Good Friday (30 March, 2018)

Done!

Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.  As many were astonished at you-- his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind-- so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.  ...  Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.  By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?  And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.  Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.  Isaiah 52:13-53:12

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?  O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.  Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.  To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.  All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"  Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.  On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God.  Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.  Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.  For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet-- I can count all my bones-- they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.  But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!  Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!  Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!  I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!  For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.  From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.  The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!  All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.  For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.  All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive.  Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.  Psalm 22

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!  Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!  For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.  Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.  I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD.  I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.  Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.  For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.  Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.  I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.  For I hear the whispering of many-- terror on every side!-- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.  But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."  My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!  Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!  O LORD, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol.  Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt.  Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!  In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.  Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.  I had said in my alarm, "I am cut off from your sight." But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.  Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.  Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!  Psalm 31

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.  From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:14-21

When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered.  Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples.  So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.  Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?"  They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I Am He." Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them.  When Jesus said to them, "I Am He," they drew back and fell to the ground.  So He asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."  Jesus answered, "I told you that I Am He. So, if you seek me, let these men go."  This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken: "Of those whom You gave me I have lost not one."  Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)  So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"  So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.  First they led Him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.  It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.  Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.  The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."  Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.  The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.  Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.  Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said."  When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"  Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?"  Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.  Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, "You also are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not."  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?"  Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.  Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.  So Pilate went outside to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?"  They answered him, "If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered Him over to you."  Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and judge Him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death."  This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death He was going to die.  So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"  Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?"  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?"  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."  Then Pilate said to Him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."  Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in Him.  But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"  They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber. ... Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him.  And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head and arrayed Him in a purple robe.  They came up to Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck Him with their hands.  Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing Him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in Him."  So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!"  When the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him."  The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law He ought to die because He has made Himself the Son of God."  When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.  He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.  So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?"  Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."  From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar."  So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called "The Stone Pavement," and in Aramaic "Gabbatha."  Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover.  It was about the sixth hour.  He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"  They cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."  So he delivered Him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called "The Place of a Skull," which in Aramaic is called "Golgotha."  There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.  Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross.  It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."  Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.  So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'"  Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."  When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also His tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be."  This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."  So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"  Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.  After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst."  A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to His mouth.  When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished," and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.  Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.  So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with Him.  But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.  He who saw it has borne witness--his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth--that you also may believe.  For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of His bones will be broken."  And again another Scripture says, "They will look on Him whom they have pierced."  After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body.  Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.  So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.  Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.  So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.  John 18:1-19:42

In Genesis we learned of the rebellion, when the First Man turned his back on God in an attempt to be his own god.  And in rebelling, he learned the deadly cost of breaking the Law.  At that moment, God declared war.

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."   Genesis 3:15

The fight was on.

Only it seemed that God wasn't in the fight.  He'd send a hero ever so often, but only to "bail out" a few people for a short time.  Evil was spreading.  Belief in the Promise was nonexistent.  And the people specially chosen by God to be His example for the world had rejected Him.

Then, at just the right time, God sent His Son.

It should have been the moment God finished the fight.  His Son, the Messiah, delivering a knock-out to Satan and all the powers of hell.  The Son of David, marching triumphantly into Jerusalem, kicking the Romans all the way to Italy, and subjugating the whole world as His trophy.  The High Priest of God reinstating proper worship of the Almighty and quashing all false gods.  The Last and Best Prophet speaking the words of God to lead and heal the peoples.

Yet, there was the Man, beaten, bloody, burdened by His own cross as He was marched, meekly and silently, to His death.

The Romans, at the request of the Jews, took the Christ and executed Him.  As a criminal.  They crucified Him; the death worthy of a rebel against his king.  The death that each and every human earned and deserved since Adam and Eve fell.

The Son of God died.  For you.

It was, quite literally, the darkest hour of all history.  To all who looked on, who had hoped that this Man could be the Messiah that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Daniel had hoped for, it seemed as if evil had finally won.

"It is finished."

τετέλεσται

But that was God's plan all along.

With Christ's death, the war was over.  And now, the people would wait to hear who the victor would be.

It was a strange and dreadful strife 

when life and death contended;

the victory remained with life,

the reign of death was ended.

Holy Scripture plainly saith

that death is swallowed up by death;

his sting is lost forever.

- "Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands" LSB 458  v. 4

Maundy Thursday (29 March, 2018)

This Is

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,  "This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.  Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household.  And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.  "Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.  They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.  Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts.  And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn.  In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.  For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.  The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.  "This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.  Exodus 2:1-14

Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do."  And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.  And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD.  And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar.  Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient."  And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."  Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.  And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.  Exodus 24:3-11

What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.  O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds.  I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. 18 I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!  Psalm 116:12-19

Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.  But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.  Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.  For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.  For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.  For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.  Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.  That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.  Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.  Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?  Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.  If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.  But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.  For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.  When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.  For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.  What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.  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.  Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.  That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.  But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.  1 Corinthians 11:2-32

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.  During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist.  Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"  Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."  Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."  Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"  Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you."  For He knew who was to betray Him; that was why He said, "Not all of you are clean."  When He had washed their feet and put on His outer garments and resumed His place, He said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you."  John 13:1-15

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."  John 13:34-35

This is it.  The end is just a day away.  But there are still things to be done.

When the Children of Israel were waiting for their liberation, God gave them some very specific, and very strange, instructions.  God had dealt punishments to their oppressors, but they were still slaves.  Someone had to pay to set them free.  The price: blood.

Something had to be sacrificed.

A male lamb, without any fault or blemish, had to die.  The lamb's blood would have to cover the doorway, so that death would not enter the houses of the Israelites.  The people would partake directly in this sacrifice, as well, receiving nourishment from the lamb that died in their place.  That was the price.  And that was the shadow of the thing to come.

Being slaves to an ungodly and unjust king in Egypt was bad enough.  But the Children of God, all people, were enslaved.  Sin, death, and Satan himself held us all captive.  To defeat these most mortal enemies, and to defeat our own nature, someone had to pay the price.  And that price?

Someone has to die.

The Lamb, holy and blameless, would die.  His blood would not only coat the Tree upon which He died, but would nourish the people, along with His body.  In this way, He conquered death, the devil, and our sin.

Not with a symbol or metaphor.  Not by some esoteric ritual that requires special "magical" abilities.  Not by a shadowy rite that must be performed but not participated in.  Not by a mere remembrance.

By the very body and blood of our Lord and Savior.

What was won for you on the cross is delivered to you on the altar.

Take, eat, this IS His body.  Take, drink, this IS His blood, shed for your salvation.

Palm Sunday (25 March, 2018)

He Is Here!

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.  I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.  As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.  Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.  Zechariah 9:9-12

Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.  This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.  I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.  The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.  The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!  You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 118:19-29

Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.  For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.  Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.  I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.  For I hear the whispering of many-- terror on every side!-- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.  But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."  My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!  Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!  Psalm 31:9-16

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Philippians 2:5-11

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."  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him.  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people."  Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at table.  And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?  For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor."  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.  For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.  In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.  Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."  Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.  And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.  Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?"  He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The Teacher says, my time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'"  And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.  When it was evening, He reclined at table with the twelve.  And as they were eating, He said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."  And they were very sorrowful and began to say to Him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?"  He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.  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."  Judas, who would betray him, answered, "Is it I, Rabbi?" He said to him, "You have said so."  Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."  And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.  Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'  But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."  Peter answered Him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away."  Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."  Peter said to Him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same.  Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray."  And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then He said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me."  And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."  And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour?  Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  Again, for the second time, He went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done."  And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.  So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.  Then He came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."  While He was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.  Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; seize Him."  And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" And he kissed Him.  Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you came to do." Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.  And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.  Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and He will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?"  At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.  But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left him and fled.  Then those who had seized Jesus led Him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.  And Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.  Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put Him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.'"  And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?"  But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."  Jesus said to him, "You have said so. 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."  Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard His blasphemy.  What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves death."  Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?"  Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean."  But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you mean."  And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."  And again he denied it with an oath: "I do not know the Man."  After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you."  Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know the Man." And immediately the rooster crowed.  And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. 

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death.  And they bound Him and led Him away and delivered Him over to Pilate the governor.  Then when Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."  And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.  But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money."  So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers.  Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.  Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me."  Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so."  But when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?"  But He gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.  Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.  And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Him up.  Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream."  Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."  Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let Him be crucified!"  And he said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let Him be crucified!"  So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."  And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"  Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to be crucified.  Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before Him.  And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and put a reed in His right hand. And kneeling before Him, they mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  And they spit on Him and took the reed and struck Him on the head.  And when they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe and put His own clothes on Him and led Him away to crucify Him.  As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry His cross.  And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when He tasted it, He would not drink it.  And when they had crucified Him, they divided His garments among them by casting lots.  Then they sat down and kept watch over Him there.  And over His head they put the charge against Him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."  Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.  And those who passed by derided Him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."  So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked Him, saying, "He 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, 'I am the Son of God.'"  And the robbers who were crucified with Him also reviled Him in the same way.  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah."  And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to Him to drink.  But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit.  And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.  The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"  There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.  When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.  He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.  And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.  The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while He was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples go and steal Him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can."  So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.  Matthew 26:1-27:66

The moment everyone had been waiting for, since the dawn of time, was here.  The King arrived.  But the war of liberation, the removal of the pagan overlords, the restoration of the glory of the Davidic dynasty, that dream never came to pass.

The supposed "messiah" did not lead an army into Jerusalem.  He didn't march up to the governor's palace and throw him and his rabble out.  Instead, He went out and prayed, while His enemies plotted.  Some probably hoped to force His hand, pressure Him to do what everyone expected to happen.  Others, though, wanted Him to be done away with.  His ministry, His presence, His very fulfillment of all the prophecies, would lead to them either loosing their place of leadership, or lead to the destruction of their way of life.

The self-proclaimed "Son of God" had to die.

Little did they know that His death was the plan.

"Rejoice," Zechariah says.  "Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good," the psalmist writes.  "God has highly exalted Him," St. Paul notes.

How can this be?  Isaiah writes "he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."  (53:5)

Where is the hope?  The glory?  The awesomeness that is our God?  This is the darkest hour.  And its only Sunday, so this is but a foretaste.

But that was the plan.

"I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He [Christ] shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”  Genesis 3:15

Triumphant Entry of Christ (25 March, 2018)

The Return Of The King

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.  If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once."  This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"  The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.  They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and He sat on them.  Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  And the crowds that went before Him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"  Matthew 21:1-9

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.  So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"  And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!"  His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him.  The crowd that had been with Him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness.  The reason why the crowd went to meet Him was that they heard He had done this sign.  So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him."  John 12:12-19

The task of the herald is to run ahead and shout the impending arrival of his master.  They cry aloud about the mighty deeds that have been done, so as to not only announce the entrance of the master, but to excite and prepare those who have been waiting.

The children of God have been waiting a very long time for the King to arrive.

As He entered Jerusalem, the heralds who ran ahead were not His disciples, but children.  They shouted and sang psalms of praise, announcing, finally, the arrival of the Son of David long promised.  That procession was rife with symbolism and history.  So much that everyone knew exactly who Christ was.  If the Pharisees intended on stopping Him, their time had just run out.  They had to act now or be swept away in the upheaval and change that the Messiah would bring.  They had to do something to keep from becoming His pawns, or worse.

Their impromptu plans were part of Christ's Plan that predated time itself.

The Fifth Sunday of Lent - Judica (18 March, 2018)

This is the God you're looking for

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."  So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.  On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.  Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you."  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.  And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"  Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.  When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.  Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.  But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."  He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."  And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.  So Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."  Genesis 22:1-14

Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!  For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?  Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!  Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.  Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.  Psalm 43

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.  For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.  Therefore He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.  Hebrews 9:11-15

(Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but He sent me.  Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.)  Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?  Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."  The Jews answered Him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.  Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and He is the judge.  Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."  The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.'  Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'  But you have not known Him. I know Him. If I were to say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and I keep His word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."  So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."  So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.  John 8:(42-45) 46-59

"Jesus never claimed to be God."

That's the accusation people make today.  But in His day, the people were claiming that Jesus had a demon, or was simply some extravagant liar.

Until He said the last thing they wanted to hear.  "I AM."  Christ had made many "I am" statements, but there was no misunderstanding the meaning of this one.

Ever since the Devil questioned God's instructions to Adam and Eve, humans have questioned God.  Is He real?  Does He love me?  Is He all powerful?  Did He really create everything?  Why doesn't He stop evil?  And so on.

The Jewish religious leaders constantly questioned Jesus.  Not to find the answer, but in an attempt to undermine His authority.  It didn't take them long to figure out that He was someone extremely important.  But they didn't want Him to be the Messiah.  So they questioned.  Finally He dropped the mic.

"I AM."

In Greek, the phrase is two words, both verbs that translate in English to "I am."  Such a redundant statement is unnecessary.  Unless it is meant as a stand-in for the Hebrew word YHWH.

In Exodus 3:14 God tells Moses the name he is to use to speak to the Hebrews.  "I AM."  When Jesus tells the Jews "before Abraham was, I AM," they weren't mad at Him for poor grammar.  They were ready to stone Him because He claimed to be God.

Not a majestic conquering monarch, born and raised in a palace, set to ride in and dispense with the pagan overlords.  But a meek worker and teacher, born and raised as a commoner, set to be lead to His death in our place.

The I AM who was born to die, and rise again.

The Fourth Sunday of Lent - Laetare (11 March, 2018)

Our Daily Bread

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.  On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily."  So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, "At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against us?"  And Moses said, "When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him--what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD."  Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, 'Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.'"  And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.  And the LORD said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"  In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp.  And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground.  When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.  This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.'"  And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less.  But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.  And Moses said to them, "Let no one leave any of it over till the morning."  But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.  Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.  Exodus 16:2-21

Thus says the LORD: "In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.' They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.  And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up.  Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene."  Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.  Isaiah 49:8-13

Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.  Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy.  For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.  The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: "One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.  If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne."  For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: "This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.  I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread.  Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy.  There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.  His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine."  Psalm 132:8-18

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.  But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise.  Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.  Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.  But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.  For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband."  Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.  But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.  But what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman."  So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.  Galatians 4:21-31

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.  And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.  And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.  Acts 2:41-47

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  And a large crowd was following Him, because they saw the signs that He was doing on the sick.  Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples.  Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.  Lifting up His eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward Him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"  He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?"  Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.  Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.  And when they had eaten their fill, He told His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost."  So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.  When the people saw the sign that He had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"  Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.  John 6:1-15

The Children of Israel complained that they were starving.  They claimed that, even as slaves, they ate like kings.  In spite of their whining, God provided for them.

God had just delivered them from slavery.  He rescued them from certain death at the hands of a madman and his army.  And they're belly-aching about food?

Ungrateful.

The people following Jesus were looking for more, too.  Sure, it started off with wanting a handout for a meal, but when the Son of God is on hand to heal any illness, including death, why not go all the way?  Why not make Him the king?

God loves us, right?  And He loves to give us stuff.  So why not ask for Him to give us everything we want?  I deserve it, right?

Stuff like a good job, a shiny car, my team to win the World Super Pennant Olympics, and whirled peas.  But is it appropriate to ask for and expect God to provide these things?

In the Lord's Prayer we say "Give us this day our daily bread."

But what does that mean?

Dr. Luther explained it thusly:

God gives daily bread, even without our prayer, to all wicked men; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it, and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

To be blunt, we don't deserve anything.  Not all the frivolous trapping of our "best life now" as part of the American Dream.  Not the bare necessities (or bear necessities).  Not even the "certain inalienable rights" we the people foolishly think we're entitled to.

Yet God, out of His infinite grace and mercy, provides for us.  That doesn't mean God provides for our daily existence and continual survival, though He does, within self-imposed limits of allowing punishment for our sins.  First and foremost, God provides for our salvation.  Living temporarily in the here and now is merely a bonus.

We see this in Matthew chapter 6, in the famous Sermon on the Mount.  "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?'"  (vs. 31)  God will provide.

How?

Sometimes it is divinely, through the ludicrous distribution of a sack lunch to feed a small town.  Or a pitiful amount of flour lasting far longer than is sane.  But most of the time it is through very common means.  Opportunity for a job that is regular and pays just enough.  Or a local food bank.  Or a random and anonymous donation from "someone who cares."

"But what about those people starving in Africa?  Or the men, women, and children living in oppression in North Korea?  Or everyone living under the thumb of Islam?"

Sometimes the plight of people is simply because it is punishment for sinful humanity.  But that is what we, the servants of the King, are called to address.  Sometimes we are called to be the means by which "daily bread" is provided to our neighbor.

And the most important bread that we bring is the one that was brought to us: the Bread of Life.

But He [Jesus] answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”  (Matthew 4:4)

The Third Sunday of Lent - Oculi (4 March, 2018)

Hog Tied

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.'"  And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt.  The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast.  Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.  Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.  But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.  Thus I will put a division between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen."'"  And the LORD did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.  Exodus 8:16-24

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD: "Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the LORD all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word.  It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds.  You shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not listened, then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.'"  The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.  And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, "You shall die!  Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, 'This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant'?" And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.  When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the LORD and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the LORD.  Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, "This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears."  Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard.  Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, and the LORD will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you.  But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you.  Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the LORD sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears."  Jeremiah 26:1-15

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.  Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.  Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; Psalm 136:1-16

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!  O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah  But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.  Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah  Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.  There are many who say, "Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!"  You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.  In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.  For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),  Ephesians 5:1-9

Now He was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.  But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons," while others, to test Him, kept seeking from Him a sign from heaven.  But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.  And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.  But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.  Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.  "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.  Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first."  As He said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!"  But He said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"  Luke 11:14-28

We live as slaves in occupied territory.

This is one of the few times where a comparison with a certain controversial time of history is appropriate.  Not necessarily because there is a direct correlation, but because its the most recent and blatant parallel.

Usually comparing any situation or person to the events surrounding Nazi Germany is a recipe for anger and fallacies.  However, due to the nature of their conquests, it is possible, from the other direction.

Ever since the Fall, we have been living in enemy-occupied territory.  Our rightful king has been usurped (I dare not say exiled) by our own doing and collaboration with the enemy.  Now our former "friend" who fought to "liberate" us from "tyranny" and "oppression" has proven to be a most capricious overlord.  Even Nazi occupied Norway, Denmark, Poland, or France were not near as bad as the crippled, corrupted world we live in.

And to make matters worse, we continue to aid the strongman in his campaign of oppression against our brothers and sisters.  We are, but our own choice, enslaved to this strongman.  The more we do his will, and our own will, the more in debt we are.  The more enslaved we become.

In a way its very similar to the "company stores" run by companies in the late 19th century.  "Another day older and deeper in debt," as the song says.  By our own reason or strength we will never be free.

But if someone were to "occupy" the strongman, keep him tied up...

Jesus was sent to defeat our enemy and rescue us from our prison.  His infiltration campaign was decisive.  Our enemy has been defeated, but we still are in occupied territory.  Normally this is where "here's what we do" would happen.  And, sure, there is room for discussing about the need for workers of the harvest, the "resistance," in this metaphor, but not this time.  The focus is and always should be on Christ.

Even with all the work our Lord has established for us, what matters is that our King has returned and defeated Satan, Sin, and Death.  He bound the "strong" man, permanently, rescuing us who rightly belong to Him.