2 Sam 5:1-3 / Col 1:12-20 / Luke 23:35-43
Whenever the topic of leadership is discussed, we will have our expectations of what a leader is like.
In our minds, a leader should have some abilities and capabilities that are above the ordinary.
Probably our expectations of a leader are influenced by movies and even fairy tales.
In movies and fairy tales, the leader is the hero who is the winner and everyone cheers for him as he leads his people to victory, and he saves his lady and they live happily ever after.
The leader is a brave warrior who charges into battle and fights the bad guys. Though he may get injured and wounded, he will always make a comeback and overcome his enemies.
Yes, these are what we imagine or expect a leader to be.
And to be a king, it is to be a leader of all leaders. To be a good king means that he is able to govern his people wisely and justly. A good king will protect and provide for his people so that they will have peace and prosperity.
With these ideas and expectations of a king and kingship, and as we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, let us look at what the gospel says about Jesus as king.
In the gospel, the notice on the Cross says that Jesus is the King of the Jews. And that is where our ideas and expectations of a king begin to fizzle and crumble.
Obviously, the notice was to mock and insult Jesus as He was nailed to the Cross and condemned to die as a criminal.
The people were not cheering for him, and the leaders of the people were jeering at Him. Even the soldiers mocked Him as they said: If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.
Jesus, nailed to the Cross, and insulted and jeered at, did not look anything like a king and much less a leader; in fact, He looked like a loser.
Yet it has to be said that on the Cross, Jesus is truly the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
His most astounding statement to the repentant criminal is this: Indeed, I promise you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
No matter how powerful a king is, no matter how great a leader is, he can't promise anyone entry into heaven, or the reward of eternal Paradise.
A true king is able to protect his people and save them from their enemies.
Jesus is the Universal King because He overcame evil and conquered sin and death.
Jesus is the true Saviour because He not only saves us from sin and death, He leads us from this world to be with Him in paradise.
We all want to go to our eternal home in Heaven. We believe that there is an eternal Paradise awaiting us where we will be with Jesus forever.
Jesus our King will lead us there. Let us obey our King and serve Him by doing what He wants of us.
So, we ask Jesus to remember us and we also ask Jesus to remember those who acknowledge Him as their King and Saviour.
May we journey together with them to be with Jesus in Paradise.
For those who mock and insult Jesus, let us also ask Jesus to remember them.
They too need to be saved. They can only understand what salvation is when we offer them kindness and compassion.
Let us remember that Jesus also wants to see them in Paradise.
And Jesus is asking us to help them by leading them to Him so that He can make that astounding promise to them, that same promise that He made to the repentant criminal, that same promise that He also makes to us.