Who Is This King of Glory?

A sermon delivered by the Reverend Scott D. Nowack on November 20, 2011

at First Presbyterian Church, Kilgore, Texas.

 

"Who Is This King of Glory?"

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Luke 23:33-43

Many years ago, a young woman was working as a volunteer at Community General Hospital.  While she was there, she got to know a little girl named Erica who was suffering from a rare and serious disease.  Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. 

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.  He hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes, I’ll do it if it will save Erica.”  As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, seeing the color returning to her cheeks.  Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.  He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”

Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all his blood.

Do you know anyone who is willing to die for you?  Do you know anyone who is willing to put your life ahead of their own?  Who are you willing to die for?

This little boy showed great courage and love putting his sister’s life ahead of his own.  Jesus demonstrated the love God has for each of us by taking upon himself the sin of all humanity and enduring the pain and suffering of the cross on our behalf. 

Jesus was called many things: Rabbi, Teacher, Messiah, Son of God to name a few.  Another one I wish to highlight today is Jesus Christ as a king.  After all, Jesus came to earth to usher in the Kingdom of God.  The Gospel of Mark has Jesus going to Galilee to proclaim the good news of God saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:15) 

What kind of king was Jesus?  Did he have a fancy palace to live in, or servants caring for his every need or the wealth or the army of an earthly king?

This is the kind of king people in his day wanted him to be and expected him to be; one who would lead a revolt against the Roman occupation; one who would restore the Kingdom of Israel raising up a new Jewish nation.

He was perceived as a threat to a lot of people, especially those entrenched in the political and religious power structure of his day.  He must be held up as an example to others to not revolt against the powers that be.  What better way to do this than by crucifixion. 

To die by crucifixion was one hundred percent pure torture.  There was nothing good about it, except to kill people.  It was the electric chair of the first century.  Brutality at its most brutal.

Add to it the mocking words of the leaders, the soldiers, the unrepentant criminal and the inscription put on top of the cross.  It is here that we are confronted with the true nature of Jesus’ Kingship.  On one hand, we hear the repeated demand, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” and “Are you not the Messiah, save yourself and us!”  They offer another temptation for Jesus to take the easy way out by saving himself and avoiding the cross.  But Jesus clearly remains focused on the goal of fulfilling God’s divine will. 

On the other hand, the words of the scoffers offer us an ironic twist about his kingly mission.  He is a Messiah, a king who saves others only by not saving himself. (v.35)  What kind of king is Jesus?  He’s the kind that refuses to obey the voices of temptation, even in his most desperate hour, to fulfill his calling as the Messiah.  Jesus stood the meaning of kingship and what a kingdom is on its head, upside down.

The crucifixion event is no political power play following the logic of most power plays we know: retaliation, competition, self-protectiveness and the like.  It is the event in which Jesus dares us to trust and obey the will of God that takes him to the cross and beyond. 

As the religious leaders lead the scoffing and mocking of Jesus, the second criminal is the one person here who gets it, who understands the truth of Jesus and dares to speak.  He’s the only one who witnesses the torture and death of Jesus and understands what God is doing here.  He realizes that Jesus will enter his kingdom not by coming down from the cross, but by suffering and dying for you and me.  He realizes that Jesus will enter the kingdom of God only by dying on the cross. 

When the repentant criminal says to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (v.42), he is making a confession of faith.  It’s an indication that he understands the gospel; he understands that the mocking, insults, floggings, and crucifixion are all necessary parts that when fit together lead to resurrection. 

Do you know anyone who is willing to die for you?  Do you know anyone who is willing to put your life ahead of their own?  Who are you willing to die for?

We are called as Christians to not live for ourselves but for those around us no matter who they are and no matter what the circumstances.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “If a man has not found something he is willing to die for, he isn’t fit to live”.  If a person has not found something they are willing to suffer for, they aren’t fit to live.  If a person has not experienced the forgiveness and peace of God in Jesus Christ, then they are not fit to live the life they are called by God to live.

Who will die for you?  Who are you willing to die for? 

Stephen Neill, an Anglican bishop who served in southern India during the 20^th century, said, “We all have some dying to do.  Jesus showed us how it should be done through his work on the cross.”  Jesus died for you, enduring the pain and humiliation of death on the cross, so we can live for him and not for ourselves. 

We all have stuff in our lives that we want to get rid of: past behavior, bad relationships, regrets, memories, words and moments we’ve shared and didn’t share.  When you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have someplace to dump all that baggage weighing you down.  Jesus takes it away.  It’s gone.  Like yesterday, it’s gone.  Like history, it’s gone.  Like last Sunday, it’s gone.  Like the bullying you suffered from grade school, gone.  The baggage is gone if you are willing to let it go and give it to God.  God has unlimited storage capacity.

As we die to ourselves and live more and more for Jesus Christ, we have the ultimate example of how to live in this world: to suffer alongside those who suffer, to practice forgiveness no matter what, and to bring peace and love to others, even our enemies, through the amazing grace of God in Christ Jesus.

I want to close with this prayer written by St. Ignatius Loyola: Teach us, Lord, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for any reward save that of knowing that we do your will.  Amen.