Thoughts going in, Sun Nov 21st

33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, 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 Messiah? 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, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:33-43)

Well, this is one of those Sundays where there’s a LOT more going on than simply what we read in the text. Some Sundays are “theme” Sundays; some Sundays are “bridge” Sundays. This Sunday happens to be BOTH.

THEME: The theme of this Sunday is its title: “Christ the King.” Like all theme Sundays, there is more than just a simple demand that the text(s) be exposited and applied. We must also find the theme within the text.

BRIDGE: As one season in the church year comes to a close, and another begins, very often that last Sunday of the outgoing season functions as a bridge between the two (as can the 1st Sunday of the incoming season). As mentioned, this Sunday is also a bridge because we are ending Ordinary time (aka the Sundays after Pentecost) and going into Advent. These two seasons are STARKLY different in their character and content. Ordinary time—an unfortunate name that is often, I fear, thought of as being “ho hum” time—is a time for ORDERLY marching through scripture; it’s a time for whole-book studies; a time for growth and application within the Christian faith. Advent, however, has its own themes; themes of hope; waiting; repentance; and of course the COMING of the Lord. It can be mildly jolting to go from a season like Ordinary time to Advent without a bridge Sunday that has its own specific theme. Enter Christ the King Sunday.

So with all of that in mind, I have these thoughts going in to this Sunday. Verse 34a looms somewhat large: Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” It’s easy to pass over this verse; it’s easy to chalk this verse up to how noble or magnanimous Jesus was, but given our theme, this verse takes on even greater importance. Not only did they not know that they were executing a totally innocent person, not only did they not know they were executing the only sinless person who ever walked the face of the earth, most importantly of all they did not know they were executing God in the flesh; the King of the Universe. The point I’m trying to make here is that as we celebrate Christ the King Sunday, one of the things we have to accept right up front is that the Kingship of Christ in its present form is **VEILED**. Jesus is currently ruling through love and humility—even now, post-resurrection, but his reign is not obvious to the casual observer.

It is mistaken to view this period as a time of ‘defeat’ for the Lordship of Christ, or for that matter to view it as a time of ‘battle between the forces of good and evil’ that could go either way. True enough, forces of good are battling forces of evil (Eph. 6:12)* . But this is not a ‘jump-ball’ scenario that could go either way. The Bible clearly promises that God is in the process of redeeming this world and that process will not be thwarted—in spite of what we see at any given moment (we walk by faith, not by sight). And so St. Paul can say with assurance what WILL happen when human history comes to an end and the reign of Christ will NO LONGER be veiled: “so that at the name of Jesus every knee WILL bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue WILL confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:10,11). The reign is currently veiled in love and humility so that the Gospel can be preached and accepted on its own merits without coercion…but make no mistake, he **is reigning.

The other thing that really stands out to me, thematically, from this text has to do with Christ’s royal nature and prerogatives. For the first time in a long time we have “royalty” in the news, as Prince William of England’s engagement was just announced. And I’m sure that when the wedding finally happens, it’ll be the biggest thing since the last royal wedding, and even we here in the States will be enthralled with all of the pomp & circumstance of the royal event—the lavish parties; the perfectly & exquisitely tailored outfits; the long processions, etc. etc.

Contrast that notion to our text, where FIVE times in the span of ten verses, the author uses words like “messiah, king, and kingdom.” This is not accidental. The evangelist St. Luke is putting up neon signs pointing to Jesus throughout the text: he’s the king…..he’s the king…..he’s the king….is what he seems to be saying. And yet, he also wants us to see PRECISELY what it means from God’s perspective to be the messiah/king; it means to love the ones who are killing you; it means to willingly let them shed your blood for their own sinful/selfish reasons; and then it means to forgive them for it.

This is deep stuff. When God gets his hands on kingship, he uses it to give to others; he uses it to die for the sins of the world.

cheers,

TM


*Eph 6:12: For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.