Title: Triumph in humility and power in the passion!
Text: Deut. 32:36-39, Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 23:1-56
Text: Deut. 32:36-39, Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 23:1-56
Facebook live: Triumph in humility and power in the passion!
42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There is no season in the entire church year when you and I are so focused in on the one central Biblical truth, which divides all humanity - as during this celebration of our savior's passion. It is when we stand beneath the cross. That's where the whole world belongs, too.
When we go back to those hours of Jesus’ suffering, we can't help notice, in the pages of his sacred book, that God has devoted more space to the horrible and meaningful hours of his passion - and why shouldn't he? It was his payment for our sins there in the awful hours, which determined the destiny of our lives.
My whole relationship with my creator was at stake.
My peace with God was being earned.
He was dying there that I might live forever with him.
So today I ask you then, to go with me to these most intense hours of our Lord's passion. And with God’s Spirit help each one of us to see the wonderful blessing that he brought to us in this time.
To those of us who love our savior dearly, it really tears our heart out to read the opening verses of our Gospel in Luke 23. Jesus is manipulated as if all power was prevailing over him - the one who is the power of the Almighty.
The crowd raises accusations of traitorism and subversion, and yet in the life of Jesus, there never has been, and never will be, a trace of either one.
We become further distressed when we see Pilate as the spineless politician announcing:
4 “I find no guilt in this man.”
Or:
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.
Or, the crowds … the fickle crowds:
18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder.
They choose Barabbas and condemn Jesus. Many still do.
Well, I guess it really ought to tear out our hearts because everything he endured in those awful hours was for you and me.
Sure, Jesus could have brushed aside Herod, Pilate, and the crowd.
He could have rejected all the suffering abuse and humiliation.
But he came into the world not to avoid all of this, but to endure it for you and for me. This was all part of the prophetic fulfillment that he would go - as a lamb to the slaughter - as a sheep, he would not open his mouth.
Isaiah had pointed ahead to this great act of redemption, this substitutionary atonement in Isaiah 53:
He was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
And finally, when the trials were concluded and Pilate had handed him over to be crucified, and they led him through the narrow streets of Jerusalem, up the little hill to Calvary, as he fell beneath the cross, Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry his cross for him.
Luke tells us that a great company of people, and women, followed and the tears flowed.
28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
I know there is a tendency for us Christians to become sentimental about this entire passion of Jesus, but our Lord isn't asking for sympathy. He says our tears ought to be shed for the people. Not him.
Weep, for the people, who in their blindness of unbelief will pass up everything which he secured for them.
Weep, for all people who live as if Calvary never happened.
Weep for these, not for Jesus, who passed through death to life.
And weep for those who will pass through death to eternal death never to see the hope of Christ!
Finally, they reached the crest of Calvary and three crosses were laid on the ground. Now begins the horrible ordeal of nailing men to them.
It's repulsive even to imagine this detestable and inhumane act, even to watch and listen to the curses and to see the struggle.
Two men whose lives have been lived in rebellion against society are there, and to see the lamb of God willingly take his place between them, as a lamb to the slaughter, ought to say something to those of us who have sometimes questioned his love for us.
33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
It seems to me that there is a message which emerges from each of these three crosses.
We need to hear each message. Because they speak to that one basic eternal need, which you and I and all men have - namely pardon for a lifetime of mistakes and consequently, freedom for a life eternal with God.
The very fact that God chose to arrange three crosses there, not one, means that each has something to say to us all.
We look to the cross on the left,
The impenitent one.
We know little of him.
We know that it was spent going downhill instead of up.
We know that his disregard for God and man had reached the point where his fellow men had decided. It was neither safe nor right for him to live.
We also know that he was close enough to the savior of the world that he could almost touch him.
That he heard words of forgiveness and love spoken by the Son of God is possible, but he turned a deaf ear to it all and rejected the offer of grace.
No matter how low he had fallen, he chose to stay close to his own sin - what a terrible lesson. I can think of nothing worse which could happen to those who reject God's offer of grace and forgiveness and life.
You must know from this gospel message that God loves you anyway. May a humble spirit give you and me ears to hear his loving invitation to “Come unto me and I will give you rest.”
On the right side of Jesus, there was another cross bearing the agonizing body of another man.
Much of his life apparently had been spent following the pattern of his partner in crime. Thieves and robbers as they were.
He was dying for his crimes too. However, apparently his eyes had been opened and his ears listened to the message that came from the center cross.
Perhaps, his early years could have been spent at the feet of parents who awaited the coming savior.
Or, perhaps the past three years of our savior's messages and miracles may have reached him, through the savior’s voice or others.
Possibly, he had observed Jesus during his final hours and listened to his words of love and pardon.
At any rate. God's spirit had been working on his heart. And before he drew his final breath, he sincerely confessed with a contrite heart to his partner in crime.
“Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then turning to Jesus …
42 … he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Wonderful comfort. Wonderful words!
It begs a whole world of people to come and be cleansed and made alive unto God.
That's the message of the center Cross.
34 … “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
The centurion beneath the cross got the message.
11 of the 12 disciples, Got the message.
Saul the persecutor of the church, Got the message, and today there are believers in Jesus Christ to be found on every continent of this broken world.
But the real question this morning is did you get the message?
48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.
The crowd that saw the spectacle beat their breasts, and those who were acquainted with Jesus, watched at a distance.
If we, just beat our breasts and go home, saying in a sense, isn't that too bad? Then Jesus had to suffer quite a bit for nothing.
If we just go away or stand a far off and are not changed, there something terribly wrong with our response.
The question is:
What will our response to Calvary be today?
Will we lift our eyes to the center cross?
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.
Or, the crowds … the fickle crowds:
18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder.
They choose Barabbas and condemn Jesus. Many still do.
Well, I guess it really ought to tear out our hearts because everything he endured in those awful hours was for you and me.
Sure, Jesus could have brushed aside Herod, Pilate, and the crowd.
He could have rejected all the suffering abuse and humiliation.
But he came into the world not to avoid all of this, but to endure it for you and for me. This was all part of the prophetic fulfillment that he would go - as a lamb to the slaughter - as a sheep, he would not open his mouth.
Isaiah had pointed ahead to this great act of redemption, this substitutionary atonement in Isaiah 53:
He was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
And finally, when the trials were concluded and Pilate had handed him over to be crucified, and they led him through the narrow streets of Jerusalem, up the little hill to Calvary, as he fell beneath the cross, Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry his cross for him.
Luke tells us that a great company of people, and women, followed and the tears flowed.
28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
I know there is a tendency for us Christians to become sentimental about this entire passion of Jesus, but our Lord isn't asking for sympathy. He says our tears ought to be shed for the people. Not him.
Weep, for the people, who in their blindness of unbelief will pass up everything which he secured for them.
Weep, for all people who live as if Calvary never happened.
Weep for these, not for Jesus, who passed through death to life.
And weep for those who will pass through death to eternal death never to see the hope of Christ!
Finally, they reached the crest of Calvary and three crosses were laid on the ground. Now begins the horrible ordeal of nailing men to them.
It's repulsive even to imagine this detestable and inhumane act, even to watch and listen to the curses and to see the struggle.
Two men whose lives have been lived in rebellion against society are there, and to see the lamb of God willingly take his place between them, as a lamb to the slaughter, ought to say something to those of us who have sometimes questioned his love for us.
33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
It seems to me that there is a message which emerges from each of these three crosses.
We need to hear each message. Because they speak to that one basic eternal need, which you and I and all men have - namely pardon for a lifetime of mistakes and consequently, freedom for a life eternal with God.
The very fact that God chose to arrange three crosses there, not one, means that each has something to say to us all.
We look to the cross on the left,
The impenitent one.
We know little of him.
We know that it was spent going downhill instead of up.
We know that his disregard for God and man had reached the point where his fellow men had decided. It was neither safe nor right for him to live.
We also know that he was close enough to the savior of the world that he could almost touch him.
That he heard words of forgiveness and love spoken by the Son of God is possible, but he turned a deaf ear to it all and rejected the offer of grace.
No matter how low he had fallen, he chose to stay close to his own sin - what a terrible lesson. I can think of nothing worse which could happen to those who reject God's offer of grace and forgiveness and life.
You must know from this gospel message that God loves you anyway. May a humble spirit give you and me ears to hear his loving invitation to “Come unto me and I will give you rest.”
On the right side of Jesus, there was another cross bearing the agonizing body of another man.
Much of his life apparently had been spent following the pattern of his partner in crime. Thieves and robbers as they were.
He was dying for his crimes too. However, apparently his eyes had been opened and his ears listened to the message that came from the center cross.
Perhaps, his early years could have been spent at the feet of parents who awaited the coming savior.
Or, perhaps the past three years of our savior's messages and miracles may have reached him, through the savior’s voice or others.
Possibly, he had observed Jesus during his final hours and listened to his words of love and pardon.
At any rate. God's spirit had been working on his heart. And before he drew his final breath, he sincerely confessed with a contrite heart to his partner in crime.
“Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then turning to Jesus …
42 … he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Wonderful comfort. Wonderful words!
It begs a whole world of people to come and be cleansed and made alive unto God.
That's the message of the center Cross.
34 … “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
The centurion beneath the cross got the message.
11 of the 12 disciples, Got the message.
Saul the persecutor of the church, Got the message, and today there are believers in Jesus Christ to be found on every continent of this broken world.
But the real question this morning is did you get the message?
48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.
The crowd that saw the spectacle beat their breasts, and those who were acquainted with Jesus, watched at a distance.
If we, just beat our breasts and go home, saying in a sense, isn't that too bad? Then Jesus had to suffer quite a bit for nothing.
If we just go away or stand a far off and are not changed, there something terribly wrong with our response.
The question is:
What will our response to Calvary be today?
Will we lift our eyes to the center cross?
Praying …
“God, give me a faith that never loses sight of Calvary and you.”
“Give me a faith that knows that Jesus Christ lived and died and rose again for me. Give me a faith that overcomes the world.”
“Give me a faith that hears the marvelous pronouncement to me and to a world of people that he loves them.”
“That he forgives them.”
This beautiful message of forgiveness, is so perfectly illustrated by the story of a country Doctor who had served the sick and the dying for half a century.
He answered their calls for help at all hours of the day and night and finally, his labors were finished.
After his death. They discovered that many of those who had been served by him with such faithfulness, had never paid for their services. The Doctor's ledgers, had written across many of the pages – forgiven, to pour to pay.
You see, this is precisely what Jesus wrote across the ledger of your life, from the center cross - forgiven too poor to pay.
We are too poor to pay.
We can never purchase with a lifetime of mistakes the glories of heaven.
I am too poor to pay, and so, are you?
The whole world is trapped in this spiritual poverty and we are too poor to pay.
But, today from the center Cross still comes the dual message of God's Justice and love.
Justice, which says we are all guilty and too poor to pay, but love which says Jesus has already paid the price for you!
The price for you here is God's great offer. It has been extended to the whole world whom he wants back.
My prayer is that we would hear his voice not with ears that only hear sound, but with hearts opened and filled with the spirit and that we would respond:
Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
Modified: Concordia Pulpit Rev. Paul J Foust C 1976
No comments:
Post a Comment