Luke 23:33-43Our King died                he didn’t have to                                he could have prevented itBut still he diedThat’s the difference                                between the leader we follow                                                                                and all other leaders who vie for our allegianceWe follow the crucified one                                                the one who laid down his life for usToday is Christ the King Sunday                                when we not only proclaim that Jesus is our KIng                                                                                                but we remember what kind of King he isJesus is our King                let’s just think about what that means for a minuteWhat does it mean                                 to have a kingI think the closest thing on earth                                                I’ve ever had to having a king                                                                                was when I played football in highschoolMy coach was king                                he told us what to do                                                                and we obeyedHe told us to bear crawl across a field                                                                and we did itHe rallied us toward a common vision and goal                                                                                winning football gamesI remember at practice he would try out new plays with us                                                                                and get excited casting a vision                                                                                                                of how that play would bring us victoryI still remember our first game                                when we won against a team that seemed so much bigger than usWe were all excited and piled into the locker room                                                                and our coach came in and yelled at us to be quietAnd for a minute I couldn’t believe                                                that he was going to chastise us after a winWE all sat stunned as He said in a very grave voice                                the only way I know to have an undefeated season                                                                                                                then a dramatic pause                                                                                                                                is to win the first gameHe cracked a smile                                and we all cheeredI’ll never forget that feeling                                                of being part of a team                                                                with a leader who cared about us and wanted good things for usI saw my coach years later                                when I volunteered to lead worship at a detention center                                                he was working the front desk, giving his time to helping young men in trouble                                                                                                and my respect and admiration for him grew even moreGood leaders are powerful influencers in our life                                                                they unleash our potential                                                                they galvanize us to reach beyond ourselves for bigger goals and dreams                                                                                they give us a sense of being cared for, of being importantSo what does it mean                                to say that our King is Jesus?How does Jesus lead?Well, not like any other leader                                                I’ve ever knownHe leads not from strength                                but from weaknessInstead of leading from the top                                                delegating to his underlingsJesus leads from the bottom                                                looking like a man in need of help                                                                                                instead of someone offering to help othersJesus was crucified                                he was beaten and tortured                                                                mocked and spit uponAnd as he hung dying                everyone pointed out                                                 that he wasn’t in any position                                                                                                to help anyone, he couldn’t even help himself“IF you are God’s messiah,” they said                                “the anointed one                                                Save yourself and us”“He saved others,” he said                “but he can’t save himself”Jesus leads by being helpless and needy                                                not kind of thing that usually inspires us                                                                                                                to followDon’t we typically choose leaders                                                known for the strength and lack of need?We want leaders who are powerful                                                who can help us                                                                who can do something about our problemsNot one who seems to be overwhelmed                                                with problems of his ownCertainly not someone                                who can be arrested and killedThat’s not a symbol of power                                                                is it?But that’s the path Jesus chooses                                                a path that is intentionally weakThe cross was a strong symbol in Jesus’ day                                                it was a symbol of Roman power and authoritythe Romans would line the streets                                                 with crosses on which they crucified those                                                                                                                 criminals and enemiesThe crosses sent a message to the world                                                                                that Rome was in charge                                                                                                and you’d better not mess with herWhen they crucified Jesus                                they hung a sign on his cross                                                                                that said Jesus of Nazareth, King of the JewsA not so subtle message                                                that Rome and not any Jewish King                                                                                                 was in chargeIt was a way to emphasize their power and authority                                                                                a way to say ‘don’t mess with us’Which is the way the world works                                                it is the strong who lead                                                                the ones who can defeat the otherUsually you have to win a war                                                in order to lead a nationin our country we’ve civilized things slightly                                                                you have to win an election to be the leader                                                                                                but our elections are brutal and viciousThe point is survival of the fittest                                                                to ensure the strongest, the fiercest, the most powerful leadBut Jesus leads differently                                to make a different pointHis conversation with the two thieves on the cross                                                                                reveal the method to his madnessThey are both thieves                                likely murdering thieves                                                                who lived according to the world’s rules                                                                                                taking what they wanted by force                                                                                                                                killing anyone who got in their wayOne thief points out that Jesus is weak                                                you saved others, save yourselfBut the other sees more clearly                                                that Jesus is innocent                                                                not deserving the punishment he is receivingThis thief recognizes                                that Jesus’ authority is not diminished                                                                                                by his physical state‘Remember me when you come into your kingdom’                                                                                                he saysWhat an amazing statement of faith                                                to look at a man dying                                                                                and see someone who could offer help                                                                                                                someone who could meet your deepest needThe theif looks at Jesus                                and sees someone who still has power                                                                                who still has something precious to offerThe thief recognizes that Jesus’ kingdom                                                is not of this worldHere is Jesus                                in the mess with the thief                                                                in the same situation                                                                                bleeding, suffocating and dyingJesus doesn’t rule from on high                                                he doesn’t rule from the topHe rules from where we are                                                in the thick of it with usHe looks the thief in the eye                                                man to man                                                                suffering to sufferingAs someone who knows completely                                                absolutely what he’s going throughAnd Jesus speaks hope                                life and salvation“TODAY you will be with me in paradise”With ME                IN ParadiseThat is salvation                                life with Jesus                                                in Jesus’ kingdomThis is our King                the one who knows suffering and deathand can look us in the eye no matter what we’re going throughand deliver us from evil into paradise with Him foreverWhich begs the question                                if he had the power to deliver on that promise                                                                                which we know because of the resurrectionWhy go through death in the first place?                                                                why did Jesus die, wasn’t there another way?The answer is love                                Jesus died because of loveOur King                loves usLoves you                with all his heartHe comes to the depths of where we find ourselves                                                                                and loves us thereHe loves the guilty murderous thief on the cross                                                                and comes to where he is                                                                                                to offer forgiveness and eternal lifeHe loves the least of us                                the poorest of us                                                the weakest of us                                                                the saddest of usHe loves us in our grief                                                in our weariness                                                                                in our lonelinessHe loves us in our sin                                our rebellion                                                                our addiction                                                                                                our wanderingHe loves us when we’re broken                                                and don’t see a way outHe loves us when our lives are a mess                                                                and we’re just so tired of tryingHe loves us so much                                that he hung on a cross to be with us                                                                so we would know that his love                                                                                                                knows no boundsso he could look us in the eye                                                and say I know you, I know all about you                                                                                                today you will be with me in paradiseThat’s our leader                the one who heals and saves and lvoesOn the cross                 Jesus forgave the ones who nailed him to the woodCan you imagine                praying for the forgiveness of those who caused you so much painHow many of us are still holding grudges                                                                against someone who hurt us in some way in the pastAnd yet Jesus in the moment of the pain                                                                of having nails hammered through his wrist pinning him to the cross                                                                                                                                used what little strength he hadTo pray “Father, forgive them”They cast lots for his clothes                                the roman soldiersThey took what few possessions he had                                                                the clothes on his back                                                                                                and they drew straws to see who got to keep themAnd Jesus prays                Father forgive themWould you follow a King like this?A King who loves like this?It’s never too late                                to declare your allegiance to this KingEven in the moment of death                                after a lifetime of doing wrong                                                                this King would still forgive                                                                                                and welcome you into His kingdomThat’s how much he lovesAnd we are called to love                                                like JesusTo live our lives in such a way                                                that the world knows who our king is                                                                                                and what our king is likeThat means forgiving those who sin against us                                                                                it means loving our enemiesIt means making sacrifices                                                personal sacrifices                                                                                to bless those around usIt may even mean one day                                giving our lives                                                 to save othersThe cross reveals God’s love for us                                                and the extent of God’s mercyWe are saved by God’s grace                                                and then we are called                                                                to go and spread that grace to a world who doesn’t know                                                                                                                                that they too are loved like thisSo we live our lives                in response to what God has given                                                                to the salvation our King has won for usWe do this individually                                and as a congregationI’ve been impressed this week                                                by those who have signed up                                                                                to clean the church in Stephanie’s absenceStephanie is our secretary and our custodian                                                                and she’s on a three week vacationWe put the call out                                 for people to volunteer to cover her workI’ve seen people give up hours of their time                                                                to clean bathrooms, vacuum floors                                                                                                                mop classroomsThat’s just a small example                                of what it looks like to be a people                                                                who follow a King who gave himself for othersAnother examples                                is the prayer shawl ministry                                                                who has partnered with other churches                                                                                                to extend their ministry widerThey donated 90 items                                scarves and shawls and hats                                                                to Room in the Inn                                                                                hosted by Mt. Zion UMCIt’s about love                extended to all peopleIt’s not about one congregation                                                or one organizationIt’s not about getting credit                                but about extending graceWe do this as individuals                                and as a congregationIN a few minutes                we’ll have our annual meeting                                                where we do the business of this congregationWe’ll decide what to focus on in the coming year                                                                how to use the resources God has given us                                                                                                and elect new leaders to help guide usWe are just one congregation                                                in a city full of churches                                                                                but God has called us to join Him in his workTo follow the one who cared for the least in the world                                                                who healed the sick, fed the hungry                                                                                                and forgave the sinnerTo follow the one who sacrificed himself                                                                not just for his friends                                                                                                but for his enemies tooGod invites us to  follow the King                                who obeyed the Father in everything                                                                with courage and patience and loveTo follow the One                who loved us so much that he gave his own life                                                                that we might not perish but have eternal lifeWE are loved                 beyond measureWe are loved by this King JesusTo follow him                is to love as he lovedAmen.