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Easter Sunrise–“Resurrection Triumph” (John 20:1-18)

A-49 Easter Sunrise (Jn 20.1-11)Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for this morning comes from the Gospel, which was read earlier.

“Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark…” It’s around the same time now it was 2000 years ago. The sun has just gone up. Here we are, gathered to find the risen Christ, but He is not here. Imagine if you had just arrived at the tomb where Christ was buried, and you found the large stone that had sealed the tomb removed. What is your first reaction to it?

What Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter and John focused on was the empty tomb. Christians are privileged to see the empty tomb and no body in it. Think what that means. It means that Christ was more than just a man. The realization has been proven once again: “Truly this was the Son of God.”

What they didn’t focus on was why the tomb was empty. It was empty because Christ had been resurrected from the grave. As the hymnist writes and as we sang earlier, “Early hasten to the tomb/Where they laid His breathless clay;/All is solitude and gloom./Who has taken Him away?/Christ is ris’n! He meets our eyes./Savior, teach us so to rise.” This hymn doesn’t end with the empty tomb. It doesn’t end with a missing Jesus. It ends with a risen Jesus and our plea for our Savior to teach us to rise. The focus wasn’t on the fact that the tomb was empty; the focus was on why the tomb was empty: because Christ rose from the dead to give us everlasting life. It is because Christ defeated death by His death and resurrection for you and for me.

That’s why you and I are here this morning. We are here because we desire to see the risen Christ. We are here because Christ has triumphed once and for all over sin, death, and the devil.

Looking at the tomb where Jesus lay, they see that the stone was rolled away. We’re not talking a little rock placed to seal the tomb. This is a large stone, a stone that required several large men to roll it into place. Entering the tomb, they find it just as Mary Magdalene had described it: empty. The only thing left in the tomb were the death linens. They were dumbfounded by the scene before them, for John writes, “for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” There was no body, only Christ’s linens. There were no signs of people moving the stone guarding the entrance of the tomb, only emptiness.

After the last three years, being with Jesus, seeing all that Jesus had done, hearing all that Jesus had spoken, how could they not understand that He had to rise from the dead? They saw Him perform the miracles. They had heard Him talk about His coming death and resurrection, yet they still didn’t fully understand the resurrection. Even for us at times, living in this New Testament era, having the recorded facts for us, we fail to understand that He had to rise from the dead. We even say that “by His dying He has destroyed death, and by His rising again He has restored to us everlasting life.” The Scriptures point us to His resurrection. They spell out the meaning of Christ’s resurrection for us, as well as the event. It provided a forceful demonstration of Christ’s deity. It announced our justification. We know that we shall follow Jesus in rising from the dead. Our faith is sure since we have a living Savior.

In all that is reported in our text, there is just one little expression of faith. It is reported that John, after he entered the tomb and observed the linen cloths and the face napkin carefully placed separately, believed. This is the one word of faith mentioned in our text. The text explains that the lack of faith in these disciples was because they did not yet know the Scriptures, that He must rise from the dead. Even though Jesus had clearly predicted His resurrection on the third day after His death, it was reported at that time and became evident on Easter Sunday morning, that they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said. For Peter, John, Mary Magdalene and the others, they did not have a spectacular celebration of the resurrection, but instead went back to their homes.

For the disciples, it was too much to bear. They returned to their homes, imaginably feeling a hundred different emotions, yet Mary Magdalene “stood weeping outside the tomb.” For her, the morning has been too much, yet she can’t bring herself to leave the tomb of Jesus. She needed comfort, she needed peace, she needed Jesus. She might have had that comfort and peace if she knew that Jesus was in the tomb, but having seen the empty tomb, there was no comfort and there was no peace. All that she had now was fear and uncertainty.

Why are you here this early Easter morning? Are you here because of an empty tomb? Are you here because of a risen Christ? Peter and John did not understand that Christ must rise from the dead. After the last three years, being with Jesus, seeing all that Jesus had done, hearing all that Jesus had spoken, they didn’t understand what Christ’s purpose was: to defeat sin and death on our behalf. We pray, “Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life.”

The tomb is empty because Christ has risen from the grave. That is the last part of the hymn from earlier. “Christ is risn’! He meets our eyes. Savior, teach us so to rise.” This, my friends, is why the tomb is empty, because Christ rose from the dead to give us everlasting life. It is because Christ defeated death by His death and resurrection that the tomb is empty.

This has been done for you. Everything Christ went through was for you – His birth, His life, His crucifixion, His death, and finally His resurrection. It was done for you so that you would have life and have it abundantly through His grace, given to you on the cross. Through all that Christ has endured, we are now brothers and sisters of Christ.

Where is Jesus? He is no longer dead. He is no longer in the tomb. He has risen, just as Scripture has foretold of long ago. He descended into hell, just as the Creed says, where He showed His pierced hands and feet to Satan and told him that he no longer had any hold over God’s creation. More importantly, He ascended into heaven, where He reigns with God forever, waiting for the time where all of His brothers and sisters in the faith are joined with Him for all eternity. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until the day of resurrection. Amen.

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Good Friday-Hands That Are Pierced (Luke 23:32-46)

A-46 Good Friday (Jn 19.23-37)Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon this evening comes from Luke 23:32-46.

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Here ends our text.

It’s been a long day so far and it’s only noon. Here, at the place of The Skull, stands Jesus, along with two criminals waiting to be crucified. It has been a kangaroo court trial from the very beginning, and Jesus is on the losing end of it, or at least that’s how it appears. From the cross, Jesus cries out, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” But who does Jesus mean when He says “them” and “they”? Is He talking about the criminals? Is He talking about the Romans who are crucifying Him? Is there someone else Jesus is referring to? Jesus prayed for all those blind to their actions. That means Jesus was praying for the criminals. That means Jesus was praying for the Romans. That means Jesus was even praying for His disciples who scattered following Jesus being arrested. The forgiveness that Christ extends is not just for the soldiers, but for Pilate, Herod, the Sanhedrin, the chief priests, the rulers, and indeed all people.

After our Lord speaks words of forgiveness for the people, they react just as we think they would: uncaringly and ungrateful. There are two responses following Jesus’ invocation of the Father’s absolution. The soldiers who will mock Jesus completely disregard Jesus’ absolution and instead cast lots for His clothes and offer up sour wine and the people standing there just watching as the events take place. There is no concern shown from them; there is no emotion at all – just standing and watching.

How ungrateful this scene is! Jesus asks for God to forgive them one moment and the next moment they’re gambling away His clothing and watching Him die. These are the people that Jesus came to live and die for? People who want nothing more than to see Him die? People who want nothing more than to make a public mockery of justice for their own gain? People who stand around doing nothing? Yes, that is exactly who Jesus came to live and die for. What is even more amazing is that Jesus came to live and die for more people than that. He came to live and die for the people that don’t believe in Him. He came to live and die for the people that want nothing to do with Him. He came to live and die for the people that are self-righteous and can do everything on their own. He came to live and die for the people who recognize their sins and their need for a Savior. He came to live and die for the people who just a few days earlier cried out, “Hosanna!”, “Lord, save us!” He came to live and die for you.

The rulers of the day were correct, they just didn’t know it. When they shouted, “He saved others, let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”, they couldn’t have been more right. He had saved others. He had saved others from disease and death. Surely there was more that this King of the Jews was going to do. Jesus was not going to disappoint.

With outstretched arms, hands that were pierced and nailed to this tree of death, He was going to save the people in a way that the Romans, the chief priests, the rulers and all the people could not understand: He was going to die. He was going to sacrifice His life for the life of the people. Christ was delivered up to death; He was delivered for the sins of the people. That means that He died for you and for your sins. What He says to the one criminal, He says to you and to me: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

The events about to unfold are events that are for you and for me.

Darkness has fallen. For the next three hours, it’s as dark as night and it is the middle of the day. Having been at this since the previous day, here is where everything reaches the climax. Here, around 3:00, the light of the sun has failed. There is no explanation to what has just taken place. It is too early for sunset. In fact, there is no sun at all, just darkness. The darkness signals the imminent conclusion of God’s work of redemption.

While there is darkness, another sign occurs that no one at the cross could witness. Some fifteen hundred feet away in the temple, the curtain between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. This is significant because the curtain separated the people from the Holy of Holies of the temple, the place where God resided, the place where the high priest would enter once a year to make a sacrifice on behalf of the people. It was the one place of the temple that was off limits to the people. Now, there is nothing that separates the people from God because a sacrifice has been made that surpasses and exceeds every other sacrifice that has been made, from the times of the Old Testament, to that time, and forever more. This open access to God is represented by the temple curtain torn asunder. God’s presence no longer resides in the temple; now God’s presence is wherever Jesus is, for Jesus is the new temple!

With His hands pierced and nailed to the cross, “Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last.” Jesus did this for you. He did this for you before you were born, before you were ever thought of. He did this for your sins. His pierced hands are hands that saved you from what you deserve: death and damnation, eternal separation from God.

This is truly a Good Friday, because Christ’s death has given to you everlasting life. In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

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Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
‘Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
‘Tis the long-expected Prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
‘Tis the true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting His distress;
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.

Ye who think of sin but lightly
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
See who bears the awful load;
‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation;
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ, the Rock of our salvation,
His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.

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O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

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O sacred Head, now wounded,
    With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded
    With thorns, Thine only crown.
O sacred Head, what glory,
    What bliss, till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory,
    I joy to call Thee mine.

How pale Thou art with anguish,
    With sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy face now languish
    That once was bright as morn!
Grim death, with cruel rigor,
    Hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou hast lost Thy vigor,
    Thy strength, in this sad strife.

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered
    Was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression,
    But Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
    ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor,
    And grant to me Thy grace.

My Shepherd, now receive me;
    My Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me,
    O Source of gifts divine.
Thy lips have often fed me
    With words of truth and love;
Thy Spirit oft hath led me
    To heav’nly joys above.

What language shall I borrow
    To thank Thee, dearest Friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow,
    Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever!
    And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never,
    Outlive my love for Thee.

My Savior, be Thou near me
    When death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me,
    Forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish,
    O leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish
    By virtue of Thine own!

Be Thou my consolation,
    My shield, when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion
    When my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee,
    Upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfold Thee.
    Who dieth thus dies well.

Hymn Study: O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

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Maundy Thursday–Hands That Consecrate (Matthew 26:26-30)

A-45 Holy ThursdayGrace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon this evening comes from Matthew 26:26-30.

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. Here ends our text.

If there was one thing in this world that you could not live without, what would it be? Would it be something material, say your cell phone or your car? Would it be your family, say a spouse or a child? Would it be something more physical, say a limb of your body?

Throughout this Lenten season, our focus has been on the hands of the Savior. We have seen hands that invite, hands that heal, hands that provide, hands that pray, hands that resurrect, and hands that protect. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ used His hands all throughout His ministry, to teach, to restore, and to heal. This evening, we see that the hands of the Savior are hands that consecrate.

The dictionary has several definitions of the word consecrate. One is to make or declare sacred; to set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity. Another definition is to change bread and wine into the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper. That is precisely what our Lord does this night, on the night He was betrayed. In just a short amount of time, Judas Iscariot will betray Jesus. He has already met with the chief priests, he has already received the thirty pieces of silver. All he needed now was the opportunity.

Knowing that He was going to be betrayed from one of His disciples, from one who was a part of the inner circle, Jesus does something that we wouldn’t expect. Instead of turning tail and running away, instead of removing Judas Iscariot from the disciples, Jesus continues with business as usual. It was the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread and it was time to celebrate the Passover.

It’s just another evening, Jesus at table with His disciples, but yet tonight is different. Tonight is the Passover, a meal to remember what happened to their ancestors when God spared them from death. The Twelve are around the table, eating and drinking like always. They were finishing their meal and Jesus took bread. I’m sure the disciples were curious as to what He was doing. The meal was over, it was time to relax and talk amongst themselves. But Jesus had a different agenda. Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

What just happened here? What did the disciples just see and hear? “Is Jesus leaving us? Did we do something wrong? Is Jesus going to die?” 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. Is Jesus leaving the disciples? Yes. Did they do something wrong? Yes. Is Jesus going to die? Yes.

Imagine how the attitude of the disciples changed after Jesus passed the bread around the table. Conversation stopped, the disciples hanging on every word that Jesus is about to speak. And when He passed the cup around, imagine how their hearts broke. They had been with Him for three years, watching Him, worshipping with Him, being taught by Him, teaching others about Him; and now He was leaving them.

With His hands, our Lord consecrates and sets apart for sacred service Himself. Christ was both victim and priest. He was the sacrifice and the sacrificer. He gave to His disciples the greatest gift that He could give: Himself. Jesus gave His disciples bread and wine to eat and to drink. As He gave them the bread, He didn’t have to say to them, “Here is some bread for you to eat.” They knew what was placed before them. What they did not know and could not know that together with that bread they were receiving the true body of Christ, the same body born of the Virgin Mary, the same body that would be put to death on Calvary the next day.

Then He took the cup and passed it around to the disciples. He did not have to tell them, “Here is some wine for you to drink.” They knew that very well. But they did not know and could not know that He was also giving them His true blood to drink, the very blood which would be shed the next day. So Jesus told them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

But what good does it do to eat and drink Christ’s body and blood? Jesus says, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” When we hear these words, a number of related passages are all brought into focus here. Before Jesus was born, the angel told Joseph, “You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” But the angel did not specify how Jesus would do that. Now Jesus finally explains that His blood will be poured to atone for sin. That was certainly the point of the Passover lamb and all of the other bloody sacrifices of the Old Testament. And now, on this night, Jesus becomes the Passover Lamb who gives Himself to you, for He has come to save you from your sins.

Here, in this Sacrament, Jesus gives you to eat and drink His true body and blood, the very purchase price of your redemption. He says to you individually and personally, “Take and eat, this is my body which is given for you. Take and drink, this is my blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.” In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, amen.