Video and Sermon Text for Last Sunday of Pentecost
Video of Divine Service
The last Sunday of the Church Year
Colossians 1:13-20
Luke 23:27-43
O Lord, your Word is lamp to my feet and a light unto my path. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.
How different is the focus of the Last Sunday of the Church Year from the cultural conversation this time of year. Our National Day of Thanksgiving is on Thursday with its family and friend get-togethers. There is plenty of conversation afoot about who is bringing what and where. Then, there is next week’s storm brewing just as air travel is starting to normalize after the federal government shut down. Will travelers and those waiting for them, be met with yet another round of delays and cancellations? Advent begins next Sunday, but our culture encourages most of us to already be thinking about Christmas: The decorations, the parties, the gifts, etc. In some of the stores I go into, already in August, shelves were filled with Christmas oriented materials. Culturally, the message we receive is that Christmas is primarily about material pleasures with an occasional feeling of nostalgia through music thrown in for good measure.
For the church, the end of the church year reminds us that the sole purpose of Christmas is to get us to this moment that the Gospel of Luke describes for us today. Jesus is on a cross. The cross is no accident or historical fluke. As the Nicene creed confesses, Jesus, who for us and our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate … Jesus was born for everything he has done up to this moment. It all points to this moment when Jesus is on the cross. From the cross, Jesus, the incarnate God-Man saves us.
Jesus is on the cross by God’s design. He is not an unwilling victim. He intended to die on the cross from the beginning of His ministry. While he is on the cross, he transforms the Roman instrument of torture into the King’s throne. In the face of what looks like defeat, Jesus speaks words of a King. He is very much in control of what is happening. We do not weep for Jesus. We weep for ourselves tears of repentance. Our sins put Him there. As the true King he rises above the circumstances and opposition and bestows His righteous judgments.
Jesus says seven words from the cross. In the Gospel we hear two of them. The first is “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.” Jesus does not scream curses at those who are killing Him. He does not call down the angels to fight on His behalf. He does not beg for mercy or a quick death. He thinks of those who have been caught up in this Satan led drama unaware of the spiritual battle that lays behind this crucifixion. He thinks of those who are following orders. He thinks of those who are afraid to raise a voice of opposition. He prays instead for the release of the guilt of their sin in killing the innocent God’s Son. Jesus, the true King, has the authority to release people from their debts. He chooses to exercise His privilege. He releases those who are bringing Him harm from a just punishment. Forgive them so that they are free. They do not know what they are doing.
The second word from the cross is “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” As the King, Jesus can offer a promise that has consequences. As we confess in the creeds, Jesus is the judge. As the Nicene Creed confesses, “And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, who kingdom will have no end.” Jesus determines if a person goes into the kingdom of Satan or the Kingdom of heaven.
Jesus sees faith in the heart of the criminal who asks to be remembered in Jesus’ everlasting kingdom. He has faith in Him for eternal life. He knows that he and the other criminal deserve their punishment. Their sins are significant. Yet, one criminal, chooses to have faith in Jesus as the Christ, instead of belittle Jesus for personal gain. Jesus has the authority to forgive sins. Jesus has the authority to declare his promise.
Linguistically, the Greek word used for Paradise takes us back to the garden of Eden and forward into the future. Paradise is paradeisos in Greek. In the Septuagint, this word is used for the Hebrew word for garden in Genesis 2-3. The entrance to the Garden of Eden was closed to Adam, Eve, and all the rest of us because of sin. At the entrance to Paradeisos is the Angel standing guard with the flaming sword. No one may enter. In Revelation 2:7, looking to the future, paradeisos is the location of the tree of life. The entrance to Paradise is opened again by Jesus’ death and resurrection. As the ancient church Father Origen states, “He gave to all those who believe and confess access to the entrance that Adam previously had closed by sinning. Who else could remove ‘the flaming turning sword which was placed to guard the tree of life’ and the gates of Paradise?”
Only Jesus can say to the angelic guard and his flaming sword, “step aside, the entrance is now open for this one.” Jesus has the authority to take life. He has the authority to grant eternal life. Jesus grants entrance to eternal life in heaven to the criminal who expresses faith in Him.
As this Church year comes to its inevitable end, we are left with the image of the power of the crucified Christ. From His throne of the cross, he exercises his kingly authority and power of forgiveness and eternal life. Jesus dies for the world. For those who receive Him with faith, he grants freedom from sin, death, and Satan through His forgiveness. And he declares that Your future is in His kingdom forever. By his spilled blood, by his death on the cross, by his resurrection, you shall live forever.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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