Jesus Remember Me

I speak in the name of the one, true and living God: Creator and ruler of the kingdom of heaven. Amen.


Time to learn a new hymn. It’s a very short one from Taizé which repeats over and over again.


"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Common Praise # 634)


Today we celebrate The Reign of Christ or Christ the King. It is also the last Sunday of the season of Pentecost, the last Sunday in the church year.

Today is our last regular reading from the Gospel of Luke for two years, and we end with not one but two very important readings from Luke.

Our first reading is called the Song of Zechariah. Does anyone know who this song is about? … There is a huge clue near the end of it. “You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation.”


Zechariah is the husband of Elizabeth. He is the father of John the Baptist. This song comes near the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, just after Mary tells Elizabeth that she is pregnant. The song tells us of the history of Israel and the promise of a new covenant; a covenant brought to life in Jesus Christ.


"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Common Praise # 634)



Our second reading from Luke takes place upon Golgotha … the place of the skull, where Jesus is being crucified along with two convicted criminals. Even upon the cross, Jesus has compassion for those who are hurting him. They torment him and he forgives them. They taunt him and he explains their actions to God.

“He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!”

“This is the King of the Jews.”

“Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”


“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”


None of them get it. None of them understand that Jesus is not there because of his own inaction. He is there because of their own sins. He is on the cross because of our sins. He is on the cross because of my brokenness, because of my sins.


Out of all of those gathered around Jesus, only one acknowledges his own faults. Only one of them does not push Jesus to save himself or anyone else.

What does he ask of Jesus?


"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Common Praise # 634)



And then we have one of those words which we need to look at: “Paradise.” Paradise is not Eden, nor Heaven, nor Nirvana, nor even the Kingdom of God. Paradise is the Jewish name for the temporary resting place of the godly dead; those who are righteous when they die.

Jesus tells the convicted criminal who admits that he has done wrong, who asks Jesus not to be saved, but rather to be remembered, that they will both end the day in Paradise. Jesus tells him that he is right with God. His sins, which he freely confesses, have been forgiven.


In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high has broken upon us, shining on us, as we dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and guiding our feet into the way of peace.


"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Common Praise # 634)