The King Who Wouldnt Be KIng

This exploration of Luke 23:33-43 turns our understanding of power completely upside down. On Christ the King Sunday, we might expect a triumphant coronation scene, but instead we encounter Jesus dying on a cross between two criminals, mocked by religious leaders and soldiers alike. The profound irony is that Jesus never claimed to be a king in the traditional sense, yet we celebrate his kingship today. What emerges from this paradox is revolutionary: true divine power is revealed not in self-preservation but in vulnerable love. While everyone demands that Jesus save himself, one criminal sees something different and asks to be remembered in Christ's kingdom. Jesus responds with his only royal act from the cross, offering paradise. This message challenges us to reimagine what strength looks like in our own lives. When we embrace our vulnerability and authenticity rather than projecting false strength, when we choose genuine connection over impressive appearances, we participate in the very life of God. The psalmist's call to be still and know God takes on new meaning as we recognize that our honest struggles and transformations reveal the kingdom more powerfully than any pretense of having it all together.