Thy Kingdom Come

Posted by markmares on Nov 12, 2009 in Daily Bread | 2 comments

Do you remember the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana back in 1981? As a kid, the significance of this cultural marvel was probably lost on me, but you’ve got to hand it to the Brits – that was one big hullabaloo: the horse-drawn carriage, the soldiers in uniform, the pomp and circumstance… I’m glad my family wasn’t picking up the tab on the whole affair. And that was just for a prince’s wedding; imagine what his coronation would have been like. This is how the world ushers in its kings.

But there was another inauguration in the annals of history that doesn’t fit the mold. In fact, it has no precedence. It didn’t take place in a palace, but on a hill on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

There hung Jesus, crucified between two criminals, one hurling insults. The rulers sneering, the soldiers mocking, a crown of thorns, underneath his banner of investiture which announced: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. “Don’t write ‘king’, but that he said was king.” “What I have written I have written.” (John 19) Is this your idea of a king?

Luke tells us that one of the criminals turned to Jesus and said: “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

What?! Are you kidding me?! What kind of kingdom does a crucified man “come into”? He was barely recognizable as a man, let alone as a king. He could hardly speak. He was hours (or minutes) away from death – what kingdom? What was he thinking? What in heaven’s sake did that man see?

A kingdom not of this world. An eternal kingdom that will never be destroyed (Daniel 2). A kingdom where criminals who deserve to die are granted paradise. A kingdom that will break anyone who falls upon it, but will grind to powder anyone it falls upon (Luke 20). A kingdom where you have no right to make demands. Remember, there was only one criminal who insisted on being saved, and how often does our “save us” (Hosanna) turn into “crucify him” when we don’t get what we want, and our praise into bitterness when our expectations go unfulfilled.

There is a new king, there is a new kingdom – do any of us have eyes to see it?

Yes, may your kingdom come, Lord. All I ask is that you remember me.