Introduction:

The concept of royalty is not very popular in the United States of America. Our country revolted against the King of England and the founding fathers did everything they could to make sure our citizens would not be ruled by a king. Sure some people are fascinated by the lives of British royalty, but I think it is safe to assume most people in America would not want this kind of ruler for themselves.

But we do have a king. It is Jesus Christ. His dominion knows no boundaries. He rules over the entire universe. He rules in our hearts and minds as Christians. He is a perfect, loving, and merciful king. He is also a just king who punishes evil.

Today we will hear a royal proclamation from Christ the King. He spoke these words on the cross. “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” This is the promise of a king and a promise meant for sinners.

1. The promise of a King

How do we really know that Jesus was a king? Luke’s gospel account of the crucifixion reveals the royalty of Christ in many ways. Some of those revelations come in the form of outright mockery of God’s Son. The rulers of the Jews sneered at Jesus and launched insults toward him as he was dying.

They did not want a king who was put to death like a common criminal. They longed for an earthly king to overthrow the tyrants of Rome. Just a few days before, the people standing at the foot of the cross may have heard Jesus teaching in the Temple. They may have thought he was that earthly leader who would lead them to power and freedom. They may have even thought he was the Messiah. Now their hopes were being torn apart as they watched the life of Jesus Christ being ebbed out. And so they turned on the Savior.

“He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” These rulers knew of Jesus healing the sick and raising the dead. But he no longer appeared to be full of royal majesty, pierced and bloody as he was. If he could save others, why wasn’t saving himself at that moment? Why wasn’t he acting like the Christ of God?

That name alone, Christ of God, pointed to Jesus kingliness. Christ is the same name as Messiah. From the beginning God had promised a Messiah who would save His chosen people and rule over them. That name Christ or Messiah means “Anointed one.” The Jews were very familiar with anointing. In the Old Testament, people who were anointed were set apart by God to carry out a specific mission. And God would strengthen that person to carry out that mission. God had anointed David to be King of His people.

And the Old Testament pointed to the Messiah as being a descendant of King David. So when the Christ would come, the people who know He was from royal blood and be a king himself. Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of that prophecy. He was descendant of David, anointed at His baptism for his specific mission, and strengthened by the Holy Spirit to carry it out. He was the chosen one.

Everything that happened that day pointed to Jesus being the King. He was fulfilling all the prophecies of the Messiah. In Isaiah, God spoke of the Chosen One who would bring justice to the nations and God would show love to this Chosen One.

If these signs were there, why did the rulers reject him so? They rejected him because they were relying on their human reason. It did not look like God was showing love to this man dying on the cross. He came with no majesty. He was not establishing an earthly kingdom. And so they mocked him.

The soldiers joined in the mocking when they said, “If you are the King of Jews, save yourself.” The sign above Jesus head mocked him. It read: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” And finally one of the criminals on the cross mocked the King also. “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” What was a cruel joke to unbelievers was actually the ultimate irony that spoke the truth. The King was at that time dying to save all mankind, including you and me.

We stand accused of mocking God also. With our misplaced priorities, elevating the things of this world above the King, we are accused of our sin. With tongues that take the King’s name in vain, with disrespect for God’s Word and authority, with malice in our words and actions, with lust in our hearts and contempt for God’s gift of marriage, with greed, lies, and coveting, the guilt piles up. No one is clean. No one deserves to stand in the King’s Court.

2. The promise meant for sinners

But on that dark and dreadful Good Friday, the King made a promise. As His blood stained the cross of Calvary, he said to another dying man, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” That was the promise of King and it was a promise meant for sinners.

As the world mocked the King, one man spoke up to end the verbal abuse. One criminal had joined in the disrespect and scorn for Jesus, but the other criminal rebuked him. All three men on those crosses that day were dying and would soon lose their lives. Two were guilty. Jesus was innocent.

The one criminal cried for help to Jesus and thus made a beautiful confession of faith. He said to Jesus, “Remember me.” This was a common Jewish prayer recorded over and over again in the Old Testament by people like King David. It expressed this idea: “turn to me in your grace and shower your mercy upon me.” The repentant criminal dying on the cross that day understood and believed that Jesus was his God and Savior.

Jesus did not look like a king at that moment as he hung on the cursed tree. But the criminal did not believe what his human eyes and reason told him. He believed in God’s Word. He clung to that Word alone and put his trust in nothing else.

This man did not know exactly when Jesus would reveal His kingdom to all mankind but he prayed “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” All the criminal want was Jesus to remember on the day He would reveal His Kingdom. The man wanted to be shown mercy on Judgment Day.

As is often the case, Jesus not only answers the prayers of believers but he often gives them much than they ask for. Jesus wanted to give this man something to cling to as he faced death. And so the King spoke those beautiful words to a dying sinner: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

I tell you the truth. The criminal’s body would soon be dead and buried, but his soul would be in paradise with Jesus that very day. The mercy of the King is absolutely amazing. What a promise Jesus gave to that man who was taking his last breaths.

That promise of the King was for that man next to Jesus on the cross. However the force of the statement is also carried over into our lives as believers. When we couldn’t carry out the mission God had given to us to be perfect and free from all sin, Jesus willingly took on the mission for us and accomplished it. When we couldn’t pay the price that God demanded for our sin, Jesus willingly shed his own blood on the cross. And Jesus completed the mission on the third day when rose triumphantly from the grave to set us free and to give us paradise.

Just as the man on the cross could put all his hope in Jesus, in faith so can we. The end of the world is coming. Some of us may die before then. All of us may die before that day. But we need not fear Judgment Day. We need not fear death. Our King has saved us and promised us paradise.

I wish all people had that comforting hope in Jesus, the King. That sure hope eliminates doubt. That sure hope takes away all fear. We know with faith that no matter what happens here on earth to us the King will welcome us into His eternal garden. We will be perfect there. We will have no pain or tears there. We will praise the King forever and ever there. I wish all people had that comfort of knowing that someday they will be in heaven because of Jesus. Please share this comfort with others.

This is the last week of the church year. Next week we will be starting a new church year with the season of Advent. It is important for us to look back at the last year and gives thanks for the King ruling over us for our good. It is also important for to look forward to see how the King will provide for and protect us in the future and for all eternity.

The repentant criminal believed in the King and Jesus promised him paradise. The King has also promised paradise for us. Believe in the King. Take comfort in the King. Tell others about the King. AMEN.