liberation

Luke 23:33-43 - "Christ the King"

Synopsis: On Reign of Christ Sunday, we celebrate the culmination of the Christian calendar with the coronation of Christ the King. Although, our King is not crowned with gold but with thorns; Christ is not crowned with glory but with our shame. Even in these final breaths, Jesus takes time to tell the criminal beside him, “today you will be with me in Paradise.” People have puzzled over these words for millennia, but the mystery points us to a deep comfort and confidence that even in his final hours, Jesus did not stop speaking for the most vulnerable people around him–even a heart-broken criminal being executed. Christ’s crucifixion continues to call us to not crown ourselves with glory and honor through success, popularity, or comfort, but to humble ourselves and speak out for those who hang on history’s crosses.

Keywords: Reign of Christ Sunday, Christ the King, Jesus, cross, crucifixion, glory, honor, shame, justice, humility, compassion, grace, liberation