Christ the King—11/20/16
Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 46; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43
Pr. Scott Kramer
Last Sunday, you may recall, was the end of the world—as has every day since! That includes today, and it’s a special ending. Christ the King Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year.
Today’s gospel reading may seem strange. Although we’re still weeks away from Christmas, today’s reading from Luke is from Holy Week, the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, which we won’t hear again until next April! And yet, if you think about it, it’s a perfect fit. The final day of our church year is the same day we remember the final day of Jesus’ life.
Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing. Were Jesus’ words from the cross ever truer than today?
This past week Carl Higgins, a member of the newly-elected presidential transition team, suggested a national registry for immigrants, especially for Muslims. He said, America has done it based on race, we’ve done it based on religion, we’ve done it based on region…We did it during World War II with the Japanese.” He was asked, “You’re not proposing that we go back to the days of internment camps, are you?” And Higgins replied, We need to protect America first.
Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.
Yesterday’s news included a report that the new nominee for Attorney General has a long history of racist comments and an interest in rolling back civil rights of minorities.
Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.
We have a deep need to think of ourselves as the “good guys.” But in response to people who called him good, Jesus once asked, Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. (Mark 10:18)
On the last Sunday of the church year, on the last day of his life, this truth is powerfully affirmed. Jesus is crucified between two criminals. But it’s not as if the criminals were the problem. One of them, at least, at the end of the story, experiences a change of heart, a spiritual awakening.
No, the problem in this story is much deeper than two criminals–because Luke tells us in v.35 that “the people stood by, watching.” The 18th-century philosopher Edmund Burke once famously wrote, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. … “Among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist.”
In today’s gospel story the people stood by, watching, doing nothing as injustice and cruelty happened right under their noses. Their first concern was self-preservation.
But there’s more. The leaders scoffed at him, saying, He saved others, let him save himself. “Save yourself, Jesus!” That’s a message we hear every day: “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” “Be a self-made man.” “If I’ve made it in the world, so can you poor people.” And now there’s talk in the news about cutting Medicare. “Seniors, save yourself!”
In today’s story, the soldiers of the Empire joined in. They mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
From the greatest to the least, there are no good guys in this story. Save yourself, Jesus. Save yourself. And we who receive this story are invited into the story to find ourselves. Who are we? Are we the silent bystanders, or are we the self-sufficient defenders of power and privilege?
These questions are raised by the first part of Luke’s story. But it’s the second part of the story that brings it all into sharp focus. One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding Jesus and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”
But–the other criminal 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.” Finally, a glimpse of the kingdom of God—and from a very unexpected source!
In this whole story, the only person who gets it right is a condemned criminal. Speaking for you and for me and for all of humanity, he speaks the truth: “We deserve death and condemnation.” All our good intentions, all our sincerity, our good works—none of these things can disguise for long a deeper, darker truth of who we are. And yet, from the lips of Jesus, words of grace: Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.
Any Seahawks fans here this morning? Yeah, me, too! And a lot of my support of the Seahawks has to do with the personalities involved. One of my favorites is Richard Sherman, who was recently asked about his views on the outcome of our recent election. Here’s what he said: “Well, I’m not surprised…the election allowed people to show their true colors.”
We can hide for awhile behind good intentions and church attendance and good works. But none of these things necessarily represent a transformation of the heart; in fact, they can disguise a darker side of human nature. Need help? Don’t look at me! And don’t expect the government to help. Save yourself!
But for all that, the final word on the final Sunday of the church year is a powerful word of good news! This good news is represented by a sinner on the cross who represents some of the best of human nature: the person who, instead of ignoring or making excuses for his sin, sees himself clearly and fully as he really is: “We are getting what we deserve.”
This same criminal recognizes that he cannot save himself: Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus replies: Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
Paradise, dear friends, is never a reward for good behavior. We arrive at Paradise only through the deep pain and the deep joy of seeing ourselves and the world as we really are: we see more clearly both our deep sin and God’s boundless mercy, love and forgiveness. Awakened to such amazing grace, with grateful hearts we chart a completely new direction of love for the whole world…which God so loved…that he gave his only Son.
AMEN
Leave a Reply