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Jesus Leads Us To Redemption Via The Cross

[email protected] All Messages By This Member #19623 Today's Scripture--for what many churches call "Palm Sunday" or "Passion Sunday"--is by far the longest of any of the Sunday Gospel readings throughout the year. Perhaps if this is read in your place of worship this lengthy reading would probably be divided into parts, perhaps with a narrator reciting the descriptive text, one or two reciting the words of Jesus and those He spoke with, and the congregation reciting the words of the crowd. However you may wish to parse this lengthy text is of course up to you, but please try to let the words sink in--the only way to the resurrection that we will celebrate next Sunday is via the crucifixion. Thank you and may God bless you! When the hour had come, He sat down with the twelve apostles. He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you, I will no longer by any means eat of it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." He received a cup, and when He had given thanks, He said, "Take this, and share it among yourselves, for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God comes." He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and gave to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you. Do this in memory of Me." Likewise, He took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which will be poured out for you."? "But behold, the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me on the table. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it has been determined, but woe to that man through whom He is betrayed!" They began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing. There arose also a contention among them, which of them was considered to be greatest. He said to them, "The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called 'benefactors.' But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves. For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn't it he who sits at the table? But I am in the midst of you as one who serves. But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. I confer on you a kingdom, even as My Father conferred on Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." The Lord said, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat, but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn't fail. You, when once you have turned back again, strengthen your brothers." Peter said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death!" He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will by no means crow today until you deny that you know Me three times." He said to them, "When I sent you out without purse, and wallet, and shoes, did you lack anything?"?They said, "Nothing." Then He said to them, "But now, whoever has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet. Whoever has none, let him sell his cloak, and buy a sword. For I tell you that this which is written must still be fulfilled in Me: 'He was counted with transgressors.' For that which concerns Me has an end." They said, "Lord, behold, here are two swords." But He said to them, "That is enough." He came out, and went, as His custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed Him. When He was at the place, He said to them, "Pray that you don't enter into temptation." He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done." An angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. Being in agony He prayed more earnestly. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When He rose up from His prayer, He came to the disciples, and found them sleeping because of grief, and said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation." While He was still speaking, behold, a multitude, and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" When those who were around Him saw what was about to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" A certain one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, "Stop! No more of this!"-and He touched his ear, and healed him. Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, who had come against Him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn't stretch out your hands against Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." They seized Him, and led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed from a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and had sat down together, Peter sat among them. A certain servant girl saw him as he sat in the light, and looking intently at him, said, "This man also was with Him." He denied Jesus, saying, "Woman, I don't know Him." After a little while someone else saw him, and said, "You also are one of them!"?But Peter answered, "Man, I am not!" After about one hour passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Truly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean!" But Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you are talking about!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned, and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord's word, how He said to him, "Before the rooster crows you will deny Me three times." He went out, and wept bitterly. The men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. Having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, "Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?" They spoke many other things against Him, insulting Him. As soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away into their council, saying, "If you are the Christ, tell us."?But He said to them, "If I tell you, you won't believe, and if I ask, you will in no way answer Me or let Me go. From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." They all said, "Are you then the Son of God?"?He said to them, "You say that I am." They said, "Why do we need any more witness? For we ourselves have heard from His own mouth!" The whole company of them rose up and brought Him before Pilate. They began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a king." Pilate asked Him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"?He answered him, "So you say." Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, "I find no basis for a charge against this man." But they insisted, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place." But when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean. When he found out that He was in Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at the time. Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard many things about Him. He hoped to see some miracle done by Him. He questioned Him with many words, but He gave no answers. The chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing Him. Herod with his soldiers humiliated Him and mocked Him. Dressing Him in luxurious clothing, they sent Him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other. Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined Him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse Him. Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by Him. I will therefore beat Him and release Him." Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast. But they all cried out together, saying, "Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!"- one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder. Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus, but they shouted, saying, "Crucify! Crucify Him!" He said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in Him. I will therefore beat Him and release Him." But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that He might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed. Pilate decreed that what they asked for should be done. He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will. When they led Him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus. A great multitude of the people followed Him, including women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' Then they will begin to tell the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and tell the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will be done when it is dry?" There were also others, two criminals, led with Him to be put to death. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Dividing His garments among them, they cast lots. The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at Him, saying, "He saved others. Let Him save Himself, if this is the Christ of God, His chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him vinegar, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" An inscription was also written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." One of the criminals who was hanged insulted Him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Don't you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due punishment for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom." Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit!" Having said this, He breathed His last.? When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man." All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts. All His acquaintances, and the women who followed with Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for the Kingdom of God: this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus's body. He took it down, and wrapped it in linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near. The women, who had come with Him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how His body was laid. They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. --Luke 22:14-23:56** Today we are reminded--yet again--of the messy ways in which the "real world" conducts its business--and of the horrendous consequences that such can bring about. Our Lord, in all innocence, is delivered into the hands of powerful people--powerful in a worldly sense--each with power to condemn or acquit Him, each charged with doing so by the power and purpose of the offices they hold--yet all with other interests and agendas which were corrupt or bent on self-preservation: hence the greatest miscarriage of justice in all of history! First we have "the chief priests and rabbis" who have already made up their minds on how to deal with this upstart who has challenged their authority and embarrassed them: have Him killed! Their agenda is the clearest and they are not open to dissuasion, as Jesus points out at their middle-of-the-night mockery of a "trial": "If I (answer) you won't believe, and if I ask, you will in no way answer Me or let Me go." Theirs is the most carefully plotted out, and theirs will prevail in the end. They recognize that this Jesus is nonetheless a popular figure to many people, so to deflect their responsibility they uncharacteristically appeal to Roman authority--that of the hated pagan occupiers of their land--in order to carry out the execution, ostensibly because only Pilate--the Roman governor--has that authority, even though they had no such qualms in attempting to have the adulterous woman in last week's Scripture account stoned to death by their own authority. ? Pilate may have been incompetent and exceptionally cruel--leading to his eventual replacement as Roman governor--but he was not naive. He clearly saw that the Temple authorities were trying to get him to do their dirty work for them and they wanted the onus of the expected unrest to fall on his shoulders. He wanted none of it--and, after finding out that Jesus was a Galilean, and recalling that the figurehead Jewish "king" nominally in charge of that district--Herod--was in Jerusalem at the time, promptly had Jesus dispatched to him for judgement. Herod seems to have been the most clueless of those involved. This was the same Herod who had been tricked into executing John the Baptist through the machinations of his wife. The fatuous Herod was only interested in Jesus performing one of His miracles for him for his amusement--and when He refused to do so, he mocked and insulted Him and sent Him back to Pilate. Herod then became friends with Pilate afterwards, apparently oblivious to Pilate wanting to set him up and take responsibility for this political hot potato. On having this unwanted burden brought back to him, Pilate tried appealing to "the crowd" for Jesus's release--and here he mis-played his hand. The Temple officials had already seeded the crowd with their followers, who cried out for His crucifixion! The scenario was now getting unstable with the risk of a riot breaking out with all sorts of potential negative consequences for his authority and tenure as governor. Pilate--who apparently genuinely believed in Jesus's innocence--nonetheless assented to this miscarriage of justice in order to save his own skin, although in other Gospel accounts he made a show of publicly washing his hands to attempt to deny responsibility in doing so. Of course let's not forget the Apostles--Jesus's own followers--who failed to learn from His last teachings before His arrest--who failed to abide by His instructions--who took a brief stance to defend Jesus when He was betrayed by one of their own, but they then fled the scene. Peter was the only one said to have surreptitiously followed Him after His arrest, but denied knowing Jesus three times when put on the spot. John would reportedly show up again at Jesus's crucifixion, but we are told nothing of the others. Finally, the fickle crowd of others--those who welcomed Jesus at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem a scant two days before--had allowed the Temple officials' agents to gain the upper hand in calling for His crucifixion instead of shouting them down and calling for His release. They were as guilty as anyone for allowing such to take place. So what is the point in recalling all of this? What meaning does it have for our own lives here in the 21st century, in wherever we may happen to live? First of all, if we don't see ourselves in any of the characters involved in the above scenario, we are in need of greater reflection on the matter. How many of us--in the lives we lead, the offices and responsibilities we have, do not experience the same tensions and act out of expediency and self-preservation rather than integrity in many cases? Which of us have never yielded to the temptation to cut corners when put under pressure--to act out of interests imposed on us which do not accord with Gospel values--or to willingly choose to do so of our own accord? It wasn't the worst of justice systems that resulted in this miscarriage of justice--it was among the best. The Temple priests most likely often rendered decisions based on integrity to God's law as they understood it. Rome--at the height of its powers--most likely often rendered just decisions per their standards--indeed, one of those crucified with Jesus acknowledged the justice of his own punishment. A case might even be made that the justice systems in place at the time were of greater integrity than those of ours in today's corrupt political-agenda-serving judicial climate,?with all sides guilty of attempting to unjustly influence such. ? Yet a horrendous injustice was perpetrated against Jesus in spite of that. Injustices are perpetrated by our own instances of choosing expediency over integrity in the way we conduct our own lives. But secondly--and of greater hope for all of us--note that _God's purposes were never thwarted in the process!_ Not that God would have wanted anyone to make sinful choices--but that He was able to carry out His purposes in spite of such! God knew how people were going to respond, and they were not excused for having done so, but in knowing the bad choices that were to be made He had the clearest picture of all in realizing and recognizing how He--through His son Jesus's perfect sacrifice--was to bring about the possibility of reconciliation and salvation for us all! The world is a dangerous and messy place. Many of us long for "peace." ?When people talk about peace, it is often about making our inner life at ease. Instead of being in a disturbed state, we wish to be calm. ? But the very process of trying to make our egos comfortable means navigating the process of discomfort. If we try to force ourselves to have inner peace, we lose our peace. A person who is trying to be peaceful will never actually be peaceful. Why? Because the peace that he or she achieves is only about making himself or herself comfortable, and that comfort is temporary. One only temporarily removes oneself from a world full of turmoil and conflict: a world which we are inextricably a part of. As much as we all need stress relief and relaxation to be part of our lives, it’s actually better in this life that "reality" will eventually intrude on such. If you are in turmoil, you will respond to the warning. If you remain in a meditative trance in the face of chaos, you become complacent in the face of danger. Turmoil is not the problem. Complacency is the problem, and ego-worn paths to "peace" lead to complacency. Waving palms and shouting “Hosanna, Save us!” will neither hide nor relieve the turmoil if those who praise peace are not also willing to confront the powers that create chaos. Those palms in our hands are the artillery of peace. They help us shake and agitate, disturb and disrupt. The palm branches in our hands point us to contradiction of Jesus’s identity and leave us asking, “Who is this?” ? Jesus is not just the sweet baby-in-a-manger of Christmas card fame. Jesus is not just our good times buddy or our playground pal. Jesus is not our copilot. Jesus is a life-giving, God-revealing, peace-creating man of turmoil--a turmoil needed to expose and confront evil and in doing so THEN bringing about healing and reconciliation.? “Who is this?” How is He going to save us? ?Doesn’t He know that if we follow Him, we will all get into trouble? Does He really know the cost of choosing to bring human life into alignment with God’s will? Who is this? He is the one who teaches us the intimacy of washing feet and sharing a cup of wine. Who is this? He is the one who breaks open our lives, as if breaking bread at table with friends. Who is this? He is the one who shows us that to be powerful we must become powerless. Who is this? He is the one who says the only way to genuine hope and success of humankind is love and humility, not oppression and force. ? Who is this? He is the one who calls us to die to ourselves before death comes. Jesus--and this Gospel--teach us about the real world and how to deal with it. Jesus knows what our human weaknesses are. Jesus knows what everyone's human weaknesses are. Jesus knows that we will sometimes fail. Jesus knows that others will sometimes fail. Jesus knows that evil and suffering will result from all of the realities of the way our sinfulness operates in the world. But Jesus also knows that out of the ashes of destruction and temporary triumph of evil, redemption can be brought about. Jesus knows that when we turn to Him in repentance--as the Apostles did, and as many of the characters in the above miscarriage of justice eventually did at Pentecost and beyond--that the foundations of His Kingdom are built and that great good can be salvaged from even the most horrific events and horrific miscarriages of justice. Indeed, a good of infinitely greater magnitude than temporary suffering can be accomplished! God can turn all things to His purposes, and we can be a part of His purposes when we allow His Spirit to work in and through us! That means being willing to plunge into gritty reality, and it also means having to suffer in one way or another, depending on the unique call God would make of each of us in serving Him. For Jesus, that was the horrendous injustice and vile punishment He chose to endure in order to follow The Father's plans to bring about our reconciliation and salvation. For each of us, it will be something else--all involving a cross of our own to be willing to suffer through. Without the cross, there is no resurrection--but with embracing the cross, we open ourselves up to experiencing the resurrection! The turmoil Jesus brings is the chaos out of which the hope of true peace will be born on Easter Day! ? Thanks be to God for that! AMEN!!

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