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If you enjoyed this, the entire
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Today we get a brilliant and
inspiring sermon discussing the events of Holy Week. Hopefully, you read last week’s explanation of Holy Week,
your understanding of all that it means will grow with this sermon. I beg you; take the time to read this:
The
Collect
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LMIGHTY
and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy
Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death
upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great
humility; Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his
patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The
Bible is populated with a number of Great Lone Hills that rise majestically
from the dunes and deserts of the wilderness of sin. That which we approach
today in observing the impending crucifixion of Christ is the great mountain of
grace and mercy at Calvary – a mountain of unmerited mercy and grace for the
chosen of God. It was foreshadowed by the interdicted sacrifice of Isaac by
Abraham in the same mountain range as that of Calvary. These smaller mountains
of God's grace are like small foothills of promise that rise in growing measure
toward the heights of Everest which is the true Calvary. The sacrifice of
Christ was the consummation of all of God's prophecies of redemption,
salvation, and atonement. It was the final act that opened the floodgates of
mercy and the fountain of eternal life for all who are those of faith.
There
was nothing reasonable about the sacrifice of Christ. He came to shed His
life's blood for those who were at enmity with Him and His Father. As our
fathers climbed each successive mountain of grace and prophecy, their
perspective prevented their clear view of the ultimate mountain of greatest
towering stature that loomed beyond the crest of the last lesser mountain that
foreshadowed Calvary. Mount Moriah upon whose brow, Abraham would have
sacrificed Isaac, precluded the full view of that sacrificial fulfillment in
Christ. As well was the fullness of the Promise occluded from the view of Moses
upon Mount Nebal. It was the faith of Abraham, Moses, and others in the
satisfaction of the benefits of salvation that made the coming reality of the
redemption an accomplished and known fact centuries before its actual
fulfillment.
As
we begin our observance of Holy Week, it will be revealing to our souls if we
view the significant events of the week in order of their occurrence:
The
entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the Lord's Day. On the next day much people that were come to
the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, (John 12:12) This was the day that the
Passover Lamb was to be set aside and kept for its sacrifice on the eve of
Passover. Truly, Christ coming into Jerusalem to be kept until the 14th Nisan was the full picture of our Passover
in Christ. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump,
as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not
with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Cor 5:7-8) The unleavened bread with which we observe the
Passover represents the truth and sincerity of Christ our Passover.
It is
noteworthy of the fickle and wicked nature of man that the same people who were
shouting Hosanna at the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem were the same who would
be shouting for His crucifixion less four days later.
On the
next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus
was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to
meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the
name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon;
as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting
on an ass's colt (John
12:12-15)
Christ rode
into Jerusalem on a donkey to express His humility. He had travelled to
Bethlehem on a donkey at the beginning of His life. At the close of His
life, He again rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people cast palm branches
before Him shouting "Hosanna" a word of Hebrew origin Ho - see
us, Yasha- na (save). This is why we refer to the day as Palm Sunday. It
is the day that we, like Christ, begin our observance of Holy Week in
preparation for our Passover in Christ. (Explain Passover: Exodus 12)
The Jewish
rulers were enraged at the honor the people showed to Christ. They could have
been part of the celebration, but chose to be part of the gloom and hate. The Pharisees
therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold,
the world is gone after him. They conceived in their hearts to destroy
the source of their anguish. The devil, like governments, can tolerate no
opposition.
Jesus would
observe the Passover meal the night of His taking by the Jews in the Garden at
Gethsemane. He would serve the meal to Judas, and the disciples, knowing
beforehand that the disciples would flee from Him once the tables were turned
against Him, and Judas would betray Him with a `kiss.' As Mary had anticipated
His coming Passion (unwittingly), and bath the feet of Christ with ointment,
Christ will now signal that act of humility by bathing the feet of His
disciples at the Passover meal.
On the eve
before His crucifixion, the Lord went into the Garden at Gethsemane to pray. He
took His three closest disci0ples, Peter, James, and John, who could not keep
awake even in the last moments of the life of Christ. We, too, cannot keep our
attention on the Word even during the sermon most frequently. How vain and
fickle are we.
When the
Jewish soldiers came to take Jesus captive in the Garden, His identity was
pointed out by Judas who went to Christ and kissed His cheek, thus betraying
the Lord of glory with a kiss. And while he yet spake, behold a
multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them,
and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? (Luke 22:47-48)
That was a
betrayal of eternal repercussions for Judas, and for us.
Night in the Garden
By Bishop Jerry Ogles
Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief
priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. John 18:3
Out of the darkest Halls of Hell
Came the marchers with torches raised.
Into the Garden quiet and still
They wandered forlorn and crazed.
Up to the Sovereign Lord of Love,
Their spears shining bright in the mist,
With arrogant air and a hateful shove
They took Him who wouldn't resist.
Now to the head of Scribe and Priest
Was the Savior led that night,
And to Herod's Court and Pilate's Seat
Where Right gave way to the Night.
To the craggy heights of the Lonely Skull
They took Him and laid Him down
And into His Hands of Love they drove
Iron spikes with a terrible Sound!
On His Brow a thorny Crown He wore
And His flesh was torn and bruised.
His Heart of Grace grew cold and sore
As the Spirit of Life was loosed.
The world of woe a Hope has found
In the Promise made sure by His Death
And the Saints of God with Faith abound
In the Fields that our Lord has Blessed!
The
courageous Peter drew a sword and severed the ear of one of the guards. He had
much courage in the presence of Christ, yet, when separated from Christ in the
Garden, that same Peter denied Christ shamefully three times in the night.
Christ (the
true High Priest) was taken to the Jewish High Priest where He was mocked,
beaten and ridiculed. He was blasphemed and the Sanhedrin presumed to
interrogate the Son of God. Having falsely accused Him, they led Him to Pilate
the Roman Proconsul. Herod would be considered a pretty good Democrat or
Republican today – he was quite politically correct. He found no fault in
Christ, but wished to pass the buck by sending Jesus to Herod who also mocked
Christ and tried to humiliate Him. He then returned Jesus to Pilate. King Herod
and the Proconsul had previously been bitter enemies, but in their mutual
estrangement to Christ, they became friends at this time.
The devil's
children are united in their opposition to God always.
To be honest,
even the Gentile, Pontius Pilate did attempt to set Jesus free, but the moment
he attempted to do this, the Jews raged against him and threatened him with a
charge against his allegiance to Caesar.
Pilate, after
an established tradition of setting one prisoner free at Passover, decided to
offer up Christ as the man to be set free. The Jewish rulers would hear none of
this. They demanded, instead that Barabbas, a depraved murderer, be set free
instead. Let me tell you here and now, that Barabbas represented each one of
us. Because of Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension, we all, who were
offenders against God and man, have been set free.
Please note
this political decision of poor and cowardly Pilate: And Pilate, when he
had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this
man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined
him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof
ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing
worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and
release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the
feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release
unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder,
was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake
again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And
he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no
cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And
they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And
the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave
sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him
that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but
he delivered Jesus to their will. (Luke 23:13-25)
So Christ was
beaten with many stripes, tortured and delivered up for crucifixion – a crown
of thorns on His head to ridicule His claim to be the Son of God.
He was cast
without the gate of Jerusalem as the Son of the Owner of the Vineyard. Along
the Via Dolorosa, He carried His heavy cross – the cross intended for you and
me. He was driven all the way to Golgotha on Calvary's brow and crucified
between to criminals. The events of that day will await further revelation in
next week's sermon for Easter.
Are you ready
to partake of the Communion of the Lord's Table?
