The Last Sunday after Pentecost, Christ the King Sunday - November 23, 2025

Summary

On Christ the King Sunday, Mother Suzanne preached about how Grace Church tells an "alternative story" of second chances and redemption, just like Jesus offered to the criminal on the cross. She emphasized that the church transforms the community one person at a time by offering grace and new beginnings to all who need them, including herself.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                                                           Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." 

Artwork: The Crucifixion, by Jan van der Straet (1523-1605)

Transcript

Mother Suzanne:

Be still then and know that I am God in the name of the triune Godfather, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Please be seated. Well, good morning and welcome on this Christ the King Sunday. It is the last Sunday of our church year. Hard to believe, but our new church year begins next Sunday with the beginning of Advent. And today is known as Christ the King Sunday. And basically it is a day to recount the life of Christ. And perhaps it felt a bit jarring to hear the story of Jesus hanging on the cross since we're not during Holy Week. But there is purpose in why that scripture is placed on this Sunday. We have followed in the footsteps of Jesus as he was birthed in a stable beginning last year. We've walked the dusty roads of Galilee, opened blind eyes, taught the masses and as Jesus also taught his disciples.

We followed him to Jerusalem where he was crucified and rose again. This year we have celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We have reflected on the mission of the church and then we have long gone through this green season of Pentecost where we've had lots of time to learn and grow as a disciple. And today is the culmination of all of that as we remember and reflect and as we recognize that today is the last Sunday of that journey for this year.

I read something this week that has guided my thoughts as I have moved about. And I would like to share this passage in the hopes that it might strike a chord. Neither revolution nor reformation can ultimately change a society. Rather, you must tell a powerful story, one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story. One so inclusive that it gathers all the bits of our past and our present into a coherent whole, one that even shines some light into our future so that we can take the next step. If you want to change a society, then you have to tell an alternative story.

Well, how fitting for our gospel this morning, a way of offering a second chance, an alternative to one that probably didn't deserve it, a criminal. Jesus did something that was completely surprising, totally unexpected, as Jesus innocently hung on a cross to die, flanked by two criminals deserving of death with the words above him inscribed all hell king of the Jews totally done in mockery. But became that which changed the world because an alternate story was told, one in which rescue and redemption happened when the situation seemed hopeless, life was offered and given to a common criminal who saw that Jesus was the one who was offering him an alternative story, covered in grace.

As I was reflecting on this passage this week, it became clear to me in some ways that grace, this church that we all attend on Sundays is also telling an alternative story. A story in which the way the world works doesn't reign supreme at 200 West Lane. Instead, we are a church that offers second chances. We are telling a different or alternative story. One person at a time, one broken family at a time, one broken person at a time. We're changing the face of a community for good. I'm always amazed at those who find their way to grace, those who are in need of second chances. I say that first as one who needed a second chance too.

Well, this week, 70 children from Bell Sanchez Elementary came onto the grounds of grace, one, including one of our own, McKinley, Sally Cooper's granddaughter. What did they do? Well, what do you do with 70 kids? It's like herding cats, right? Not really. Not when all they want to do is serve and be helpful. Well, those 70 kids offered hope and joy for every single person who picked up food this week at our mobile food pantry. You couldn't help, but be encountered with the smiles on their faces, the joy in their heart. And these kids in turn learned what it means to give back. Firsthand realizing how much fun it is entering in and blessing others.

And then at the tail end of the week, there was a canned food drive hosted by Fairview Junior High here in town. Get this. Over 2000 pounds of food was collected from young people and Alvin. Giving from what they and their families have to bless other families at Thanksgiving as one of their teachers said, these are kids who are themselves needy and yet they found a way to give out of their need 2000 pounds of food. If you want to go and look, you can. It's all in our office. 15 boxes. All of these are examples of what it means for a place to say, "We're going to tell another story. The world may work in one way, but we're going to try something a little bit different here." We're going to trust that God wants to bless and wants to invite his children in to do the work, a blessing and telling another story.

Jesus is not coming to be just one more king, but rather he is ushering in an entirely new order, a world and kingdom characterized by new life, hope, grace, and above all. Above all, the kind of love that never wearies in extending and receiving second chances, just like the criminal hanging on the cross. And this is where the story hits home for me today because this means us too, me and you. We're also offered an alternative story, a second chance. And if something is rising to the surface for you right now as I speak, you know what it is.

One of those things you long to have a second chance for. All of us have it. We're human. Please, please take seriously the second chance and new life Jesus offers us from the cross from which he is hanging. And I also cannot leave out what it means to be worshiping in a church full of folks who need second chances, including your priest. We have been invited in to write and tell a different story, a story that has the power to transform our lives, our ways of inhabiting the space that we've been given, the ways that we choose to parent our children, the ways we choose to interact with our spouses, the way we choose to go to work.

All of us truly have been given this chance, which is a second chance, a redo. We get that. That's ours. And if there was a theme that I consistently hear from those that God brings to grace, it is just that, a need for a second chance, a need for a place to belong because they didn't find that anywhere else. A need for a redo, a place where a different story can be written. That is this place. Thanks be to God. We don't have to be perfect. We can say, "Yeah, I messed up and I want to do better." And this is the place where that can happen.

I see it again and again, week in and week out by those that God brings to grace. And because of this, we get to tell another story. We get to show our neighbors and our community another story where the currency here is kindness and love, where generosity and grace overflow. And because of that, little by little, one person at a time, we are changing the face of our community. And my goodness, and in doing so, we are creating community that reflects our good God. So whatever it is, whatever you need a redo from, know it can start here. And the people of grace will be with you and love you through it week in and week out. And that includes your priest because that is what you've done for me. Amen.