Rejoice in the victory of this day

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Rev. Paul Rydecki

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Sermon for Easter Sunday 2014

+  Mark 16:1-8  +

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

All the hope, all the faith of the Old Testament saints who waited and yearned for the Lord’s salvation is confirmed on this day.

All the fear of the faithful women who ministered to Jesus in life, who were there for Him when He died, and who rose early on that first day of the week to tend to His dead body in the tomb, all the fear of Jesus’ disciples who abandoned their Lord and then watched Him die on a cross, is vanquished and turned to joy on this day.

All the blood of all the prophets, apostles, and martyrs, all the preaching of Christian preachers, all the suffering of Christians for the name of Christ, is vindicated on this day.

All those who have fallen asleep in Jesus, whose company we no longer enjoy on this earth, whose bodies now decay in their coffins, rest securely on this day.

For on this day Christ Jesus arose, the firstborn from among the dead, the firstborn of many brothers—His brothers who have believed in Him, His brothers who have been baptized into His death, His brothers who will one day die, just as Jesus died, but who will also rise from the dead, just as Jesus rose from the dead, because today Jesus lives.

There was never any doubt, or there shouldn’t have been, because Jesus doesn’t lie. What did the angel say to the fearful women? Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you. How does Matthew record the angel’s words? He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  How does Luke record the angel’s words? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

Jesus promised to be crucified, and He was. He was, indeed, delivered up for our trespasses, as the Apostle Paul says—delivered up and crucified for our trespasses, for our sins. He suffered what all of us should have suffered. He received the condemnation that all of us should have received. He shed the blood that was ours to shed and died the death that was ours to die.

But Jesus also promised to rise again, and He did. As St. Paul says, He was raised for our justification. We are not just; we are not righteous. But Jesus is just; Jesus is the Righteous One who has earned justification for us before God. This is the righteousness of faith of which the Scriptures speak, that we poor sinners cannot be righteous before God by doing good or by living well, but only by faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He was raised so that we could be justified by faith in Him, our victorious Savior, who conquered sin, who conquered death, and who conquered the devil for us.

So today we Christians defy sin’s power to condemn us, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Today we Christians defy death, through our Lord Jesus Christ. “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today we Christians defy the devil himself, through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

All of these, our bitter enemies, can no longer harm us who believe in Jesus, who was crucified and now lives forever and ever. He lives to defend us, to intercede for us, to cover us with His righteousness always. He lives to comfort and strengthen us through His Holy Spirit, through His Word and Sacrament, and He lives to shepherd us safely through this valley of the shadow of death, to that heavenly inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.

Today the faithful rejoice together and celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Today the Spirit comforts those who mourn as they look to a living Savior for mercy and forgiveness. Today the Spirit also calls out to those who still live in sin, who live in impenitence and unbelief, who have despised the Word and Sacraments of Christ. To them God holds out today yet another day of grace to turn from their sin and to receive grace from the risen Christ, before that other day comes when God will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained, whom He has raised from the dead.

On this day let us rejoice in Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the devil—a victory that He shares with His Church. Let sin condemn! Let death come! Let the devil rage! Our Savior has conquered them all for us who believe, and they can no longer harm us. Because on this day, Jesus rose from the dead. And as He said to those who had believed in Him, Because I live, you also will live. Rejoice, O people of Christ, in the victory of this day! Amen.

 

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God’s judgment against sinners, for the salvation of sinners

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Rev. Paul Rydecki

Sermon for Good Friday 2014

Isaiah 50:6-9  +  Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12  +  John 18-19

There is a day of judgment coming on the earth when God will deal with all sinners and make them answer for their sins and pay out the wages of sin, which is death and eternal condemnation. No one can escape God’s judgment, for all have sinned. As the Psalm says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.”

That unrighteousness of the human race goes back to the beginning of the human race, back to Genesis, back to the creation, back to Adam and Eve. Adam, our forefather, was created to live forever, with his posterity, in communion with God, in love, in paradise. But that man and his wife listened to Satan, rebelled against God and fell into sin, plunging themselves and all their posterity into sin and darkness and death—death that destroys both body and soul, both here on earth, and eternally.

But God promised to send another Man, the Seed of the woman who would defeat Satan, and sin, and death.

His coming wouldn’t be immediate. The human race would grow and spread from Eden, but all still infected with sin, all dying, one after another. All died, because all sinned. Noah’s flood demonstrates how depraved our race had already become as all but eight people were swept away for their sins.

God still had a promise to keep, to send the Seed, the serpent-bruiser. So He divided our one race into many nations, let the nations of the earth all go their own sinful ways, and then focused on one man, Abraham, to make a great nation out of him, and his son Isaac, and his son Jacob—Israel. They were sinful men, too, but they trusted in the Lord God, and that faith was counted to them for righteousness, as Moses tells us. Through their Seed all families of the earth would be blessed.

The law was eventually given to Israel through Moses with fire and billows of smoke on Mt. Sinai, not so that they could save themselves by it, but to reveal the sin that already dwelled in all men, as the Ten Commandments are held up as a mirror showing how far short all men fall of God’s standard of love for God and love for our neighbor.

Israel misused the Law, abused the Law. They broke the Law with idolatry and adultery and trust in man rather than trust in God, but worse, they kept trying to save themselves by means of a broken Law.

Isaiah was one of the prophets whom God sent to Israel to call them to repentance and to point them away from themselves to the great Servant of the Lord, the Messiah, whom the Lord would send, the Servant of the Lord who would save the Lord’s people, not just from captivity in Babylon, but from the captivity of sin, death, and the devil. We heard about that Servant in the first two lessons today, a Servant of the Lord who would come from Israel and to Israel, and yet would be despised and rejected by Israel, wounded, bruised, slaughtered and killed.

The same Isaiah announced how He would come: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call His name Emmanuel, God with us.

Finally, some 2,000 years ago, the virgin, a descendant of King David, did conceive. God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

He was Abraham’s Seed, according to the flesh, He was the Son of David according to the flesh, but He was also the eternal Son of God, the very Word of God by whom the heavens were made. He came to His own, but His own received Him not.

Hence, we come to Good Friday, where we see the Servant of the Lord serving right down to His last breath, when He declared in a loud voice, “It is finished.” Jesus came preaching and teaching, healing people and doing miracles. He did not come to disparage the Law of Moses; He was, after all, the author of Law of Moses. He came as the Righteous One, the sinless One, to fulfill the Law, even as He pointed out to the Jews that they hadn’t fulfilled the Law, nor could they. He had come to save them and to give them the Sabbath rest that they never knew, rest from their labor at trying in vain to keep the Law, rest from their work of trying to atone for their own sins, and yet failing miserably every time. He had come to save sinners by calling them to repent of their sin and to trust in Him as their true Rest-Giver. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

The Jews would not have it; they would not have Him. They had their precious Law and their precious heritage from Abraham, even though they didn’t actually keep the Law or imitate the faith of Abraham. So their leaders conspired to put Jesus to death, as we witnessed today in the words of St. John.

And in so doing, they were unwittingly fulfilling every prophecy in their own Scriptures. In so doing, they were unknowingly slaughtering the true Passover Lamb, offering up the one sacrifice that does atone for sin, shedding the one Man’s blood that is holy enough, that is precious enough, that is worth enough to make up for the sins of all mankind. Because this Jesus is not merely a man. He is the only sinless Man, the promised Seed of the woman, the Seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Son of David, the Son of God.

And here we come to the reality that each of us must face. The Jews handed Jesus over to be crucified. The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, perverted justice and allowed them to do it. But none of us were there. You don’t have to apologize for what people did to Jesus 2,000 years ago. No, whether Jew or Gentile, you have to answer for your own sins, and they are just as real and just as damning, because Adam is your father, too, and you, like he, are guilty.

The Law still cries out condemnation from Mt. Sinai, and each one will have to answer on the Day of Judgment for his own sins. But see what God has done on Good Friday: He has set up another mountain, Mt. Calvary, another place of judgment where the only one who is condemned, where the only one whose blood is shed is Jesus, the Christ, the Righteous One. But He isn’t condemned for His sins; He’s condemned for ours. His blood doesn’t atone for His sins, but for ours. As Isaiah said, We esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes 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.

Here on Mt. Calvary stands God’s own answer to sin. He hates it. He punishes it. He destroys the sinner and condemns him to death. On this mountain the Righteous One dies so that the sinners can go free. It’s love that caused God to send His Son, His Servant, to this mountain, to this cross, that by His suffering and death, the Law might lose its power to condemn us, because God’s Son has already been condemned for us.

And, as we will celebrate on Sunday, God has also raised this Jesus from the dead, and Jesus has sent His Holy Spirit in this Gospel to proclaim to the world what the Apostle Peter proclaimed to his fellow Jews in Antioch about the crucified and risen Jesus: Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: ‘Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you.’

Beware, lest you fail to believe in this Messiah, for then you will have to answer for your own sins. But God doesn’t want you to answer for your own sins. He only wants to see Christ. He only wants you to plead the blood of His Son. In this Gospel that you hear again today, you hear the voice of God calling you to abandon Sinai, to flee in faith to Calvary, to the Mercy Seat, to the Throne of Grace that is Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us. And if God is for us, who can be against us?

On Good Friday, of all days, there can be no doubt that God is for us. Here we see the depth of His love for the world in His willingness to give His Son for our redemption. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Amen.

 

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Luther Sermon for Maundy Thursday

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Rev. Paul Rydecki

SERMON FOR THE THURSDAY BEFORE EASTER

by Martin Luther

Jesus Washes The Feet Of His Disciples.

Text: John 13:1—17 (KJV)

John is the only Evangelist who mentions the incident of the washing of the feet of the disciples by Christ; hence it might seem that this occurrence was of but little importance. John, however, introduces it with so much minuteness and care, that we cannot but believe that Christ intended to teach an important lesson by it; for after its performance He admonishes His disciples to observe this example and to wash each others’ feet. Hence many Christians still continue this practice. The Papists, however, in this, as in other matters, do not understand the true meaning; they are satisfied with the mere external observance of the custom, and have therefore no benefit from it. Hence it is necessary to preach about this occurrence, and to instruct the people as to its true meaning.

The first part of the narrative, as John gives it, appears somewhat peculiar. He begins thus: “When Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” Now, what has all this to do with the washing of feet? How can these words be made to harmonize with the rest of the story? These questions can easily and fully be answered, if we but earnestly consider the whole account. When the Evangelist tells us that Jesus knew that His hour was now at hand to depart from this world unto the Father, he wishes thereby to awaken within us a lively attention to this deed and the lessons which it contains; for this washing of feet happened nearly in the last hour before Christ’s departure from this world. Now it is certain that we remember and cherish the last wishes of our dying friends more earnestly and dutifully than any other of their words and deeds; for when it comes to dying, pleasantries and jestings are at an end, and the words then spoken are full of sincerity and earnestness.

St. John would therefore tell us: Listen, you shall hear a story and a lesson important, and well to be remembered; you shall hear of the last deed of Christ and of His final admonition to His disciples, which He began at the washing of their feet and concluded upon His way to the Mount of Olives. These circumstances impress us with the great importance of the incident recorded in our text; for, surely, if it were of a trifling kind, it would not have occurred in this solemn hour of anxiety and peril.

Again, we must bear in mind that John refers to the “love” which the Lord manifested towards His disciples, in order that we may learn, from this washing of feet, the great condescension of Christ to men, yea, even unto us. Hence we assert the great importance of this incident for the following reasons: It occurred just before His death, and in it He exhibited His great love and condescension. We, therefore, must not slight this deed and its admonition: for when love and mercy prompts the Lord to action, His deeds cannot be insignificant.

St. John further exalts this subject when he says: Jesus loved His own which were in the world, that is, the time has now come for the Lord to depart from His disciples, who, while yet in the world, have need of such an example and admonition, lest they be tempted and yield to the allurements of the world. The children of this world are selfish; each one thinks only of himself and his own welfare, no matter how the others may fare. Christ would teach us, by His own example, how we should act towards each other, and avoid this mean selfishness, which is so prevalent. He is the Lord over all, yet He humbles Himself and even becomes a servant to His disciples. Let us learn humility from Him, that we may not fall into the sin of selfishness, but know how to avoid it and be happy.

The Evangelist intentionally records the fact that the devil prompted Judas to betray the Lord, and wishes thereby to teach us, that the Apostles and all Christians are subject not only to the allurements of the world, but are also directly influenced by the devil to selfishness, arrogance and pride. The only available remedy against this evil is to follow the example of Christ, who, just at the eve of His betrayal into the hands of the heathens, gave us yet such an illustrious proof of humility and condescension as is recorded in the incident of the washing of the feet of His disciples.

“To be in the world” means really to be in the midst of devils. It is therefore impossible for us to conduct ourselves aright unless we follow the precepts of the word of God and also this example of Christ. The flesh is averse to all self-denial, and would ever prefer its own supremacy. To counteract such inclination, the Lord gives us here an example to be remembered and followed. He is filled with true love toward us, and desires to protect us from sin and shame.

The introductory words of the Evangelist to the narrative of the washing of feet are therefore very valuable; they teach us the love and care of Christ toward His people. And yet this account, though read and chanted a thousand times and more, in many a convent and cathedral, is not appreciated nor understood.

But let us proceed. What is the meaning of the words: “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God?” These are important words, indicating the thoughts of our Lord previous to the washing of feet. He evidently did not then meditate upon His approaching passion, nor did He at that time feel sad, as was the case soon after; but He thought of His glory which He had with the Father from all eternity, and which He would now again assume as to His human nature. Such thoughts were sublime, and might well have absorbed His entire attention, to the utter exclusion of the world and every mortal therein.

But even now, while meditating upon His divine glory, He arises suddenly from the table, throws off His outer garment, takes a towel, girds Himself, pours water into a basin, washes the feet of His disciples, and wipes them with the towel wherewith He was girded.
Consider well His thoughts and His deed. He knows and thinks of it that He is Lord God over all; that in less than one day the devil shall have accomplished what he can, and that thereafter all His enemies shall be vanquished and His Christians be at ease. Now turn to His deed, and what is it? Why, this very Lord performs now a task which is commonly done by the servants of the house; He washes the feet of His disciples.

Christ desires us to learn from this occurrence to humiliate ourselves, and not to abuse our position and our power by insolence and arrogance toward our fellow-men, but to help and to serve them with our means as much as we can, even as He Himself, the Lord of glory, became humble and of low estate, yea, even the servant of His disciples. Jesus Himself explains the meaning of the feet-washing when He says: “Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” Here we see what this feet-washing really means, and that this story is told us that we might imitate its precepts with care and diligence.

The Pope, his monks and priests, also kings and princes, now and then, observe the custom of washing the feet of certain paupers; but of humility in the performance of this ceremony there is no sign discernible. There are many among them, and that too the more honest ones, who wash the feet of their brothers of the order, or of their subjects, with so little of the spirit of humility, that they afterwards, in the confessional, seek forgiveness for the pride which dwelt in their hearts during the execution of this duty. Why, dear friend, tell me what kind of humility is it if you by this act seek applause and the appearance of saintliness; or what availeth it your brother if you wash his feet to make a display, and to gain glory before the world?

If our bishops would really take to heart the great calamity of idolatry that afflicts the people who have not the true doctrine of the forgiveness of sins, nor know how to obtain eternal life; if they would endeavor to have the true word of God preached and the sacraments administered in their purity, to the exclusion of idolatrous ceremonies, such as the mass, calling upon the saints, sacrifices for the dead, and the like, instructing the people, on the other hand, what the true service of God is, how they should fear Him and love His word, and take consolation from the sacrifice of Christ the Saviour,—then indeed would they act in the spirit of Jesus, when He washed the feet of His disciples. But alas, such a spirit is not to be found in our bishops and rulers; they rather meditate upon an increase of idolatry and false doctrines, and how they can soil the feet of their people still more. Surely, such conduct is against the command of our Lord. May God in mercy remedy the evil and stop the devil’s work, who has made the people blind, and rules them as a tyrant does his slaves.

The Papists call this ceremony of feet-washing by a Latin term which means a mandate, a command. But Christ does not mean the outward act when He says: “Ye also ought to wash one another’s feet;” for He immediately explains this in the words: “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord.” These words are plain enough. If we are honored on account of our position in life, we ought to remain humble and serve our inferiors with such gifts as they do not possess. In full accordance with this, the Lord afterwards gives His mandate concerning love when He says: “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another.” Now the true nature of love is humility and charity, kindness and compassion. When Christ commands the washing of feet, He requires the presence of such a love. It is evident that our Lord, by His action in the Gospel, did not intend to teach us the outward washing of feet, which is done by means of water; for then it would be obligatory to wash the feet of all; or rather, which would certainly be more serviceable, to prepare a regular bath for the people, in which they could wash their whole body. This of course cannot be the meaning of Christ’s command in this regard. He simply gave us by His example an important lesson, that we should be humble, and properly employ the gifts and graces which we have, to the advantage of our brethren, and that we should despise no one, but rather excuse the shortcomings of our fellow-men, and help them to become better.

In this sense, washing of feet must be practiced not merely upon this day, but every day of our life, and we must not grow weary in well-doing towards our fellow-men. For such a purpose, and for such feet-washing, Christ set us the example which we are now considering. Let us remember this.

Those whom God has endowed with much wisdom and honor, and who are called to the office of the ministry, should be especially intent on practicing zealously this feet-washing, that they may not become guilty of abusing the gifts and authority which they have, but employ them faithfully to the service and welfare of the Church. For if our Lord and Saviour, who well knew that the time of exaltation into His eternal kingdom of majesty and grace was approaching, yet humbled Himself so low that in obedience to His Father’s will He gave Himself for us into death, even the death of the cross, how much rather do we poor creatures need such humiliation, we who are tempted by the devil day and night, and who are in constant danger of falling into the meshes of pride, avarice and self-esteem! The devil knows full well that he has gained the field, and is not injured by all our preaching, if we as servants of the Church forget the command of Christ to be humble, and if we seek after temporal honor and authority.

The Pope’s example verifies this assertion. As soon as he turned his attention to the obtainment of worldly glory and power, and began to neglect his spiritual charge, so soon did the Church decay. Secular matters claimed the attention of the Pope, to the exclusion of the true welfare of the Church. The devil succeeded in setting aside the word of God and the true worship, substituting for it falsehoods and idolatries, which were very lucrative and conducive to the aggrandizement of the priesthood.

I believe that Christ, when He exhibited such humility in washing the feet of His disciples, had in mind the great corruption which, on account of the selfishness and pride of the clergy, would creep into His Church in later years. This great evil began to manifest itself soon after; the bishops wrangled with each other about their relative superiority, and were so at variance with each other that finally Antichrist established himself at Rome, and arrogated such supremacy to himself that he not only ruled the Church, but also kings and emperors, and made himself successor of St. Peter and vicar of Christ on earth. This I call a fine way of being humble and of washing feet, after the example which our Lord has given us. Yes, great humility indeed!

It was so even then. Judas was not affected by the ceremony of feet-washing, nor by the solemn words of Christ; he meditated all the while how he could betray his Master and get the thirty pieces of silver. The Lord knew this, and was sad on account of such depravity, as the Evangelist tells us. He well knew that Judas was not the only miscreant in this respect, but that he would have a great multitude of followers, who would all be ready to betray and deny their Lord, if they could thereby but obtain the coveted pieces of silver. The knowledge of this fact causes sorrow and pain to the Saviour. He is filled with love and compassion towards all, and is ready to sacrifice His own life for their eternal happiness, and yet Judas and his horde of disciples care naught for this. They confess that Christ was meek and lowly, that especially by the act of feet-washing He showed His humility and love, but still they will not do as He did; they are proud on account of their station and title in the Church; because they are called Pope, cardinals and bishops they make themselves lords and arrogate to themselves homage from their fellow-men. They would rather betray and deny Christ a hundred times than to renounce a particle of their authority and glory; it matters little to them if God’s word is trampled under foot and souls perish, so they only get wealth and glory among men. The Pope with his fellows is ever busy to crush the pure doctrine and to confirm the former idolatry, which was so greatly conducive to his self-aggrandizement and superiority.

We ought not to be such disciples of Judas, but should ever remember that we are not preachers or officers of the Church to show our dignity and to be great lords, but to do our duty faithfully and humbly for the welfare of the Church. Thus will we benefit our fellow-men with the gifts which we have, and will be engaged in the proper feet-washing; we will also, in this way, fulfill the command of Christ to His pleasure and honor, and will be enabled to resist more successfully the wiles and snares of the evil one.

The devil makes it his especial aim to render preachers and those engaged in the service of the Church proud and selfish; and if he is successful in this attempt, he has won the contest. They will then be so engaged in temporal matters that Christ, His word, His Church, and their pastoral office, will become of secondary importance to them, or will, perhaps, be entirely forgotten. Examples of such men are plenty, even now.

Let no one think himself exempt from such temptation, but rather practice more zealously than before the virtue of feet-washing. Even St. Paul says: “There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” If it was so with the Apostle, how much more are we poor Christians, to whom God has given such high offices, in danger of self-exaltation! Let us take care, therefore, and employ well the various talents which God has granted us; let us exercise pure humility, imitating Christ who, with towel in hand, arises from the table to wash the feet of others, who thinks not first of Himself, but how He may be of service to His brethren.

We are therefore justified in applying this incident of our text chiefly to those who occupy positions of an official kind in the Church, instructing them how sedulously to perform their duties, and how important it is for them to remain in a state of humility. God called them into their various offices, not on their own account, but to benefit their fellow-Christians. It is their duty faithfully to serve their brethren, and not to complain if their task is perilous and hard.

But all Christians, no matter what their position in life is, should have this spirit of humility. Kings and emperors, though their office is of a secular kind, if they are true Christians, must wash the feet of their people. God did not give them such a high position to live in luxury, lasciviousness and lawlessness, but to make use of their talents for the benefit of their subjects. They should see to it, first of all, that the word of God is preached in their land by faithful ministers, and that idolatry and disturbances of the true worship of God are not allowed. They are accountable to God for the performance of this duty, and cannot expect the divine blessing to rest upon them or their children, unless they are faithful to their trust. How could God be a friend and ally of those who care nothing for His word, or who force their people into public idolatry and into false devotions?

Again, this feet-washing inculcates earnestness, trustworthiness and zeal in the administration of temporal governments. Rulers must not revel day and night, indulge in the chase and in sports, and inconsiderately oppress the people; it is, on the contrary, their duty to promote peace and happiness throughout the land, to defend the inhabitants against domestic and foreign enemies, and to enforce equal rights to all. If kings and rulers would only practice this kind of feet-washing, it would keep them busy, not alone on this festive Thursday, but through the entire year; yea, it should keep them awake many a night, when others rest, who have not so great a responsibility upon themselves. They must attend to the affairs of Church and State, and thus have their hands more than full, if they wish to do their part assiduously and well.

But what we said above in regard to Judas and the Pope is also true in this connection. The real feet-washing is generally neglected, that is, the rulers disregard the true welfare of their people, and think they can satisfy them with feasts and public demonstrations, which however avail nothing. It is no great thing to wash one’s own feet or those of a friend; but to enforce justice, to defend the truth in doctrine and public worship, is not every one’s business, nor is every one capable of doing it, but only they whom God has called to such important offices.

In the lower vocations of life the same practice ought to prevail. The master and the mistress of a family wash the feet of their children and servants, if they treat them kindly and attentively, and if they bring them up in the fear of God and ready to do His will. Husband and wife wash each other’s feet if they exercise a forbearing spirit towards each other, avoiding anger and inconsiderate scolding. Servants wash the feet of their employers if they are pious, honest, diligent and obedient, and if they receive even reprimands in a spirit of meekness, knowing that in the end they are benefited thereby.

In short, if you enjoy a peculiar blessing and gift, which your fellow-man has not, employ these to his benefit, no matter who you are or what your position in life may be. Be not arrogant, and despise not him who is less gifted than you are. This is the proper feet-washing which God commanded us to observe.

It is true, and you will find that it is, such feetwashing is not as easy as that sham observance of the custom, in which an abbot or a prior washes the feet of his monks, or in which a bishop performs this task for his chapter. There is no real humility in these cases; for they who wash the others seek their own honor thereby, and expect still greater homage from the recipients of their condescension. You must perform this task in a different sense and manner, by humbling yourself in such a way as to be ever ready to assist others who have not the gifts which you have. This will demand a precious victory over the old Adam within us, who seeks his own honor and exaltation, and is always more prepared to exercise vengeance and oppression than to do good toward others.

Again, we must understand by the term “feet-washing” a disposition which not only willingly serves others in a humble spirit, but which is also ready to forgive the failings of the brethren, as St. Paul says: “Bear ye one another’s burdens.” For it is simply a fact that in the wide world we will never find a Christian so blameless and perfect as to be entirely free from every fault and blemish. The one gives way to anger, the other is despondent and morose, the third too boisterous and frivolous, the fourth too niggardly and close, the fifth too free and easy. In one word, as even the heathens remarked: Each one has his load which others must help to bear.

We are often inclined to think: If only our neighbor had not this or that failing, we would gladly associate with him ; but his many faults seem to us insufferable and repulsive. Let us bear in mind, whenever we observe such shortcomings in our husband, wife, child, servants, neighbors and others, that we have an excellent occasion for feet-washing. Let us do it then; that is, let us bear with mildness such infirmities, and seek to relieve others of them, always aware that this world is really a filthy cess-pool, which we cannot pass without soiling our feet. This happens to me and to you, and to every one. Should we therefore run away into deserts and solitudes, and associate with no one, as formerly the monks did? No, it is a Christian duty to wash the feet of others, we must stay where they are. We must be among the people who wade through unclean, filthy places. We must unbend our proud reserve, and though our feet should be clean and pretty, it behooves us to carry water, rags, soap and brush to cleanse and wash the feet of those who need such ablution.

To do this we must obey the word of the Apostle and “bear one another’s burdens”; we must right willingly assist the weak and needy, exercise patience and compassion, give them our hand for a support, and instruct and guide them to a purer and better life. If we are prudent, wise and learned, we ought therefore not to despise the simple and silly, but should so much the more exercise our skill to help them and to improve their condition. If we are pious, chaste and temperate let us not judge others harshly who have not such virtues, but let us strive to turn them from their evil way and lead them to do what is right. If we have not the faults which we notice in our brother, let us thank God that it is so; but at the same time we must not forget that we may have other failings which need patience and assistance from others. On the other hand, our neighbors have gifts with which they can help us in our infirmities; and even if they should be unable to help us even in the least, they are still our neighbors, whom we should treat with Christian love, as God has commanded us. If we act thus, we may succeed in gaining him who otherwise is stubborn and perverse, unless he be like this Judas, so entirely possessed of the devil, that he will not heed our advances. Let harmony and friendship prevail among us as much as possible, and to this end let us exercise the spirit of humility.

What a pleasant, quiet, Christian life we could lead, if we would only be ready ever to wash each other’s feet! The one would assist and defend the other; we would all exercise patience and mildness and have no other aim but to make each other happy. Then might we be comforted by the assurance that we had, to some extent at least, complied with the command of Christ, and might appropriate the word of our Lord: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” But if we are derelict in the performance of our duty in this regard, we will feel a piercing sting in our hearts and be unhappy people, devoid of grace and joy.

As we have said, this feet-washing is a bitter task for our old Adam. He desires the services of others, but will make no similar returns. He is also much offended if he finds no thanks for his favors. But we must continue the feet-washing, the well-doing toward others, though they prove ungrateful. To do this we need not only perseverance, but chiefly patience and humility, divine gifts which we must seek in earnest prayer.

From this we learn what this feet-washing means; it teaches a humble, friendly and Christ-like spirit, which Christians should, under all circumstances, manifest in their intercourse with each other. The Lord desires to direct our thoughts to the necessity of humility and condescension ; therefore He performed this ceremony of feet-washing shortly before His death. No matter what our ability may be, we dare not boast on account of our great endowments, but must reason thus: By giving us greater gifts than others, God meant that we should employ them in the service of others, and that we should cultivate so much the more a spirit of lowliness, and thrust the devil aside with his promptings to pride and arrogance. If we yield to him and become filled with self-esteem, we are lost; we are then no longer disciples of Jesus, but of Judas, as is the Pope and his crowd.

The Lord, however, wishes to teach us, just here, another and more important lesson in regard to His person. When Peter refuses to be washed, Jesus answers him: “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me.” In these words Christ refers not to the external washing of the feet, but to the washing from sin by His blood shed upon the cross, which washing still is efficacious among the believers in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Such washing is no example; for we can cleanse neither ourselves nor others from sin. The Son of God, the Lamb of God, who bore the sins of the world, can do it, and He alone. They who are washed of Christ confess that God in mercy, through His Son, pardoned and forgave their sins, and therefore they are ready to forgive the wrong which others may have done unto them, as Christ teaches in Matt. 18, and as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

It is therefore evident that we should practice this feet-washing during our whole life. Christ set us the example shortly before His death, and He did it through love of us, for He knew how we must dwell in an unclean world. May God grant us His Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus His Son, that we may ever bear in mind this admonition, and may fashion our life accordingly. Amen.

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Luther Sermon for Good Friday

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Rev. Paul Rydecki

SERMON FOR GOOD FRIDAY

by Martin Luther

A SERMON ON HOW TO CONTEMPLATE CHRIST’S HOLY SUFFERINGS.

THE TRUE AND THE FALSE VIEWS OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS.

I. THE FALSE VIEWS OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS.

1. In the first place, some reflect upon the sufferings of Christ in a way that they become angry at the Jews, sing and lament about poor Judas, and are then satisfied; just like by habit they complain of other persons, and condemn and spend their time with their enemies. Such an exercise may truly be called a meditation not on the sufferings of Christ, but on the wickedness of Judas and the Jews.

2. In the second place, others have pointed out the different benefits and fruits springing from a consideration of Christ’s Passion. Here the saying ascribed to Albertus is misleading, that to think once superficially on the sufferings of Christ is better than to fast a whole year or to pray the Psalter every day, etc. The people thus blindly follow him and act contrary to the true fruits of Christ’s Passion; for they seek therein their own selfish interests. Therefore they decorate themselves with pictures and booklets, with letters and crucifixes, and some go so far as to imagine that they thus protect themselves against the perils of water, of fire, and of the sword, and all other dangers. In this way the suffering of Christ is to work in them an absence of suffering, which is contrary to its nature and character.

3. A third class so sympathize with Christ as to weep and lament for him because he was so innocent, like the women who followed Christ from Jerusalem, whom he rebuked, in that they should better weep for themselves and for their children. Such are they who run far away in the midst of the Passion season, and are greatly benefited by the departure of Christ from Bethany and by the pains and sorrows of the Virgin Mary, but they never get farther. Hence they postpone the Passion many hours, and God only knows whether it is devised more for sleeping than for watching.

And among these fanatics are those who taught what great blessings come from the holy mass, and in their simple way they think it is enough if they attend mass. To this we are led through the sayings of certain teachers, that the mass opere operati, non opere operantis, is acceptable of itself, even without our merit and worthiness, just as if that were enough. Nevertheless the mass was not instituted for the sake of its own worthiness, but to prove us, especially for the purpose of meditating upon the sufferings of Christ.

For where this is not done, we make a temporal, unfruitful work out of the mass, however good it may be in itself. For what help is it to you, that God is God, if he is not God to you? What benefit is it that eating and drinking are in themselves healthful and good, if they are not healthful for you, and there is fear that we never grow better by reason of our many masses, if we fail to seek the true fruit in them?

II. THE TRUE VIEW OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS.

4. Fourthly, they meditate on the Passion of Christ aright, who so view Christ that they become terror-stricken in heart at the sight, and their conscience at once sinks in despair. This terror-stricken feeling should spring forth, so that you see the severe wrath and the unchangeable earnestness of God in regard to sin and sinners, in that he was unwilling that his only and dearly beloved Son should set sinners free unless he paid the costly ransom for them as is mentioned in Isaiah 53:8: “For the transgression of my people was he stricken.” What happens to the sinner, when the dear child is thus stricken? An earnestness must be present that is inexpressible and unbearable, which a person so immeasurably great goes to meet, and suffers and dies for it; and if you reflect upon it real deeply, that God’s Son, the eternal wisdom of the Father, himself suffers, you will indeed be terror-stricken; and the more you reflect the deeper will be the impression.

5. Fifthly, that you deeply believe and never doubt the least, that you are the one who thus martyred Christ. For your sins most surely did it. Thus St. Peter struck and terrified the Jews as with a thunderbolt in Acts 2:36-37, when he spoke to them all in common: “Him have ye crucified,” so that three thousand were terror-stricken the same day and tremblingly cried to the apostles: “O beloved brethren what shall we do?” Therefore, when you view the nails piercing through his hands, firmly believe it is your work. Do you behold his crown of thorns, believe the thorns are your wicked thoughts, etc.

6. Sixthly, now see, where one thorn pierces Christ, there more than a thousand thorns should pierce thee, yea, eternally should they thus and even more painfully pierce thee. Where one nail is driven through his hands and feet, thou shouldest eternally suffer such and even more painful nails; as will be also visited upon those who let Christ’s sufferings be lost and fruitless as far as they are concerned. For this earnest mirror, Christ, will neither lie nor mock; whatever he says must be fully realized.

7. Seventhly, St. Bernard was so terror-stricken by Christ’s sufferings that he said: I imagined I was secure and I knew nothing of the eternal judgment passed upon me in heaven, until I saw the eternal Son of God took mercy upon me, stepped forward and offered himself on my behalf in the same judgment. Ah, it does not become me still to play and remain secure when such earnestness. is behind those sufferings. Hence he commanded the women: “Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.” Luke 23:28; and gives in the 31st verse the reason: “For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” As if to say: Learn from my martyrdom what you have merited and how you should be rewarded. For here it is true that a little dog was slain in order to terrorize a big one. Likewise the prophet also said: “All generations shall lament and bewail themselves more than him”; it is not said they shall lament him, but themselves rather than him. Likewise were also the apostles terror-stricken in Acts 2:27, as mentioned before, so that they said to the apostles: “O, brethren, what shall we do?” So the church also sings: I will diligently meditate thereon, and thus my soul in me will exhaust itself.

8. Eighthly, one must skillfully exercise himself in this point, for the benefit of Christ’s sufferings depends almost entirely upon man coming to a true knowledge of himself, and becoming terror-stricken and slain before himself. And where man does not come to this point, the sufferings of Christ have become of no true benefit to him. For the characteristic, natural work of Christ’s sufferings is that they make all men equal and alike, so that as Christ was horribly martyred as to body and soul in our sins, we must also like him be martyred in our consciences by our sins. This does not take place by means of many words, but by means of deep thoughts and a profound realization of our sins. Take an illustration: If an evil-doer were judged because he had slain the child of a prince or king, and you were in safety, and sang and played, as if you were entirely innocent, until one seized you in a horrible manner and convinced you that you had enabled the wicked person to do the act; behold, then you would be in the greatest straits, especially if your conscience also revolted against you.

Thus much more anxious you should be, when you consider Christ’s sufferings. For the evil doers, the Jews, although they have now judged and banished God, they have still been the servants of your sins, and you are truly the one who strangled and crucified the Son of God through your sins, as has been said.

9. Ninthly, whoever perceives himself to be so hard and sterile that he is not terror-stricken by Christ’s sufferings and led to a knowledge of him, he should fear and tremble. For it cannot be otherwise; you must become like the picture and sufferings of Christ, be it realized in life or in hell; you must at the time of death, if not sooner, fall into terror, tremble, quake and experience all Christ suffered on the cross. It is truly terrible to attend to this on your deathbed; therefore you should pray God to soften your heart and permit you fruitfully to meditate upon Christ’s Passion. For it is impossible for us profoundly to meditate upon the sufferings of Christ of ourselves, unless God sink them into our hearts. Further, neither this meditation nor any other doctrine is given to you to the end that you should fall fresh upon it of yourself, to accomplish the same; but you are first to seek and long for the grace of God, that you may accomplish it through God’s grace and not through your own power. For in this way it happens that those referred to above never treat the sufferings of Christ aright; for they never call upon God to that end, but devise out of their own ability their own way, and treat those sufferings entirely in a human and an unfruitful manner.

10. Tenthly, whoever meditates thus upon God’s sufferings for a day, an hour, yea, for a quarter of an hour, we wish to say freely and publicly, that it is better than if he fasts a whole year, prays the Psalter every day, yea, than if he hears a hundred masses. For such a meditation changes a man’s character and almost as in baptism he is born again, anew. Then Christ’s suffering accomplishes its true, natural and noble work, it slays the old Adam, banishes all lust, pleasure and security that one may obtain from God’s creatures; just like Christ was forsaken by all, even by God.

11. Eleventhly, since then such a work is not in our hands, it happens that sometimes we pray and do not receive it at the time; in spite of this one should not despair nor cease to pray. At times it comes when we are not praying for it, as God knows and wills; for it will be free and unbound: then man is distressed in conscience and is wickedly displeased with his own life, and it may easily happen that he does not know that Christ’s Passion is working this very thing in him, of which perhaps he was not aware, just like the others so exclusively meditated on Christ’s Passion that in their knowledge of self they could not extricate themselves out of that state of meditation. Among the first the sufferings of Christ are quite and true, among the others a show and false, and according to its nature God often turns the leaf, so that those who do not meditate on the Passion, really do meditate on it; and those who hear the mass, do not hear it; and those who hear it not, do hear it.

III. THE COMFORT OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS.

12. Until the present we have been in the Passion week and have celebrated Good Friday in the right way: now we come to Easter and Christ’s resurrection. When man perceives his sins in this light and is completely terror-stricken in his conscience, he must be on his guard that his sins do not thus remain in his conscience, and nothing but pure doubt certainly come out of it; but just as the sins flowed out of Christ and we became conscious of them, so should we pour them again upon him and set our conscience free. Therefore see well to it that you act not like perverted people, who bite and devour themselves with their sins in their heart, and run here and there with their good works or their own satisfaction, or even work themselves out of this condition by means of indulgences and become rid of their sins; which is impossible, and, alas, such a false refuge of satisfaction and pilgrimages has spread far and wide.

13. Thirteenthly. Then cast your sins from yourself upon Christ, believe with a festive spirit that your sins are his wounds and sufferings, that he carries them and makes satisfaction for them, as Isaiah 53:6 says: “Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all;” and St. Peter in his first Epistle 1 Peter 2:24: “Who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree” of the cross; and St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:21: “Him who knew no sin was made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” Upon these and like passages you must rely with all your weight, and so much the more the harder your conscience martyrs you. For if you do not take this course, but miss the opportunity of stilling your heart, then you will never secure peace, and must yet finally despair in doubt. For if we deal with our sins in our conscience and let them continue within us and be cherished in our hearts, they become much too strong for us to manage and they will live forever. But when we see that they are laid on Christ and he has triumphed over them by his resurrection and we fearlessly believe it, then they are dead and have become as nothing. For upon Christ they cannot rest, there they are swallowed up by his resurrection, and you see now no wound, no pain, in him, that is, no sign of sin. Thus St. Paul speaks in Romans 4:25, that he was delivered up for our trespasses and was raised for our justification; that is, in his sufferings he made known our sins and also crucified them; but by his resurrection he makes us righteous and free from all sin, even if we believe the same differently.

14. Fourteenthly. Now if you are not able to believe, then, as I said before, you should pray to God for faith. For this is a matter in the hands of God that is entirely free, and is also bestowed alike at times knowingly, at times secretly, as was just said on the subject of suffering.

15. But now bestir yourself to the end: first, not to behold Christ’s sufferings any longer; for they have already done their work and terrified you; but press through all difficulties and behold his friendly heart, how full of love it is toward you, which love constrained him to bear the heavy load of your conscience and your sin. Thus will your heart be loving and sweet toward him, and the assurance of your faith be strengthened. Then ascend higher through the heart of Christ to the heart of God, and see that Christ would not have been able to love you if God had not willed it in eternal love, to which Christ is obedient in his love toward you; there you will find the divine, good father heart, and, as Christ says, be thus drawn to the Father through Christ. Then will you understand the saying of Christ in John 3:16: “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,” etc. That means to know God aright, if we apprehend him not by his power and wisdom, which terrify us, but by his goodness and love; there our faith and confidence can then stand unmovable and man is truly thus born anew in God.

16. Sixteenthly. When your heart is thus established in Christ, and you are an enemy of sin, out of love and not out of fear of punishment, Christ’s sufferings should also be an example for your whole life, and you should meditate on the same in a different way. For hitherto we have considered Christ’s Passion as a sacrament that works in us and we suffer; now we consider it, that we also work, namely thus: if a day of sorrow or sickness weighs you down, think, how trifling that is compared with the thorns and nails of Christ. If you must do or leave undone what is distasteful to you: think, how Christ was led hither and thither, bound and a captive. Does pride attack you: behold, how your Lord was mocked and disgraced with murderers. Do unchastity and lust thrust themselves against you: think, how bitter it was for Christ to have his tender flesh torn, pierced and beaten again and again. Do hatred and envy war against you, or do you seek vengeance: remember how Christ with many tears and cries prayed for you and all his enemies, who indeed had more reason to seek revenge.

If trouble or whatever adversity of body or soul afflict you, strengthen your heart and say: Ah, why then should I not also suffer a little since my Lord sweat blood in the garden because of anxiety and grief? That would be a lazy, disgraceful servant who would wish to lie in his bed while his lord was compelled to battle with the pangs of death.

17. Behold, one can thus find in Christ strength and comfort against all vice and bad habits. That is the right observance of Christ’s Passion, and that is the fruit of his suffering, and he who exercises himself thus in the same does better than by hearing the whole Passion or reading all masses. And they are called true Christians who in corporate the life and name of Christ into their own life, as St. Paul says in Galatians 5:24: “And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.” For Christ’s Passion must be dealt with not in words and a show, but in our lives and in truth. Thus St. Paul admonishes us in Hebrews 12:3: “For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls;” and St.

Peter in his 1 Epistle 1 Peter 4:1: “As Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind.” But this kind of meditation is now out of use and very rare, although the Epistles of St. Paul and St. Peter are full of it. We have changed the essence into a mere show, and painted the meditation of Christ’s sufferings only in letters and on walls.

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A spectacle of humility to herald the King’s peace

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Rev. Paul Rydecki

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Sermon for Palmarum 2014

Zechariah 9:9-10  +  Philippians 2:5-11  +  Matthew 21:1-9

The Holy Spirit has painted such a powerful Palm Sunday portrait for us of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey at the beginning of that Holy Week, with palm branches and with the joyful cries of the crowd, Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David!  In the face of all the world’s hatred of Christ and of Christians, in the face of all the devil’s accusations and temptations and deceptions, in the face of the rotten rebellion of our own sinful flesh and all the doubts and fears that attack us and all the apathy that also threatens to creep in and cut us off from Christ—here is this image again, this spectacle of Jesus riding down from the Mount of Olives into the Kidron Valley, and up again toward the gates of Jerusalem. This portrait of Jesus is able to burn through all the world’s hatred, all the devil’s tricks, and all the raging of our flesh, to imprint His image on our hearts, to reveal Jesus to us as the Savior that He is.

Jesus intended for this day, this Palm Sunday, to be memorable; He went out of His way to turn it into a spectacle of sorts. Of course, as the Son of God, He could have come riding on the clouds, as He will come again one day. He could have come with all the dread judgment of the righteous God. But no. That’s not the kind of spectacle He was looking for. Being in the form of God, He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; He did not consider His equality with God as something to be held onto and flaunted. Instead, He came from the bosom of God the Father humbly into the virgin’s womb. He came humbly into a manger. He came into a life of willing service under God’s Law, a life of not working a single day to get ahead or to make a better life for Himself, a life of humble obedience right up to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

And so He didn’t enter Jerusalem with the glory and pomp of the Son of God. The spectacle He chose was anything but glorious. He sent His disciples to go and get a donkey.  Actually, He sent them to go get two donkeys, a mother and her colt. (All four Evangelists mention the colt. Only Matthew mentions the mother donkey.)  He knows exactly where they are, He knows exactly what the reaction of their owner will be, and that the simple explanation, “The Lord has need of them,” will be sufficient for their owner to let them go. He has divine power to make the animals come willingly, even though the colt had never been ridden, according to Mark’s Gospel. Isn’t it ironic that, with all His divine knowledge and power, the spectacle Jesus chose to herald His arrival in Jerusalem, the image He chose to have embedded in our minds, was the image of Him riding—probably sidesaddle—on a pair of donkeys? Why that image?

He chose that image, because He had a sermon to preach on that day. Everything was coming to a head. This was the week that God had been preparing the world for for 4000 years, ever since Adam and Eve’s fall into sin. All the Jewish Passovers over the centuries pointed to this week. This was the time that all the prophets had written about. Jesus was the Christ, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

But He couldn’t come right out and say that about Himself—not yet. Instead, He preached to the people through the mouth of someone else, through the mouth of the Old Testament prophet Zechariah, so that, both at that moment and after the events of Holy Week were over, they could go back and put it all together, even as we are doing today. Matthew quotes some of Zechariah’s prophecy. You heard the whole thing in the First Lesson today, the lowly King riding into Zion on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

This is Jesus’ sermon to Jerusalem, and to all who put their hope in Him. Rejoice! Jesus’ coming to Jerusalem for this Holy Week is good news. In fact, it’s the best news ever. Behold, He says to Jerusalem, your King is coming to you. The world may hate, and the devil may tempt, and the flesh may rebel, but this Jesus is riding into Jerusalem to conquer these enemies of ours. He looks so gentle, so meek, riding somewhat awkwardly on these two donkeys. And to the lowly, to the penitent, He is gentle and meek. But to the proud, to the impenitent, to His foes, He is a mighty warrior, a King whom no one can defeat, the One whom God has now exalted above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

He is just—righteous—and having salvation. But if He has salvation, then salvation comes from Him, not from you. So don’t imagine for a moment that you can save yourself. If He is the righteous One, then you are the sinner. So don’t look for righteousness in yourself. Instead, see in yourself the sin that has earned God’s wrath. But see in this King the one who volunteers to suffer God’s wrath for your sins and to bring you into the shelter of His righteousness. Turn from your sin and trust in this King.

Zechariah then goes on to speak of the great peace this King will bring: I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.

Notice, this King doesn’t come to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to bring entertainment to the ends of the earth. He doesn’t come to bring happy feelings or personal fulfillment, or to put an end to poverty or sickness or suffering or to bring out the better “you.” He comes to speak peace.

Now this peace is something we really need to understand, because this is the same Jesus who said in Matthew 10, as we heard on Wednesday evening, Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

So, the King riding into Jerusalem on a pair of donkeys does not come to bring peace to our households, or peace to our society, or political peace between nations. He does not come to make life on earth easier. Instead, He comes to bring this kind of peace to this world: the peace of reconciliation with God through faith in His blood, shed on the cross, the peace of a conscience at peace, because all the sins for which your conscience rightly condemns you were laid on the back of this King. That peace He brings with Him and offers to the people of every nation on earth, to bring them out of Satan’s kingdom and into fellowship with the living God. He comes to save sinners and restore them to God’s favor, to give them a Father who is a God of love.

That’s real peace, and it has real benefits. As Paul says to the Romans, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The crowds outside Jerusalem on Palm Sunday understood only a tiny bit of who Jesus really was and of the peace He came to bring, but they shouted out to Him their joyful Hosanna’s and their songs of salvation as they watched Him ride humbly into Jerusalem in that spectacle of humility.

We who know of the much greater spectacle of humility and shame of Good Friday, of the humble King hanging from the cross, have much greater reason to rejoice and sing. The King has humbled Himself to the point of death, even the death of a cross. That’s how much He loved us and loves us still and wants us to be with Him in His kingdom. Today, on Palm Sunday, we witness again the spectacle of humility of the King riding into Jerusalem on a pair of donkeys, volunteering to suffer for us, as the Lamb that goes uncomplaining forth, the guilt of all men bearing. Every Holy Week service that we will observe this week, every day, paints the picture of Jesus’ love for us as He willingly suffered what we should have suffered for our sins. Let us walk with Him during this Holy Week and watch Him again through the words of the Holy Gospel, to add our Hosannas and our songs of thankfulness and praise as we see the love of God on display. Amen.

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