Christ the King? Luke 23:33-43

Where do you expect to meet your king?
Maybe you think he'll be in a palace. Perhaps you think he'll be riding in triumph in a parade displaying symbols wealth and power. In Luke we meet our King on his way to glory dying on a piece of tree. Two criminals were there with him standing, both were struggling for breath on their own crosses waiting along side of Jesus for death to come. One criminal mocked Jesus. The other believed. One made fun of him as he stood dying, the other asked, "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom."

Is this your king? The crucified one.

Most people in our world don’t know that Jesus is a king, let alone "The King". If you only come to church on Christmas and Easter you wouldn’t even understand what kind of a King he is. Other's say he was only a teacher and a prophet, a model of what it means to follow God. Christians say He is a king, but his kingdom isn’t always visible. He is a king, but his subjects are the citizens of heaven, not just the residents of this earth. Jesus is the king who you meet today hanging on the cross. In Luke’s Gospel he is the one who turns to another dying man saying, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” There is your king, on the cross, his body given for you, his blood shed for you. There is your king. And you are his people not permanent residents of this planet but emissaries of Kingdom of Heaven; in your flesh and blood you carry the Good News that Jesus is King to all the world.