Christ the King
Luke 23:27-43
24 November 2019
Jesus Lord at Thy Death
Almighty and merciful God, You break the power of evil make all things new in Your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim Your glory and never cease to praise You. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns wiht You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen
Jesus is dying on the cross. Yet today. We celebrate the festival of Christ the King. How so? Execution as a criminal is usually considered a time of disgrace and defeat. Critics at the cross acknowledge this by saying, “He saved others, let Him save himself…If you are the king save yourself.” In a few weeks at Christmas we will be singing a line of “Silent Night” which says, “Jesus Lord at Thy birth.” Can we sing today, “Jesus Lord at Thy death”?
See how Jesus is Lord even at His death.
1. He was Lord over His enemies by not responding to their insults – Vv. 35-37 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar, and saying, if thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself.
Here we find a wonderful picture of Jesus. The suffering servant. He willingly and obediently went to the cross. He could have turned away. He did not have to die for you. But willingly and obediently He bore the cross. Along with its agony. And its sufferings. He endured the cross and its shame. He bore your sins in His own body. He died for you in your place. He withstood the insults. The criticisms. The harsh tones. The mistreatment. And abuse.
He simply prayed: “Father, forgive them…Father forgive them for they know not what they do!” Such patience is hard to even imagine. But He took this for He knew that this was the only way to merit and win salvation for you. There was no other way to save you. This was the only way out for you. There can be no other options. For you to receive the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation -look only to Christ and Christ alone. Your own works will not do. Your good intentions - cannot sustain you. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. An alternative form is "Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works". And those good works are the works of Christ!1
Only in Christ is the salvation and life. On this Christ the King Sunday - Let this be known - Jesus has borne for you the cruelty of the cross. In that cross of Christ I glory. For it stands as a sign and a seal of your forgiveness.
TRANSITION: The Lord Jesus was Lord in His suffering. He is also Lord in His power to save.
2. He was Lord in His power to save sinners – Vv. 39-43 And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? Save thyself and us. But the other answered, and rebuking him said, dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
“Jesus, remember me!” was the prayer of the sinner. He didn’t have time to get his life back together. He didn’t have time to render service for the Master. He was on his death bed. All he could do was look to Jesus and ask to be remembered.
This is saving faith. Which takes Jesus at His word. As the thief took comfort in Jesus the Lord of Life. In His passion. And His ability to save. So you are saved by His stripes and wounds. This is truly good news. Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Christ - The power of God. Christ - The one who has overcome the powers of sin. Death. The devil. And hell itself. He delivers the goods. He brings salvation. And the hope of heaven. This Jesus. King of Kings. And Lord of Lords. You serve Him as His people. You are saved and safe by His victory over the grave.
We have come to the conclusion of yet another church year. It began in our anticipation of the coming of Christ at Christmas. As we celebrated His nativity. We saw that He was the One sent from the Father. We walked with Him during His passion in the Holy season of Lent. In the Easter and Pentecost seasons we meditated upon His words. Which bring salvation and life.
Next week will mark a new church year season. We will again walk with the Savior. May our worship. Our work. Our prayers. Our service. Be dedicated to Him. Who is the way the truth and the Life. Truly His is the Lord and King of all.
Words – 682
Passive Sentences –6%
Readability – 85.5%
Reading Level – 3.4
1 "The road to Hell is paved with good intention,s" Probers,infobase Publishing 2007, p.234, ISBN 9780816066735
See how Jesus is Lord even at His death.
1. He was Lord over His enemies by not responding to their insults – Vv. 35-37 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar, and saying, if thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself.
Here we find a wonderful picture of Jesus. The suffering servant. He willingly and obediently went to the cross. He could have turned away. He did not have to die for you. But willingly and obediently He bore the cross. Along with its agony. And its sufferings. He endured the cross and its shame. He bore your sins in His own body. He died for you in your place. He withstood the insults. The criticisms. The harsh tones. The mistreatment. And abuse.
He simply prayed: “Father, forgive them…Father forgive them for they know not what they do!” Such patience is hard to even imagine. But He took this for He knew that this was the only way to merit and win salvation for you. There was no other way to save you. This was the only way out for you. There can be no other options. For you to receive the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation -look only to Christ and Christ alone. Your own works will not do. Your good intentions - cannot sustain you. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. An alternative form is "Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works". And those good works are the works of Christ!1
Only in Christ is the salvation and life. On this Christ the King Sunday - Let this be known - Jesus has borne for you the cruelty of the cross. In that cross of Christ I glory. For it stands as a sign and a seal of your forgiveness.
TRANSITION: The Lord Jesus was Lord in His suffering. He is also Lord in His power to save.
2. He was Lord in His power to save sinners – Vv. 39-43 And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? Save thyself and us. But the other answered, and rebuking him said, dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
“Jesus, remember me!” was the prayer of the sinner. He didn’t have time to get his life back together. He didn’t have time to render service for the Master. He was on his death bed. All he could do was look to Jesus and ask to be remembered.
This is saving faith. Which takes Jesus at His word. As the thief took comfort in Jesus the Lord of Life. In His passion. And His ability to save. So you are saved by His stripes and wounds. This is truly good news. Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Christ - The power of God. Christ - The one who has overcome the powers of sin. Death. The devil. And hell itself. He delivers the goods. He brings salvation. And the hope of heaven. This Jesus. King of Kings. And Lord of Lords. You serve Him as His people. You are saved and safe by His victory over the grave.
We have come to the conclusion of yet another church year. It began in our anticipation of the coming of Christ at Christmas. As we celebrated His nativity. We saw that He was the One sent from the Father. We walked with Him during His passion in the Holy season of Lent. In the Easter and Pentecost seasons we meditated upon His words. Which bring salvation and life.
Next week will mark a new church year season. We will again walk with the Savior. May our worship. Our work. Our prayers. Our service. Be dedicated to Him. Who is the way the truth and the Life. Truly His is the Lord and King of all.
Words – 682
Passive Sentences –6%
Readability – 85.5%
Reading Level – 3.4
1 "The road to Hell is paved with good intention,s" Probers,infobase Publishing 2007, p.234, ISBN 9780816066735
Image of The Crucifixion of Jesus Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, Das Buch der Bücher in Bilden (The Book of Books in Pictures) copyright © WELS used by permission for personal and congregational use.
Good Friday Image copyright © Higher Things
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