The Lutheran Hour
-
"The Crucified Christ: Victim or Victor?"
- Download MP3 Reflections
-
Text: Luke 22-23
-
“Christ is risen!” “He is risen indeed!” In seven days this powerful proclamation will echo back and forth through Christian churches all around the world. Jesus Christ, the mighty Son of God is alive- He crushed all our enemies, rose from the dead, and has promised to return again.
But wait a minute. How can we claim Jesus was a conquering King when He was rejected by His own nation, condemned by the Roman Empire, beaten, whipped, crowned with thorns, and nailed to a cross?
It’s no wonder the world is confused about Jesus of Nazareth. It’s no wonder people have so many questions about who He really is.
Well there’s only one way to find out- join me as we read God’s word and follow Jesus through the last hours of His life:
We’re stepping into the Upper Room- where Jesus is sharing His Last Supper with His disciples. He knows this will be His last meal on earth- He is well aware this night He will be betrayed, and in the morning He will be tried and condemned and executed on a cross.
Thinking of that coming betrayal troubles Jesus’ spirit. But he isn’t concerned about Himself- He’s concerned about Judas who is looking for the opportunity to betray Him. How can He bring this friend to see the disastrous course he is taking and to turn around and come back? He has already washed Judas’ feet and told all twelve disciples “You are clean, but not all of you.” That should have pricked Judas’ conscience, but it didn’t make a dent. So Jesus hits harder. He tells His twelve friends – “One of you will betray Me”. And then to underscore the bitter regret Judas will feel in the end He adds, “The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
We might expect a victorious, conquering King to reveal the plot and hand His would-be betrayer over to His disciples. But Jesus does the opposite. He says, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” He lets him go. Talk about confusing? Isn’t it a sign of weakness to let your enemy off the hook? Not when you still care about that enemy- not when you desperately want him to recognize what a terrible thing he is doing, not when you desperately want to save him and bring him back as your friend. What sorrow and concern fills Jesus as He watches Judas slip away into the night.
Now the supper is finished. Follow along as Jesus leads His remaining disciples out to the Garden of Gethsemane. If you knew you would soon be arrested, tortured, and executed, what would you be thinking about? Would you think only of yourself- and ignore everyone else’s struggles and problems?
Not Jesus- listen to what He tells Peter “the Rock”. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus tells the “Rock” he is going to turn to jelly when a few servant girls ask him if he knows Jesus. He knows Peter will fail Him- yet Jesus doesn’t push Peter away- He reassures him that He has prayed and will continue to pray that Peter’s faith may not completely fail, but that he will return in faith and repentance. Jesus doesn’t need to do this! He’s got the whole world weighing on His shoulders. In a few hours all hell will break loose against Him- but that’s what makes Jesus so great- He looks past Himself and takes the time to reach out to a stumbling, bumbling disciple.
Now we reach the Garden. What do you see? What do you hear? Listen, Jesus is telling His three closest disciples, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with Me.” Some people hear the words of a weak and desperate man- I hear the words of a man who is very human.
It takes a very strong Man to show His friends the turmoil and struggle going on inside Him. Jesus does just that. He asks His disciples and us to keep watch, to learn how to pray in the face of death. Then He goes off to pray and falls with His face to the ground.
The whole scene reeks of weakness, doesn’t it? Jesus is kneeling before His Father, tears streaming down His cheeks. If you listen closely, it sounds like He’s chickening out: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me.” An angel appears from heaven to strengthen Him. And the result? Jesus’ turmoil only increases! He is in agony, and He prays more earnestly, His sweat falls to the ground like great drops of blood. He prays, He pleads, He begs for the cross to be taken away from Him.
That doesn’t sound like a very strong man, a conquering hero, does it? But wait a minute before you decide- listen closely to His next words, “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”
That’s not the voice of a weak man who can’t make up his mind- a man who is getting ready to turn tail and run. It takes an incredibly strong man to pray like He is praying. He squares His shoulders and looks death in the face. “I don’t want to do this thing Father, but nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done.”
When you realize He is going through this all alone- you realize how strong He really is. If the disciples were watching Him, it would have brought some small comfort- just a reminder that someone cared, He wasn’t going through this alone- but look at the three sleeping forms- His friends have completely failed Him. But Jesus goes on. That is true strength.
It takes three long hours, but Jesus keeps on wrestling, and keeps on wrestling, and keeps on wrestling- He refuses to give up and give Himself rest until His will is perfectly matched to His Father’s saving will. Then, like the bravest soldier, Jesus turns to meet the enemies who are coming to arrest Him.
Now look at Jesus! Those grueling and exhausting hours of prayer have made Him even more powerful. Off in the distance we see lanterns and torches- it’s Judas leading the soldiers and officers from the Jewish leaders. And out steps Jesus- He isn’t cowering like a cornered animal- He is actually walking out to them- shielding His disciples behind Him. He speaks first- He asks, “Whom do you seek?” They answer, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Their voices are strong and intimidating- they want to take charge of the situation immediately. But Jesus replies with three small, simple words- “I AM He” and the power of His voice blasts them off their feet.
John, one of Jesus’ three eyewitness disciples tells us, “they drew back and fell to the ground.” As the officers and their soldiers- and Judas- warily get back on their feet again- Jesus takes charge of the situation and says, “If you seek Me, let these men go.” Though the disciples let Him down sleeping the last three hours away, and He knows they are about to abandon Him and run for their lives- Jesus protects them and sends them safely into hiding. What do you think of Jesus now, my friend?
Wait, before you answer- let’s watch Him a little longer first. Let’s follow Him to His trial before the Jewish high court.
There He stands while false witnesses pour out their lying accusations against Him. Surely He will use that powerful voice again- surely He will speak the truth and clear Himself. Instead, surprisingly He remains silent. While false witnesses rail on, Jesus stands silently by.
Is that what a strong man would do? His silence looks like weakness, as if He can’t defend Himself- as if they are speaking the truth. Ah, my friend, don’t take Jesus’ silence as a sign of weakness. His silence exposes the absolutely ridiculous, contradictory testimony the false witnesses are presenting. Jesus is in complete control- and the high priest knows it- he can feel his case slipping away. Caiaphas has only one card left up his sleeve- he ignores all the other charges and asks Jesus point-blank, “Are You the Christ, the Son of God?”
Now we expect a powerful answer- but Jesus’ reply sounds pitifully weak, “You have said so.” It sounds like Jesus doesn’t have the guts to really answer the question. If He really is strong, if He really is in control, why doesn’t He knock them to the floor with a “Yes, I AM the Son of God!!”
Jesus’ answer may sound weak to us-but it is not. Remember Jesus’ silence. He had not spoken up before because all He had heard from the false witnesses were lies. Now He has finally heard something that is true. So Jesus-the Christ, the Son of the Living God-at last speaks up to acknowledge the truth He has finally heard, “You have said
so,”But Jesus isn’t finished with His answer-His voice rings with power and authority as He continues-“But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Make no mistake-Jesus was giving them fair warning of that day when He will return to raise the dead and judge all people of every generation-including those who now sat in judgment upon Him.
They turn His words against Him and condemn Him as worthy of death. They spit on Him, slap Him, beat Him, and abuse Him. Doesn’t it look like they are in control? Doesn’t it look like Jesus is a weak failure?
The Jews now bring Jesus before the Roman procurator or military governor-Pontius Pilate. This is the man Roman Emperor Tiberius has placed over the province of Judea. He speaks for the emperor, he has the power of life or death-yet it doesn’t take long to realize he is not in control of this trial. The Jews refuse to enter his court because they will become unclean. He could order them to come before him-but he doesn’t. Instead, like a servant, Pilate goes out to them.
But even though it is painfully clear that Pilate is not in control of this trial-don’t make the mistake of thinking that the Jewish leaders are in control. Their charges against Jesus fall flat-Pilate says, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining Him before you, behold I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against Him.” Once again the trial is slipping through their fingers. Only with the use of threats and an angry mob can they hope to impose their will on Pilate.
Jesus is still solidly in control-He can walk away any time He wants. But our Savior is on a mission-and He won’t stop until that mission is complete. Pilate does everything he can to try to turn the priests and their riotous mob away from their murderous intent, but finally hands Jesus over to their will, and sends Him to His death. Jesus doesn’t protest, Jesus doesn’t fight-He humbly, silently accepts His Father’s will. A Man of incredible strength-a true Hero.
A Hero who thinks of everyone but Himself even while He is making His way to the place of crucifixion. Though He is physically too weak from the brutal flogging to carry His own cross, He still goes forward to fulfill His Father’s will, to earn our salvation. He hears mourning and lamenting, and He turns to the women lining the way to Golgotha. “Daughters of Jerusalem,” He says, “do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” Even as He is going to His death, He thinks not of Himself, but of their future-when the Roman armies will surround this rebellious city and wreak devastation on it.
We see that selfless heroism again as He hangs from the •cross, pleading for His enemies who have called for His crucifixion, pleading for those who nailed Him to this cross, pleading for you and me whose sins He is carrying. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Those are not the words of a weak Man-but of One who knows just how much that forgiveness will cost.
As He offers this prayer He knows there is only one way His Father can possibly forgive those sins-Jesus must suffer and die-receiving in our place the punishment each of us deserves for our hasty and biting words, for our selfish and cruel motives, for our hurtful actions and for all our moments of indifferent inaction. Only a mighty Savior could offer a prayer like that-knowing precisely what it will cost Him.
Even while He suffers God’s ferocious wrath at our sins-Jesus still puts others before Himself. He responds to a condemned criminal at His side who has a change of heart. “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus has the world weighing on His shoulders-He has every right to shun this condemned criminal-to refuse to associate Himself with such a one-instead He reassures and strengthens this dying man with the promise “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” The same way He sees the Spirit-given faith in you and me-and reassures us of our eternal place with Him. What incredible loyalty and strength!
A loyalty He shows His mother when even through His dying pain He makes sure to provide for her when He leaves this world. He entrusts her to the care of His disciple John.
Then comes the deep darkness. For three long hours the sun stops shining and Jesus is alone with our sins and God’s wrath. Jesus remains silent through it all-until the ninth hour-three o’clock in the afternoon, when He cries out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” It may sound like weakness and despair-but listen again. Even when God has turned away from Him, Jesus clings tightly and refuses to let go, “MY God, MY God.” What man, woman, or child has ever shown that strength of faith?
Jesus held firmly in faith to God until the storm finally passed and the Father’s wrath was completely spent. John tells us, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” After taking that sour wine, with a loud shout Jesus proclaimed, “It is finished”. He chose His words carefully. He chose a Greek accounting term-used when the final payment had been made on a long-term loan. Jesus was announcing to you, to me, and to the whole world that He has completed the payment to God for each and everyone of your sins-for all of my sins-for all the sins of all people of all time. ..
There is one last thing to do, Jesus prays, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” That, my friend, is not the death of a coward, a weakling, a misguided martyr, or a naIve man: it is the death of a Hero, the death of your greatest Friend, the death of your Lord and your Savior. As the Centurion rightly said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
That is why-in seven more days-Christian churches around the world will echo and ring with the mighty proclamation “Christ is risen!” “He is risen indeed!” Will you join your voice with that mighty chorus to proclaim His victory-to proclaim your salvation-won for you by this your powerful Savior? Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers)
March 28, 2010
Topic: Rewriting Our HistoryAnnouncer: Now, Pastor Ken Klaus responds to questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer.
Klaus: Hi, Mark. What have we got?
Announcer: The state of Texas is looking at revising its school textbooks. They’ve been debating what should or whould not be included. Specifically, when it comes to history books, the question is how much of a Christian influence should they mention?
Klaus: Yeah. For those who don’t know … Texas has a lot of students and a lot of schools. The things in their textbooks will be used by students in many other states, as well. So, Mark, continue.
Announcer: One of our listeners notes that some of the people involved in this discussion didn’t want to put so much emphasis on the influence Christianity had in the early history of the United States. Since these books are going to be used in public schools, the separation of church and state has to be very strictly observed.
Klaus: Separation of church and state is one thing, but here we’re talking about separation of church and history. That’s something else and that’s not what the Establishment Clause of the Constitution is talking about.
Announcer: Now, could you say Christianity directly influenced our country’s history …
and other religions didn’t?Klaus: If we’re talking about history, I think that question can be easily answered. If Christianity was there and made a difference, it ought to be mentioned and given the credit–or blame, whatever the case might be. If Buddhism or Islam had been there, they should get that credit or blame. Tell the story as it happened.
Announcer: Well, that seems to be part of the problem because those other religions really weren’t represented during the early days of the United States. So, that means that Christianity then moves to the front at the exclusion of other faiths.
Klaus: Is that bad?
Announcer: Well, in the minds of some of the folks it would be because it paints a one¬sided picture of our nation’s beginnings.
Klaus: Is that picture wrong?
Announcer: No, but it would offend modern multicultural sensibilities.
Klaus: So, how are you going to handle that? You just can’t make up a bunch of stuff and insert it into the history books …. You can’t, can you?
Announcer: Well, probably not, but you could minimize the role religion played … or you could try to redefine the religion held by the founding fathers.
Klaus: Yeah, that wouldn’t be history, would it? It’d be telling a lie by only presenting half¬truths.
Announcer: Well, half-truths that support a modern secular worldview.
Klaus: So, instead of saying the Pilgrims gave thanks to God, it would be more politically correct to say the Pilgrims gave thanks to the Indians.
Announcer: You mean, “native Americans.”
Klaus: Sorry. The Pilgrims gave thanks to the Native Americans for all they had received from the hands of their brothers.
Announcer: Something like that.
Klaus: And all those Christians who signed the Declaration of Independence … who formulated who we are? What sort of extreme makeover should we give them?
Announcer: Well, you could say they weren’t really Christian Christians. They were kind of borderline. They believed in something, for sure, but we’re not exactly sure what that something was, and they kind of couched everything they did in Christian terms, but it’s not what they really believed.
Klaus: Wow, this is really getting complicated.
Announcer: It is. And our listener would like some sort of resolution.
Klaus: Yeah, and I think we can be of some help here. First, let’s be honest. There were folks like Thomas Jefferson who had a tough time with actual Christianity. Jefferson felt he was qualified to censor the Bible, take out all the miracles and Messiah stuff. There were others whose Christianity was not as solid as maybe I would like to see people in my parishes. But, having said that… Christianity has, throughout America’s history been a prime mover and shaker. It was there in the original documents of our country … and faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior is there in many of the private writings of our greatest leaders. America’s Christian pulpits called for the end of slavery. It is America’s Christians who have, to a very large extent, shaped who we are.
Announcer: Now, some Europeans think we are nuts to be so concerned with matters of religion and faith. .
Klaus: Yeah, they are. People can argue against it… but there are a lot of Christians who stepped forward to contribute money and help and pray for their brothers and sisters in Haiti after the earthquake. Europe was there, too-I’m not saying they didn’t help–but it
was this backward Christian country and Christian pulpits that led the spearhead of help and assistance to Haiti and many, many other places in times of need. In short, we had a lot of Christians when our country was founded, we have a lot of them now, and the world is better off for it.Announcer: Thank you Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selection for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me” by Paul Gerhardt & Norman Cocker, arr. Donald Busarow & Mark Sedio. From Heirs of the Reformation (© 2008 Concordia Publishing House) Tune © Oxford University Press
“A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth” arr. Peter Prochnow. Used by permission.
“All Glory, Laud and Honor” arr. Michael Burkhardt. From Hymn Improvisations, vot. 1 by Michael Burkhardt (© 1993 MorningStar Music Publishers)