One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Luke 23:39-43
At the cross we find kingdoms in conflict. From the beginning of his ministry Jesus proclaimed, in word and deed, the presence and nearness of God's kingdom. At the end of his life Jesus was brought before the worldly powers – King Herod, the ruling council in Jerusalem and the Roman Governor, Pilate – and condemned to death, an event that embodies the conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world.
It is likely that the criminals crucified with Jesus were also caught in the conflict between kingdoms. The cross was a form of punishment reserved for those considered a threat to Roman rule. These criminals may have been more than burglars or armed robbers. They may have been deliberately trying to disrupt Roman rule because of their desire to see God's Holy Land and Holy People free from Gentile rule. The Romans wished to be remembered for their power and prosperity. The criminals crucified with Jesus wished to be remembered for preserving the purity of their people by forcing the Romans out. But one of the criminals crucified with Jesus had a change of heart. When his friend started to insult Jesus, he rebuked him because he knew Jesus did not deserve this punishment. Then this one who had fought for one worldly kingdom and against another asked to be a part of Jesus' kingdom.
What do we make of kingdoms today? We no longer live in a culture governed by kings and queens, barons and baronesses, with positions of authority handed down through bloodlines from one generation to the next without the voice of the people being heard. At their heart kingdoms are stories about our place and purpose in the world. Rome's story was one of expansion, power and prosperity. Israel's story was about a God who had chosen an unlikely people to be the revealer of God's will. We are shaped by "kingdom stories" that help us find our place in the world. For some this may be the story of America and the spread of democracy and the freedom and rights of the individual. For others it might be the story of their family, of traditions and values going back for generations and to faraway lands. Others may derive their story from their work – doctors battling disease, teachers preparing future generations for fruitful lives, executives providing leadership for an organization they care deeply about. The kingdom of God works like one of these stories, helping us find our place and purpose in God's world. Sometimes this story may go hand in hand with other stories, sometimes it will conflict with them.
What is the kingdom of God like? How does this story shape the way we live? How is it different from the stories of other kingdoms and empires and nations of the world? You are invited to listen to these passages from Scripture as we pray for Jesus to remember us and make us part of his kingdom.
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