IS HE YOUR KING?


 Image result for jesus on the cross MEL gIBSON
Imagine we are at Calvary! It was called the place of the skull. How fitting! Lives are taken! Our modern Calvary would be like the electric chair or the fatal injection. Now imagine we are there, on your left there are women wailing, on your right a crowd watching Jesus on the cross and in front of them, the leaders and the soldiers taunting and scoffing at Jesus saying King save yourself! Just like we also ask Jesus you are God why don’t you intervene in my case! For the purpose of this sermon I have brought a real cross with an inscription on it: King of the Jews: Scandal. The two criminals who were crucified with Jesus one on each of his side, their inscription clearly says what crime they did to deserve death. Jesus was condemned to death for being: King of the Jews. Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, yet it doesn’t seem like a celebration, does it? because there is wailing, and suffering on the cross! The crown of thorns brought out blood all over Jesus’ face and dripping on the ground. The implications of the reign of this King were about to astonish everyone and shake all heaven and earth to the core. Are you ready to learn more?
Kings belong into palaces! They don’t belong in custody with handcuffs, so we think! At least that’s what we are used to. But this King is different: He was born poor and at the end of his life he was treated like a criminal, although soldiers were joking around and giving him a King’s red robe and a crown of thorns. He really is a King; it wasn’t a joke! We discovered what kind of King He is when he began to forgive them: “Father Forgive them for they know not what they are doing” Instead of his heart being inflamed over the unjust treatment, he forgave their ignorance. That’s what his Kingdom is like: This King is not a bully but He is like a servant/friend. Someone linking Heaven and earth together. The King’s blood dripping on the ground was connecting all creatures like little dots to their creator. The King was being like a bridge, for all of us to march on towards our Father in Heaven. The divine life was being poured out for the healing of the world.
This royal and divine blood entered not only the streams of Israel but all of the oceans of the world for the redemption of creation. You and I have the benefits of this redemption, which is reenacted at Holy Eucharist to strengthen the bond of our special relationship with Jesus. Our Lord and Savior, King of all kings, Lord of lords. He came to save the lost, the sinners: us. Maybe when we live a life unworthy of Christ, we unplug ourselves from God, we are like those taunting and scoffing him, maybe we are like those wailing but not really connected to Jesus. Maybe we become like those two criminals on Jesus’ side, Guilty! But one of the criminals eventually realized that Jesus is a King! He asked: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” Was it desperation? They knew they were going to die, but the criminal was convinced this wasn’t the end! Jesus’ Kingdom is beyond all this! Death is not the end! And Jesus response confirms it: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise”
That’s the kind of King I have followed. Full of compassion and mercy. We shouldn’t abuse this, if we continue being unplugged from God! We should be repentant and resolute to change that’s how we plug back into God! We rely on God’s grace to help us lead victorious lives over sin. This is a battle everyday of our lives. Paul told Colossians that this King Jesus is God himself who has come to relaunch creation [Bishop NT Wrights tells us]. By his death on the cross and His resurrection, He has rescued us from the power of darkness, addictions, and transferred us into His Kingdom of peace: SO, YOU ARE FORGIVEN! You have been bought by the precious blood of God shed on the cross: YOU BELONG INTO HIS KINGDOM NOW AND FOREVER! You should celebrate! And at the same time live a sober life knowing what a great privilege it was that HE RESCUED YOU!
Live accordingly!
Amen!

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