Easter 2 – 3 Apr 2016 - Year C

Easter 2 – 3 Apr 2016 - Year C

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The text for our meditation is written in the 20^th Chapter of the Gospel according to St John: Verses19-31.

19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

This Sunday in some places is known as "Low Sunday." The high festive liturgy of Easter is passed. The church is not quite so bright or excited. It is a rather ‘low Sunday' by comparison. We can be left with a feeling of, "Is that all there is?" Is that all there is to Easter? – Be assured my friends, there's more; much more. 

Easter is peace. Our text opens with the disciples behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. Jesus had been brought to trial on trumped up charges, brutally tortured, and unjustly crucified. The plotting of Jewish leaders was behind it all. If they did that to Jesus, what would they do His followers?  - And what would Jesus do? By now they had heard from the women and Peter that Jesus had been raised. The death of Judas the betrayer, even though by suicide, made them pause. They knew that they had all betrayed Jesus in some sense. What bitter disappointments they must be to Him. They had let Him down. How could they expect anything good from Him?

Do you understand that the disciples' fears are our fears? Not necessarily from church leaders, they can’t threaten our life, but plenty of other things do. Freak accidents, strange illnesses, sudden deaths happen every day. One moment someone is walking around healthy, happy, and the next minute, that's it. Then there's the risen Jesus. We too have reason to be afraid of Him. The disciples' sins are ours too. Which of us hasn't betrayed Jesus for a material advantage as Judas did? Which of us hasn't denied Him in the company of others as Peter did? Which of us has failed to believe all that He has promised? Why shouldn't we be afraid of Him?

Because He shows up and says, "Peace be with you." Although Commentators point out that this was an ordinary greeting in Jesus' day, these words of Jesus as written in our text are not just a simple greeting.  These words come from the mouth of the one who said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  Since Jesus is not just a man, but is also God, His word happens.  His word actually accomplishes what it says.  When Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” you really do have the peace of God that is above all understanding. Jesus who was crucified for us and now stands before us risen from death. This is no ordinary peace that Jesus gives, twice.

On Maundy Thursday, right before Gethsemane, Jesus promised the disciples peace two times as well. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you." And, "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace." Within the bounds of human understanding it seems ironic that Jesus gave them peace right before departing to be subjected to extreme violence, torture and death.  He had died so un-peacefully. Now Jesus shows up speaking peace again. The peace He brings is connected to the nail holes that proved He was the one that was crucified and the spear hole that proved He was the one who died. Jesus appears and says, "Peace be with you!" Then He shows them His hands and side and says it again.

Every fibre of their being is afraid. They're fearful of the world around them and fearful because of their own doubt and sins Jesus should abandon them to the Jews as they had abandoned Him. Likewise, we know Jesus should abandon us to the disease, the accidents, the tragedies all around us because of our sins. Yet Jesus comes speaking peace to them and to us. During each worship service we receive and share the peace of the Lord; it is customary for worshippers to be sent out in peace at the completion of each worship service. Prayers and blessings over the sick and troubled petition God’s peace that will keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Jesus spoke “Peace be with you” – in speaking these words the ‘Prince of Peace’ is proclaiming to the fallen world that God made peace between us and Him by handing over His only begotten Son to torture and death. The full anger of God that ought to bring every evil in the world down upon our heads was brought down upon Jesus instead. The agonizing death our sins deserve was suffered by Jesus instead. His presence among the Disciples in the locked room, the nail holes; the wound in His side are the proof that God has spent His entire wrath against sinners and directed the full punishment for our sins on Jesus.

God is reconciled with us through the Body and Blood of His Son; now, St. Paul, pleads with us, "You be reconciled with Him." Come out from behind those locked doors. Stop thinking we're at the mercy of our enemies or that God is out to get us. No, God is out to give to us - And give He does. Jesus shows up and breathes on the disciples and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This may seem a little strange. If we cast our minds back to the creation account in the Book of Genesis we can recall that in Eden when the Lord created Adam, it says, "He breathed into him (literally) the spirit of life." By breathing into Adam, the Lord gave him the power to pass on physical life. By breathing on the disciples, the Lord gave them the power to pass on spiritual life. You see, the Spirit He breathed on and into them was the Spirit of forgiveness.

Think how these disciples could've accused each other. The rest of their lives Peter could've been known as cowardly Peter. John could've held a grudge because he alone of the Disciples stayed at the cross. They could've known Thomas as we all know him: doubting Thomas. This is the human will that doesn't let go of sins; this same human will delights in the faults of others; this same human will that takes a moment of fear, doubt, and sin and makes it the distinguishing feature of a fellow Christian's life, is alive and thriving in the church today. Think of how people remember the one who fell away and came back as simply ‘the one who fell away’. Think of how families today bite and snap at the one who wasn't at the deathbed. Think of how we still know Thomas as doubting.

Then like a breath of fresh air the Lord breathes His Spirit of forgiveness into us and sends us as He was sent by His Father. Jesus was not sent to rub our noses in our sins. Jesus was not sent to remind us of our sins and make us suffer for them? No, Jesus was sent to pay for our sins and forgive them. He shows us His pierced hands and side as proof that the paying is done and over. What remains is the forgiving.

Easter is this too. The Lord gives us the peace of forgiven sins at Easter. He gives us the Spirit of forgiveness at Easter, and in so doing, He gives us the power to forgive sins. People wouldn't yawn and say, "Is that all there is?" if we had the power to heal cancer. They wouldn't say, "Is that all there is?" if we had the power to make gold, or to make people smarter, or happier. Yet, the power to forgive sins is a greater treasure than all the others. You get healed of cancer, and you'll still die from something else. You get all the gold in the world and that won't keep you out of hell. You become the smartest person in the world or get a lifetime of happiness and that won't stop death and judgment. But, if at death we're found with our sins, they'll sink us faster and deeper into hell than a lead weight will sink us in water.

Friends in Christ, if we know this; if we see this, if we feel this, then Easter is a whole lot more than a risen Jesus. It's not just about the dead living again in flesh and blood. It's about the dead living free from sins, from guilt, and from the power of the devil. That this is the big message of Easter is proven by this text. Jesus doesn't show up saying, "See flesh and blood can rise from the dead." He doesn't show up saying, "Look you can live forever." No, Jesus shows up giving the peace of forgiveness, the Spirit of forgiveness, and the actual power to forgive sins. Forgiveness is the big thing that Easter brings.

Forgiveness changes everything. What made Peter go from a minder of things of men, a denier of Jesus, and a brash fool to a faithful apostle and martyr for the faith? Forgiveness. What made doubting Thomas become the apostle to India? Forgiveness. What turned ordinary, fallen, sinful men into apostles, a foundation for the Church? Forgiveness. Through the amazing grace of our Great Triune God, we have, without any effort on our part, the eternal forgiveness of God Himself; and most importantly, through the faith gifted to us at our Holy Baptism, we have the authority to forgive others as we have been forgiven.

That's the crowning glory of Easter: The peace of forgiveness, the Spirit of forgiveness, and the power to forgive. Even on Low Sunday, that's quite a high. Amen

The peace and love our great Triune God that is beyond all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen

Easter – 27 March 2016 – Year C

Easter – 27 March 2016 – Year C 

   

Grace to you and peace from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The text for this meditation is written in The 15th Chapter of Paul’s 1st letter to the

Corinthians: Verses 19 – 20:

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

                                                             And

The 24th Chapter of the Gospel according to St Luke: Verses 1 – 12:

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marvelling at what had happened.

“If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact

Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

These are the words that begin today’s reading; they are words that the Holy Spirit inspired

the Apostle Paul to write to the church in Corinth. These words teach us how important the

Resurrection of Jesus Christ is for Christianity. Paul teaches us that if Jesus did NOT rise from the dead, then it would be a better use of our time to go home and watch TV. If Jesus did NOT rise from the dead, then everything that we do here would be totally useless.

Paul then went on to proclaim that, in fact, Jesus has risen from the dead. This means that

all the promises of God belong to us. It means that when we gather here, we are receiving

the very gifts of that same Jesus who rose from the dead.

As we read through the events of the early church, we see that the proclamation of Jesus

Christ began in many different ways and under many different circumstances. Regardless of

this however, sooner or later, every proclamation always climaxed in Jesus rising from the

dead. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is His certification … His verification … His seal of approval. It means that Jesus really is God. He really is the truth. His suffering and death on the cross really did earn the forgiveness of sins for all humanity. His resurrection assures all people that there will be a time when He will raise us from death as well. His resurrection means that all those who die with faith in Him, will live with Him forever.

Today’s Gospel tells us that there was a short time when the disciples were not Christians.

They were not Christians because they rejected Jesus’ promise to rise from the dead.

They believed that Jesus was dead and would stay that way. An execution squad had nailed

Jesus to a cross. Jesus had endured the agony of that crucifixion for hours. Then He died.

His death was certain. The women in today’s Gospel saw His lifeless body laid in a tomb.

The only reason the women were coming to the tomb was that the preparations for burial had been incomplete. Sunset had interrupted their work as they prepared Jesus’ body for the tomb. Sunset meant the Sabbath. Sabbath meant no work, not even the work of preparing a body for burial. The women were simply returning to the tomb to put the finishing touches on the dead body … the finishing touches that they didn’t have time to do on Friday. They were expecting to find the decaying body of a dead Jesus.

That is the reason that I can say that they were not Christians. As faithful as they were to

Jesus … as much as they loved Him … as dear and sweet and diligent as they obviously were … they believed that the decaying flesh of the dead body of their friend and master was still in that tomb. They did NOT believe that He had returned to life and would never die again. For a short time, they rejected the resurrection and so rejected Christ, the man they claimed to love.

Fortunately for these women and for us, there were a couple of angels waiting for them when they arrived at the tomb. Today’s reading from the Gospel calls them two men in dazzling apparel. The words of the angels seem to express bewilderment, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” There is a gentle rebuke in their words. Weren’t you paying attention when Jesus said He would rise after He suffered and died? What are you doing snooping around here looking for a dead body?

It was then that the women remembered what Jesus had taught. The angels almost quoted

Jesus word for word. The Holy Spirit used the words of Jesus and renewed the faith of these women. They were Christians once again. They had not yet seen Jesus, but they believed that He had risen from the dead. Why? Because Jesus had promised to rise from the dead. The angels simply reminded them of the promises that Jesus had made. We have the promise that the Holy Spirit will work with the Word of Christ. When the women remembered the Word Jesus spoke to them, the Holy Spirit renewed their faith.

Well, you can’t keep that sort of thing to yourself. You’ve got to tell your friends. The women

went to the eleven disciples with the good news.

Today’s reading reminds us that these are the very apostles whom Jesus chose to send out.

Never the less, they demonstrate that they are also unbelievers. The women’s words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. Peter was curious and ran to the tomb. He saw that the tomb was empty. He marvelled at what might have happened to the body.

Today’s Gospel reading comes to an end and we have to leave Peter trying to figure out what happened to Jesus’ body.

Down through the centuries, many theologians, philosophers, and historians have investigated the Christian claim of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The historical evidence supports the Biblical account of the crucifixion and it points to an empty tomb. Eventually, the honest, scholarly historian admits that the tomb must have been empty. The only question remaining is, “How did the tomb get that way?” Many of scholars have used their imaginations to try to come up with a scenario that explains the empty tomb. So far, the only one that fits all the facts is that Jesus left the tomb under His own power. The resurrection is the best attested event in the ancient world.

But is it enough to simply believe that the resurrection happened? No it is not! As it written,

[James 2:19b] Even the demons believe—and shudder! If we honestly believe that Jesus rose from the dead, but that resurrection has nothing to do with us, then His resurrection will do us no good.

Jesus rose for each one of us. His resurrection certifies that everything He did, He did for all

the human race. He left heaven and took on human flesh in the womb of the virgin … for us.

He was born … for us. He lived a perfect life totally without sin … for us. He suffered an

agonizing death on the cross … for us. While He hung on that cross, He endured the very

wrath of God … for us. With this work, He earned the forgiveness of sins … for us. It is not

enough to simply believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Instead, His promise is that He rose from the dead … for us.

As we continue through the season of Easter, we will once again hear about all that Jesus did after he rose from the dead. He will continue to do these things … for us. We will hear once again, that Jesus ascended into heaven … for us. We will hear that even as I speak, He is preparing a place … for us. We will once again hear how Jesus will return with an eternity of paradise … for us.

We can be glad, secure in the reality of the empty tomb. We can rejoice with our whole being in the certainty of our resurrection. Just as Christ Jesus Himself rose to new life after being put to death on that Roman cross, God will not abandon us to the grave after our flesh loses its life. Jesus Christ has defeated Satan, sin, death, and hell! As a result, Christ’s conquest now brings victory to all of God’s people. His victory is for us. Amen

The grace and love of our Great Triune God that is beyond all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ jesus. Amen

Good Friday – 25 March 2016 – Year C

Good Friday – 25 March 2016 – Year C

Grace to you and peace from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The text for this meditation is the “Passion Text” as written in the Gospel according to St

John: Chapter 18: through to Chapter 19: Verse 42:

After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a placewhere there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, alsoknew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas brought a detachmentof soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there withlanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, cameforward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” 5 They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.”[a]Jesus replied, “I am he.”[b] Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus[c] saidto them, “I am he,”[d] they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Whom areyou looking for?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”[e] 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he.[f]So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, “I didnot lose a single one of those whom you gave me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it,struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus saidto Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has givenme?”12 So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 Firstthey took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphaswas the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for thepeople.15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the highpriest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter was standing outside atthe gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman whoguarded the gate, and brought Peter in. 17 The woman said to Peter, “You are not also one of thisman’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoalfire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also wasstanding with them and warming himself.19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesusanswered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple,where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask thosewho heard what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said this, one of the policestanding nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesusanswered, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do youstrike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.25 Now Simon Peter wasstanding and warming himself. They asked him, “You are not also one of his disciples, are you?” Hedenied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose earPeter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and atthat moment the cock crowed.28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters.[g] Itwas early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters,[h] so as to avoid ritualdefilement and to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went out to them and said, “Whataccusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered, “If this man were not a criminal, wewould not have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge himaccording to your law.” The Jews replied, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” 32 (This wasto fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters[i] again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you theKing of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you aboutme?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed youover to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If mykingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over tothe Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesusanswered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testifyto the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate asked him, “What istruth?”After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no case against him.39 But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to releasefor you the King of the Jews?” 40 They shouted in reply, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbaswas a bandit.19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put iton his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. 3 They kept coming up to him, saying, “Hail, Kingof the Jews!” and striking him on the face. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “Look, I ambringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearingthe crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” 6 When the chiefpriests and the police saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Takehim yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have alaw, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.”8 Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. 9 He entered his headquarters[j] againand asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Pilate therefore said tohim, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power tocrucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been givenyou from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” 12 From thenon Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are no friend of theemperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.”13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat[k] on the judge’s bench at aplace called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew[l] Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation forthe Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” 15 They cried out,“Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chiefpriests answered, “We have no king but the emperor.” 16 Then he handed him over to them to becrucified.So they took Jesus; 17 and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place ofthe Skull, which in Hebrew[m] is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him twoothers, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also had an inscription written and puton the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth,[n] the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read thisinscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written inHebrew,[o] in Latin, and in Greek. 21 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write,‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I havewritten I have written.” 23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and dividedthem into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless,woven in one piece from the top. 24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for itto see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says,“They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.”25 And that is what the soldiers did.Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother,and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw hismother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here isyour son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple tookher into his own home.28 After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I amthirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on abranch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It isfinished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.31 Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during thesabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to havethe legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. 32 Then the soldiers came and brokethe legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesusand saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers piercedhis side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. 35 (He who saw this has testified so thatyou also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows[p] that he tells the truth.) 36 These thingsoccurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, “None of his bones shall be broken.” 37 And againanother passage of scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.”38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret onebecause of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave himpermission; so he came and removed his body. 39 Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus bynight, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. 40 Theytook the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom ofthe Jews. 41 Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden therewas a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. 42 And so, because it was the Jewish day ofPreparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

The only innocent Man is put on trial today. Even the godless heathen, Pilate, knows what a

sham this trial is. Christ, meek and mild, is accused of being a violent insurrectionist against

Rome. His peaceful demeanor and gentle answers make His innocence obvious to

Pilate. The Roman governor can find no fault at all in Him. Yet Pilate, the coward, cannot

stand against the people. So he sentences the innocent Man to crucifixion, and participates

in the death of God's own Son.

Christ could have cleared Himself at any time. He could have given wise answers, as He

had answered the Jewish leaders so many times before when they tested Him. He could

have confounded them with His words until they were compelled to set Him free again.

But He did not defend Himself. He was silent when He could have gone free. He did not

open His mouth to save His own life.

Christ was so perfectly innocent that the Jewish leaders had to resort to a night trial, which

was illegal under their own codes of law. The witnesses could only bring false testimonies

against Christ. Their words were so obviously lies that they could not even agree with one

another. Even that illegal, kangaroo court could not condemn Christ based on those

trumped-up charges.

In the end, the Jews condemn Him for the truth: because He claimed to be the Son of

God. Pilate's charge is that Jesus claimed to be the King of the Jews. Christ was both of

those things, the Son and the King. So He dies for the truth. As Christ said, "If I have

spoken evil, bear witness of the evil." No one could show anything Christ had said that was

false. His was the only pure tongue to ever speak, upon which the poison of lies and false

witness never was. He who is the Truth is destroyed for truth.

We humans are so twisted and false that we must destroy the only absolutely innocent Man

to ever stand trial. We must slander and accuse falsely. We must destroy with our tongues,

and we must destroy what is pure. So Christ was destroyed by us.

At the trials, Pilate was the representative of all us Gentiles, and Caiaphas the representative of all Jews. Even if that were not true, it was our sins that accused Him and drove Him to crucifixion. Every hateful lie and word of slander from our lips struck Him more painfully than the soldiers' fists. Our tongues lashed Him more than any whip could.

It was we who deserve the blows and the scourging. We fully deserved every thorn that

pierced His innocent brow. Our sins crushed Him down on the Cross into death. But it was

our death He died. We should have been there, nailed to the wood, gasping our last air

under the Father's condemnation. --- But it was Him, not us.

"My Kingdom is not of this world," He tells Pilate. He brings no worldly peace and love. He

establishes no millennial utopia. His Kingdom is not even visible to worldly eyes. Eyes of

flesh cannot see the boundaries between His Kingdom and the kingdoms of flesh. The world

sees suffering and pain, and no glorious kingdom. Yet Christ's Kingdom is there,

nonetheless. His people are persecuted as He is persecuted. They are killed off in the midst

of injustice. The wicked world seems to triumph over them all the time.

Yet He must always conquer, and His Kingdom with Him. For His Kingdom is founded upon

the Word that endures forever. As He says to Pilate, "Everyone who is of the Truth hears My

voice." The world cannot overcome Christ and His Word. So the world cannot overcome

those who belong to His Kingdom.

So the one and only innocent Man is declared guilty by Caiaphas and Pilate. But we are

declared innocent by the Father in heaven, a far better verdict. The Son of God willingly lays

down His life, and we become innocent like Him, cleansed by His life-blood. The Truth dies,

nailed to the Cross, and we live. The Word of God incarnate says, "Father, forgive them,"

and we are forgiven. The sun is swallowed by the darkness of the Father's rejection of His

own Son. So we become children of God, never rejected.

Upon Christ's brow is a crown of thorns. What more glorious crown could He wear? He has

come to reverse the curse of thorns, the curse laid upon all the earth. When Adam and Eve

sinned, God said, "Cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow you will eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it will bring forth to you." Christ is crowned with the curse. He embraces the corruption that has infected all that He created in the beginning. Because He is crowned with the curse, He is making all things new, until a new creation shall appear, the home of righteousness, where thorns are no longer found.

So the curse is removed by the innocent death. The Tree of the Cross overcomes the Tree

that condemned us in Eden. We eat the fruit of the life-giving Tree today. The fruit is the

Body and Blood of Christ, which give everlasting life. We eat this fruit and are invited back

into Paradise, where death is reversed into life, and sin is erased forever by the perfect

innocence of Christ. Amen.

The grace and love of our Great Triune God that is beyond all human understanding, keep

your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen

Maundy Thursday – 24 March 2016 - Year C

Maundy Thursday – 24 March 2016 - Year C

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Readings: Exodus 12: 1 – 14 // Psalm 116: 1 – 2 & 11 – 18 // John 13: 1 - 35

The text for our meditation lies within the Old Testament and Gospel readings with the focal points from 1 Corinthians 11: 23 – 26.

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”   In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”

The Old Testament reading from the 12^th Chapter of the Book of Exodus tells us of the very first Passover night, the night before the day the children of Israel walked though blood-stained doorways into freedom and life.  That was the memorial (paschal) night, the night of the remembrance meal - the hard, unleavened bread, the bitter herbs, the lamb roasted to dry toughness.  The Lamb’s blood painted on the doorposts.  It is the night of judgment and death as God seeks out the blood.  Under the blood of the lamb, His people are safe.  Death passes over.  Without the blood there is death.  It is neither safe nor beneficial to deal with God apart from the blood of the Lamb.

It is a night of remembrance. The Lord commands; “This day shall be for you a day of remembrance, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, you shall observe it as a law forever.”  In this meal, they remembered the Lord and His saving work; and the Lord remembered them, His Israel.  They ate in solidarity with Israel, past and present.  It was a holy communion of a holy community. ‘They’ were the descendants of Adam, a lost and fallen people, this was part of God’s plan to bring them back into communion with Him; a plan for them – a plan also for us.

Here now on the 24^th March 2016, it is again the night of that fateful day on which the Son of God incarnate in our human flesh laid down His life to save the world.  In the rhythm of the day as it appears in the Bible, evening marks the beginning of the day.  Darkness into light.  Evening into morning.  This is the evening Jesus was handed over; the morning would bring his death for the life of the world.

Jesus is in an upper room at a table with His disciples, His Twelve, His Israel.  They are celebrating the Passover, the Old Testament sacrament by which they were joined to Israel on the night they walked through a blood-stained doorway into freedom from slavery.  “This day shall be for you a day of remembrance, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, you shall observe it as an ordinance forever.”

At this table, Jesus gives to His disciples in two ways.  First, He gives them a pattern to follow, an example of sacrificial service, of holding others in higher regard than self.  He takes off his tunic, takes up a towel and a basin of water, and washes the dusty, dirty feet of His disciples.  The Lord and Creator of all, bends down to do the work of the lowliest of servants.  The Master becomes the slave.  He came not to be served, but to serve, and to lay down His life as a ransom for the many.

At first, Peter would have none of it.  Pride gets in the way of our being given to.  It is so terribly hard to be given to.  We say it whenever we receive an unexpected gift:  “You shouldn’t have.”  We mean it.  But Jesus, ever patient, persists.  Peter must learn the way of humbly receiving as well.  Before you can give of yourself in service, you must receive the divine service of the Suffering Servant.

In washing their feet, Jesus gave them an example to follow, “that you should do as I have done to you.”  This is what it means to live under Him in His kingdom and to serve Him.  He is the King who bows before His subjects and washes their feet.  In the face of that, is there any task beneath our dignity?  “A servant is not greater than His master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.”  What would Jesus do?  He would wash dirty, dusty feet.

If clean feet were all Jesus gave out that night in the upper room, then He would not have given anything new.  Examples are nice, and examples from the Lord are even better.  Who can argue with a Jesus example?  But apart from His death and life, apart from our union with Him as branches to the vine, we can do nothing.  The spirit may indeed be willing to wash feet, but the flesh is not only weak, it is dead.

So Jesus gives to His Twelve in yet another way.  Not the way of example but the way of sacrifice and gift.  He takes the bread that opens the Passover meal, the hard, unleavened bread of affliction, He gives thanks, and He breaks it into pieces, handing a piece to each of His disciples.  To receive the piece of bread is to be admitted to the meal.  You belong at this table.  He says words never before heard in a Passover liturgy:  “This is my body, which is given for you.”  His words tell us what we could not know for ourselves.  This bread is Jesus’ body – the very body that will later that day be given into death on the cross.  Here bread finds the highest and holiest use - to be the vehicle to deliver Jesus’ body, the Bread of Life, living Bread come down from heaven as manna to feed His Israel.  His Israel, His church, would live off the Bread of His death until He appears again in glory.

He takes the cup of wine after supper, the blessing cup.  He lifts His cup, gives thanks, and gives each of His disciples to drink from it.  Again, Jesus says words never before uttered in a Passover:  “This is the new covenant in my blood.”  Covenants were sealed with sacrificial blood sprinkled on the people.  This covenant blood is given to drink.  Here too, wine finds its ultimate purpose, binding those who drink of Jesus’ cup in a covenant of His blood.  In the Old Testament, blood stood for life.  “The life of the creature is in the blood.”  This blood of the new covenant is a blood that was poured out for us, in our place, for the forgiveness of our sins.

Washing feet was the example.  That was something the disciples could do - but giving His body to eat and His blood to drink; that was something only Jesus could do.  He unites them and us with Him in His death and life.  He is the vine; they are the branches.  His body and blood, His death and life flowing into them make them fruitful foot washers.  Apart from Him, they can do nothing.  Nor can we.

Jesus’ gracious invitation to us also is to come to His table on this night which commemorates the night on which He our Lord and Saviour was betrayed into death for us.  The same Meal He gave to His Twelve, He now gives to us.  Humbly we receive the bread He prepared for us and eat it.  It is His body, our manna to sustain us in our wilderness journey until we rise to walk in Promised Land.  Humbly we receive the cup He prepared for us and drink from it.  It is His covenant blood, poured out for the many, poured out for us.  This is wine from Calvary’s vineyard to gladden our sin-saddened heart.  What greater gift can Jesus give, than to give us the fruits of His sacrifice, His own Body and Blood?

He gives His all to us so that He might save the all of us.  Nothing stands outside His forgiveness.  Nothing can separate us from His self-sacrificing love.  No greater love is there than that this self-giving love that lays down its life for another.  In His Supper, at His table, He lays before us the gifts of His cross and says, “These are for you.”

Friends, from this holy Meal we arise refreshed, renewed, restored.  The unconditional grace of Jesus’ Body and Blood will enliven us in faith toward Him and in fervent love toward one another.  This is a sacrificial love that bends down in service of our neighbour - both friend and stranger; a love that washes dirty, dusty feet; a love that seeks to serve Christ in the least, the lost, the lowly.  I (Jesus) give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”Amen.

The love and grace of our great Triune God that is beyond all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen