This IS the King • Luke 23:27-43 • Sunday, November 23, 2025

This Is the King: Identifying with the Cross

The inscription hung above the cross read simply: "This is the King of the Jews." Those words, meant as mockery, spoke a truth deeper than anyone standing at Golgotha could fully comprehend. As we journey through the narrative of Christ's crucifixion, we're confronted with a challenging question: With whom in this story do we identify?

The scene at Calvary presents us with a diverse cast of characters—each responding differently to the dying Christ. There are the mourners, the mockers, the soldiers, the criminals, and Jesus himself. Before we rush to place ourselves among the faithful, we need honest self-examination. Because the uncomfortable truth is that we might identify with more of these groups than we'd like to admit.

The Religious Mourners

First, we encounter a multitude following Jesus, mourning and lamenting. Were they specifically grieving for Jesus, or were they professional mourners who appeared at every crucifixion? Scripture doesn't tell us. Perhaps some genuinely understood what was happening, while others simply went through the religious motions.

This raises an uncomfortable question: How many of us go through religious motions without truly understanding? We attend services, we say the right words, we cry at the appropriate moments—but do we truly grasp what's happening? Are we deeply engaged with the reality of Christ's sacrifice, or are we simply performing expected behaviors?

Going through the motions isn't enough. Faith requires more than attendance and ritual. It demands heart transformation, genuine understanding, and personal commitment. If we find ourselves in this category, we need serious self-examination.

The Knowledgeable Mockers

The religious leaders—chief priests, scribes, members of the Sanhedrin—stood at the foot of the cross actively mocking Jesus: "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, his chosen one!"

These weren't ignorant people. They had witnessed Jesus' miracles. They knew the scriptures inside and out. They had seen the evidence but rejected it. Now, against their better knowledge, they mocked the very Messiah they claimed to be waiting for.

This hits closer to home than we might want to admit. How many times have we sinned against our better knowledge? We know what's right. We understand God's commands. We've experienced His grace and mercy. Yet we deliberately choose to sin anyway.

When we knowingly rebel against God's will, we're no different from those religious leaders. We mock the sacrifice of Christ by treating it as insufficient to change our behavior. We say with our actions, "I know better than God."

The Bored Soldiers

The Roman soldiers had finished gambling for Jesus' clothing. Now what? The men on the crosses weren't going anywhere. The soldiers were bored. So they joined in the mockery: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"

They mocked out of sheer boredom—to pass the time, to entertain themselves, to fill empty moments with something, anything.

How often do we sin out of boredom? We scroll through content we shouldn't watch. We engage in gossip to fill awkward silences. We indulge in various sins simply because we have nothing better to do. Boredom becomes our excuse for rebellion against God.

The Angry Criminal

One of the criminals crucified alongside Jesus railed at him: "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

Why was he mocking while dying? Anger. He was angry at being caught, angry at his punishment, angry at his circumstances, angry at the injustice of it all. His anger spilled over into mocking the innocent man dying beside him.

We've all sinned out of anger. When life doesn't go our way, when we feel we've gotten a raw deal, when circumstances frustrate us—we lash out. Sometimes that lashing out is directed at God himself, questioning His goodness, His justice, His care for us.

The Repentant Criminal

But then there's the other criminal, who rebuked his companion: "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

This man saw the truth. Jesus was innocent. Jesus was different. Jesus didn't deserve any of this.

And here's the profound reality: Jesus went to the cross willingly. He had the power to stop it at any moment. He could have called legions of angels to His defense. But He chose the cross. He chose it innocently, lovingly, mercifully, graciously.

Jesus went to the cross for you. For me. For all of us.

The King Who Saves

Now look again at what the mockers said. The rulers: "He saved others; let him save himself." The soldiers: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself." The criminal: "Save yourself and us."

Did Jesus save Himself? Yes—through resurrection! Is He the chosen one? Absolutely, proven by His victory over death! Did He save us? Without question!

The mockers got exactly what they mocked Him for—but infinitely more. Jesus didn't just save Himself; He saved us all. In His suffering, in His death, in His innocent sacrifice, in His glorious resurrection, He accomplished our salvation.

He saved us by forgiving our sins. He saved us by granting eternal life. He saved us through baptism, through His Word, through His body and blood. He gave us everything we needed and more than we could ever comprehend.

Your King

So here's the question that matters: Do you want this man as your King?

Not just as a historical figure. Not just as a moral teacher. Not just as someone you admire from a distance. But as your King—the sovereign Lord of your life, sitting on the throne of your heart.

Having Jesus as King means submission. It means not rebelling when He doesn't give you your way. It means not committing sins out of anger, boredom, or mockery. It means recognizing that He gave everything for you, and responding with devoted service.

When you look at the cross, what do you see? A man wearing a crown of thorns, bleeding, barely clothed, dying in agony? See beyond that. See your King, whom you love, whom you serve, who gave absolutely everything for you.

We all identify with the people at the cross—the mourners, the mockers, the bored, the angry. We've all failed in these ways. But we can also identify with the repentant criminal who recognized Jesus for who He truly is.

This is your King. Will you have Him on the throne of your heart?

(Content generated by PulpitAI from sermon transcript)