B, Palm/Passion Sunday - Philippians 2:5-11 "Seven Days of Holy Week"

On Palm Sunday Jesus was glorified by the crowd but just five days later they screamed for his crucifixion.  What happened in this week changed the course of humanity forever. 

On the surface it looks like chaos and a complete miscarriage of justice, but those who received the Holy Spirit and believed the resurrection testify to the crowd,

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—  this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.  God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:22–24 ESV)

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”  Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart. (Acts 2:36–37a ESV)

Now we who have been baptised and received the Holy Spirit submit to God’s Word, dwelling on it as we carry our crosses on the road to eternity with Jesus.  But what can we take away from this Lenten season, from this Palm Passion Sunday and our Saviour’s death on Good Friday?

Yes we know the eighth day is coming! The day of Jesus’ resurrection!  And we know in trusting God and his word we will be raised too.  But how can we reflect on these seven days of Holy Week, and every seven day week in which we live until our final week here is replaced and we’re resurrected into the eternal eighth day of God’s heavenly reality?

It is very easy for us to hear of the events of Jesus’ passion and ponder that we are people like the Palm Sunday crowd, and that maybe so!  But what was the motive of the crowd on Palm Sunday, especially after Jesus enters the temple and upturns the tables when they hoped for him to overturn the Roman government and throw them out of Jerusalem.  Had Jesus wronged them? 

Maybe Jesus is not living up to your expectations!  Perhaps he is not giving you what you want, seemingly wronging you, letting you suffer like a slave rather than letting you kickback like a king.

Saint Paul tells us, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5–11ESV)

Here we are told we’re given the gift of this mind amongst ourselves from Jesus himself.  Jesus did not see himself as God.  He emptied himself!  He became a servant!  A slave! He was truly they Son of Man, the servant of man!  Even though Jesus is not only the Messiah, the Anointed King, he is the Son of God.  But he humbled himself to be the Servant Son or Slave of Man.  In short he became nothing.

But in the horror of being made nothing he has made us something.  He has made us someone before God!  Unfortunately, more often than not, we take this someone to be something other than the humble creature servant kings and children of God, and once again take our being liked by God, recreated in the likeness of God, and seek to usurp him by being like God.

Jesus knew we would continue to struggle in this old creation of seven days.  This is why he lay down his life for us, and why he sent the Holy Spirit to guide us in his Word through this life until he ends the old seven day creation once and for all and carries us into the eighth day of his eternal kingdom at our resurrection.

So Jesus gave us a prayer in which the Holy Spirit helps us to pray and we can use its petitions this week to reflect on our sinful condition and why Jesus had to die for me, you and all people.  This prayer is the Lord’s Prayer and it can help those who believe to look deeply into the loving heart of God and our hearts that need this steadfast, constant, merciful and generous love.

In fact this pray and its seven petitions is a perfect mirror of reflection on the seven days of Holy Week, and for that matter any seven day week made holy for those who believe as they wait for the kingdom, power and glory to be made manifest for them at their resurrection.  Ironically, each petition reflects the actions of the crowd as they descend from Palm Sunday’s “Hosanna” to “Crucify him” on Good Friday.

In Luther’s explanation of the introduction of the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father in heaven”, he writes, “Here God encourages us to believe that he is truly our Father and we are his children”.  In other words, this prayer is a recognisation of our restored creatureliness in the presence of God.  We receive the gift of Jesus’ kingship and it’s a kingship of servanthood.  We live in a relationship with God similar to that of God and Adam before the fall, but now after the fall we live it in the reality of sin, death, and evil.  We pray to our Father in heaven, in the hope of our restoration through the perfect creaturely New Adam, Jesus Christ.

Let’s now look at the seven days of Holy Week and see how they sit with the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer.

Sunday’s petition, Hallowed by your name.  It appears the crowd were hallowing God’s name with shouts of Hosanna!  But were they hallowing it to glorify God or were they worshipping what they wanted Jesus to be for them.  Here we can reflect on our motivation and confess that we so often seek to use God for our own benefit.  This is using God to justify our own godliness.  A godliness that is not sacrificial like Jesus. A godliness that sits in judgement over God and his Word rather than one that sits in submission and servanthood!  

Monday, Your kingdom come.  As we go off and pick up the regular beat of the week, have you taken God with you?  In other words, are you still the creaturely servant God has called you to be?  Or have you put God back in his Sunday box and picked up pursuing your kingdom?  Are you 100% for God as Jesus was?  Are you carrying your cross or are you tempted to put off the cross to keep face with the world?  God’s kingdom comes when we allow the Holy Spirit to turn over the tables of our human spirit so we believe that God’s kingdom has come in baptism, is coming despite the crosses we bear, and will come at the resurrection.  Let us confess Jesus in the kingdom of this world through our confession of sin and Jesus’ forgiveness of our sins.

Tuesday, Your will be done on earth as in heaven.  What is God’s will for you?  Firstly, it is his will to forgive us our sins, for we know not what we do.  He doesn’t just forgive us for what we do, he forgives us for who we are.  In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 ESV)  God’s will is to forgive sin.  This is the steadfast love of God for we who struggle with a steadfast natures of sin. 

And God’s will for us on earth is to be the new Adams and the new Eves as fulfilled in Jesus.  As kings and servants in the kingdom of God on earth we forgive as God has forgiven us.

Wednesday, Give us this day our daily bread.  Hear God gives us a petition of prayer showing us the reality of our need.  As creatures we ask for all we need.  The going is tough so we are reminded to turn to God just as Jesus did.  We pray, “Come Lord Jesus be our guest and let this food to us be blessed.”  But there is a second more important part that points us to Maundy Thursday which the church can pray, “blessed be God who is our bread may the world be clothed and fed!” 

Thursday, Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  The first three petitions encourage us to look to God in his holiness and love, now after the fourth, we can reflect on why he has to be gracious with us. 

Our creatureliness is fallen but our sin is covered by Jesus’ body and blood, given and she for forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.  If we change this petition to first person it reads, “forgive me my sin as I forgive those who sin against me.”  This is the only active part of the Lord’s Prayer attributed to us, to me, all other actions are attributed to God. 

Our lives in Christ are a calling to forgive others as Jesus forgives us.  But notice how the petition is worded in reverse. We ask God to forgive us the same way we forgive others.  How do you forgive others?  If you are anything like me you will be made humble by just how gracious God is despite our ongoing struggle to forgive others.  The cross we bear in forgiving others requires the death of our pride and all that our human nature and spirit trusts other than God.

Friday, Lead us not into temptation.  Good Friday is the day of the great exchange.  Crucify him, Crucify him. God crucifies your kingdom and gives you his when you were baptised into his death and resurrection.  When you are tempted to not believe God’s work in your baptism, see that God did not send his only Son to his cross for nothing.  His blood covers you sin, don’t be tempted you are now no longer in need of forgiveness as if you now no longer need his crucifixion. 

Our temptation is also to crucify others with our accusations. This is a temptation back into the kingdom of darkness.  We now live in the kingdom of light and it’s a kingdom of forgiveness. Do not be tempted to toss away and crucify God’s eternal kingdom.

Saturday, But deliver us from evil.  This is the final and seventh petition.  On Holy Saturday Jesus showed his sinlessness to those in hell.  Now that Jesus has been crucified his death crucifies all unholiness. You are delivered from evil into holiness. 

But just as Jesus remembered the Sabbath and made it holy with his perfect sinless rest in the grave and descent into hell we are called to ponder the holiness we have received in baptism. No longer are we commanded "be holy for the Lord is holy" as a work with which to busy ourselves. Rather our being is holy because the Holy Spirit brings us to Jesus. 

We can now do the work of bringing our evil into the light through confession of sin, which might seem to be the wrong thing to do but it pleases God because it shows trust in the good work Jesus did at the cross and the good work the Holy Spirit continues us to do by bring us to Jesus every day in repentance.

As you go from here into this week walk the Holy Week with Jesus. Walk with Jesus to the cross and in carrying your cross know it is Jesus who truly bears your load of sin and death, and it is he who carries you through to the resurrection.

Our Father in heaven, the kingdom, and the power and the glory are yours, now and forever, Amen. 

A, Lent 4 - John 9:1-7 Ephesians 5:6-17 "Coronavirus Advice 2020"

John 9:1–7 (ESV) As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.  And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.  We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Jesus has this discussion with his disciples after he walked out of the temple in Jerusalem having spoken sternly with the Pharisees.  The Pharisees had brought a woman caught in the act of adultery testing Jesus with the Law of Moses.  However, as they continued to ask him, Jesus stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7 (ESV)

Jesus throws attention onto their sin and after they fade and fail to condemn, Jesus says to the woman “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:11 (ESV)

Then Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (ESV)

So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” John 8:21 (ESV)

“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” John 8:24 (ESV)

Jesus said all these things in the temple treasury, telling them he was from above and not of this world. Some believed to whom he said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32 (ESV)

To those who didn’t believe he said, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”(John 8:47 ESV)

Jesus calls the Pharisees liars, sons of the devil, unbelievers, and unable to hear the word of God.  Jesus does not hold back on speaking the truth.  To which they claim Jesus has a demon.

Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me.  Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.  Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”  The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ (John 8:49–52 ESV)

One can imagine that the exchange would have been rather tense.  The truth of Jesus’ word was making the Jews furious.  But in this last exchange there is a subtle change in their interpretation of Jesus’ word.  Jesus says, “he will never see death” but the Pharisees respond, “he will never taste death”.

See death, taste death.  The death to which Jesus referred as seeing was an eternal death; the death to which the Jews referred to as tasting was an earthly death.  In faith Abraham saw in Jesus the death of the eternal death and was glad and died in faith.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58 ESV)

Jesus uses for himself the name of Yahweh, “I am”.  He says it to the Jews in the Jerusalem Temple and their anger boils over as they seek to stone him.  After the Pharisees brought an adulteress to stone, Jesus leaves the temple with them wanting to stone him.

It’s here outside the temple the disciples ask about the man born blind.  Did he sin or did his parents sin?

Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.  We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:3–5 ESV)

Jesus is the light of the world.  His light is received outside the temple. Is Jesus the light of your world; in the temple of your heart?  Today in Australia, over this entire planet is Jesus the light of denominational Christendom?  He became the light of the blind man’s world through dirt, spit and his word. 

Jesus heard that the Jews had cast out this man healed of his blindness, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”  He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”  Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.”  He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.  Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”  Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”  Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. (John 9:35–41 ESV)

We see and our guilt remains!  However, you can see death but never taste death.  Believe your guilt; but even greater believe the death of your guilt.  Believe Jesus, hear his word, place your guilt in him, see your death in his death, repent and believe.  See and taste Jesus, see and taste this steadfast love of God!

The words we hear in these days of COVID – 19 are words of uncertainty, unsettlement, uneasiness, unrest and fear.  There is a panic in the world from Corona virus.  Even before the pandemic arrives words of fear have gone viral around the globe.

Like the Jews in the treasury, truth revealed is unsettling making us feel uneasy.  Even for the church which could be a place of rest there is unrest.

What causes us to fear?  What caused the Pharisees to fear?  Could it be the very same things?

The fear of Death! The death of pleasure! A failing fortune! The collapse of the economy! The death of ourselves, our time, and our possessions!  The fear of all things in which we trust shown to be absolutely useless in the face of crisis.  The powerlessness of people!

Or perhaps you fear God’s word not to be true or that it’s actually true when you’ve been ignoring it and happily sinning.  Or, perhaps your fear is one that forces you to fight even harder to place yourselves in a better position above others and even God’s word to survive the viral pandemic of COVID – 19 and its fear.

Like the disciples some of us will ask of those who get the virus and die from it, whether it was because of their sin?  Jesus clearly says, “No! It’s not from the works of one’s sin.”  Yet Jesus has come to display the works of God in humanity suffering under the pandemic of sin, which does kill.

How does God do this?  He focuses the disciples of his day and his disciples of today (March 22 2020) to work the works of our Father who sent Jesus to us.  Jesus’ work continues with us and through us by power of the Holy Spirit, so we can proclaim words of hope while it is day. 

It appears that we are very quickly descending into darkness.  Fear, panic and uncertainty seem to be alive as much in the denominational churches as it is over the rest of the earth.  This week the Canberra correspondent for the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission) reporting on Australia’s financial position amid the Corona Virus said, “After the drought and the bushfires, 2020 is looking like the year that God forgot.” [1]

But Jesus has not forgotten us!  He is the light of the world.  God’s work will be displayed in those who carry the virus.  The pandemic will expose believers and unbelievers just as the drought, the bushfires and all other testing events in history have done.

As St Paul proclaims to the Philippians, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 ESV)

So for all of us we need to wake from our slumber and figure out what is pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Being true faithful Christians trusting in the faithfulness of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in the one true church hidden in the eudemonic denominations of Christendom is a call to prayer, a call to join Jesus in his work.  This is a work of repentance and faith.

Jesus warns in Luke’s Gospel answering, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:2–5 ESV)

We as the church of God have so much more to offer the world than fear.  The world and denominational churches would have us shut down Jesus healing with spit and dirt.  Faith in Jesus Christ reigns over any pandemic of fear and death. Let Christ’s light shine in you. It shines brighter in the darkness.

Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.  For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.  For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.  For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (Romans 14:5b, 7–9 ESV)

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.  But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:6–17 ESV)

And from the Psalmist in Psalm 34, I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!  I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.  The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.  Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:1–8 ESV)

Amen! 

Heavenly Father in the face of death let us trust in Jesus, so that through Jesus’ death and our death we will see Jesus face to face, who together with the Father and Holy Spirit is worshiped and glorified, one God, now and forever, Amen.

---

[1] Andrew Probyn Political correspondent ABC Television News Canberra 16/03/2020

C, Palm Passion Sunday - Philippians 2:5-11 "The Tree of Victory"

On the tree of the cross Jesus gave salvation to all, so that, where death began, there life might be restored, and that the enemy, who by a tree once overcame, might by a tree be overcome.

From time to time you may have heard these words in the divine service, especially in Lent and Holy Week. 

This line of liturgy brings together a number of key themes and Scriptures in the story of salvation.  Tree, cross, salvation, death, life, restoration, enemy, to overcome, to be overcome.  But tying them all together is the picture of the tree.

The tree that overcame was the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  The tree that overcomes is the tree of the cross.  The tree of knowledge of good and evil is a tree of death.  The tree of the cross is also the tree of death. 

But the cross is a tree of life too!  At the cross life is present as well.  The cross is the place of salvation and restoration; it’s the place where good meets evil and overcomes evil.  And so at Easter the cross used in the Good Friday service is often covered in flowers and colour on Easter Sunday.  

But behind the cross, the cross of Good Friday, the cross of Easter, the cross veiled in black, and the cross covered in flowers, is the reality of good and evil.

Today when we leave church and become absorbed once again in our lives, we may not think about the church service, or the cross, or the themes of restoration and salvation.  However, every one of us weighs up in his or her conscience what is good and what is evil.  It’s what we humans naturally do, every day.   

We gather information around us and make decisions on what is right and wrong.  We learn and live, storing knowledge to make judgements.  Is it good, or is it bad?  Are they doing the right thing or the wrong thing?  Am I good or bad?  When I am overcome by good and evil, what can I do to overcome good and evil?

It’s no different for people in the bible too.  They decided what was good and bad, or good and evil too.  And it’s in these biblical accounts where good and evil is considered we might gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and our relation to the cross.

Let’s look at the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  They were deceived by the snake to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  God had given them every other tree in the garden but their desire was kindled in the tree of knowledge of good and evil; it looked good to eye and desirable for gaining insight.  Notice how the evil part of the tree was forgotten.  Not only was evil forgotten but also everything else that had been given to them, including the tree of life.

They turned their backs on life and chose knowledge.  They chose to be like God judging what was good and what was evil. They lost their holy innocence as creatures created in the image of God. Or put simply, they chose pleasure over peace, and this peace was a life where God served them with the garden and his holy presence.  In their pleasure they chose to ignore the love of God, agape or servanthood, and replaced it with a love turned in on the self.  First given as a temptation they became driven by desire, eros and potency.  And from that time we have found knowledge of good and evil makes us powerful like God. 

But our knowledge of good and evil is not used in loving servanthood as God uses it, but rather for loving ourselves in all manner of pleasures.  And like an itch that feels good scratched until our skin is rubbed raw, broken and infected, our pleasures have unleased suffering and sickness from this original sin in the Garden of Eden.  This is what happens when humanity replaces the great “I AM” of God the Father with the “I am” of our self inflated egos.

Fast forward over a couple thousand years of good and evil interpretation under Old Testament Law!

The Law was designed to cleanse God’s chosen people so once again they could look to God’s goodness and servanthood. But time and time again the Jews practised the Law to justify themselves using God’s Word to gratify their pleasures.

So when the time was right God sends his Son in the greatest act of servanthood agape love.  A gift was given to the world.  The tree of life was replanted in the midst of humanity in the manger.  Some saw it as good but others saw it as bad. 

The Tree of Life is grafted into a human; eternal servanthood was born in flesh by the power of God’s Word.  Born into a world where knowledge meant power and pleasure, they measured Jesus by what pleased and by how the praise of them was affected. So some worshiped God when they encountered him, and some tried to kill him.  Some saw it as opportunity to use him to serve them and their pleasures and some in their knowledge just didn’t care to know him. 

However, this one born of the flesh did not succumb to using his knowledge of good and evil against them.  He put off the desire to be “like God”, even though he was God.  Instead he let himself be creaturely in the way they were originally created to be — like you and I were meant to be. 

He took the Law and followed it, yet his piety was not glorifying himself but God the Father. In doing so he showed the goodness of the Pharisees, the pious ones, to be evil.  And those who were deemed the undesirable ones, the ones afflicted with evil, he poured out love and coved with his holiness. 

The characters around Jesus were defined by his life among them.   There were many but let’s just take two — Simon Peter and Judas Iscariot. These two polarize Jesus Christ from all others at the cross — the Sanhedrin, the soldiers, Pilate, the other disciples, the two criminals on their crosses and the fickle mob.

Peter used his knowledge of good and evil to rebuke Jesus, demanding it ridiculous he would even think of going to a cross, and at Jesus’ trial confessed he would never deny Jesus.  And Judas’ knowledge of good and evil leads him to hand Jesus to the Jews, and then not trust Jesus would forgive him for what he had done.  It appears the two are extremes but both Peter and Judas are the same by putting themselves in the place of God as the knowers of good and evil.

So fast forward yet again, to now, some two thousand years after knowledge of good and evil was nailed to the tree.  We see the only good is the goodness of God in Jesus Christ sacrificed for my evil, your evil, your bad, my bad.   And from it we victoriously now live in the risen life of Jesus’ victory.

Philippians 2:1–11 (ESV) So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

One should expect we live lives of servanthood because of the life Jesus won for us.  But still we struggle to stop eating the apples of good and evil, knowingly nailing each other to the tree and plucking ourselves from the tree on which Jesus died for you and me.

You see even if we seek to move others to Jesus through our desire we once again stand under the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Like Peter what we see as good in ourselves in reality is not, because we put our trust in what we can do rather than on what God has done through the servanthood of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Our desire, our ideologies seek to win out over the servanthood of God the Son.

Or like Judas, our knowledge of good and evil leaves us empty handed, giving up the servanthood of Jesus.  And like Judas we walk away from the death of Jesus, cutting ourselves off from the graciousness of God, and begin committing our lives to a slow painful spiritual suicide.

These are humanity’s stories, these are our stories too.  You and I find ourselves back at the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  It’s a tough tree to poison.  But here’s the problem; while we look to our own good to kill it we actually make it grow all the more. 

Just like those of the Old Testament Law, we of the New Testament Gospel, still take what God has done and use it to justify our knowledge of good and evil.  In other words we use God’s Word as our justification for pleasure.  But this pleasure thinly disguises a whole heap of pain. This is humanity’s story and it’s yours and mine too.

So in our days of trials and tribulation, busy yourself in looking to God.  When you find yourself looking within for the answers, pray to our Father for the Holy Spirit to lead you out of yourself and into the Word of God to Jesus!  Test yourself by seeing where the glory goes in your understanding of the Word of God and the works you do as a result.  And pray that the Holy Spirit will lead you to the love of God in Jesus Christ.

You will find the old tree of knowledge of good and evil will keep popping up, but when it does know that the tree of life has been replanted in you.  In other words the servanthood of Jesus lives in you; he serves you!  You have been baptised so you are free to look out of yourself to the tree of life and live in in the promise God has given you in the tree of victory.

On the tree of the cross Jesus gave salvation to you, so that, where death began, there your life might be restored, and the enemy, who by a tree once overcame, might by a tree be overcome.

Amen.

A, Post-Pentecost 16 Proper 21 - Philippians 2:1-5 "True Belief"

Download WORD doc here

It might be very easy in these days to be carried away by fear and terror like Henny Penny running around in a mad panic as if the sky was falling in on us.  It seems the media would encourage us to do this so they can exercise control over us for the benefit of their ratings and advertising sales.

Just as easy is becoming complacent over the events going on around us.  Every picture and sound coming from the media revolves around and around, media feeding off media, making us so sick of hearing the same thing over and over again, on the hour, every hour.

Things are certainly hectic in our times.  Terrorism is a threat, apathy too just as big a problem and making sense of it all might leave one a bit bewildered.

 Connecting these events in your own lives might be difficult.  You may be wondering why the world is going mad these days.  And sitting down in this place might seem to be so disjointed from the reality of our world and the strife going on, let alone the hassles you face personally from day to day.

You might reason a million and one things from the happenings around you and how they affect you personally.  Everything that happens tends to cause us to form different beliefs so we place our trust in things we can understand.  These beliefs entrench themselves into our being and cause us to interact with others in prescribed ways.

On hearing the news of beheadings and terrorist activities, the USA and others bombing Islamic State strongholds, politicians making pronouncements at the United Nations, what happens in you?  How are your beliefs shaken, tested, attacked, or justified and edified?

A couple weeks ago, before the beheadings began to be aired in the media, a journalist was interviewed on the radio about his work in the Middle East.  This Australia reporter had been taken captive and circumstances led him to nearly be beheaded before being freed at the eleventh hour.  As he recounted the events of his capture and release he commented, “True belief has caused more trouble in the world than anything else.”  On reflection I believe he is spot on.

I imagine most terrorist operate from a “true belief” modus operandi.  To commit terror and lose your life one must operate out of true belief in something.  Or else they wouldn’t go through with their suicidal actions in the first place.  Others might believe they’re wrong but the individual or group acting will fully believe what they’re doing is for their greater good.

When we hear and see these barbaric things happening, our belief systems are put into action.  Do you know what your belief system is?  Have you studied how and why you react the way you do in response to what goes on around you?

Being honest with myself, looking into the deepest recesses of my being, I see a belief system full of presumptions and prejudices.  I might display a certain belief system to keep up appearances with others, but within, the way I think, the way I react, and the way I feel is a completely different story.  In fact inconsistencies run rife within my internal belief system.  There’s a mix of cowardice and confusion, which holds me back from saying and doing as I truly believe.  Doubts call into question, “just how true is this belief I call my own?”

It seems to me my apprehension, my gutlessness, and the terrors I hold within see me sin against the true belief of who I am.  Some of my actions seem so spineless and apathetic compared to the terrorists taking on world, putting their lives out there for the sake of the cause.  My pride sees me campaigning acts of terror in my mind, against those who offend my sense of self righteousness. And yet the very same pride sees me cower within myself.  I sin against my own mind’s terrorist activity, not even able to remain faithful to my own sinfulness and self righteousness!

Stopping and having a good hard look at ourselves, reveals some interesting stuff.  The true belief of the terrorist raises the response of true belief within us, and other individuals, and even governments of our world.  We might loath what others do, some have the fortitude to fight and retaliate with revenge crimes, and our governments rally their armed forces to strike back.

Being a Christian, in these times brings true belief in Jesus Christ face to face, toe to toe, into conflict with the true belief of our inner selves.  All of us make presumptions, and rationalise our true beliefs which conflicts with those Jesus Christ calls us to have.  In fact, it’s been like this from the moment Jesus began his ministry of bringing the true belief and self righteousness of human hearts to repentance. 

It began at Jesus’ baptism into a ministry of true faithfulness and righteousness that led him to the cross.  This was a ministry John the Baptist even recoiled over saying to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”  But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. Matthew 3:14–15 (ESV)

Ever since this day, Christ has been calling you and me to have our terrors dealt with.  It matters not whether they are terrors of Roman crucifixions on crosses, or terrors from Muslims, or any other people.  These terrors tempt us to carry all sorts of terrors within and in turn lead humanity into heaping sin upon sin.

Terrorist activities and threats against Christians and Jews have lead to presumptuous activities just as offensive and terrorising in the name of true belief.  We Christians can hang our heads in shame over what Christians have done in the name of Christianity throughout history right up to now, and so too the Jews for what they are doing to the Palestinians in Gaza in these days.

Saint Paul speaks relevantly when he addresses the Philippians in their times and us today as we face the reality of our world, but also the world within our hearts too!  We do well to see how our true belief empties the cross of its power, and siphons glory away from God the Father as we react to protect the motives driving the core of our true beliefs.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus... Philippians 2:1–5 (ESV)

The key word here is encouragement!  Pauls starts off, if there is any encouragement in Christ...!  Encouragement here means to be invited, called alongside, literally — a side listening.  Picture a ship as it pulls alongside the dock and then anchors itself with ropes stopping it from being whipped around by whatever the weather or tides might do to it if it were not held fast and kept safe.

In the same way, you have been called and continue to receive encouragement.  We are invited to be held fast in faith by Jesus Christ, to come alongside Jesus’ word and deeds.  He faithfully seeks to lash himself to you and bring your true belief in line with his.  Safe and sound through the humility and humanity of his death and resurrection!  To have the mind of Christ among us has us believing we need God’s help, believing our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth, who took up humanity in humility counting us more significant than himself.

Rather than presuming our true belief is what sets us right let’s assume our humanity needs the services of Jesus Christ, not just once, but continually through the Holy Spirit winning out over our spirits so he might continually place true righteous through his crucifixion and our baptism into it in us. 

Saint Paul continues on after calling us to receive encouragement, to receive comfort from love.  This is the most pure of blood soaked crucifixion love, not to terrorise us with a Roman terrorism tool, but for us to see and know we are loved by God.  Then he calls us to participation in the Holy Spirit, affection, sympathy, and joy having the same mind as Jesus.  We can only do this if we allow the Holy Spirit access into our hearts where he can turn our self spirited so-called “true belief” back to a sole belief in Jesus Christ.

So rather than running around like a chook with its head cut off!  Rather than revenge or apathy against terrorists who threaten to behead, kill or endanger.  You might allow the Holy Spirit to use you to do the greater work of Jesus Christ with the terrorist, the ill-tempered neighbour, those you’re not naturally attracted towards, or those your presumptions, prejudices, or pride might not allow you to mix with in the hustle and bustle of life. This is the greatest humanitarian work where in humility we bow our heads in prayer. 

Therefore, let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we believe, save each of us from our unbelief!  Send the Holy Spirit into our hearts so we seek to hear your word, so we love and want to hear your word more and more.  And with your word, infill our prayers for those whom we might deem as our enemies in our lives!  We ask this through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
 

C, Advent 3 – Philippians 4:4-7 “Rejoice Always?” Confirmation Sermon

Download WORD doc here

Here's a little song I wrote might like to sing it note for note, "Don't worry be happy!" Well perhaps I didn't write it but you may know this song or have heard it some time.

The words don't worry be happy might be a catchy lyric to sing, especially when feeling in a good mood, but what about when the chips are down, in the midst of worry, doubt, and danger? Being told to be happy sounds more like a command that condemns rather than encouragement when one is far from being happy! Who wants to sing any little light-hearted song when there's no reason for happiness?

In this day and age, one only has to listen to some angry metal music, or blues music to know it's impossible to be happy all the time. In fact, those who radiate happiness all the time seem false and once away from others, one wonders what they're really like behind the jolly veneer. Shiny happy people cannot be shiny happy people all the time. In fact, happiness often covers the reality of hopelessness and loneliness in our lives.

So when Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." (Philippians 4:4 ESV) Is Paul deluded? Is he calling us to live in delusion? How on earth can I rejoice always, are we meant to pretend? It's hard to rejoice when the family is fighting, friendships are fracturing, farming is futile in the fickle weather we're having these days, and so on!

Today is Confirmation day; this day has its line share of focus on you young folk. In fact you may feel the day is about you, and that's okay, but you need to know these feelings are fleeting. The high of today will lead into the valleys of tomorrow; and continue right through the ups and downs of everyday life.

Today doesn't mark the end of Confirmation, nor does it really mark the beginning of something although you will be receiving Holy Communion for the first time. Today rather, is a continuation of what has already begun, and looks forward in hope to what is to come! Today in Confirmation you will affirm what God is doing, has done, and continues to do in your lives. This all began when God made you his child in baptism.

When you were baptised it was not only into Jesus' death, but also his resurrection! When Pauls says to you, Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice!" He's saying rejoice in Lord's death always furthermore rejoice in his resurrection. Or, rejoice in your death always furthermore rejoice in your resurrection!

But rejoicing in one's death seems rather harsh. Especially when you are young and entering what many would say is the prime of your lives. Things are changing, schools are changing, where you live will change, your bodies are changing from children to young adults, both physically and mentally. So rejoicing in death goes against the grain of our thinking.

To be specific we need to realise being happy and rejoicing are two completely different things. You and I can be happy all by ourselves within one's self, but joy always happens in community looking out of one's self to something greater. True joy looks to things eternal, and leads one to view things from an eternal perspective.

Therefore, happiness never hangs around for long, because one looks into themselves for happiness. Even events around us, or from a gift we receive, all this soon fades and eventually fails because the happiness is centred on me, my emotions and feelings. Putting faith in things which cause happiness in the end will lead to hopelessness.

But joy and rejoicing are much different, in joy or with rejoicing one sees things for what they really are rather than falsely looking for happiness in things that can be equally as bad as what might seem good. We hear what Jesus did for joy...

...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV)

Now Jesus was not happy when he went to the cross, scripture tells us of his suffering and death. Yet he went there for "the joy" set before him and was raised to the right hand of the throne of God. In himself he suffered a horrendous death but he suffered it for joy. Jesus struggled against sin to the point of death and did so in joy because now even if you are called to the ultimate sacrifice in this life, it is not an eternal death but just an earthly one.

In just a moment you will affirm your baptismal faith. This is the faith that trusts God into eternity, and in joy the Holy Spirit had given it to you. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17 ESV)

So rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice. So let the joy of Christ live in you in good times, furthermore let the joy of Christ live in you in bad times. I am not saying to put on a happy face, far from it, but carry the promise of Jesus' death and resurrection in you, letting your patience, moderation, and endurance be known to everyone. This is the steadfastness and love of God himself that allows you to stand firm, even when you are weak, worried, and cannot be happy.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4–7 ESV)

When you are tempted to worry or have doubts, rejoice because Jesus is at hand. When you feel anxious in yourself, leave trusting yourself and ask God to help, look to him, even beg him, he wants to be your God in every situation and trial of life. In your lives believe that…

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: "Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. (Isaiah 12:2–4 ESV)

Here's another little song I didn't write,

"Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice,

Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!

Rejoice, rejoice, and again I say rejoice,

Rejoice, rejoice, and again I say rejoice!"

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, always. Amen.

A, Pentecost 16 Proper 22 - Isaiah 5:1-7 "Absorbing God"

Have you ever wondered how a plant gets water into itself?  Its roots appear to be nothing special yet somehow they extract water and nutrient from the soil around them.

This was first figured out by a French chap, Jean-Antoine Nollet, in 1748 when he discovered what we today call, osmosis.  Osmosis put most simply is the natural transference of a less dense liquid into a more dense liquid through a membrane of some sort. 

For instance if rain water is allowed to come up against salt water separated by a membrane filter, over time the rain water would penetrate and pass through the filter to dilute the more dense salt solution.  The process stops once the water on both sides of the membrane becomes equal in density or pressure on the denser water become great enough to stop the natural osmotic pressure and flow.

Today we might hear more about reverse osmosis in water desalination plants which makes fresh water out of salt water.  By overcoming the osmotic pressure by pushing salt water against a membrane the natural osmosis is reversed; therefore, forcing drinking water out of undrinkable salt water.

So a plant gets water through osmosis occurring in the roots of the plant.  The liquid in the plant is denser than the liquid in the soil, the root contains the membrane and moisture passes through the membrane in a bid to dilute and balance with the liquid inside the plant.  So the denser plant cells get the lighter water cells it needs to survive.

What this has to do with God’s relationship with us here today might not be obvious, but the osmotic discovery in the eighteenth century, some twenty-two years before Cook sailed up the east Coast of Australia, reveals not only the marvel and function of God’s creation in plant life but the function of everything in his once perfect creation.

When God created our world, what he created on the first day was created to serve what he created on the second, and the second the third, and so on.  Water, sunshine, seasons, and soil therefore serve the plant.  Osmosis is how the water and nutrient serve the plant. 

God created people as the last of the living beings.  Everything God created flows onto human beings, the pinnacle of his creation, so we might be with God, rest with God, and enjoy our lives here on earth with God through the very last thing he created – the Sabbath day.

The Sabbath day was not just a day of rest and enjoyment with God, but it was also a day of recreation (re-creation) in this perfect seven day cycle God had set in place.  Just as osmosis is God’s way of serving plant life with what they need for life, God placed all things in this creation willing his love to flow onto humanity for the recreation he desires to share with us.

But creation and recreation today are far from what God intended for us.  Humanity has reversed the natural flow of God’s love, and from the moment Adam turned his back on God’s love all of us sooner or later realise that we’re living lives of dehydration and death.  Just like reverse osmosis, we seek to push out the God-given life-giving love leaving us to live on the toxic sludge that’s left. 

What type of fruit do you think a plant will produce that makes the decision to reverse the osmotic effect?  The same as the people we become when we choose to reverse the flow of God’s love.

The natural flow of God’s love in creation and osmosis can be seen in the picture painted in Isaiah 5 where Isaiah sings about his beloved Father in heaven and compares his fellow children of God to choice vines in the vineyard God lovingly prepares for the vines.

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.  He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. (Isaiah 5:1–2 ESV)

If the natural flow of God’s love was to be absorbed by the vines, then the vine would have produced fruit in keeping with the love bestowed on the vines.  Yet the vines yielded wild grapes.  The Hebrew word here is literally bad grapes derived from the word for poison berries, or a stench.

Israel’s gnarly roots allowed no growth from the love of God; rather bloodshed instead of justice, and an outcry due to a lack of righteousness.  The vineyard has become dysfunctional so God responds…

And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.  I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. (Isaiah 5:5–6 ESV)

It was clear to God that what he had created was no longer working as he intended.  He had to intervene and fix things so his love could once again flow with the natural pressure he intended.  He had to install a new filter since the law was not filtering and recreating humanity so he could rest with them and further recreate them with his love.

So he set about fixing the problem by sending his one and only Son.  But the vine had overrun the vineyard and this new vine and new life for the old vine was rejected.

Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’  But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’  And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.  When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”  They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” (Matthew 21:37–41 ESV)

So Jesus was killed, thrown out of the garden!  But this enabled a new filter to replace the good old filter of the law which had become ineffective.  The pressure to push out God had become so great creating a spiritual reverse osmosis, pushing out the love of God and therefore the life, leaving only dehydration and death.

Now the new membrane is in place!  We are the vine branches and Jesus is the root.  In him we have growth!  In him we are rooted in osmosis, guaranteeing life, love and fruit.  We are rooted in him in baptism and the cross, the Holy Spirit sees to it there is a natural flow of grace and growth into us which overflows into the fruit we produce.  But it’s not really us!  It’s the root and the nutrient, the Son and the Holy Spirit, which grows us the plant, and faithfully fills the fruit that hangs from us.

This is why Paul says to the Philippians he regards everything else as rubbish (or better translated excrement - that which is cast out of the body) in order that he might gain Christ.  (Philippians 4:8) 

What Paul was doing here was simply letting the natural order of salvation in Jesus Christ do what it is meant to do.  And that is allowing the absorption of God’s love to wash out the stink of sin within.  He let the Holy Spirit bring the holiness of Christ into him to allow the waters of grace give him faith, hope, and love.

Are you a vine which allows the fruits of God to grow?  Are you allowing yourself to be rooted in Christ, absorbing God daily the way God intended you to soak up his forgiveness and love?  Are you fulfilled in this life? Or are you allowing the pressures within leave you without the grace God so desperately want you to have?  Are you reversing the osmosis of God’s love?

Now is the time to return to Christ and let him be the root of your being.  Now is the time for him to fill you and grow you as his choice vine as you absorb him in hearing his word.  Now is the time for him to produce fruit from you that lasts. 

The naturally perfect being of Jesus Christ has been given to you, let him clean your filter, let him fill you with the water that wells up to eternal life.  He wants holy grapes from you his choice vine.  Amen.

A, Palm Passion Sunday – Philippians 2:8 “Understudy”

UNDERSTUDY
A sermon on Philippians 2:8
PALM PASSION SUNDAY (Year A) 17/04/11
Pastor Heath Pukallus Katanning-Narrogin Lutheran Parish

Being an understudy would have to be one of the most difficult jobs. The stage actor gets all the accolades while the understudy remains in the limelight. The work load is the same though! The understudy must know all the same lines to stand in and keep the show running in the event the actor, for whatever reason, cannot be on stage.

The actor gets their name up in lights outside on the Broadway billboards yet the understudy hangs in the shadows ready, yet never knowing if he or she will get the opportunity to let their talents shine.

Nevertheless, the understudy is an important job. Theatre companies need understudies as an insurance policy for their shows. The actors out front might be responsible for drawing the crowds, but the understudy, stands by as a "fill in" so even if the crowd are disappointed by the absence of one actor, they might still have opportunity to see all the other name actors fill their parts next to the "fill in" understudy.

During the Lenten season we have heard and spoken a phrase over and over again. "Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross." It's part of what is known as the Christ hymn from Philippians chapter two.

We hear it again here: Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Pauls calls us to have this mind, which indeed we already have because Christ lives in us. However, this mind or attitude of Jesus so often gets squashed from within because we like to be the ones who have out names recognised — up in lights like an actor.

But the attitude of Jesus is like that of a faithful understudy. He is the archetypal servant of society, humbly listening to God, seeking his will in his word, throughout his ministry right to the point of death.

Jesus Christ deserved to have his name up in lights — the Son of God, Co-Creator of all things with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But he put that all aside and became the Son of Man; a servant who was killed by the very folk he sought to served.

Our attitude so often runs contrary to the attitude of Jesus. The very things Jesus did, when we contemplate attempting them, seem second rate. No one seeks to be the understudy.

How often do we hear about the glitz and glamour of an understudy? But this is exactly where we're called to focus our efforts and attitudes. So how do we do this when it's so different to our way of thinking?

It's not so much about how we do it, but rather in enduring in Christ, returning to hear his Word of life over and over again, the mindset of Jesus grows within. This growth is cultured by the Holy Spirit so that over time we come to realise Christ has been our understudy the whole time and all the glitz and glamour we sought in the past, perishes with the past.

Alternatively, those who try to live in the glory of this fickle glitz and glamour end up washed up like so many Hollywood types these days.

A world away from seeking glory for one's self is Christ's attitude. This attitude is obedience. It allows us to remain faithful to God. It's not about doing anything in particular. Rather it's about letting God undergird us with his will, his way, and his word. He insures a safety net of salvation for us by giving us Christ as the understudy. Jesus Christ obediently listened to the Father, and now continually listens for when we lose our way, forgetting the lines of holiness we're called to before the Father.

His obedience as the understudy meant no glitz and glamour, rather it meant the opposite. He humbled himself and became your understudy, to the point of death… even death on a cross.

There an old saying, "being hung out to dry". And Jesus was literally hung out to dry; he was hung on the cross to die.

In the ancient world being hung out for all to see was a horrendous way to be killed. Slowly dying, choking on your own body, suffocating yourself to death, usually outside the town gate where everyone passed by and hurled insults at you as you slowly suffered and died.

Scripture tells us that any one hung on a tree is cursed (Deut 21:23). The Assyrians barbarically sharpened sticks like pencils and impaled people on them to die for all to see. So death on a cross or a tree is a blight on any person guilty of the punishment. We don't have crucifixion for punishment these days, but if we did, what kinds of crimes would deserve this type of cursed death? Only the worst, for sure!

So Jesus, your understudy, knew he was going to receive not only death, but death deserved by those who have committed the most abhorrent crimes. And he did it obediently, all the way, despite his innocence. There's just no way we could ever do what he did.

But we don't have to! He has done it; all we're called to do is believe it.

Trust Jesus as your faithful understudy, who saves your reputation before the Father in heaven.

In believing, you'll never expect whom you will be used to serve as an understudy as you focus on faithfully following the will of him who obediently, faithfully, undergirds you as your understudy, until the glorious day of your resurrection into the realm of eternal bliss. Amen.