March 20, 2016 - Palm Sunday

The Palm Sunday Worship Experience

1) Sustained by the unstoppable Word

2) Expressed by simple obedience

Dear friends in Christ, our text for study this Palm Sunday comes from Luke’s Gospel, chapter 19, verses 29-40. We begin with the very last verses of that section:

39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." 40 But Jesus answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

We know the Palm Sunday story well. It’s an important event in our faith, so important in fact, that it’s included in all 4 Gospel accounts. Not many of the events in Jesus’ ministry are recorded in each Gospel, that alone, should help us recognize its significance for our lives. There are many things about the Palm Sunday story that are unique, and therefore it’s pretty easy to remember. You have the colt. You have the palm branches. You have the shouts of praise upon entering Jerusalem. The purpose is easy to grasp. Palm Sunday is about the glory of our Savior as He approached the cross. In a way, it’s the victory processional of our King, riding on to defeat sin, death, and hell. That’s probably what most people think about when they consider Palm Sunday, and for good reason.

However, I’d like to adjust your focus to something else this morning, something that we also clearly see through the Palm Sunday story, even if we don’t always think of it. God also teaches us about worship through these words and He has a lot to say. That’s why we began this morning with the last two verses of our text. They provide the backbone of the Palm Sunday Worship Experience by reminding us of the power of God’s Word.

Even though it was the people who were speaking and it was their own praise of Jesus, our Lord’s reminder centers on the power of the Word. It was the message of God’s Word that would not be held in silence. The peoples’ praise only applied to this in so far as they were speaking God’s truth. The Pharisees complained that this praise was improper, but Jesus’ response was as stunning in application as it was in illustration. The very idea that the inanimate stones would cry forth with God’s Word was a powerful thought. Jesus’ message was clear: The Word of God must and will go on – nothing will stop it.

The Pharisees wanted to suppress the word of God. They wanted to keep it concealed. We see the same thing often in our lives from many different adversaries of God. At times it may seem that they are successful in this. The Bible is often despised and even more often misused. Even the sincere followers of Jesus unintentionally shroud its glory at times. And often have even we, who cherish the Word, have been led to doubt its effectiveness and reliability.

Yet, in His final moment of popularity, Jesus took an unwavering stand in defense of God’s Word. It was a stand of defiance against the Pharisees’ misguided self-righteousness. Nothing they could do could stop the Word of God. They could threaten. They could persecute. They could lie. They could complain. They could even kill the very Son of God. But they would not be able to stop the powerful Word from moving forward. And along with the Word, they would not be able to stop Godly worship.

But why would the Pharisees complain? Didn’t they trust in the Word of God too? Weren’t they also the scribes, tasked with the duty of protecting the sacred texts? The truth is the Pharisees cared deeply for the Word of God. They didn’t want to see it hindered either. In fact, their unrivaled zealousness for their cause was a direct result of their devotion to the Word of God. But there was one main difference, and that difference was obedience. The Pharisees were self-preservationists. They kept an outward semblance of loyalty to God but it wasn’t in their hearts. They boasted in their use of the Word of God but they didn’t obey it. They said the right things, but didn’t live them. That kind of outward loyalty was nothing more than hypocrisy.

True obedience that comes from the regenerated heart of faith is produced by the Holy Spirit when His effective power comes into contact with the gospel Word. True obedience does not seek to add or subtract from the absolute truth, rather it finds ways to conform itself to that truth, regardless of the outcome. The Word of God moves forward undefeated precisely because it had the ability to create obedience in the penitent heart. There will always be those, like the Pharisees, who want to look the part without the obedience of faith. We see this clear division everywhere in Jesus’ ministry. In every part of His life there was acceptance and rejection. But regardless of the outcome, this truth remains: the Word of God continues on. And wherever the Word of God is, obedience follows. Not always in everyone, but it’s present. We see this as the final word from Jesus on Palm Sunday. And we who trust that Word have great reason to worship the Lord in obedience. That’s where we pick up with verses 29-38:  

Luke 19:29-40 And it came to pass, when He came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 "And if anyone asks you, `Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, `Because the Lord has need of it.'" 32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?" 34 And they said, "The Lord has need of him." 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. 37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: "`Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

How does a story about finding a young donkey have anything to do with worship? The answer is that it’s a lesson in obedience. I’m sure it puzzled the two disciples whom Jesus commanded. They were probably thinking, “Why does His selection of colt require so many details?” Surely, the owner of the colt had questions two, when a couple of strangers started untying his animal. Yet, in both cases, they obeyed. What was it that led them to do this? It was the simple word of their Lord. They didn’t have to know every single detail of why Jesus wanted it done this way, for they trusted their Savior and they obeyed His Word.

But there’s more about obedience in these verses than just the disciples’ actions. In a much greater way, Jesus was showing obedience to His Father. Matthew tells us about this in his account of Palm Sunday, when He informs the reader, All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 "Tell the daughter of Zion, `Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey (Matthew 21:4-5).'" Long ago through the prophet, Zechariah, God had made a promise about the way His Chosen One would enter Jerusalem. He did this so that people would recognize that Messiah when He came. Jesus showed obedience by fulfilling this promise.

We don’t often think about Jesus having to be obedient, since He is God. In that sense, He doesn’t have to obey others, because He is the authority. And in that sense He is not like us. But, Jesus came to achieve a victory over sin in our place, therefore He had to be subjected to everything that we are. He had to obey God’s law the very same way God expects us to. Through this obedience Jesus not only earned righteousness for us, but He gave us a proper example of what our attitude should be as well. To worship God means to obey God. And it’s the Word of God that tells us what He expects of us and what He’s accomplishes. Something as simple as finding the colt on which He would ride was important enough to Jesus that He obeyed it. We could learn from that same mindset too. Instead of trying to reason within ourselves as to why God would ask something of us, we should simply listen and obey.

This attitude spilled over to the people as well. There are many who doubt the validity of the crowd’s faith. Many who question where they were on Good Friday, and how many of them had an earthly view of the Messiah. Perhaps their faith was weak or somewhat immature, but one thing you cannot question is the sincerity of how they expressed their faith. They showed that expression in their actions, as they lined the streets and laid palm branches and even their own clothes down for Jesus. They expressed their faith in what they said, using common worship terms such as: “Hosanna!” and “Blessed!” And most importantly, their worship was a direct quotation from God’s Word; from a psalm of praise in the Old Testament. “Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”  

Before the Pharisees questioned this worship in verse 39, and before Jesus even responded in verse 40, they had their answer in the peoples’ actions. The very thing they were complaining about was exactly what they needed to hear to quell their doubts – the word of God and the expression of obedient worship. Throughout the entire Palm Sunday story, we see the Word of God moving forward. And in each instance it led to obedience. The Word required a colt for Jesus to ride upon. He spoke to His disciples and they obeyed. The Word promised that shouts of praise would be given to the Chosen One. The people saw their Savior and they were moved to obey. The Word is always effectively working on people and therefore even the stones would cry out if they had to.

We can learn the same for our worship. A lot of people today talk about a church’s worship experience. What is it like? How does it make me feel? The thought of an “experience” makes it sound as if church worship should be some magnificent spectacle. If our expectation is for church is in this kind of an experience will consistent, weekly worship be able to hold up to that? Very often, the value of Sunday worship is underappreciated because it fails to deliver on the human experience. Churches are constantly trying to find the next great idea to captivate peoples’ attentions and make them feel as if they’ve had the experience.

True worship always involves feeling and expression of faith, but those things alone are not what true worship is all about. True worship is about an experience, but not the man-made experience. Not the feeling-driven experience. Not the entertainment experience. Worship is at its best when the experience is your connection with the truth, long ago established by God. No outward feeling, good or bad, can be greater than the intrinsic peace of knowing with certainty about the work of God for you.

So, what do we need more of in our worship? Is it too outdated? Is it too boring? Does it lack emotion? On the outside it might seem like it does. Perhaps we have a hard time concentrating during the service. Perhaps we are sick of listening. But why? Is it because the Word has changed? Is it because God’s method of converting and strengthening people has changed? Is it because we aren’t experiencing God? Is it because what He has recorded for us in defective? The Word must and will go on. The question is, are you with it?  

We don’t want to push a shallow, outward, and temporary experience in our worship. God wants us to reach deeper into His Word for every question in life. We see how that looks in the Palm Sunday story and we’re reminded about what true worship leads to – obedience. That’s really what it’s all about. Obedience to God. Obedience to those whom God has put over us in our lives. Obedience to what His Word says in all matters. So often we are tempted to sacrifice obedience for the self-centered experience. But is that really what we need? Nothing can replace the quiet and solemn time to deeply meditate on God’s Word; a Word so powerful that if people chose to stop speaking it even the very stones would cry forth. Do you want to give that up for entertainment and popularity?

A simple phrase in our text shows us that we don’t need to set obedience and joy at odds with each other. Without a close and careful observation, we might miss it, from v. 37: Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen. What we see here is that the obedience of the people showed itself through joyful worship. A more accurate translation for “began to rejoice and praise” is “began to joyfully praise.”

When’s the last time you said that about your worship experience? Joyful praise is not often associated with the liturgical Lutheran service. Our services are often produced with a great deal of solemnity. But what kind of joy do you think the Holy Spirit was talking about? Were the people upbeat because they really felt the human experience? Were they joyful because of energetic music or because they were entertained? Were they excited because of the coffee rush? Hardly any of these things. They joyfully praised God because of what Jesus had done for them and what He meant to them.

Each time we use the Word of God in our worship, we are connecting to Jesus. If we can’t be joyful about that what’s the real problem? If our attention can’t last long enough to think about the Word for one hour each week, who’s to blame? What experience are we looking to connect with? Jesus’ message on Palm Sunday was simple. The Word is moving forward and nothing is getting in its way. He showed that quite literally as He, the Word made flesh, proceeded forward through the gates of Jerusalem, a journey that would continue on to Friday as He was lifted up on the cross, and conclude one week later as He broke forth from the tomb. That’s what we want to experience in worship and to have that, we must use the Word.

No matter how boring the pastor may be. No matter how repetitive the hymns and liturgy are. No matter how familiar you are to the Bible lessons; worship based on the Word of God is the best experience. Whenever the precious gospel Word is present, and it should be abundant each week, you can connect to Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Midweek Lenten Service 6 - March 16, 2016

It’s not uncommon for a person who have been opposed to Christ for his entire life to come to faith near the end. We even have a term for it, a “death-bed confession.” Through these events we see that some people try to conceal thoughts about God and Jesus, yet they really think about them personally. We also see that sometimes it takes the lifelong persistence of the Holy Spirit to crack the hard exterior of the sinful heart. As Christians, we rejoice to hear about moments like these, and we remind ourselves that one can never measure the impact of a “word fitly spoken,” as Solomon called it. There is no more famous death-bed confession than that of the repentant thief in Luke’s Gospel. This evening, we are privileged to study this account as we look at his witness on the cross.

Luke 23:39-43 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." 43 And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

“I was there!” That’s the name of your sermon series, correct? I suppose you could say that applies to me better than anyone else. I was truly there with Jesus in the closest way humanly possible. I was on the cross next to Him. I heard His final words. I listened to Him breathe His final breath. I experienced a similar pain as He did. I could certainly relate with what He was going through, to a point.

I was there with Jesus, just as the other characters in your series. But, in reality, no one was with Him. What He did had to be done alone. No one else could experience what He did. As you know well from the Bible, Jesus was the Son of God and the righteous sacrifice for sinful humanity. There was no one else like Him, and no one else who could have been with Him on the fateful Friday outside of Jerusalem.

I could sense the isolation when He cried out in agony, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”. Here was a Man that had truly been forsaken by all, even His own Father. But it was at that very moment of intense suffering, of severe loneliness, that I felt for the first time as if I had been found. I knew what it was like to be lonely. In life, I was a nobody. My parents never cared enough to raise me the right way. In turn, I was disobedient and rebellious toward them and all other authorities. I knew what being forsaken was like. I was an outcast of society. It didn’t help that, in general, most people were suffering. It was hard to make a decent living in Israel at that time. We were a nation in disarray and heavily taxed by our occupiers.

But it was also easy to fall through the cracks. I became adept at staying in the shadows and playing on the fears of others. At first, I entered thievery because I had nothing else. I justified stealing from others by telling myself it was the only way I could survive. But like all wickedness, it grew. Evil does not hold itself in check because of clever excuses. It grows as rapidly as it can. Before long I was involved in heavy crime on a regular basis. It was no longer a way to survive but a way to thrive. As you can imagine, they don’t crucify thieves for small time efforts. What I did doesn’t matter; but coming to grips with why I did it is much more important.

Anger and bitterness filled my life. Just like in my daily activities, so also in my mind I had become proficient at hiding from the truth. I wanted to blame my parents, my fellow countrymen, the rules of society, and even God for all my problems. I always had an answer to every question. If my conscience condemned me I would tell myself that I was just following human nature. I was programmed to serve myself above all. If society criticized me I would tell myself that they were stuck up and selfish, that if they helped those like me more I wouldn’t have to steal. If whatever little notion I knew of God showed I was wrong, I would retort that He was just made up and that He didn’t care what happened in the world. I had answers for everything. I was an expert thief, both in body and in mind. 

I made up excuses because it was the easy thing to do. Deep in my heart I knew that I was responsible, even if some of things I said made sense. I was like a fish in your hands, I could wriggle and slip out of just about anything. Eventually, my life caught up with me. But even as I awaited execution in prison, I still fumed with anger and resentment. Not for my decisions but in defiance to others. I held to that bitterness right up to the end, even on the cross I spoke as an ignorant fool when I first blasphemed Jesus. But, it was also the cross that finally broke me. I can’t say for sure what it was, perhaps a combination of the hunger, fatigue, pain, and impending knowledge of death, but it was if I finally had woken up. For the first time, I saw my life in total honesty. I had no one to blame for my position but myself. For the first time I was literally pinned down. I had nowhere to go. No escape plan, no more excuses, and no other alternatives.

Sometimes God uses the ways we corner ourselves with our actions to help us focus on His power. He did this for me on the cross. Some might pity me or shed tears over my death, but it was truly the best thing that happened in my life. It was on the cross that I finally became someone. I had always been on my own but now I had a Friend. As the cross broke my will, my excuses, and eventually my life, Jesus filled in the void. For the first time I was special to someone. And that most precious gift came at the price of God forsaking His own Son.

In my mind it was as if Jesus and I were walked toward one another on a path. He toward the punishment I earned with my own actions and I toward the righteous life He earned with His. We walked past one another that day on the cross, as Jesus finished His journey for you and me, and I was welcomed into God’s eternal kingdom. As I slowly died on the cross that day, my mortal body writing in pain and discomfort, a joy came over my heart that I had never felt before. Here I was, helpless and about to die, and yet I was as complete as I had ever been in life. To this day, how amazing it was! I, the thief, stood before God with all my debts fully paid. Me, the one who spent his entire life evading what was right and good, was allowed to take one more gift; but this one was not stolen, it was purchased. Purchased by Jesus, my loving Lord and Savior, the One who cared enough for a worthless thief whom the world cared nothing for. Jesus loved me so much, that He bought life for me, so I wouldn’t have to steal anymore.

Dear Christian, it is never too late. It took that final moment for me to see my Savior. I had always tried to dodge the truth, always run from one answer to the next. I had to be pinned to a cross, unable to run in body or soul, for me to confront the truth. What might God be trying to tell you? How might you be trying to evade Him?

You may think there isn’t much to be learned from my life, especially for an experienced Christian like you. But take a moment and consider my story in more detail. It’s only four verses in the Bible, but they contain a complete expression of the Christian faith. In fact, perhaps these verses would appeal best to your own culture, with its fast-paced, soundbite environment. Consider what you would want in a confession of the Christian faith. What are the pillars of your faith? Repentance of sins, Confession of the truth, trust in gospel promise of forgiveness, prayer, and even a defense of the faith amid scoffers. I was able to do all of those things in my limited time on the cross, and they’re recorded for you in the Word of God.

You see, I wasn’t much different than other Christians. And in way, all people can find themselves at the cross. Ultimately we all fall into one of two categories; those who believe and those who reject. A repentant or unrepentant thief. And Jesus makes the difference. Jesus takes our worthlessness, the sins that have turned us into nobodies, and removes it. For those who will but listen, as I did, His words contain all that is needed for salvation and eternal life. I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. All I did was listen, and that’s all you need to do.  

Yes, in my short life and through my even shorter story in the Bible, you are given everything you need in order to be a Christian. Use me as an example; God does not make the way to heaven difficult. Only we do, when we try to steal His rightful glory and hide from the clear truth of His Word.

I know that my story is a source of hope and inspiration for many. Perhaps I’m even revered among churches and Christians. But the truth is, I am no hero, no champion of faith. Of all the things in my life that caused me to find Jesus, the greatest was that I was simply a sinner. A sinner who lived a life a loneliness. A sinner who was forgotten by the world. A sinner who lost everything in life. If I wasn’t a sinner, I never would have found Jesus. I don’t boast about my former ways, nor am I proud of the wickedness of my life. But, I also appreciate the simple truth that God receives sinners, even those like me. It took me to the point that I had nothing left, before I believed that.

You may never lose everything as I did. You may have many more blessings and comforts in this world. You may never reach the point of desperation that I was at. But, you don’t have to either. You are just as lost and lonely in heart and soul as I was. And you have Jesus as close to you as I did to me. His words still beckon to your heart as they did to mine. He extends the same gift of paradise to you as to me. You need not lose everything to have it. It is yours today as it was the day I first heard and believed it.

Sometimes the pain and agony of life is a blessing in disguise. Do you know that now? Do you trust that God guides your life for the best? You should. It took my far longer than it should have to realize that. But, all the same, God led me through each up and down, through each moment of foolish sin, and through my own death on the cross. It’s all there, in my short story. There you have the fullest expression of Christ’s love for you and for me. There you see His promises fulfilled. He said that He came to seek and save the lost; that He came to call sinners to repentance, and that He desired mercy above our own humble offerings. There at the cross, He kept His Word. He lived up to the expectation that His Father set. You have it there just as I did. Now it’s your turn to listen, not just to hear. It’s your turn to trust and to believe. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Midweek Lenten Service 5 - March 9, 2016

March 13, 2016 - Philippians 3:8-14

Paul had to lose to gain

1) Works of the Law – Faith in Christ

2) His life on earth – His life in heaven

3) Persecution of the righteous – pursuit of righteousness

You might be familiar with the expression, “addition through subtraction.” The idea is that by reducing something you can add value, such as: making something simpler, faster, more reliable, or less expensive. An example of “addition through subtraction” would be streamlining an automobile. I read an article this week about a company that is replacing the side mirrors of cars with video screens on the dash, both for the right and the left. By subtraction, that is, reduction of wind resistance of the mirrors, they hope to add fuel efficiency. On it’s own, or we might say mathematically, the principle of “addition through subtraction” doesn’t make sense. Addition and subtraction are complete opposites in the mathematically world. Yet, we know that the principle works because we’ve experienced it. It takes a broader picture than just seeing the mathematically definitions, in order to understand “addition through subtraction.”   

In our section of God’s Word for today, we see Paul talk about how the Lord used addition through subtraction in his life. But just like the many ways we use that principle in our lives, we see that it takes a broad understanding to fully appreciate in our spiritual lives. If we haven’t considered everything that God has done for us the basic principle that He could give us gain through loss won’t make sense. We ask for the Holy Spirit to broaden our understanding as we consider how Paul had to lose to gain. He lost his works, he gained Christ’s. He lost his life, he gained a resurrection. He lost his persecuting ways, he gained pursuit of the truth. We read from Philippians 3:8-14:

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

1) Works of Law -> Faith in Christ

Paul says that the first thing he needed to lose in order to gain Christ was his reliance upon works of the law. This is something that all people struggle with because we have an inward desire to please God through what we do. But this was also significant to Paul for another reason. He was raised as a Pharisee. His entire life prior to faith in Christ had been built on the notion that keeping the law of God was the way to righteousness. And Paul reminded the Philippians that he was renowned among the Pharisees for this very point. He writes in just a few verses earlier: If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless (Philippians 3:4-6).

If there was anyone who exemplified the mindset of the Pharisees, it was Paul. He had been raised to follow every law and regulation, and his attitude was more zealous than most, showing through in the ways in which he previously persecuted the Church. Very few, if any, had so vigorously attempted to be justified by works of law, as Paul had. And that’s why it was the very first thing he needed to lose.

We can see why God chose Paul as His servant. Paul was the perfect missionary to the Jews at the time of the early Church. He was able to relate to the ways in which they had been led astray by the Pharisees. But Paul still speaks to more than just Jews. The sect of the Pharisees has long since faded from society. Yet, the desire to be justified by one’s own works is alive and well today, across every culture and every belief. That’s because work righteousness, as we typically call it, is not limited to the Jewish culture only. It’s a problem that we all have because it’s product of sin. Every type of sin has the singular ability to lead one away from the truth. What better way to accomplish that very thing than to negate the need for a Savior?

This is precisely what reliance upon the works of the law does. It makes the individual solely responsible for attaining salvation with God. Paul had tried this method more than any of us, and he categorically condemns it as false. Of all Biblical characters, Paul speaks at the most length about the futility of salvation by works. We take the lion’s share of our theology on this doctrine from the writings of Paul. In each of his letters, the theme of works vs. faith is present.

When Paul lost the reliance upon his own works, God filled the void with the merits of Christ. The same is true for everyone else who heeds the warning of the Law and trusts the promise of the Gospel. The free forgiveness through Jesus was so powerful to Paul that it changed his attitude. Instead of having such a limited and worldly-minded focus, he now counted all things that detracted from Christ as worthless. So, likewise, many have walked the same path. So often, we are scared and insecure about the implications of our faith. We worry about what total denial of our works might entail. It’s difficult to trust in the actions of Christ, and not our own. Faith runs so contrary to the typical way we do things. Yet, once faith exists, all those worries and cares subside. With Jesus in our place, we say with Paul that all other things are worthless in comparison to the riches of our faith. 

2) Death -> Resurrection

This transformation led to the second thing that Paul had to lose – his own life. He says in verse 8 that after he counted all worldly things as lost for the sake of Christ, it led directly to further suffering and loss. This is what we call the “Christian cross,” as we studied earlier this week in our midweek service. Jesus described it in detail to His first disciples: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul (Matthew 16:24-26)?”

To follow Christ and to bear His name by faith leads to further loss, but it doesn’t always mean martyrdom. Sometimes we lose the respect of others. Sometimes we lose the right to freedoms. Sometimes we lose the reception of dignity from others. Sometimes we lose means and possessions. Every persecution is the loss of something in our lives for the sake of Christ. And Paul knew this well, he even called it “fellowship with the sufferings of Christ,” and “being conformed to the death of Christ.”

Paul wasn’t ashamed of the persecutions he endured, because he had the confidence of knowing that his faith in Jesus was based on truth. And he also knew that each thing he lost here on earth was one less attachment to the sinful world. Paul had already tried the rat race of earning favor through his own works, and he knew well that there was no peace in it. Therefore, he was more than willing to give up everything for what Christ had given him, knowing with complete confidence that this life was not the end.

Yes, Paul, like many before and after him, also gave up his life in the name of Jesus. As Paul penned these words to his fellow Christians, he was already in captivity. He knew it was only a matter of time before he provided the ultimate fruit of faith to his Lord and Savior. His final writing, the second letter to Timothy, contains his farewell: For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

There’s good evidence that Paul committed his life to the Lord as a martyr. But even before that moment, Paul had already given his life up, as you have too. Paul, as all Christians, had died to sin and risen through faith in Christ. As we do, so he regularly confessed his sins to God in the hope and confidence of full forgiveness. Long before his final breath on this earth expired, Paul was a new creation of his Savior’s working. Yes, Paul had lost his life as a sinner back on that road to Damascus. What he gained in return was true life through Jesus, a promise that he was soon to fully realize.    

3) Persecution to Pursuit

This leads us to the final thing that Paul lost and what he gained in its place. By subtracting his life of persecution he gained the pursuit of true righteousness. We might think that persecution would fit better with point 1, as part of the works Paul was doing as a trained Pharisee. That certainly is true, but there’s a reason why it fits here too. At the end of our text Paul writes, Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Twice he uses that phrase, “press toward,” to describe his longing for the courts of God in heaven.

Paul was not expressing discontent with God here. He was more than happy to serve in whatever way God required. But even Paul could sense that the end was near. He knew that his earthly tasks were soon drawing to close and he desired to be with his Lord. The reason we think of Paul’s former ways as a persecutor here is because he most certainly did too. The Greek word for “persecution” is the same one used by Paul to describe his “press toward” the kingdom of God. Paul never shied away from his former life as a persecutor. He lived with it and understood that God had changed him, yet also used his past to shape his service to the Word. One example of this honesty was Paul’s defense before Jerusalem mob in Acts 22: “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. 4 "I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women (Acts 22:3-4).”

The same word used in Acts to describe Paul’s persecution of others is used here in Philippians to describe his quest for heaven. What a reflection must have been on Paul’s heart as he wrote these words! Surely, he would have taken a moment to contemplate the journey of his life. What a stunning contrast that one who had so ferociously persecuted God’s people, was now hastening to the kingdom of His Savior with the same vigor! We know how competitive of a persecutor Paul had been. He was the best, the most zealous. How much more so in his walk toward heaven. His focus was not on the things of the world; all those things he had lost for becoming a Christian Rather, it was on everything he gained through Christ.

When Paul lost those persecuting ways, the Lord still used the same energy and passion for good. What began as a pursuit of destruction changed to a pursuit of eternal life. In many areas of life, Paul had to lose in order to gain.

As you think of your life, consider what God might be calling you away from, for the purpose of greater gain. We’re not talking money, career, riches; we share Paul’s thoughts about those things; compared to Christ, they are worthless. The greater gain that God desires for you is the same peace of faith which Paul had. Imagine having his confidence; rejoicing in hardships, praising the Lord through persecutions, witnessing in captivity, and pressing toward the upward call of heaven. But you don’t have to just imagine, you can live it.

Paul didn’t display those attitudes in his heart and actions because he was able to work for them. He tried that more than anyone else. And the more he tried it, the more the Lord had to strip away from his life before he could gain that peace. Paul was never rich, until he was on his knees, in the dust of dirt of that road to Damascus but more importantly, honest for first time about the filth of his sins.

You must come to same place in order to gain the peace of Christ. You have been conformed to his death. You have been promised a resurrection like His. The work is complete. Therefore, it’s okay to lose those things that would hold you back from this peace. The distractions of the world, the allure of sinful pride, and the doubts that Satan throws at you. Lose it all. And gain Christ. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. 

March 6, 2016 - Luke 15:11-32

Audio: http://redemption-clc.podomatic.com/entry/2016-03-07T14_21_20-08_00

Theme: Works Will Always Catch Up to You…Mercy Will Never Let You Go

The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Our portion of that powerful word comes from Luke 15:11-32, which was read as our Gospel selection this morning.

In the name of our Savior, who has reconciled us with the Father, dear fellow redeemed.

Those of you who are parents or have been around young children know how exciting it is when they take their first steps. A child’s first steps are one of those joyful milestones of life, usually captured on camera or written down in the diary for remembrance. The first steps are monumental because once they get started, they never stop. With most kids, once they are able to walk, it doesn’t take long for them to go and to go quickly. It seems that as soon as they hit the ground, they are gone.

I remember this happening with my kids. Both of them, as soon as they could walk, couldn’t wait to get on their way. If I would be holding them or helping them out of the crib, they’d start pumping their little legs even before they hit the ground. It’s like the driver a sports car holding down the break while red lining the engine; as soon as they shift into gear, they are gone.

No parent is sad when their child takes his or her first steps. But what we often don’t realize is that first moment is only one highlight in a long line of events. Parents get to see their children take their first steps in many more ways than just the literal. Every achievement of life is little like learning how to walk. And just like those first steps, children usually can’t wait to keep going. Soon the first day of school arrives, then graduation from grade school, high school, and college. New steps are taken when they start their own career and build their own family. All along the way, they keep moving, faster and farther from those first steps they took.

It’s at this point that our heart strings are tugged a bit and feelings of sadness are mixed with those of joy. We relate with the emotions in the story of our text for today, in large part because many of us have experienced the same feelings. This parable is really all about a child who just kept going once he learned to walk. But it’s also about a father’s persistent love along the way. As we think of our own families God would also have us think of Him, as our heavenly Father. He gives us such an important message to remember as our legs begin to race and we can’t wait to get out into the world and live life. He wants us to remember: Works Will Always Catch Up to You…Mercy Will Never Let You Go.

We know the parable well and are familiar with the many truths that God teaches us through it. But perhaps there are also some things we don’t often consider. Before we get to the main purpose, we should first ask why the son wanted to leave? Why did he request his inheritance? Why didn’t he stay in his father’s house or even his country? Surely, he had good things there. He would never lack for anything. He would always have work and a family to love him. Why leave all that?

To understand God’s message through this man’s example, it’s good for us to analyze why he did what he did. In a word, I suppose we could say it was freedom that led the young man to leave. He wanted to see the world. He wanted to try new things. He wanted to live in independence. I don’t think we can say that the young man intended to squander his inheritance. I don’t think he had bad intentions from the start. He just wanted to live to the fullest extent under freedom that he had.

Surely, we can relate to this as well. I’m not talking about the freedom we have through finances or means, nor am I looking at the freedom have as citizens of America. When we consider the spiritual implications of this lesson it makes us think of the freedom we have in the gospel. The amazing message of salvation is the most liberating thing in the entire world. It frees us from the constraints of sin and the bondage of death. It loosens us from the suffocation of God’s righteous law. It opens to us a new realm of possibilities for us in life, especially in the ability to serve and glorify God’s name.

But perhaps just as amazing as the freedom of the gospel is the fact that God would choose to save us through such a means. It seems to run contrary that to be a follower of God would loosen restrictions, rather than add them. To human intuition it would seem impossible for anyone to be saved by free grace, without work or effort. And it feels counterintuitive that God would send His own Son to the cross and the grave to win a victory that is so easily abused by mankind.

Yes, to have freedom means to have the ability to abuse that freedom too, and sadly that happens all too often with the gospel. Our sinful hearts are inclined to run in our freedom. We are tempted to test the limits of this new found liberty that we have in Christ. At times, we take it for granted. We misuse it by relying on it as an excuse for sin. Like little children, we’re always looking to go, go, go. We’re running before we even hit the ground and sadly we often put as much space between ourselves and God as we can. 

Part of basking in one’s freedom is living without care or concern. We sense that in the disposition of the son as he receives his inheritance and sets out from his father’s house. Everything is ahead of him; he feels as if he can do anything. But it doesn’t take long for the first lesson of the parable to ring true. Through foolish choices the young man squandered his livelihood. Everything that his father earned for him had now been wasted. His title is etched in history for all to remember, the prodigal, literally wreckless, son. As hopeful and optimistic as he was at the beginning of his freedom, he was now distressed and helpless. By his own fault, he found himself on the wrong end of freedom – the results of making careless decisions.

God reminds us through this to be wise in our pursuits and in how we use our possessions, because eventually our works will catch up to us. We are free to do what we please, but part of that means accepting responsibility for our choices too. It’s easy to see ourselves in the place of this first son, even if we don’t always like to admit it. There’s no shortage of ways that we have wasted the precious gifts, both physical and spiritual, which God has given us.

But the same warning of works applies equally to the second son. He’s the one that’s often overlooked in this parable. The first son may have been bolder; more apt to wear his emotions and desires on his sleeve, for all to see. The second son was really only different in appearances. He, too, had works that caught up to him, even though he kept them hidden. He didn’t leave his father’s house. He didn’t waste his inheritance. He was responsible and mature. But he still had a problem in his heart, a problem based on his works that eventually came to the surface. He believed that he was better than his brother and that he deserved better because of things he did. His assurance of favor from his father became a matter of what he did in comparison to his brother, rather than the fact that they were both children in the family.

In both sons we see the same problem, an over reliance on themselves. But in both cases we also see the same response from the father. Rather than dwelling on his son’s mistakes as a determinant of his favor for them; the father displayed mercy. His love for his children was not works based, but rather truth based. They were his sons, his blood heirs. That was the undeniable truth. No sorry lifestyle or arrogant attitude could change that. And for that reason he loved his sons no matter what, and a product of that love was patient correction that he showed them.

You see that the father’s mercy toward his son’s went hand in hand with the freedom they had. If at any time, the father relinquished his sons’ freedom, even to make mistakes, he would not have been operating by mercy, but by compulsion. The fact that his son’s both failed in their freedom gave the very backdrop that was needed to emphasize the father’s mercy, and that’s the theme of the entire parable because it is so greatly contrasted against the sins of both sons. With freedom still intact, even in moments of weakness, we can say the second part of our theme with complete certainty. Mercy will never let us go because we always live in freedom.

Dear friends, I hope you can clearly see the meaning of this parable for your lives. Yes, you know it speaks to you of God’s mercy and love but how does it do that? In what ways does it touch your life and affect your thoughts and actions, indeed your very relationship with God?

We see here the confession of a Christian, of someone who knew the truth ahead of time and lost it or severely damaged it. This parable is not about conversion; it’s about those who have the faith and squander it. It’s about us – the believers. We are the reckless and careless sons and daughters who were given our great inheritance from God the Father. We have tasted the beauty and joy of the gospel and therefore we know of the freedom we have. But we are children. We have the innate desire to test the limits of that freedom. We want to run as soon as we learn to walk. We want to see what God allows as soon as we come to know that He loves and forgives us.

Perhaps even more than the first, we see ourselves in the second son. We judge based on works. We compare our merits against others. We whine and complain that our father has not been as good to us as He has to those who don’t deserve it, all the while forgetting everyone is cut from the same cloth, all believers are from the same family. We get so used to living under the shadow of our Father’s mercy that we forget it’s there; we forget that it applies to the beggar, to the proud, to the rich, to the immature, and to the foolish equally. 

Our plea should continually be the same as the first son, even though it takes great courage and faith to honesty believe it: Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. We should believe the same thing each time we confess our sins. We should make that statement with the same honesty. We do not deserve God’s inheritance anymore. We do not deserve to be called His children. Is that what you think of when you confess your sins? Or do you casually fall in line while still hanging on to your pride in your heart?  

Friends, it’s okay to be honest with ourselves and with God. Honesty, though, is a lot more than having the right words, or in our case as a church, having a solid confession based on the Bible. True honesty is about the heart. What we really mean, regardless of the words that come out of our mouth. And it’s okay to be brutally honest because we are under our Father’s mercy, and that’s a gift that will never let us go. The question is, have we starved enough to see it? Have we fed on the pods of the world enough to recognize the difference? Do we hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness? Or are we running from the truth? Remember: Your works will always catch up to you. You can’t outrun them. The truth is the truth. You can’t change it. But just as much as that applies to your sin and its consequences, it also applies to God’s love. Your Father’s mercy will never let you go.    

That’s right, God has you. You are his. He holds you in His hand. To the skeptic that sounds like the opposite of freedom. It sounds like oppression; like God has grabbed us up and keeps us in the crib of His Word without letting us run on our own. But the miracle of God’s mercy is that He has provided a way to pay for your sins that did not demand giving up your freedom. Because He offered up His own Son in your place, God holds the claim to your life. He owns it because He bought it back from the dead on the cross. But He didn’t do that for you to be a slave. He did it for you to be His child. Even after everything He went through for you, He still gives you freedom. You can never get to a place where His mercy doesn’t have claim to you, but you’re also never forced to trust it and to believe it.

As sons and daughters of our Father, who get lost often in our lives, we remember the hope that we share with King David, from Psalm 51:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart-- these, O God, You will not despise.

Whether you’ve strayed in body or in soul, the time is now to come back home. If you think you can keep on running in life and not worry about sin, don’t be foolish. Works will always catch up to you and your works will never stand before God. But if you’re tired and weary from running don’t despair. There’s no where you can go, in this life, where God’s mercy does not exist. To those who are repentant, God will never turn away. But this life is not forever. The time to believe is now. But be of good cheer. You are free. Keep running, but not away from God, but for God. No matter where you go, His mercy will never let you go. 

Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Midweek Lenten Service 4 - March 2, 2016

Audio: http://redemption-clc.podomatic.com/entry/2016-03-07T14_19_04-08_00 

Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."

Dear friends, this evening our study centers on our fourth eye-witness, Pontius Pilate. Pilate was the Roman governor of Israel during the time of Christ and therefore he was the one in charge of cases of capital punishment. There is much to be learned from Pilate’s dealings with Christ. In many ways, his attitude mirrors the skeptics of our modern day, who place their confidence and hope in their reason. Jesus was crucified in the year AD 33. Pilate left office three years after. He was sentenced back to Rome because he viciously persecuted a group of Samaritans. This was the final act in a long line of tyranny from the reign of Pilate. Not much is known about his life after he left Israel. Some claim that the sentencing of Jesus plagued him so much later in life that he eventually became a Christian. In the Ethiopian church, Pilate is considered a saint to this day. However, there is no credible evidence that Pilate ever came to faith in Jesus. What is certain is that at the time of Christ’s trial Pilate was definitely not a believer. Keep this in mind as we hear from his in the form of a fictitious letter written sometime between the death of Christ and Pilate’s expulsion from Israel. 

Pontius Pilate

To the most excellent, Vitellius, Roman governor of Syria. Greetings in the name of our esteemed emperor, Tiberius.

I write to you to inform you about some strange happenings in the region of Israel, particularly in the city of Jerusalem. It all centers on this individual named Jesus, who supposedly was a prophet and a king of the Hebrews. The whole story perplexes me greatly, which is why I seek your advice. You are the closest Roman governor to my region; therefore I find it to be imperative that you are aware of the situation. There’s no doubt that if you haven’t yet dealt with these followers of Jesus, you soon will.

They are a determined group, seemingly even more dedicated to their beliefs than their Jewish brethren, which isn’t surprising since many of their converts are Jewish. Their entire faith is founded on Jesus and recent events that took place in Jerusalem. I write this to you from my home in Caesarea. As you know, I prefer to stay away from Jerusalem since there always seems to be thoughts of revolt among the people there. Yet, just recently, I had to be present in the capital city because of the Jewish Passover feast. Tiberius expects me to be present at times of festival in order to keep the peace. But what transpired was beyond my control.

I have served as governor in this region for nearly 10 years, and I have seen a lot. But I have never seen such fervor and chaos as I did at the last Passover in Jerusalem. The Jews, the very people this Jesus supposedly served; begged, pleaded, and demanded His death. I know that news of this event has already reached your court, yet I must try to describe it for you. It was truly something to behold; no mere letter can contain the full extent of what I witnessed.

Prior to the Passover, I knew of a few happenings surrounding Jesus. But as with most headlines, I left it to my secretaries to keep track of. All I knew about Jesus was that He was popular among the common people and that there were rumors about His ability for the supernatural. Up until that point, I assumed that only the Jews could believe such nonsense. I have never understood their religion and why it is such an important part of their culture. I fear this is one thing that our Emperor simply does not understand. It is near impossible to govern a people who are so attached to religion.

I have tried to rule with authority, exercising punishment and force, to keep the people in line. You know of my swift dealings with Galileans who refused to submit to Roman law. You would think they would fall in line when blood was shed. But, despite what they may say, I haven’t been unjustly cruel. I have also tried subtler methods. My command to display the image of our Emperor in the cities was not meant as a sign of disrespect, but a reminder of Roman authority in this land. Yet, the foolish Jews took it as sacrilege; as blatant idolatry. Would they rather I ruled with the sword? There seems to be no logic with these people. I still wonder how they can submit to Caesar without offending their ideology.

You know how we were trained, Vitellius. The rule of law comes first. It is above all else. Without it, everything crumbles. Religion is certainly important. Even I offer prayers to our many gods. But the Hebrews are different. They put religion above all else. This religious pride pinnacled at the Passover in Jerusalem. I was expecting a relatively peaceful proceedings, and I allowed the people to exercise their rituals unheeded. But then their leaders brought Jesus before me. I expected the evidence to be insurmountable given their hatred against the Man. They spoke about Him as if He were the vilest of all offenders.

Yet, when it came evidence, it all pointed to Jesus’ innocence. I feel that voices across the empire are conspiring against me because I condemned Him. It’s easy to summarize and say that I sentenced an innocent man to death. But the reality of it all clouds the matter. Jesus was no Roman. I tried to reason with the Jews but there was no order to be had. They knew what they wanted, regardless of the truth. I could have stood defiantly in their way and said no to their demands, but to what end?  So that one of their own, masquerading as a king, could go free again, only to be lynched later on by his own kind? So that the mob could revolt under my rule once again and make me look weak before the Emperor?

Sometimes the rule of law is hard to put into practice. I regret that I had to sentence Jesus to death. But if His own people didn’t want Him, what was the value of His life anyway? And yet, it still bothers me that justice was not upheld that day. I was cornered into a decision, no doubt, but what good is a representative of Rome if he does not uphold justice? I feel as if I neglected my responsibility but I also feel as if I had no choice. I did all I could to appease my conscience. I ceremoniously washed my hands as an act of defiance to those wicked Jews. Yet, I cannot shake the guilty feeling from my conscience. I should have listened to my wife and dismissed the case entirely.

I ask you, Vitellius, what are we mere mortals to do when given such great responsibility yet faced with such difficult circumstances? I really tried to help Jesus even though I know His followers hold me responsible for His death. When the first witnesses tried to condemn Him for insurrection, I told them they had no evidence. I abruptly denied their request because I could tell that their stories were in contradiction. After they still wouldn’t relent, I offered to execute Barabbas instead. If blood was what they wanted, they could have it; and from someone who deserved to die. But they still cried for Jesus.

In final desperation I turned to the accused Himself. What did Jesus have to say about these accusations? Could He give me anything to help with His own defense? I was willing to listen. But, He remained silent. I could not believe i! Never before had I seen a man so willingly give Himself up to those who hated Him, and without just cause! It was as if He cared for them even after everything they did to Him. When Jesus finally decided to speak, it was near impossible to hold back the mob. And He didn’t exactly help His situation. They accused Him of being a king, and He didn’t deny it; though His words gave me pause. I still remember what He said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."

What kind of king freely claims His authority yet in the same breath so willingly gives it up? And what was the purpose of dying for a kingdom that didn’t exist on this earth? I am still perplexed by such logic. The Jewish leaders seemed to think this kingdom was bound up in their historic promise of Messiah figure. It was clear that Jesus claimed to be this Messiah, but to what end? His opponents tirelessly tried to persuade me that Jesus’ intent was against Rome. But if so, why was there no record of rebellion in His past? If so, how come not one credible witness could come forward? All evidence pointed to the fact that Jesus was a respectable, law-abiding citizen. I could certainly pin more political crimes to the Sadducees than I could to Him.

There was also an indescribable calm about Jesus as He sat there on trial. His was not the demeanor of rebel. Most men would have lost their wits under far less scrutiny. Part of the reason I scourged Him was to see if He would break down or if His enemies would be satisfied. His innocence was never in question. I cringed having to punish Him that way but if it could spare His life in the end would that not have been just?

Yet, through everything that transpired: the false testimony, the heinous insults, the painful beatings and mockery, Jesus remained calm and resolute. I ask you, Vitellius, have you ever heard of such a thing? It’s almost as if Jesus knew He was going to die. Almost as if, dare I say, He wanted to die. If He was not the Messiah that the Jews wanted, I wonder who else in the history of mankind could live up to such a standard. To act with such grace and patience in the midst of such hostility, is truly something I presume I may never see again.

If that’s where the story ended, I might eventually have peace. But, as you know, the fame of Jesus endures to this day, and in fact has grown. Many even claim that the Man Himself still lives. Before you discount me entirely, good Vitellius, consider this. On the night of His death, the very Jews that killed Jesus requested that His tomb be sealed. Of all things, they were fearful of His claim that He would come back from the dead. Supposedly He had promised that very thing. Whether they all believed this or not is beyond me; indeed some were worried about a plot by his disciples to promote a false resurrection.

I thought the fear was unwarranted. His closest followers had all but abandoned Him. There were a few at the cross, some others who requested His body after death, but none so bold as to die in His name for a cause that never materialized. If anything, the Jews should have been reveling in their victory. The time of Jesus as king had come and gone. Yet, because of their incessant complaining I gave them two guards and allowed them to seal the tomb. I wanted some semblance of rest during my remaining time in Jerusalem.

It’s at this point that I wonder. For not more than three days later, the tomb was broken into and is now empty. Where the body of Jesus is I do not know, but it is not in the tomb. The guards are an absolute wreck. No one knows for sure what to believe. When I examined them, they couldn’t remember what had happened. Yet, I also have it on good authority that they both received large sums of money from the Sanhedrin. Even that very afternoon, a courier from the temple arrived at my quarters and requested that I meet with the Sanhedrin. I refused, and I have no plans to reconsider. I washed my hands of Jesus once, I don’t want any more to do with Him.

But I fear that despite my efforts to ignore Him, He will eventually be the cause of my fall. His final words to me burn in my mind, night and day: "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above." No one had ever so defiantly spoke against my authority, and yet of all those who would, it was an innocent Man condemned to death. Who says such a thing to a leader who is control of whether He lives or dies? What did He mean by “power from above?” Could that be where His kingdom is? I know how foolish this sounds, Vitellius, but one must consider the possibility, especially now that the Man’s dead body is unaccounted for.

Has Jesus gone to be with God or the gods, whoever they may be? The Jews certainly would have me believe not. They choose to accept that Jesus’ disciples stole His body away in the middle of the night. But how? These disciples are uneducated commoners; not master thieves. They not only lack the cognition to pull off such a heist, but they also have no manpower or resources. On top of this, no Roman soldier would allow it. No Jew, friend or foe of Jesus, could attack a Roman soldier without word spreading. And furthermore, we know the Jews to be liars already. Shall we now trust them? As reasonable men we must consider the most reasonable explanation. Is a resurrection really less plausible than someone stealing His body without anyone knowing and managing to cover it up all this time?    

This is why I cannot help but continually think of Jesus. Everything I witnessed about His life ran contrary to what others expected. Could it be the same of his death as well? If the resurrection is not to be treated as credible then what of the followers of Jesus? To this day, they continue to grow. I know you have already had to deal with their presence in Syria. They’ve established churches in: Jerusalem, Damascus, Caesarea, and even as far north as Antioch. I’ve even heard rumors of a movement in our beloved Capitol, Rome. If Jesus really was nothing, why would He be so popular, even after His death? His followers are fearless, yet moral.

Yes, it seems clear that the idea of a resurrection is the very basis of this new faith in Jesus. Without it, everything falls apart. If Jesus really was an imposter like the Jews say, it shouldn’t be difficult to prove the resurrection to be a lie. But then why do Jesus’ followers so confidently declare it to be true? Why can’t anyone refute it? Why have even Roman soldiers joined the faith of Jesus? Why must the Jewish leaders bribe others to keep silent? Where is the body? Perplexing questions that I think about every day.

If Jesus is somehow alive, what does that mean for me? Surely if He wanted vengeance, I would have defense. Would He come for me? Or would He show me the same kind of grace and kindness He showed the Jews? Would He forgive? Who could? I know what logic says, but then again, everything about Jesus is different.

I ask for your guidance and support in these strange days, good Vitellius. May this letter find you in good health. Perhaps next time we meet it will be on better terms.

Farewell.

  

Isaiah 53:3-7 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 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. 6 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. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

Jesus was the Son of God, and had to silently endure the pains and torments of the cross, and everyone’s sins, to pay the world’s way to forgiveness.

Isaiah began these words with the simple question, “Who has believed our report?” Sadly, to our knowledge Pilate was one who refused to believe this message. Yet, we can hope that there was a day when Pilate heard these words, or others like them from the Bible, and received the answer that perplexed him so much during and after Jesus’ trial. What He witnessed surely stuck with him for live. We thank the Lord for opening our ears and hearts to the beautiful words of forgiveness and life in Jesus Christ. May we always treasure it above all else. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.