November 23, 2025

Last Sunday of the Church year – C (Proper 29)                                          LSB #’s 611, 608, 606
Text – Luke 23:40
 
But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?” 
 
UNDER THE SAME SENTENCE
 The king of Prussia once visited a prison in the city of Potsdam.  Prisoner after prisoner assured the king of their innocence in spite of the court’s ruling.   Finally,  one man looked down at the floor & said, “Your majesty,  I am guilty,  & richly deserving of punishment.” 
The king bellowed for the warden: “Free this rascal!  Get him out  of our prison  before he corrupts  all the noble innocent people here.”   Confession  is not always  that immediately effective  here on earth,  but in the sight of our heavenly Father  it most certainly is.  If your heart is turned to Christ in humility  your sins are gone.  And so it was  for one of the criminals. 
Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you,  today  you will be with me in paradise.”  (Luke 23:43 ESV)  Forgiveness is so simple & so uncomplicated,  if we can just get our sinful nature out of the way.   That’s easy to say,  but none of us  can remove our sinful nature.  It took being crucified for one of the criminals to finally accept  that he needed the help of Jesus to live. 
It may sound strange,  that he needed to be crucified  in order to find life.  If you find that confusing, it’s a sign that your sinful nature  is getting in the way of understanding.  Martha was also confused, when her brother Lazarus died, to which Jesus replied, “I am the resurrection & the life.   Whoever believes in me,  though he die,  yet  shall he live.”  (John 11:25 ESV) 
 The Son of God is making the point that life here on earth,  even at its best,  is but a poor shadow  of life in heaven.  That’s difficult to comprehend,  because we’ve never known anything but  this life.  That’s why the Holy Spirit  creates faith within us.   Faith believes what it does not understand  & what it cannot see.   For example,  how many of you completely understand,  & can explain to someone else,  how electricity works?   Yet,  in spite of a shallow understanding,  you trust & expect,  that when you flip the switch,  your kitchen lights will come on.   You can’t see the electrons flowing through the wires,  but you still believe in what electricity does for you.  Clearly,  faith in Jesus, as Lord & Savior,  is of far greater importance  than faith in electricity. 
The repentant criminal may have spent a lifetime in crime.  We don’t know  because the Bible doesn’t give those details.  However, it seems that upon being crucified  he finally confronted the reality of his sinfulness: “Do you not fear God,  since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?”  (Luke 23:40 ESV) 
It is a stern & sobering message, coming from the mouth of a man who truly sees his guilt.  It is from a man who is in horrible agony  yet is turning to Jesus for hope.   It’s not a comfortable message to hear.  If Jesus can end up crucified, so can we.  “Do you not fear God,  since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?”  (Luke 23:40 ESV) 
You & I may not be hanging on a cross right now,  but apart from Jesus  we too would be under a sentence of condemnation.  This life  would be as good as it gets,  rather than a poor shadow  of the true life in heaven  to come.  The last Sundays of the Church Year  typically focus on judgment.  It helps us to prepare for,  & appreciate,  the joyful anticipation of Advent. 
The Church remembers the crucifixion of Jesus on the Last Sunday of the Church Year because the cross is how Jesus transforms the world.   It’s how Jesus transformed the criminal from a life of crime that deserved death,  to a man who confessed His guilt & simply asked Jesus to remember him.  In His role as King of the universe, ruling over heaven & earth, Jesus replied:
“Truly,  I say to you,  today  you will be with me in paradise.”  (Luke 23:43 ESV)    We like to picture people coming to faith  at a Bible study  or  an inspiring worship service.  This man literally came to faith  while being crucified.  There’s not a sales program  that would tell us to “win” customers in that way.  Yet,  the Gospel of Luke records this  to help us understand how difficult it is  to get our sinful nature out of the way.   It also shows the power of God the Holy Spirit  to bring good  through even the most horrifying of circumstances.   The explanation that Jesus gives at John 16:33 applies here  just as well:
“I have said these things to you,  that in me  you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (ESV)   No matter how you came to faith,  the death of Jesus  is always the beginning of life – life for you now,  & true life for you in paradise.  Christians do not minimize the terrors of sin,  but neither do we lose hope. 
God the Son dies under His own curse & judgement,  but He does so that He might rise & remake the world in His image.  Paradise will be a world full of divine blessing & promise.  Our upcoming celebrations of Christmas,  as joyful as they can be,  are but a poor shadow of the paradise  the repentant criminal entered  with Jesus  on Good Friday. 
It’s not pleasant to dwell on, but the brokenness of this world is profound.  Prisons & jails hold guilty & innocent people alike.  Congregation are made up of evil  & humble people  alike.  Young people, full of life & dreams,  die way too soon of disease or violence.  Old people, full of despair & hopelessness,  live way too long.   In this world  it is often difficult  to see Jesus. 
We see, or feel, the despair of suffering.  We watch conflicts between the Church & the world.  We encounter disagreements, hatred & betrayal  among friends, family & enemies.  In all the sorrow of this world, we wonder why it’s so difficult to help others see Christ’s love.   In those times, it is good to block out the loud, fighting voices  & speak honestly to Jesus of our sin. 
We may tremble as we bring Him the broken fragments of our lives.  However, to you, to your family, to your church, to your world, Jesus has a promise: “I will never forsake you nor forget you.  I have offered My life for you.  Though it is at times impossible to see, I am graciously ruling over all things.”  In the Gospel reading for today,  we meet two criminals  dying on either side of Jesus.  Through that process of being crucified,  one of them actually recognizes Jesus  as Lord & Savior.  His prayer is honest & simple: “Jesus, remember me  when you come into your kingdom.”  Jesus answered that prayer  even as both of them were suffering. 
The exchange could not have lasted more than a few minutes,  yet the gift that was given  lasts for eternity.  That prayer of the criminal, however, is not only his prayer.  It is also the prayer of all people who’ve come to the sad realization of the depths & the despair of their sin.  Yet from Jesus, while on the cross, we hear a cry of victory:
“Today,  you will be with Me in Paradise!”  May our response ever be  words that we spoke earlier in today’s service: “Almighty God,  have mercy upon us,  forgive us our sins,  & lead us to everlasting life.  Amen.”  (LSB p. 203) 
 
 
Lord, to You I make confession:  I have sinned & gone astray,  I have multiplied transgression,  chosen for myself  my way.   Led by You to see my errors,  Lord, I tremble at Your terrors.           Yet,  though conscience’ voice appall me,  Father, I will seek Your face; though You child I dare not call me,  yet receive me in Your grace.   Do not for my sins  forsake me:  let Your wrath not overtake me.           Lord, on You I cast my burden – sink it in the deepest sea!   Let me know Your gracious pardon,  cleanse me from iniquity.   Let Your Spirit leave me never;  make me only  Yours  forever.  Amen.  LSB 608:1-2, 4.