This Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year. It’s usually called “Christ the King Sunday”.  Each of the three readings set for this Sunday refer to the king.  The prophet Jeremiah gives a prophecy for the king: that this king will bring about a Kingdom of peace and justice. His is a prophecy of hope concerning king Jesus.
The reading from Colossians describes this king and his power.  And then there’s the gospel from Luke 23. The promised, the powerful, King Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ, is crucified! We might well wonder: how can this be? On the face of it, it seems that all of God’s promises and plans have come to nothing. However, we know that it’s not the end of the story. Even there as Jesus is dying he tells one of those criminals crucified alongside of him an amazing truth “today you will be with me in paradise”.
What sort of King is this? Is he a king who comes into the world, does some amazing things, and then at around the age of 30, dies a miserable death?  Who is he the king whose death is died for us: whose resurrection is for us and for the whole world? What does this mean?
In fact, Jesus death on the cross is not the end but the beginning of a new and wondrous eternity.  Our baptism gathers us into this Jesus. Our lives are secure.
The Last Sunday and end of the church year is in fact a new beginning!