The King goes back [Palm Sunday; The Passion according to St. Matthew]

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE.

Thus, Jesus speaks today, saying:

"When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,'You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.'”

Palm Sunday. The Sunday where our children dance through the church and bright green palm branches fill our hands. The Sunday where Jesus rides in triumph. The Sunday where all of Jerusalem finally acknowledges all the work Jesus has been doing, rightly. The Sunday where every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Everyone is so excited, even non-Christians get Palm Sunday. Pomp and circumstance, joy, and a parade. The victory is won. The after-party starts tonight. Throw out your cloaks. Throw out your palm branches. We are on our way to the Promised land, boys. Don’t count on anything you’re carrying. Dump it with no thought of tomorrow. Today is the day.

Rejoice, rejoice greatly! Shout aloud! The King! The King has returned! We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days,

    in the days of old: you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted;

you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free; for not by their own sword did they win the land,

    nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.

You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob [this day]!

Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.

But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.

In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever.

Thus far from Psalm 44 (v.1-8), King David sings out with us on this Palm Sunday and we rejoice with him. We have seen and heard what God did in the past and can’t wait for what He’s going to do this time. But what David did not yet know, or what he knew backwards, was that defeat comes before victory. The cross before the empty grave. Suffering before glory.

David knew it backwards, because in his experience, you don’t win battles by losing them. You don’t gain victory by dying. St. Peter also knew this and wanted glory instead of suffering when he told Jesus that Jesus would not be dying on his watch (Mt 16:21-22). Jesus will not be going to Jerusalem, he said, will not suffer many things from the elders, chief priests and scribes, will not be killed and will not be raised on the third day. God forbid it!

Little did Zechariah know just what it would mean for his King to be humble and mounted on a donkey. Little did he think that cutting off Ephraim’s chariots and Jerusalem’s warhorses would mean cutting off His God from the land of the living. Little did he think that the peace of God would be the destruction of the Son.

Repent! Little did you know that being a Christian meant managing a budget, or making friends in your community, or attending Bible class. Little did you know the humility required. Little did you know how much of the world you would not be able to be a part of. Little did you know that the power that the Holy Spirit gives is something as small as simply believing.

How does Jerusalem acknowledge her King? She crucifies Him. How does she shout all day “Hosannas” to her king? She scourges Him and crowns Him with thorns.

Do not be fooled! The meekness of Christ is not seen in riding on a donkey. He is meek without the donkey. The donkey is the beast of the king as is proven by 1 Kings: “And the king said to them, ‘Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’” (1 Ki. 1:33-34)

Because we are fooled, the kingdom of God comes even without our prayer, even without our say-so, and even without our understanding. Jesus WILL be going to Jerusalem, WILL suffer many things from the elders, chief priests and scribes, WILL be killed and WILL be raised on the third day. This is the Road of the King. This is the King of Salvation and the crucifixion is the Way.

David the king and prophet has already turned the mood in the Divine Service. He preaches from Psalm 22 in the Introit and Gradual, telling us Jesus’ own lamentations, on this historic occasion. Even the Jews teach this psalm as having only to do with the Messiah and His suffering. David had to have witnessed the cross in a vision otherwise his words would not make sense: “they pierced my hands and my feet...They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” (Ps. 22:17-18)

St. Paul the great preacher of the cross, summarizes Zechariah’s prophesy, in saying that the chariot and warhorse from Ephraim and Jerusalem will be cut off by Jesus becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

St. Matthew, who best describes our Lord’s humanity, portrays the beginning of the Messiah’s utter abandonment, rehearsing, as it were, our own death march towards Jerusalem on the Last Day. Yet, today, it is Jesus Who advances to suffer and die for our sakes; to win our resurrection by His terrible passion and death.

Your salvation depends on this moment of Jesus’. We must follow Him and we must die with Him if we are to ever rise with Him. At the end of church, we take our palms and place them behind our crucifixes to continually remind ourselves of all of this, that Christ’s grace rests wherever these branches are brought and with His right hand He has defeated every evil for us and grants us His protection, whom He has redeemed with His holy, precious, innocent Blood.

These palms are not instruments of magic. They, like the crucifix, are a visible sign to us of what has transpired this Holy Week. That our King of kings, humble and riding a donkey, has accomplished salvation for us, cutting off the chariots of sin, death, and the devil for us, setting us free from the waterless pits and taking us to the New Jerusalem, restoring 100-fold of what sin and this world has taken away.

Make no mistake. The King rides today. But His victory is in suffering and the cross, the exact opposite of how the world sees victory.

Abraham's Day [Lent 5; St. John 8:46-59]

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Jesus speaks to you today, saying:

“Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

Today, Passion Sunday, we begin to feel the imminent approach of Jesus crucifixion more intensely as our Gospel displays the world’s reaction to Jesus, that is to put Him to death. It doesn’t matter how much He talks about love and peace, it doesn’t matter how many people He heals, and it doesn’t matter how many miracles He performs. The mass media outlets of His day have labeled Him a liar and they repeat that story until everyone believes it.

This is because, now that His hour is fast approaching to suffer and die for the whole world, Jesus is desperately trying to convince everyone of the need for repentance. Unfortunately, He must first convince everyone that they are sinners, which is never easy. So we see Him spend the entirety of chapter 8 of John’s gospel explaining this point to the Jews.

Chapter 8 opens with the woman caught in adultery. Eager to prove to God their worth, the Jews have shoved the Law in Jesus’ face giving Him two choices: either He agree with them and murder her or disagree with them and call Moses, and therefore God, a liar.

There is a curious verse in the Old Testament that explains what is going on. It comes in the beginning of Moses’ second book, Exodus, 300 years after Joseph saved Egypt from famine and died. Verses 8-10 says, “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.”

The people of Israel were made slaves, then. In that environment they were severely oppressed and yet they multiplied the more they were mistreated. They may have been making bricks out of mud and straw, forced into ghettos, and unable to vote, assemble in peace, or speak their peace, but they were alive and strong.

They began to love their tormentors in a twisted way. They loved the abundance of their masters and the plenty of the land. They had shelter, they had food, they had routine. Sure, freedom would be nice, but at what cost to our stability?

Thus, out of this exile, this slavery, arose a new people that did not know God. God said, “He who is without sin cast the first stone” and they hated Him. He said, “I AM the light of the world” and they covered Him with grave dirt. He says, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” and they declare Abraham their father and Caesar their king.

Repent. We have forgotten God. You never had a chance in the first place. All of the events in the Bible took place 2000 years ago, at the earliest. How can you be expected to know what’s what? You don’t need Church to study history and the Bible and other devotionals. Your sins are not as bad as the Jews, I mean, at least you had nothing to do with crucifying Jesus, right?

Do you know why Jesus hid Himself and why we covered our cross after the Gospel reading today? Jesus did not run away, afraid to face His aggressors. He hid Himself because a stoning is too little of a punishment. A simple stoning, though barbaric, is only for idolaters (Deut. 13:7) and sexual deviants (Deut. 22:13ff) and Jesus was not going to go down as one of those only. He needs to heap on some more sins, before He is satisfied.

The image we veiled today is the image of the invisible God. The God that only chooses to reveal Himself in the self-sacrifice of His Son on the cross. There is no other way to the Father except through the cross of Christ. The Jews, not believing this, had come to not know their own God.

How did Abraham know and not his descendents, the Jews? You heard from the Old Testament this morning how Abraham saw Jesus’ day and rejoiced in it. On that day, Abraham encountered two things: an undying son and a substitute lamb.

Oh yes, it says ram, but a ram is a male sheep. Chief among them, to be exact. Thus what we see in Isaac and the ram are the two natures of Christ. His divine nature hidden in Isaac which cannot die and His human nature hidden in the ram which suffers and dies for the whole world. Abraham rejoiced that his son did not have to die, but would be substituted out instead.

Oh yes, Abraham saw His Redeemer’s day. He saw the promise given by God, written in his son and written in the lamb. There was no mistaking it. Abraham’s descendents will hear about this for the rest of history that the most treasured image of God is not that of Father, but that of substitutionary atonement. In other words, the cross.

Even though Abraham didn’t know about Roman crosses, he knew the substitution that the Lord made with that ram, so no matter what form the death took, it would be redemptive. In this way, we, the true descendents of Abraham keep his story alive, for in the crucifix, the cross with Jesus on it, we beautifully and artfully proclaim exactly what Christ did for Abraham, for Isaac, and for us.

The Lord has provided. He has provided Christ’s crucifixion for the sins of the world and it remains the center of His entire work of history and salvation. Even after Jesus was taken off the cross and raised to the right hand of God, still the Apostles say things like:

“We preach Christ crucified” and “I determined to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified” and “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” and “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of Christ” and “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).

Jesus would not finish His work until He was more than a liar, more than an idolater, and more than a sexual deviant. He would become all sin to all people in order that through Him they would be saved. He hides Himself under the weight of sin, death, and the devil to free us from those very things.

The only way we are “of God” is the way of the crucifix. The only way we “keep Jesus’ word” is by always speaking the word of the cross. The only way to know the Father, is through the Son, Who sends His Holy Ghost to call you by the Gospel, enlighten you with His gifts, and sanctifies you and does the keeping for you.

Eating Business [Lent 4; St. John 6:1-15]

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE.

Jesus speaks to you today, saying:

“He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.”

First off, folks, it is important for the comfort of your soul that every time you hear about eating in the Bible, you think of the Lord’s Supper. Not because everywhere Jesus is creating it or instituting it and not because every time you eat bread and wine it is the Sacrament, but because everywhere Faith sees a meal it is reminded of the meal offered to you in the Divine Service and you are reminded of the forgiveness found in it.

For today, Jesus is feeding the people. He stands on the heights, elevating Himself in order to observe the masses. A bit condescending here, but He has earned it, having just finished performing all those miracles on the weak and the sick, as the Gospel said. We might add that He had no help in the matter, as His disciples had no such power.

It is in knowing all this that St. Phillip answers Jesus, desperately with all the disciples, trying to understand what God’s expectations and requirements of them are, here. Will Jesus send the masses away, as pompously suggested, or will He let them suffer for their zeal? Will He overturn tables or cuddle children? Will Jesus talk about death again, or peace this time? Will Jesus deal with the physical needs of these people or is He solely concerned with their spiritual needs?

Perhaps unfortunately for us and the disciples, it is none of our business. St. Paul writes, “So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” (Rom. 9:18) which is simply echoing Moses’ encounter with the Lord when the Lord says, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” (Ex. 33:19)

Do we show such little respect for our Creator that we need Him to run things by us first? Is it our business how He runs things or what He gives to whom? St. Philip thinks so. He knows Jesus has been working by Himself, though He has been surrounded by seemingly competent men. He knows that Jesus is moved to compassion for these people and that’s good enough.

“Send them away Jesus”, Philip might say, “They will find food and if they are interested in You they will come back later. We know You are concerned with feeding their spirit, but not whether their belly has anything to eat. Just let them go.” Even though Jesus has already upbraided St. Peter and run out the devil, who both used the same denial of Jesus’ ability to not only grasp the entire situation, but His ability to do anything about it.

Though, we should not be judging Philip and the disciples, for we are in the same boat. We and they should know the right answer to Jesus’ question of where to find bread. They should already be convinced of God’s loving-kindness from the Old Testament and know what Jesus will do. Jesus should not have to test us only to fail us.

Repent. Though you know that Jesus paid the full price for your sins, you are terrified to believe it, because somehow you still feel as if it is a mistake and you simply didn’t hear God rightly. Intellectually you know that your salvation isn’t dependent on showing love to your neighbor, but you would definitely show that kind of love IF you were saved.

What if you weren’t able to show that kind of love, even if you were saved? Be truthful. Your love is definitely not the kind of love that Jesus shows you. You need to grit your teeth, you need to fall back on “just do your duty”, and you need to people-please so people will think you are doing it right and like you.

Here’s what you, Philip, Peter, and the devil must come to admit: that your spiritual growth is none of your business. What God does with His Creation and with His salvation is none of your concern, but Jesus includes you none the less, testing you so that when you see your failure, and you will, you would also see your Savior.

Jesus says that if you abide in His love you will bear much fruit. He is the vine, after all, and you are just a branch. This is not a conditional challenge to see who can bear the most fruit. This is a promise! Abiding simply means believing; believing that what Jesus does is enough for you. God does not need your conscious effort to produce fruit in you, He just does it, regardless of what that looks like in your life.

Jesus does not want you or Philip to see progress. He wants you humble, content, but most of all He wants you repentant, admitting that you are not doing things, but He is. You already reflect God’s love, but you don’t recognize it because its so natural. Philip, though he was being tested, did exactly what faith demanded of Him: turned to Jesus and let Him do what He wills.

The light you shine before men is the Good news of Christ and Him crucified. The good works people see you do and for which they give glory to God, are invisible to you. Your continual anxiety about works and your painful awareness of your sin and imperfection are tender mercies from God, reminding you that you also need a Savior.

Thus, the grace and mercy from our crucified and risen Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, is such that it continually and constantly drives you to Christ’s presence where you will always find more love, more forgiveness, and more assurance. Assurance that even though there is only a small bit of bread and a tiny bit to drink, this will be Jesus’ great work of salvation in your life.

Now that the Lord has accomplished the perfect life for you, suffering, dying, and rising again and now that the Lord has made His presence to dwell with you in such a way that you literally eat and drink with Him, you not only find love, forgiveness, and assurance in your soul, but also in your belly.

God does the impossible by making a promise of forgiveness to your ears and then making that same promise edible. Jesus accomplishes the impossible business of doing the work no one wants to do, that is saving every one, and makes it presentable in such a simple way that you either accept it in faith or reject it.

Regardless of your doubts, the Lord is secretly working out your salvation in plain sight, in His Supper and your anxiety about your works, your growth, and your façade melt away. For at His Table, you simply hear and believe, just as Scripture says, and there is no room for argument.

The attachment to the true Vine is here. The infusion of grace you so desperately seek to find is here. The Lord Who is strong to save and merciful at His say-so, is doing so here for you today. For, as Jesus has commanded, you have sat down in this place, heard the Lord’s Word in this place, and have received salvation distributed to you.