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33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 [Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews. 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:33-43 NRSV)
This coming Sunday is Christ the King Sunday in most churches. It is the Church's way of reminding itself and all who worship with us, that Jesus is our true, eternal king. And this passage shows us the reverse or opposite of what we know earthly kings desire and exhibit. This is Christ the King Sunday, and we're confronted with the most subversive kingship in history. Every earthly understanding of power, authority, and royalty is turned upside down. Kings wear crowns—Jesus wears thorns. Kings command armies—Jesus prays for His executioners. Kings demand service—Jesus gives His life. Kings save themselves—Jesus saves others by refusing to save Himself. I repeat that Jesus is our true king that puts all earthly kings to shame. Our history of earth has a long, long list of those who were kings. Don't believe me? Re-read the Bible and take notes! Israel's kings were not the best examples of service and mission. Does the name Ahab the King make you smile? Not to mention his wife, Mean Ole Jezebel! We as citizens of the United States rejected kings in 1776. The closest thing to a king that we have is the office of president. In the same way as kings, most presidents were not the best. A friend of mine some years ago, in a remote part of Colorado where he was attending school went to a school dance and there in the place where the dance was held was a man walking alone, and would stop and shake hands with students. He came up to my friend and extended his hand. He identified himself as a peanut farmer and the conversation left an impression on him because of his humility and desire to serve the country. As he told the story we were both in seminary and the president was Jimmy Carter. He said he was impressed with the face he didn't have a big entourage nor an air of importance about him. Now, politics aside, Mr. Carter did the best he could given all he faced and what the world threw at him. Jimmy lived a life that showed his commitment to God. Jesus' first words from the cross reveal His kingdom's character: "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." While they're driving nails through His hands, dividing His clothes, mocking His claims—He's praying for their forgiveness. This is what kingship looks like in God's kingdom: self-giving love that absorbs violence and returns mercy, power that manifests through weakness, authority that serves rather than dominates. The mockers think they're exposing Jesus as a false king because He won't come down from the cross. But they're missing the entire point. His refusal to save Himself is precisely what makes Him King. Any king can save himself. Only this King has the power and the love to save others by staying on the cross. The crucifixion isn't the defeat of His kingship—it's the demonstration of it.
Then comes the stunning moment when one criminal, in the midst of his own agony, sees what the religious leaders miss: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And if you've ever sung this song, you know the power and humility of those words in sung format.** This thief, with hours or minutes left to live, recognizes that Jesus possesses a kingdom even while dying naked on a cross. He doesn't see a defeated rabbi or a failed revolutionary. He sees a King. And he makes the simplest, most profound request: remember me. Not "save me from this cross" or "get me down from here" but "remember me when you come into your kingdom." He understands that Jesus' kingdom isn't of this world, that these crosses don't nullify His reign but somehow establish it. This criminal's faith is more clear-eyed than that of the disciples who scattered, the leaders who mocked, or the crowds who called for crucifixion.
Jesus' response is immediate and breathtaking: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." No waiting period. No probation. No religious hoops to jump through. No board or committee standardized questions. Today. This very day when both are dying as criminals, they will be together in Paradise. The thief asks to be remembered in some distant future kingdom, but Jesus promises presence in Paradise today. This is the King we celebrate on Christ the King Sunday—a King whose kingdom is so upside-down that the first citizen admitted is a dying criminal with nothing to offer except faith born in desperation. A King whose throne is a cross, whose coronation is execution, whose power is weakness, whose victory is death, and whose kingdom is open to anyone who simply asks to be remembered. The leaders saved themselves and lost everything. The thief lost everything and was saved. Christ the King saved everyone by refusing to save Himself. This is the kingdom we're invited into—not one earned by worthiness or achieved by righteousness, but one entered by recognizing the crucified Christ as King and asking Him to remember us.
PRAYER: Jesus, our crucified and risen King, help us see that Your kingdom comes through the cross, that Your power is perfected in weakness, and that Your throne is open to all who simply ask You to remember them—we worship You as the King who saved us by refusing to save Yourself, in Your strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, worship Jesus as King not by seeking power or status but by serving someone in need, following the pattern of the King who demonstrated His reign through self-giving love rather than self-preservation.
I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, and you matter to me! Make this day special by being unique in your service and love.
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
**Click to hear this beautiful song: https://bit.ly/4i6SHn1
