St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Wesley Chapel, FL
Preacher: The Rev. Adrienne R. Hymes
November 23, 2025●Christ the King Sunday (Year C)
Gospel: Luke 23:33-43
Luke’s gospel today gathers us at the foot of the cross. Luke does not give an elaborate account of the actual crucifixion. Instead, Luke focuses our attention, not on the action of the human executioners, but on the divine action of Jesus which transformed the cross, the wooden instrument of torture and death, into a vehicle for liberation and everlasting life. Who could have seen that coming?
Jesus’ purpose in God’s plan for human salvation continued to move forward even as his human body was hanging and dying on the cross. What human being could perceive the truth of this invisible reality beyond the frailty of the human eye? We have all heard the statement, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
A great example of this is reflected in John’s gospel when Thomas encounters the resurrected Jesus. Without seeing and touching the wounds in Jesus’ hands and his side, Thomas was unwilling to believe that Jesus had come amongst the disciples when Thomas had not been present. When Jesus came to Thomas, and let him touch his wounds, he said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”[1]
Moreover, the limited human sense of sight can act as a barrier to perceiving the invisible, divine reality of God. This blindness of sighted people plays out in the way Luke, in our passage today, repeatedly captures the irony of ignorance for the onlookers at the execution site. First, we learn that the crowd of people stood by, but it was the religious leaders who taunted Jesus were ironically ignorant. “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God…”[2] How ironic. As you and I stand on the other side of the cross, we know that because Jesus did not save himself, his work on the cross would be divinely purposed, by God, to save others—life-saving work that was not visually-perceptible by the blood-thirsty religious leaders.
Second, the soldiers mocked Jesus and challenged him to save himself, if he was truly the King of the Jews. Of course, underlying the mocking was this challenge to “show us your power, oh mighty one;” in other words, we need to see it to believe it. How could a king die a scandalous death on a cross? Unless they saw kingly power in action, with their own eyes, like Thomas, they would not believe. The irony of ignorance was at work—and had Jesus denied the cross, those soldiers, and all who mocked Jesus, could never receive the gift of salvation.
Third, the taunting of Jesus by the leaders and the soldiers was compounded by the taunting of one of the two criminals who hanged on either side of Jesus. “If you’re the so-called Messiah, save yourself and us,” said the criminal.[3] The irony of the criminal’s demand, of course, is that by Jesus’ embracing of the cross, Jesus had already set in motion the way in which the criminal could be saved. The irony of ignorance is glaring, as the criminal’s unbelief kept him from the very thing which he demanded.
What human being could perceive the truth of this invisible reality of salvation beyond that which was visible by the human eye? Perhaps it was the other crucified criminal, who rebuked the other, and expressed repentance for his own wrongdoing. Without seeing, but with an assurance of belief, the criminal said to Jesus, “…Remember me when you come into your kingdom.”[4] The criminal didn’t say, if you come into your kingdom; he said when, affirming Jesus’ kingship. Surely, Jesus must have looked to his right and to his left and knew that one of the criminals would be with him in paradise and one would not. The penitent criminal kept the main thing, the main thing—his focus was being with Jesus in his kingdom.
It is significant to note that the only time Jesus spoke in this passage was when his identity was affirmed through the criminal’s statement of alluding to his belief, to which Jesus responded, “…Today you will be with me in Paradise.”[5]
We can certainly claim that in order for Jesus to be taken seriously and affirmed as the Messiah and King, the leaders, soldiers and criminal expected him to show actions of power that would physically free him and the two criminals from the cross. Their expectation of “saving” or “rescue” of the visible physical bodies blinded them to the invisible, soul-saving action of God already in motion on the cosmic plane.
We know, too, that Jesus came into the world because there was kingdom-building work to be done. Jesus had work to do through his healing, teaching and preaching from town to town which culminated on the cross. Jesus had work to do in the formation of the disciples who would carry on his ministries long after he was no longer with them.
Jesus’ teachings challenged the religious leaders, corrupt politicians and moral beliefs in his time. Jesus’ teachings mobilized people and led them to believe, even to this day, that the fullness of God’s love and compassion is given through him and manifested in the world through those who believe in him.
Jesus’ life-restoring work leading up to the cross, and his life-saving work on the cross compels us—TODAY—to do the work that we have been given to do on this side of the cross. As builders in God’s kingdom, must be clear about the heavenly king we serve. We see the corruption of power by those in leadership. We see how peoples’ lives are affected by the unjust structures of society. We see reminders, all around us, that this world seeks human kings, devoid of love and compassion–kings who can never save our souls.
Our faith empowers God’s people to perceive His invisible kingdom now, while these visible earthly kings and kingdoms are passing away. It is by faith that faithful people live in the hope of God’s kingdom to come. Like the repentant criminal, we must affirm with assurance, that Jesus Christ—alone—is King. And, he is a loving, compassionate king, who responds by blessing those who have not seen him, and yet have come to believe.
During my first week at the University of Virginia as an undergrad, a ceremony was held to welcome the first-years. The speaker concluded their message with, “Look to your left. Look to your right. One of those people will not be here with you on graduation day.” Well, the reality was that those same people were looking at me.
On the day of Jesus’ return, may we look to our right and look to our left, and may Jesus look at each of us and remember us when he comes into his kingdom. Blessed are you, beloved Children of God, who have not seen the King of kings and Lord of lords, and yet have come to believe.
On this Christ the King Sunday, let us give thanks for our one King who gives eternal life and the only King who is eternal life. The one king, enthroned in worlds above; the King to whom the wondrous name of Love is given; the king before whom all thrones fall; for Jesus Christ is King of all.[6] Amen.
[1] John 20:24-29
[2] Luke 23:35
[3] Luke 23:39
[4] Luke 23:42
[5] Luke 23:43
[6] Crown Him with Many Crowns, Hymn 494, v. 5, 1982 Hymnal (New York: The Church Pension Fund), 1985.
