If you were part of a committee to choose readings for each Sunday of the church year, what readings would you choose for a Sunday called “Christ the King”? You might pick a reading like our epistle lesson today where Christ is called the image of the invisible God and the one in whom the fullness of God dwelt bodily. That sounds like a king.
You might choose one of the majestic readings from the book of Revelation that pictures Jesus with his face shining as the sun and his voice like rushing waters and sword coming from his mouth and his hand holding the seven stars. That sounds like a king.
When we think of the title “Christ the King”-- we naturally think of our Lord as he is now—seated at the right hand of his Father—clothed in majesty and glory—ruling all things in heaven and on earth for the sake of his people the church.
I don’t know if any of us would think to choose the Gospel account of his death on the cross as the main reading-- because the way he is portrayed there—beaten, broken, bloody-- looks nothing like a king. Kings reign in pomp and splendor. Kings rule with power and authority. Kings ride to victory and conquest.
The scene that we have before us today in Luke’s Gospel is anything but that. It is a picture of broken-ness and death and ugliness. And yet the truth of the matter is that the Church got it right in choosing this account of our Lord’s death on the cross for Christ the King Sunday because it captures the central mystery of our Faith: that the fullness of God dwelt bodily in the womb of the Blessed Virgin—that the One who is before all things and after all things entered into human history at a particular point of time under the demands of the law—that the One who is the author of life and creator of all-- died for his creature’s sins. That paradox of a crucified king is the heart of our faith.
Today as we reflect upon God’s Word to us from Luke’s Gospel, we will see that there is a flurry of activity and a whole host of characters and a din of voices that surrounds our Lord’s death—women weeping, soldiers gambling for his garments, rulers mocking him, and criminals dying with him.
But what I want to focus on are the three things that Jesus says in the midst of it all—three things that reveal Jesus’ absolute authority, not only as the King of the Jews—but as the King of kings.
Jesus says: “Weep for yourselves”. “Father, forgive them”. And “Today you will be with me in paradise”. That call to repentance—that petition for forgiveness—that promise of paradise—only our King can make. The Bible says:
And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
From our gospel lesson last Sunday we know why Jesus tells these women that as bad as it is for him at that moment, heading to crucifixion at Calvary, it will be even worse for them in the years to come. Many of these women whom Jesus addresses along the way to Calvary were still be alive in 70 A.D. and certainly their children were alive when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and murdered and enslaved its inhabitants.
It’s important that we see that event—not just as a fact of history—but from the Bible’s perspective—as an unmistakable sign of the final judgment still to come. As Jesus carried his cross through the streets of Jerusalem, he knew what was ahead for him—a terrible, painful death and separation from his heavenly Father. But he also knew that suffering and death was not the end for him: that he would be raised from the dead, ascend to heaven, and re-take his rightful place at his Father’s right hand.
In effect Jesus asks the daughters of Jerusalem: “Do you have the same certainty of eternal life?” “Do you know beyond a shadow of doubt that you have the same eternal future in God’s presence?” If they were going to wail and mourn and weep for anyone, they ought to do so for themselves and those they love before it was too late—before the time of repentance came to an end with God’s judgment upon Jerusalem.
The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple—as terrible as it was-- was a picture pointing to something much, much worse-- and that is what will befall all of those on the Last Day who have not repented of their sins and come to faith in Jesus. And so Jesus told the daughters of Jerusalem to weep for themselves.
He tells us the same. Repent in sorrow and heartfelt tears before it is too late—before the day of grace ends. That is what Jesus means when he said: For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?
With each passing moment-- the hour of judgment—draws ever closer and the hour of grace ebbs away. And if that were true for the daughters of Jerusalem 2000 years ago, how much more is it true for us here today? We do not know when this world end-- but we know beyond any shadow of a doubt that it will end. That is why today is the day for us to weep and wail—mourn and lament-- our broken human condition and repent of our sinfulness.
There is only One who has the right to call us to repentance --and that is the King of Glory who walked the way of suffering with a cross upon his shoulders, bearing the weight of our sins. It is only in repentance and faith in him that we find the shelter we need to endure the day of his coming.
Forty years after Jesus spoke these words, many of the daughters of Jerusalem and their children tried to take shelter in the mountains and hills around Jerusalem but it became the place of their death.
So it still is for all those who try to take shelter in anyone or in anyplace or in anything other than the one shelter that God has provided in the blood of his Son shed upon Calvary. Our good works and our sincere intentions will not hide our sins from God’s view—only in the blood of Jesus can we find refuge from God’s judgment. The Bible says:
Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ 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."
Father, forgive them. Forgive those who have done wrong. Forgive those who have crucified me by their sins. Forgive those who are ignorant of their sins. Forgive those who are interested only in material things. Forgive those who scoff and mock and ridicule. Father, forgive them—forgive them all.
There was only one person there that day on the rocky hill of Calvary who did not need forgiveness—only one who never needed to be forgiven-- and that was the Lamb of God who sacrificed his life there—the perfect, fully sufficient, atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews—David’s Son and David’s Lord—just like God had promised—the heir who would sit on David’s throne forever as the one true king.
That day on the cross, Jesus did what he came to do --and what he still lives to do: intercede for us poor sinners before his heavenly Father—lifting up the sacrifice of his own life between our sins and God’s wrath. Only a truly great King can petition the living God of the universe and expect to be heard. Jesus is that king. The Bible tells us of that priestly role of the One who sits on David’s throne:
We have one who speaks in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but for the sins of the world.
It is entirely appropriate that this Gospel lesson of our Lord’s crucifixion was chosen for Christ the King Sunday (the last Sunday of the church year when our attention is focused upon our Lord’s return in glory to judge the living and the dead) because there is only one thing that will matter on that day: and that is Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins. His saving work changes us from objects of God’s wrath bound for hell--to sons and daughters who will live with him forever in paradise. The Bible says:
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? 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 justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
There was at least one person there day who heard what Jesus had to say about weeping for yourself in repentance—one who heard Jesus ask his Father to forgive—and hearing these words the repentant thief was changed by them for eternity-- for he recognized by faith that the broken, bloody man who hangs on the cross was truly a king with a kingdom to give—and in that late hour—a dying sinner was born again into eternal life.
The Holy Spirit was working though those words that Jesus spoke that day (just as he always works through the preaching of the Gospel) and the repentant, believing thief was changed from an object of God’s wrath to a son of God with a place prepared for him in paradise.
The story of the repentant, believing thief is every Christian’s story. He was unworthy of a place in God’s kingdom. He was guilty as sin under God’s law. He deserved punishment in time and eternity. And yet he heard the promise of forgiveness from the lips of Christ--believed him-- and was saved eternally by the crucified king.
Christ speaks those same forgiving words to us today Holy Absolution and Holy Communion. Can we ever hear them too much! No! Can we receive the gifts of salvation too often? No! Each of us must find ourselves in the same place as the repentant thief—confessing our sins and believing in Jesus and receiving his forgiveness if we are to be saved when the King comes again.
The scene of the cross will be mirrored on the Last Day as a scene of judgment. Sinners will be assembled both on Christ’s left and Christ’s right. Those on both sides will deserve death. But some will be saved and some will not. And the only difference between the two is the one who stands between the two groups—the crucified King. Those who confess him as Lord and Savior will be saved-- and those who deny him will be condemned. I pray that God would grant us his grace so that we may confess Christ as our Savior King today and eternally. Amen.
