him dead. It said, This is the King of the Jews.
Nothing seemed further from the truth, as this man suffered one cruel indignity after another. A King? The Christ? Kings belong in palaces surrounded by people wanting to please them. But this man is all alone, betrayed, abandoned by even his friends. A King, the Christ? How could this be? Thank God that it is.
HERE IS OUR KING
I. On a cross in weakness and shame
II. Promising what seems impossible.
As he hung there, each took his turn. Passers by. The religious leaders. The soldiers charged with his execution. Even one of the criminals dying next to him. Each took his turn. In Psalm 22 we see it through Jesus eyes. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: And we know the kinds of things they said: The Christ, a King, you can’t even save yourself, never mind anyone else. Here is our King on a cross in weakness and shame.
Look at this offering plate. What do you see? A shiny, smooth piece of metal. But look through the microscope. Take a closer look. You see things that you can’t see with the naked eye. Well think of Jesus up on that cross. What did people see? Anything but a King. But look closer though. Look closer through the Word of God. This man is much more than a man. Paul wrote: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, For by him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth. He is much more than a man, even more than the king of the Jews. He is the Son of God, the King of kings. So why do we find him on a cross in weakness and shame?
His enemies might have said, we got him. His friends might have said: How sad they did this to him. But look closer. What do you see? This King is there by choice. He is not some victim. He is there for you. He is there for me, this one who commands armies of angels. He is there for us.
So what do we see? We see how much God loves us. We see the kind of King he is. So much that he became your brother. So much that he hung on that cross in weakness and shame for you.
What does that mean? There are going to be times in your lives when things hurt, when you are not sure what to think, when you are tempted to believe there is no god and if there is, he sure doesn’t care about me. There are going to be times when you ask why. We can’t always know why. But I can tell you what. Look at the cross and this is what you see. Here is our King who loves you more than you can know. He is the one who hears your prayers. He is the one who has promised to be with you always. Here is our King. See his love and see his glory.
This past week our president awarded the nation’s highest decoration to a young army Sergeant who risked his life to save his comrades. It made me think of another. In the early stages of World War 2, the Americans were taking it on the chin in a place called Guadalcanal. The Marines were soon to be overrun. They needed rescue. A young Coast Guardsman by the name of Douglas Munro took the twelve boats under his command and evacuated those Marines under enemy fire. He was so determined to keep them safe that he took his boat and used it to shield the escaping Marines. 1st Class Signalman, Douglas Munro, was then mortally wounded. And yet as he lay dying he was heard to say. Did they get away? They did. 200 of them lived on so that now the name of Douglas Munro is honored and remembered as the only Coast Guardsman to receive the Medal of honor.
Think of Jesus up on that cross in weakness and shame. We know why. The wages of our sin is death. All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way. and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Here is our King who used that cross to shield us from what we deserve. Here is our King who suffered death that we can live as children of God. So look at this King dying for you in weakness and shame and see his glory. See His glory as your Savior.
But its not just what meets the eye this day which is so strange and amazing. It’s also what we hear. It’s the words that come from Jesus mouth. Here is our King promising what seems impossible.
Mark tells us that both men crucified with Jesus hurled insults at him. But something happened to one of those men as the hours dragged on. The Holy Spirit changed his heart. And so when the other criminal started to taunt Jesus, this man came to his defense. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
But now comes the amazing part. For hours now this man has watched Jesus suffer and be mocked. He has seen nothing that would tell him that this Jesus could help him in even the smallest way. He seemed helpless before his enemies. Yet this man prays to Jesus as if he is a king, in fact much more than a king. Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. And who can forget Jesus answer to his prayer? Words that provide so much comfort to God’s people when death pushes it way into our lives. I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.
Just imagine that these other people heard Jesus say that. What do you think they would have said. Yeah right! What Jesus promises seems impossible for him to give. Paradise, heaven. How can he promise that?
And it seems impossible for another reason and not just for this criminal. Also impossible for us. For think of what this criminal said to the other. Don’t you fear God? He knew he was guilty. And so are we. In more ways than we know. This world may not call us criminals but God’s word calls us something worse, sinners. We are people who have wiped our feet on God’s will for our lives. So what Jesus promises seems impossible for us who don’t deserve it.
But it is possible. It is more than possible. It is sure. It is certain not because of what we can do. Heaven is our home because of this King who hung bleeding and dying on that cross for us and countless others. He is our King who has conquered death. He is our King who has made the impossible, more than possible.
So where does this King fit into your life? Your life is full of opportunities to honor him. Not just coming here to sing Crown Him with many crowns and then going out to breakfast. You honor him in your marriage as you love one another, forgive one another and strive to be more the partner he wants you to be. On the job as you seek to be a reliable employee. Or think of where his Word fits into your life? Honor your Savior and King by learning from Him. And don’t forget those that are having a tough time. Whatever you do for them, you do for Jesus. You honor Him by helping others as you can. You see, it’s more than just saying I believe. It’s about beginning each day and facing life’s choices with this prayer: Thy will be done. For here was our King that we could live as God’s forgiven people. Here was our King that we can come to God with freedom and confidence. Here was our King that heaven is now our home. Amen.