Theme For Lenten Series: Christ Confronts Death.
Theme: The passion and death of our Lord.
COMMENTARY
Old Testament: Isaiah 52:13--53:12
This sublime poem of the Suffering Servant lifts up an idea that is featured prominently in Christian theology: suffering, pain and sorrow can be redemptive. Biblical interpreters have traditionally identified the servant in this poem with the nation of Israel. The nation had undergone profound humiliation and disfigurement through their ordeal in Babylon. Yet, the prophet predicts that God's afflicted one will be exalted at some future date (v. 13). While the nation can legitimately be interpreted as the servant in this poem, there are some problems. The description of the servant's sufferings are markedly individualistic and personal. It seems as if the prophet is holding up some specific person. Some contend that Isaiah may have Jeremiah or Job in mind. The Christian Church, from the very beginning, have seen Christ as the suffering servant of God. He fulfills the role of the suffering servant much more effectively than does the nation. He was innocent; the nation of Israel was not. He willingly accepted humiliation for the sake of others; the nation had no choice. Isaiah found meaning in the suffering of his people. God was doing his mysterious work of redemption. Yet, as Christians, we discover greater meaning in the suffering and death of Christ.
Old Testament: Genesis 22:1-18
God tests Abraham by instructing him to offer his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God. Abraham passes the test and so his son is saved from the slaughter. God himself provides the ram for the sacrifice.
Old Testament: Wisdom of Solomon 2:1, 12-24
Those who maintain that this life is all that there is to reality and conclude that they will squeeze as much selfish pleasure from existence as possible oppose the righteous.
Old Testament: Hosea 6:1-6
In the first three verses of this passage, the people are preparing to return to the Lord. The last three verses are the Lord's response to their intentions. The Lord sees their repentance as insincere and superficial. The people offer the right sacrifices but their hearts are not transformed. The Lord entreats: "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God and not burnt offerings" (v. 6).
Epistle: Hebrews 10:1-25
The need for continuous offerings for sin proved that they were ineffectual. Christ has offered up himself for the sins of the world, once for all. We can, therefore, approach God with a clear conscience and a pure heart. Believers need to be vigilant, to hold fast their faith, and to inspire one another to loving deeds by regularly meeting together for worship and prayer.
Epistle: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Those who trust in Christ are brought into a state of repose and confidence, that the writer of Hebrews terms the "Sabbath rest." Those who persist in unbelief do not enjoy such a repose (vv. 4-11). The next two verses seem somewhat disjointed, declaring that human hearts will be laid bare by the word of God. Verse 14 picks up the theme of Jesus as our high priest, the source of our salvation, which is carried through the rest of this passage. Since we have such a great high priest, let us hold fast our confession of Jesus.
Gospel: John 18:1--19:42
The passion story according to John. If you have read Matthew's passion account on Passion Sunday, you may not want to read this extensive passage at worship. John 19:17-30 could be substituted in its place.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Old Testament: Isaiah 52:13--53:12
(In the interpretations of this lesson, we will interpret the passage in a Christian sense, where Jesus is the servant of the Lord.) "Nothing in his appearance that we should desire him" (v. 2). Nowhere in the New Testament is there a description of the physical appearance of Jesus. There are probably two reasons for this. It is unimportant. Or, the Lord's appearance was not attractive or was, at best, average. Both factors may well be the case. God communicated to Samuel, when he was so impressed by the appearance of Jesse's eldest son, "God does not judge by outward appearance but searches the heart." But humans are quick to judge by appearance. Good-looking people have an advantage in this world. Why else would we spend billions of dollars on products that purport to improve our appearance? The usual pictures of Christ that show a ruggedly handsome visage may be far from the mark. This may be his way of telling us to look deeper. "Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases ..." (53:4a). The image that the prophet has in mind may well be that of the leper, with his hideously deformed body. Jesus carried the leprosy of our sin in his body on the cross. Those who looked on him turned away in disgust and derision. We who are a part of Christ's body carry the infirmities of a sick society. The Silence of the Lamb. "He did not open his mouth" (53:7b). According to the passion story, Jesus did not respond to the attacks of his tormentors. The Lamb went silently to the slaughter. This was not the usual Jewish manner of dealing with adversity. Consider the loud defense that Job made to his accusers. Christ offered himself up willingly as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. "The righteous one, my servant shall make many righteous" (53:11). When we are moved by the love of God we see on the cross, we are declared righteous.
"He poured out himself to death ..." (v. 12). This is similar to the great hymn of Christ's self-giving love found in Philippians 2. Christ poured out his life blood; he emptied himself. God rewarded his generosity by filling him up with his eternal spirit and exalting him on high.
Epistle: Hebrews 10:1-25
Hold tight. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering" (v. 23). The sentiment found in this verse is repeated time and again throughout the book of Hebrews. Even in the pristine days of Christian faith, many believers were falling away; maybe because the second coming of Christ did not occur as soon as expected. The picture of the roller coaster comes to mind. We believers are those inside the cars, hurtling along with breakneck speed. The sudden dips, spins and curves threaten to throw us out of the car but we'll be all right if we just hold on and sit tight, until the ride comes to a stop.
Epistle: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
The Islam of Christ. The word Islam means submission. Christ cried out to the Father in fervent prayer that he might be spared from the torment of suffering and death. The Father heard his prayer but did not grant his petition. The writer of Hebrews concludes that Jesus learned obedience (submission) through what he suffered. He was made perfect (mature, complete) through what he suffered, so that he might become the source of all salvation.
Gospel: John 19:17-37
Christ the gambler. The soldiers cast lots for the Lord's seamless robe, gambling for the only worldly possessions he has left. In a sense, this is fitting because the Lord was himself a gambler. He was willing to stake all for the sake of God's kingdom. Christ was willing to cash in his life for a world redeemed. Some would say he saw it as a sure bet, but if that were true, what would become of faith? Even Christ had to walk by faith, not by sight. Standing under the cross. Our Lord's mother, his sister, Mary Magdalene and John were standing near Jesus, under the cross. These had not forsaken him to his fate. They did not understand what was happening but love drew them to the place of the skull. We too can never fully understand the meaning of the cross but, as Christians, we take our stand under the cross. Here we stand beneath the cross of Jesus, our feet firmly planted on the Rock of our salvation. Water and blood. John reports that the Roman soldier pierced Jesus' side, out of which flowed water and blood (v. 34). Jesus began his ministry through the waters of John's baptism and he ended his ministry on the cross, where his blood was shed. Both water and blood are also life-giving fluids. John is telling us that eternal life flows from the slain body of Christ.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Old Testament: Isaiah 52:13--53:12
1. Sermon Title: The Wounded Healers. Sermon Angle: Isaiah describes the Servant as a disease carrier. "Surely, he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases" (53:4). The affliction of his brothers and sisters have been caught by him. Christ too was afflicted with our common spiritual maladies loneliness, rejection, failure and death. Though he was wounded by our sins, he devoted his life to healing. Christians carry the same diseases as the rest of humankind but we also carry Christ's healing spirit. Let God work his medicine through us.
Outline:
1. The Jews (God's servant) bore the affliction of a sin-sick world
2. Christ carried the disease caused by our sin (he was the Wounded Healer)
3. Christians carry the disease of our world
4. Christians also carry Christ's healing spirit (we are wounded healers)
5. As we work to heal others, we too are healed
More than a century ago, Father Damien went to Hawaii, the island of Molokai, to minister to those from whom people hide their faces, those who suffer the isolating disfigurement of leprosy. For a long time, his parishioners were reluctant to accept him. They had seen others come and leave in disgust. Why would this man be any different? The mistrust eased as Father Damien persisted in his effort to minister to their needs but was not completely accepted until the day he truly became one of them. That Sunday morning, he addressed his congregation as "fellow lepers." He would no longer minister to them from the heights of holiness but from the depths of the disease. He was now their wounded leader. The healing ministry was imbued with mutuality.
2. Sermon Title: Lonely Is The Night. Sermon Angle: The servant of the Lord was despised and rejected (53:3). In other words, he was cut off, alienated and lonely. The exiled people of Israel certainly felt lonely, cut off from all that was dear to them. Christ, the one who was wounded for our transgressions, experienced this tragic condition especially during the last week of his life. There was none to share the burden of the cross with him. Loneliness stems from spiritual alienation from God and others. Christians also feel this loneliness but Christ draws us back into the redemptive community. Lonely is the night, but the day has dawned.
Outline:
1. We live in a world afflicted with loneliness (examples)
2. What is loneliness? alienation from God and then others
3. Christ shared our loneliness (especially his passion)
4. How to defeat loneliness get close to Christ reach out as part of the community of love and grace
Saturday, my daughter's dog, Sadie, was taking my wife and me for a walk when we encountered a young couple taking their Schnauzer for a walk. The man handed me a pamphlet and informed us that he was running for Congress. His name was Jon Christianson. His wife told me he had made 17,000 calls since June. They were the very embodiment of the American dream. The individual soars from obscurity to prominence, rags to riches. Here comes the rub: to attain that dream he may have to sacrifice his wife, family, church and any other relationship. With millions of people following the same kind of dream, is it any wonder we have so many lonely people?
The other day, I heard on the radio that a study showed the average male does not have a single friend. He may have plenty of companions or acquaintances. He may meet with those who share his interests, but there are few, if any, with whom he feels free to share his inmost being. Maybe it's because society seems to tell men they must always be in control, always on top. Many men don't feel they can afford the luxury of being vulnerable. That's a really lonely spot to be in.
Epistle: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
1. Sermon Title: Under Orders. Sermon Angle: The writer of Hebrews maintains that though Jesus was the Son of God, he too had to learn to submit his life to God. Jesus had to learn to submit his will to the Father. He was under orders. He wasn't here to do as his human nature dictated but as God decreed. Prayer is the discipline in which we learn God's will that we might order our lives accordingly.
Gospel: John 19:17-37
1. Sermon Title: Beneath The Cross Of Jesus A Place To Stand. Sermon Angle: The mother of Jesus, Mary, the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene and John stood beneath the cross until the bitter end. They must have struggled in vain to understand why this was happening. We can never completely understand why God chose the way of the cross. All we can do is stand under the cross and claim the salvation that it has brought.
Outline:
1. How painful it was for the three Marys and John to stand under the cross they felt our Lord's pain they struggled to comprehend its meaning they died with him
2. We must also stand under the cross by faith to forsake the cross is to forsake the Christ if we suffer and die with him, we will also rise up with him.
2. Sermon Title: The Cosmopolitan Christ. Sermon Angle: Jesus did not live and die in a cultural backwater. His cross was elevated near a cosmopolitan city, the crossroads of many peoples and cultures. The sign placed on his cross read "King of the Jews" in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. His life and death has universal significance. The sign was in Hebrew, the language of the people of God's promises. He is the fulfillment of humankind's religious longings. The sign was also in Latin, the language of the ruling Romans. All authority to rule comes through him. He is king of the rulers of the earth. Finally, the sign was in Greek, the language of culture and learning. He is the source of divine wisdom and all earthly wisdom falls under his judgment. Christ came not just to save souls but to redeem the world.
Outline:
1. Jesus isn't just king of the Jews
2. He is the fulfillment of humankind's religious yearnings
3. He is the authority of all earthly rule
4. He is the source of all wisdom
5. The cross reveals the cosmopolitan Christ
WORSHIP RESOURCES
Psalm Of The Day: Psalm 22; Psalm 22:1-21; Psalm 11:1-23 "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Prayer Of The Day: Lord Christ, you endured the shame, humiliation and alienation brought on by our sin, so that your soul cried out in bitter agony from the cross. Accept our grateful thanks for your redemptive suffering and death. Through your glorious cross, raise us to newness of life. In your name we pray. Amen.