Dear Friends in Christ Jesus,<\/p>\n
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As I mentioned earlier, today\u2019s service has a two-fold emphasis \u2013 Palm Sunday when Jesus begins the week with His triumphal entry, and Sunday of the Passion as He suffers great agony on the cross and dies for our sins. <\/p>\n
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If the people of the city of Jerusalem had known scripture, they would have known what was happening when Jesus entered the city riding on a donkey. The Prophet Zechariah, in today\u2019s Old Testament lesson prophesied that when the coming Messiah would come to Jerusalem he would be both righteous and humble \u2013 riding on a donkey. In other words, not coming against the people as a war lord to enslave them, but for the people, to redeem and save them. Indeed, Jesus comes into the city as a great king, with the acclamations of a king. The people with great joy shout \u201c\u03a9\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd\u03bd\u03b1\u201d \u2013 \u201cSave us!\u201d \u2013 to the Son of David, the true heir to the throne.<\/p>\n
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And this is where today\u2019s emphasis shifts from the joy of Palm Sunday to the Sunday of the Passion. That\u2019s because Jesus will not be led to a throne in a king\u2019s palace. All the city is stirred up by his entrance, but not necessarily for good. The topic of conversation becomes \u201cwho is this Jesus?\u201d Some will say, \u201cit\u2019s the great prophet from Galilee!\u201d Others will say, \u201che\u2019s a blasphemer we must destroy.\u201d Very few will say, \u201cthe Son of God.\u201d Jesus will then not be led to his throne by a cheering multitude, but by soldiers with swords and clubs. He will be beaten and mocked by soldiers rather than guarded. He will be led to a hill so weakened that another man will carry his cross. For Jesus will be crucified and his king\u2019s throne is a cross of wood, with the words written above: \u201cThis is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.\u201d<\/p>\n
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A throne is a place of judgment. From the cross, Jesus declares the true judgment to those before him. Who are there before him? The artist James Tissot created a very striking painting of Christ\u2019s crucifixion called \u201cCrucifixion, seen from the cross.\u201d It appears on the front cover of today\u2019s bulletin. It is much different from other paintings of the crucifixion because the only part of Jesus which is seen is his feet at the very bottom of the painting. You might even miss them if you don\u2019t look closely. The perspective is Christ\u2019s. \u0399t is a Jesus-eye view. So the majority of the painting is not Jesus, but instead the different people gathered around his cross. There is a greatly mixed group of people \u2013 some mourning, some sneering, some just looking on \u2013 different reactions to the King of the Jews upon the cross.<\/p>\n
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So you see sitting on a low circle of stones around the cross are several soldiers, some sneering, some looking away, some bored with the situation. They don\u2019t even feel the need to stand before the king. These are the ones who mocked him, putting a crown of thorns on his head, a scarlet robe on him, and a reed in his right hand, kneeling and saying \u201cHail King of the Jews!\u201d Then they struck him and spit upon him. These Roman soldiers show the world\u2019s view of the kingship of Jesus. What kind of a king would be so weak to allow himself to be mocked and spit upon? Jesus is no great Caesar. They do not see him as worthy of any respect.<\/p>\n
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Do not be like these soldiers. They only see physical might and appearances. Their god is their earthly desires, they are the fools who say in their heart there is no God. They put their trust in rulers and in chariots, in might and brutality. All these things which they see as important will pass away. For everything on earth will die and decay. This world is destined for destruction. Caesar will not save in the final judgment. Politics, wealth, status will do nothing in the final judgment. So do not look at the things which seem impressive now, for they do not last. Even Rome\u2019s great empire fell. It is God who raises and lowers kings, but his Son will be on the throne forever.<\/p>\n
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Before Jesus\u2019 cross there are others mocking. Prominently on the right side of the painting, there is a group of sneering chief priests, scribes, and elders, well-dressed upon their own donkeys. These are the ones who said, \u201cHe saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, \u2018I am the Son of God.\u2019\u201d The elders and priests, unlike the soldiers, don\u2019t just despise Jesus for his weakness. They have heard his words and reject them. They don\u2019t want Jesus as king. They are pictured sitting on their own donkeys, richly dressed. In a mockery of Jesus\u2019 entrance into the city, they are the ones who will be seated as kings. They will be the leaders of the people, not Jesus, and they think they have finally put down the one who threatened their power.<\/p>\n
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Their mockery is similar yet different than the soldiers. The soldiers at least do not need to have a comprehension of who Jesus is or what he claims. The chief priests, scribes, and elders know exactly what Jesus has said and who he claims to be, and they reject him. Even though they recognize the miracles he has done \u2013 he saved others \u2013 they do not believe what he says. These men have been soundly defeated by Jesus in every confrontation, and now like cowards and bullies mock him in his weakness. So it is with those who claim to be followers of God, but when the opportunity arises will attack others in hate. They do not love their enemies, and thus the reject the very love of God for them. It is impossible to love God and hate your brother, for in so doing you hate the very sacrifice of Jesus, as the chief priests and elders do.<\/p>\n
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The chief priests are pictured in the painting as standing a ways off, as if they are worried Jesus may actually come down from the cross. But standing right in front of Jesus are the women, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee, along with John, the only disciple who did not abandon Jesus. And, of course, there is Jesus\u2019 mother, Mary, standing immediately at the foot of the cross. They are all looking up to Jesus, mourning at his feet. All their hope as they followed Jesus these last years was put onto Jesus, but now he is being put to death. He has loved them, forgiven them, healed them, saved them. They kneel before him as their king, but their king is dying.<\/p>\n
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These are the blessed ones, generations yet unborn will be following in their steps. They cling to Jesus even when their eyes see that he has failed. They hold to him at the cross in faith, because they cannot put their faith in anything else. Others, even most of the disciples, would say, \u201cit\u2019s over, Jesus is done. We must have been wrong. There is no saving us now.\u201d Yet these dedicated Christians before the cross of Jesus hold to him even though they do not know how the promise will come true. Maybe they remember his words that on the third day he would rise. But the hope of resurrection is hard to see in times of suffering.<\/p>\n
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Jesus cries out before them at the ninth hour, \u201cMy God, My God, why have you forsaken me?\u201d The bystanders look on, not knowing what he is saying. In the painting there are many dozens of bystanders, not mourning, not mocking, just watching the spectacle. They think that Jesus is calling Elijah. Yet if they knew Christ, they would know that Jesus is not calling Elijah. These words of Jesus are truly their salvation.<\/p>\n
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Jesus cries out because he has taken on the sins of the whole world on the cross. Though he committed no sin, the sins of the world have been laid on him as a sacrifice. Every mockery of the soldiers, the sneers of the chief priests, the despair of the women, the ignorance and apathy of the bystanders, the sins of all, even yours, were laid on him on that cross. Jesus Christ, the king of the Jews, lays out a judgment, but it is not a judgment on anyone being viewed from the cross. The judgment is upon him. Jesus is being judged for our offences, for our sins. And the Father, seeing Jesus take upon himself all our sins, gives Jesus the just punishment that we deserved. All the wrath of God is put upon Jesus. He suffers the ultimate suffering and is abandoned by the Father.<\/p>\n
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So he cries out the words of Psalm 22, \u201cMy God, My God, why have you forsaken me?\u201d This is not just a Psalm of despair. It is a royal psalm. It is the words of the king. Jesus shows that what he must suffer is the way of the true king. See, all this was the Father\u2019s plan from the beginning. The psalm says:<\/p>\n
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But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me. They sneer. They shake their heads. They say, \u201cTrust in the Lord.\u201d \u201cLet the Lord deliver him. Let him rescue him, if he delights in him.\u201d (Psalm 22:6-8)<\/p>\n
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The sneers and mocking were already known. It is the true king who is mocked. It is the true king who is crucified.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFor dogs have surrounded me. A band of evil men has encircled me. They have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me.\u201d (Psalm 22:16-17)<\/p>\n
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The people think this is the end of a man who would be king. They are wrong. This is the way in which Jesus takes his throne. He is not conquering Caesar, looking for a kingdom of this world. He is not just another wise rabbi. He is the Messiah, the Son of David, the one who saves not only in spite of his death, but by his death. For, as the psalm says:<\/p>\n
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\u201c\u2026he has not despised nor detested the affliction of the afflicted. He has not hidden his face from him, but when he cried out to him, he heard.\u201d (Psalm 22:24)<\/p>\n
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The Father heard Jesus\u2019 cry. His sacrifice was accepted. Jesus gave up his spirit and died, but at that moment everything changed. The temple curtain was torn, there was no more need for sacrifices, for Jesus made the final sacrifice for our sins. The tombs were opened and people were raised. Resurrections were happening everywhere. In Jesus\u2019 death, death had already been beaten and was failing. The whole earth shook, rocks split, the earth could not bear to see its creator die.<\/p>\n
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There in the painting to the left is a centurion, standing nobly before Jesus. At the sight of all these things, that centurion in awe said, \u201cTruly this was the Son of God!\u201d Already at his death, all the ends of the earth are turning to the Lord. This pagan Roman soldier is the first to say what all Christians will say before cross \u2013 truly this is the Son of God.<\/p>\n
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Yes, Jesus is truly the Son of God and our king. He shows this no better place than his cross, where he gives a judgment that is both just and merciful. Sin is punished by taking it on himself. So in him, all are forgiven. Even though you are not before his cross with the women and John, you do receive his forgiveness and his righteousness. For Psalm 22 ends:
\nDescendants will serve him. For generations people will be told about the Lord. They will come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet to be born that he has done it. (Psalm 22:30-31)<\/p>\n
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My friends, this Jesus is your king, he has died for your sins, even when you were not yet born. Though you have done as badly as the mockers and sneerer and bystanders and worse, he offers full pardon. For the punishment for the guilt of your sins was taken by your King. Now your King, buried, resurrected, and ascended, gives the gifts of his death to you, his body and blood. Receive him, trust him, knowing that this is a trust that will never fail. Firmly cast all your hopes, your cares, your sins, onto the crucified King, who has come to give His life for you. Join the crowd and say, \u201cHosanna! Blessed is He who has come to save us!\u201d In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear Friends in Christ Jesus, As I mentioned earlier, today\u2019s service has a two-fold emphasis \u2013 Palm Sunday when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[176],"wpfc_sermon_series":[],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[],"class_list":["wpfc_preacher-pastor-j-fritsche","wpfc-sermon-single","post-4516","wpfc_sermon","type-wpfc_sermon","status-publish","hentry"],"sermon_audio":"","sermon_audio_duration":"","_views":"15","bible_passage":"Matthew 21:5 \u201cSay to the daughter of Zion, \u2018Behold your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.\u2019\u201d","sermon_video_embed":"","sermon_video_url":"","sermon_bulletin":"","_featured_url":false,"sermon_date":1744554159,"_sermon_date_auto":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/wpfc_sermon\/4516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/wpfc_sermon"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/wpfc_sermon"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4516"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/wpfc_sermon\/4516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4518,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/wpfc_sermon\/4516\/revisions\/4518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"wpfc_preacher","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwpfc_preacher&post=4516"},{"taxonomy":"wpfc_sermon_series","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwpfc_sermon_series&post=4516"},{"taxonomy":"wpfc_sermon_topics","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwpfc_sermon_topics&post=4516"},{"taxonomy":"wpfc_bible_book","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwpfc_bible_book&post=4516"},{"taxonomy":"wpfc_service_type","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/redeemerlutheranchurch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwpfc_service_type&post=4516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}