{"id":136,"date":"2010-11-21T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2010-11-21T16:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=136"},"modified":"2017-03-29T10:09:03","modified_gmt":"2017-03-29T17:09:03","slug":"here-is-our-king","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2010\/11\/21\/here-is-our-king\/","title":{"rendered":"Here is our King"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luke 23: 35-43<\/strong><\/p>\n

35 <\/sup><\/em>The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, \u201cHe saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

36 <\/sup><\/em>The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 <\/sup>and said, \u201cIf you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

38 <\/sup><\/em>There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. <\/em><\/p>\n

39 <\/sup><\/em>One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: \u201cAren\u2019t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

40 <\/sup><\/em>But the other criminal rebuked him. \u201cDon\u2019t you fear God,\u201d he said, \u201csince you are under the same sentence? 41 <\/sup>We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

42 <\/sup><\/em>Then he said, \u201cJesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

43 <\/sup><\/em>Jesus answered him, \u201cI tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The handsome Prince William and the pretty Lady Katherine.\u00a0 \u00a0The news people couldn\u2019t get enough of their engagement this week. \u00a0A big wedding is coming.\u00a0\u00a0 Then someday\u00a0 I suppose there will be a big impressive coronation.\u00a0 A new King will reign.\u00a0 King William.<\/p>\n

Yet for all the pomp and excitement, the royals of England have no real authority.<\/p>\n

We have no King ruling our land, but it’s hard to forget the tremendous crowd that came to witness our current presidents inauguration. \u00a0\u00a0People came from all over \u00a0on a day that would rival the coronation of many kings.<\/p>\n

On this day Luke describes long ago, the Romans \u00a0posted a sign above a man made to suffer a terrible death. It wasn’t meant to testify to the truth.\u00a0 \u00a0It was meant to mock the man and those who wanted him dead.\u00a0 It said, This is the King of the Jews. <\/em><\/p>\n

Nothing seemed further from the truth, as this man suffered one cruel indignity after another. \u00a0A King?\u00a0 The Christ?\u00a0 Kings belong in palaces surrounded by people wanting to please them.\u00a0 But this man is all alone, betrayed, abandoned by even his friends.\u00a0\u00a0 A King, the Christ?\u00a0 How could this be?\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Thank God that it is.<\/p>\n

HERE IS OUR KING<\/strong>
\nI.\u00a0 On a cross in weakness and shame
\nII.\u00a0 Promising what seems impossible.<\/p>\n

As he hung there, each took his turn.\u00a0 Passers by.\u00a0 The religious leaders.\u00a0 The soldiers charged with his execution.\u00a0 Even one of the criminals dying next to him.\u00a0 Each took his turn.\u00a0 In Psalm 22 we see it through Jesus eyes.\u00a0 6 <\/sup>But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7<\/sup> All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:<\/span> And we know the kinds of things they said:\u00a0 The Christ, a King, you can’t even save yourself, never mind anyone else<\/em>.\u00a0 Here is our King on a cross in weakness and shame<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Look at this offering plate.\u00a0 What do you see?\u00a0 A shiny, smooth piece of metal.\u00a0 But look through the microscope.\u00a0 Take a closer look. You see things that you can’t see with the naked eye.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Well think of Jesus up on that cross.\u00a0 What did people see? Anything but a King.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But look closer though.\u00a0 Look closer through the Word of God.\u00a0 This man is much more than a man.\u00a0 Paul wrote:\u00a0 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.<\/span> He is much more than a man, even more than the king of the Jews.\u00a0 He is the Son of God, the King of kings.\u00a0 So why do we find him on a cross in weakness and shame?<\/p>\n

His enemies might have said, we got him<\/em>.\u00a0 His friends might have said:\u00a0 How sad they did this to him.\u00a0 But look closer.\u00a0 What do you see?\u00a0 This King is there by choice. He is not some victim.\u00a0 He is there for you.\u00a0 He is there for me, this one who commands armies of angels.\u00a0 He is there for us.<\/p>\n

So what do we see?\u00a0 We see how much God loves us.\u00a0 We see the kind of King he is.\u00a0 So much that he became your brother. So much that he hung on that cross in weakness and shame for you.<\/p>\n

What does that mean?\u00a0 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.\u00a0 There are going to be times when you ask why.\u00a0 We can’t always know why.\u00a0 But I can tell you what.\u00a0 Look at the cross and this is what you see. Here is our King who loves you more than you can know.\u00a0 He is the one who hears your prayers.\u00a0 He is the one who has promised to be with you always.\u00a0 Here is our King.<\/strong> See his love and see his glory.<\/p>\n

This past week our president awarded the nation’s highest decoration to a young army Sergeant who risked his life to save his comrades.\u00a0 It made me think of another.\u00a0 \u00a0In the early stages of World War 2, the Americans were taking it on the chin in a place called Guadalcanal.\u00a0 The Marines were soon to be overrun.\u00a0 They needed rescue.\u00a0 A young Coast Guardsman by the name of Douglas Munro took\u00a0 the twelve boats under his command and evacuated those Marines under enemy fire.\u00a0 He was so determined to keep them safe that he took\u00a0 his boat and used it to shield the escaping Marines.\u00a0 1st Class Signalman, Douglas Munro, was then mortally wounded.\u00a0 And yet as he lay dying he was heard to say.\u00a0 Did they get away?<\/em> They did.\u00a0 200 of them \u00a0lived on so that now the name of Douglas Munro is honored and remembered as the only Coast Guardsman to receive the Medal of honor.<\/p>\n

Think of Jesus up on that cross in weakness and shame.\u00a0 We know why.\u00a0 The wages of our sin is death.\u00a0 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.<\/span> Here is our King who used that cross to shield us from what we deserve.\u00a0 Here is our King who suffered death that we can live as children of God.\u00a0 So look at this King dying for you in weakness and shame and see his glory. \u00a0See His glory as your Savior.<\/p>\n

But its not just what meets the eye this day which is so strange and amazing.\u00a0 It’s also what we hear.\u00a0 It’s the words that come from Jesus mouth.\u00a0 Here is our King promising what seems impossible. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark tells us that both men crucified with Jesus hurled insults at him.\u00a0 But something happened to one of those men as the hours dragged on.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit changed his heart. And so when the other criminal started to taunt Jesus, this man came to his defense.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you fear God,\u201d he said, \u201csince you are under the same sentence? 41 <\/sup>We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But now comes the amazing part.\u00a0 For hours now this man has watched Jesus suffer and be mocked.\u00a0 He has seen nothing that would tell him that this Jesus could help him in even the smallest way.\u00a0 He seemed helpless before his enemies.\u00a0 Yet this man prays to Jesus as if he is a king, in fact much more than a king.\u00a0 Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.<\/span> And who can forget Jesus answer to his prayer?\u00a0 Words that provide so much comfort to God’s people when death pushes it way into our lives.\u00a0 I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise. <\/span><\/p>\n

Just imagine that these other people heard Jesus say that.\u00a0 What do you think they would have said.\u00a0 Yeah right!<\/em> What Jesus promises seems impossible for him to give.\u00a0 Paradise, heaven.\u00a0\u00a0 How can he promise that?<\/p>\n

And \u00a0it seems impossible for another reason and not just for this criminal.\u00a0 Also impossible for us.\u00a0 For think of what this criminal said to the other.\u00a0 Don’t you fear God?<\/span> He knew he was guilty.\u00a0 And so are we.\u00a0 In more ways than we know.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 So what Jesus promises seems impossible for us who don’t deserve it.<\/p>\n

But it is possible. It is more than possible.\u00a0 It is sure.\u00a0 It is certain not because of what we can do.\u00a0 Heaven is our home because of this King who hung bleeding and dying on that cross for us and countless others.\u00a0 He is our King who has conquered death.\u00a0 He is our King who has made the impossible, more than possible.<\/p>\n

So where does this King fit into your life?\u00a0 Your life is full of opportunities to honor him.\u00a0\u00a0 Not just coming here to sing Crown Him with many crowns <\/em>and then going out to breakfast.\u00a0 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.\u00a0\u00a0 On the job as you seek to be a reliable employee.\u00a0 Or think of where his Word fits into your life?\u00a0 Honor your Savior and King by learning from Him.\u00a0 And don’t forget those that are having a tough time.\u00a0 Whatever you do for them, you do for Jesus. You honor Him by helping others as you can.\u00a0 You see, \u00a0it’s more than just saying I believe. \u00a0\u00a0It’s about beginning each day and facing life’s choices with this prayer:\u00a0 Thy will be done.<\/em> For here was our King that we could live as God’s forgiven people.\u00a0 Here was our King that we can come to God with freedom and confidence.\u00a0 Here was our King that heaven is now our home.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Luke 23: 35-43 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, \u201cHe saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.\u201d 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, \u201cIf you are the king of the Jews, save […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":850,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136\/revisions\/850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}