Desires in Death (Luke 23:26-43)

Crucifixion was an awful death. It was reserved for those who committed treason against the King. Jesus was tied to a post and was beaten and scourged with a leather whip that was interwoven with pieces of bone and metal designed to tear the flesh as it was pulled away from the skin. The beating was often so severe that many did not survive it. Jesus was scourged with the whip to ensure his death would be final on the cross. The reason crucifixion was so brutal was so that it would publicly shame the convicted criminal and serve as a warning to anyone who thought to defy Caesar. Jesus’ death was meant to be a public demonstration of Rome’s power, but it will show the power of his love for his Father and for those the Father had given him.

     Although Jesus is being led as a martyr, he acts as the Divine Judge who has the power to dispense mercy even as he experiences a death without mercy. We are going to look at the desires of Jesus throughout his crucifixion by examining his words during his last moments prior to his death. We will focus on three desires of Jesus as he approaches his death.

Jesus Desires Weeping for the Coming Destruction

After being beaten, the Roman soldiers lead Jesus up to the place called the Skull, or Golgotha, Latin for Calvary, forcing a man in the crowd to carry the cross. Luke 23:26-31,

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:26-31)

A crowd of women were following Jesus and weeping over him as he headed for the cross, but Jesus turns to them and tells them to weep for themselves. The women are representing the Nation of Israel. Jesus speaks to them with tenderness as he addresses them, “Daughters of Jerusalem.” The Nation has rejected Jesus as Messiah and therefore destruction is coming to befall them.  He warns them of the coming days that will be so bad they think it would be better off to be dead than to experience that degree of suffering. This destruction was realized in the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 which is described in the writings of Josephus as horrific.

      Jesus is heading towards the cross, but is still concerned with the souls of others. Jesus quotes Hosea 10:8 which speaks of Israel being judged for their idolatry. Idolatry is worshipping something or someone other than God. Tim Keller has said, “Idolatry is not just a failure to obey God, it is a setting of the whole heart on something besides God[1].” Jesus is saying that the Nation of Israel has set their heart on something other than God and the Messiah. Hosea 10:8, “The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. Thorn and thistle shall grow up on their altars, and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall on us.” Jesus is tenderly caring for the Nation by encouraging them to weep over their sin and turn to God in repentance. Blessed are those who mourn over their sin, for they will be comforted.

Jesus knows the cross will be brutal, but he also knows of the joy that lies after the cross. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus, “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.” Jesus knew that glory awaited him at the other side of the cross so he was able to turn to these women and say, “Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” Jesus desires his people to weep over their idolatry, their false hopes, and their sin.

Are there sins or idols in your life that God is asking you to weep over this morning? Have you taken good things like money, career, or family and made them ultimate things which have a greater influence on you than God? How do you know if you have an idol problem? First, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if you have idols. Second, ask yourself what you think about in you silence. Archbishop William Temple once said, “Your religion is what you do with your solitude.” He means our “functional Savior” is revealed what we think about in silence. Tim Keller, again, is helpful here:

The true god of your heart is what your thoughts effortlessly go to when there is nothing else demanding your attention. What do you enjoy day-dreaming about? What is it that occupies your mind when you have nothing else to think about? Do you develop potential scenarios about career advancement? Or material goods such as a dream home? Or a relationship with a particular person? One or two day dreams do not indicate idolatry. Ask rather, what do you habitually think about to get joy and comfort in the privacy of your heart?[2]

Jesus was walking to the cross and he tenderly told his people to weep over their idols. Beloved, I pray that you will weep over your idols and place your heart fully on the hope of Jesus Christ.

    Jesus ends his words to these women by giving them a parable saying, “For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” As NT Scholar Darrell Bock comments, “If the Jews treat Jesus this way for coming to deliver them, how will they be treated for destroying him?^[3] It is much easier to burn dry wood than lush, wet, green wood. Jesus desires his people to weep, for destruction is coming. It will come to you like a thief in the night unless you repent of your idols and place your faith in Christ.

Jesus Desires Forgiveness for the Current Destroyers

Jesus continues to be led to the place of the Skull. It was called a Skull because the hill protruded into the sky like a skull. Luke shows how Jesus is being led their along with other criminals to receive the same fate as the guilty. Luke 23:32-38,

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

I want to focus on two things: how Jesus was treated and how Jesus treated others.

     First, let us examine how Jesus was treated.  It said that they cast lots to divide his garments. This could have been the outer garments that were given to him by Herod when they mocked his kingship or it could have been all his clothes. It was tradition that right before the crucified died, the soldiers would strip them so that they would be exposed and naked, publicly shaming them one last time. Jesus was watched by the people and scoffed at by the rulers. He was mocked in his true identity as Messiah and the Chosen One. His charge hung above his head, “This is the King of the Jews.” In the eyes of the crowd his death was a sign of his inability to save, but we know his death was the sign that He alone is able to save. Jesus was treated awfully and did not deserve any of this treatment. 

No one has ever experienced the level of injustice that Jesus faced that day as he hung on the cross. His hands nailed to the cross, straining to pull his weight up so that he could take a breath before his body weight fell again suffocating his lungs. He hung as a cursed man for the sake of cursed men. He was in agony. No one has ever experienced that level of injustice and hatred. And in the midst of this cruelty, how does Jesus treat others?  He prays, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Jesus is more concerned with the souls of others than his mistreatment.

Jesus provides a tremendous example for us as we face those “destroyers” in our lives. We will face people who desire to destroy fellowship with us through slander, gossip, lying, stealing, malice, etc. If we live long enough, we are going to be mistreated. Whether it is by a close friend or a foe, Jesus shows what our desires should be in our mistreatment. We should desire their forgiveness. When was the last time you were mistreated? How did you respond? Did you desire their forgiveness or their pain? Did you want them to experience God’s grace or God’s wrath? The natural response is to demand retribution for injustice, but Jesus desires for his people to have a “supernatural” response. Jesus lives out his words from the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6,

If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. …. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:32-33; 35-36)

Beloved, are you treating people as their sins deserve or are you treating them in view of the mercy you have received?

We were the ungrateful and the evil that to whom God showed kindness. We were the mockers and the scoffers. We were the criminals who were guilty of treason against our God and King. And yet, God did not treat us as our sins deserved, but showed us mercy. He desired our forgiveness; he did not save himself so that he could save us from our sins.  Jesus chose the cross so others may live. And now, Jesus is calling us to choose cross as well so others may live.

Beloved, this is how we are to treat others. We are not called to avenge ourselves in the face of injustice, but to desire forgiveness. When we do not treat others with mercy and forgiveness, we forget how God has treated us with mercy and forgiveness. Jesus said, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15) If you are unwilling to forgive others than why should you expect God to forgive you?

Whose forgiveness is God calling you to pray for? Who is God calling you to forgive? Remember, forgiveness is conditional. When Jesus prays to the Father to forgive them, he is praying for their repentance. God is always ready to forgive, but people must repent and believe. Not everyone will be forgiven, but only those who put their faith in Christ, which is clearly seen in these two criminals who were hanging on his right and left.

Jesus Desires Paradise for the Confession of Death

Luke returns to the two criminals that are hanging cursed alongside Jesus. In Matthew and Mark’s account of the crucifixion, it says that both criminals reviled Jesus. Luke does not provide this detail, but we can assume that while the thief hung on the cross, he finally saw who Jesus truly was, and repented and believed. Luke 23:39-43,

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

Two criminals died next to Jesus that day, but only one was forgiven. One thief was forgiven because his eyes were opened and he recognized his sin before God and Jesus as his Savior and only hope in death.

In four short verses we see someone move from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of the Beloved Son in whom there is redemption, the forgiveness of sins. First, he feared God, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?” He realized that his time was coming and he was going to have to answer for his sin. Second, he acknowledged his sin, “And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds.” Third he knew that Jesus was innocent, “but this man has done nothing wrong.” Fourth, he confesses Jesus as Christ the King, “And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Fifth, he receives the promise of eternal life and to be with Jesus, “And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Friends, we all only have two choices. We confess Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection as our only hope before God, or we choose to face God alone, receiving the due reward for our deeds. The choice is yours: which shall you choose?

When I was 20 years old this story of the thief helped me choose to follow Jesus. I was living in ways that did not honor God. I was burdened by my sin and guilt, but this man’s simple faith changed my life. After hearing a talk on this thief, they played a song by Third Day called, “Thief,” that tells the story of this man. Listen to the words and the think about the choice that is before us today,

I am a thief, I am a murderer
Walking up this lonely hill
What have I done? I don't remember
No one knows just how I feel
and I know that my time is coming soon.
It's been so long. Oh, such a long time
Since I've lived with peace and rest
Now I am here, my destination
guess things work for the best
and I know that my time is coming soon
Who is this man? This man beside me
They call the King of the Jews
They don't believe that He's the Messiah
But, somehow I know it's true.
And they laugh at Him in mockery,
and beat Him till he bleeds
They nail Him to the rugged cross,
and raise Him, they raise Him up next to me
My time has come, I'm slowly fading
I deserve what I receive
Jesus when You are in Your kingdom
Could You please remember me
and He looks at me still holding on
the tears fall from His eyes
He says I tell the truth
Today, you will live with Me in paradise
and I know that my time is coming soon
and I know paradise is coming soon.

This man’s story is a sweet reminder that God delights to save sinners.  It was a sweet reminder that God delighted to save a sinner like me. I chose to follow Christ and I have never regretted it.

This morning we have the opportunity as a church family to confess our faith again through taking communion together. Jesus established the Lord’s Supper the day before his death so that we could remind our weak hearts that God delights to save sinners. We have the great privilege to publicly proclaim our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by physically taking the bread and the cup. The bread is a reminder that Jesus’ body was broken for us. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” The cup is a reminder that Jesus has purchased and established for us the new covenant in his blood.

      The Lord’s Supper is not only a reminder for us, but it is also a declaration. We are coming together declaring and confessing our belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” As the thief said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” we also proclaim in taking the bread and the cup for Jesus to remember us when he comes and establishes his kingdom. Taking the Lord’s Supper is an act of faith. It is a sign that you trust in Christ and desire to live in righteousness. As we prepare the Table, I would ask you to prepare your own heart, for “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” Beloved, remember it is a great privilege to take communion, but also a great responsibility.  As we remember our sins, let us also remember that through faith in the death of Jesus Christ, God will remember our sins no more.

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[1] http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/octoberweb-only/142-21.0.html?start=3 accessed 3.26.2015

[2] http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/octoberweb-only/142-21.0.html?start=1 accessed 3.26.15

^[3] Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke: 9:51–24:53 (Vol. 2, p. 1847). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

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The Golden Rule of Mercy

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

Beloved,

Would you agree with the following statement “You have to give respect in order to get respect?” Would you give respect to someone who does not give you respect? I believe most of the world functions this way. People treat others how they have been treated.  Although this is not all bad, it is not biblical. Jesus gives us the “golden rule” in Matthew 7:12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus summarizes the Old Testament in a succinct, powerful sentence. Jesus does not say, “Treat others as they have treated you,” but rather “Treat others the way you want others to treat you.” If you miss the difference, you will miss mercy.

Mercy is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. When we are mistreated, we have the power to punish or harm them with treated them as they have treated us. But when we treat others as they have treated us, we forget the compassion and forgiveness God has shown towards us when we mistreated him. Merciful people understand that they have received mercy. We do not treat others in the way they have treated us, but we treat others the way God has treated us. When we faced an insurmountable debt, God showed us mercy by withholding punishment we rightly deserved and placing it on Jesus Christ. We will forever be debtors to mercy.

If we are not merciful towards others, then we cannot expect to receive mercy from God. Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” As the merciful will be blessed in receiving mercy, the cruel, unkind, mean, and unforgiving will receive wrath. We treat others the way we want God to treat us and the way God has already treated us in Christ.

When we demand respect before we give respect, we are forgetting the gospel of Jesus Christ. Beloved, God wants you to be merciful to the world as a witness to the mercy He has extended to you. Let us know known as a merciful people for, “Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” 1 Peter 2:10. 

Jesus Stands Trial (Luke 23:1-25)

In the American classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, trial lawyer Atticus Finch gives one of the most compelling courtroom speeches in his defense of Tom Robinson. Finch closes his argument with appealing to the court saying,

There is one way in this country which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man equal of an Einstein, and an ignorant man equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honourable court which you serve. Our courts have their faults, as does any human constitution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.
I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system—that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.[1]

Finch believed in the integrity of the court and in justice. He believed that if the facts were clearly presented and if the evidence was closely examined, then truth would prevail in the end. He was wrong. Tom Robinson was convicted and was sentenced to death. 

Finch makes a true point in saying, “A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up.” The jury Atticus Finch faced in To Kill a Mockingbird was one that valued the words and opinions of one group over the truth. Likewise, Jesus faced a jury who valued the words and opinions of the world over the truth. Jesus was an innocent man standing trial for telling the truth. The Jews appealed to Pontius Pilate to try Jesus for a capital crime. Pilate will rightly discover the facts, but will act in self-preservation against the truth. As Jesus stands trial confirming his identity, I pray that you will review the evidence and in the name of God come to a decision on the truth. 

Jesus Stands as the Sinless Savior

The Sanhedrin believe that after Jesus confession of  being the One who is going to sit at the right hand of God’s power that he needed to be tried for a capital offense. Jews were allowed to deal with smaller offenses, but they had to appeal to the Romans if they wanted to administer the death penalty.  Notice what specific charges they are bringing against Jesus. Luke 23:1-3,

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”

The Jews came with half-truths against Jesus.  They had three specific charges. The first is their opinion, the second a lie, and the third was the truth. 

Their opinion was that this man was misleading the nation of Israel (hardly a capital offense). The lie was that he was forbidding the nation from giving tribute to Caesar. The Jews had already tried to trap him with this lie. He was asked in Luke 20:22, “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not? But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them…render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” This is not a new charge, but a blatant lie. And yet they mix this lie with the truth to make it appear believable. The third charge was that Jesus called himself the Christ, the King. He affirmed this in the previous chapter and again to Pilate. The only charge Jesus agrees to is the truth. It is very dangerous when the truth is mixed with a lie, because it deceives people who did investigate the evidence. Half-truths lead people to hell.

Whether it is the half-truth of the prosperity gospel that truthfully says God blesses people for their faith, but lies that suffering is sign of no faith, or the half-truth of Bible belt that truthfully says that faith in Jesus saves, but lies by omitting repentance from the gospel proclamation. Half-truths are dangerous to the soul, but Pilate investigates and seems to see through these half-truths.  Luke 23:4-5, “Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, ‘I find no guilt in this man.’ But they were urgent, saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.’” Pilate appears to investigate in his conversation with Jesus and reveals that he finds no guilt in him.  This is the first declaration of Jesus’ innocence during his trial.  

And despite the declaration of innocence, the rulers and priests took on a more aggressive tone highlighting how he “stirs up the people.” This language implies that Jesus promotes violence. We know that this could not be further from the truth. As you watch this trial unfold, I want you to notice two things: the injustice of the trial and Jesus’ response to injustice. Jesus was just declared innocent by the highest authority in the land, but he was not released. 

Have you ever experienced injustice? Have you ever been wrongly accused or misrepresented? Think of the emotions that come with facing injustice: bitterness, anger, hurt, etc. and watch how Jesus encounters his injustice.

Jesus Stands as the Sinless Sheep

Pilate senses the frustration and the anger of the people, but here in their last comment was an opportunity for him to escape making a decision in this highly charged trial. He has the opportunity to pass the buck. Luke 23:6-7, “When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.” Herod had never met Jesus, but there were rumors that he wanted Jesus killed. Luke 13:31, “At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” Jesus responded to them by calling him a fox before adding, “for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.” Jesus knows that the injustice of his trial is going to lead to his death.

People in positions of power are accustomed to get their way. Herod was no different. Herod was excited to finally see the Jesus he had heard so much about. Luke 23:8-9, “When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer.” Herod spent a considerable about of time with Jesus (questioning him at some length), but Jesus gave him no reply. This is not what is expected.

In most court room scenes when the innocent is brought in for questioning by the authority, we are expecting an impassioned speech and claim of innocence, but Jesus does not give them what is expected. He remains silent. His silence fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” Jesus’ silence demonstrates tremendous faith and trust in God.  His silence also serves to show the opposite of the accusations against him. He is not one who is stirring up the people, but one who is silent in his affliction like lamb that is led to the slaughter and like a sheep before its shearers.

Jesus is the Messianic King of the Jews and has been declared innocent, but the nation of Israel continues to mock him. Luke 23:10-11, “The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.” Herod looked at Jesus and mocked him thinking that his kingship is a shame. Herod had no respect for Jesus, but looked at him as a joke. The one he has heard so much about stood before him silent and he was unimpressed.

Herod, like so many today, did not take the claims of Jesus serious. They were only slightly more than indifferent. They were not impressed with his claims. What about you? Are you impressed with the claims of Christ or are you indifferent to them? Listen to this story of Chinese missionary Hudson Taylor as he was traveling one day on junk ship from Shanghai,

Hudson Taylor had been witnessing to a man named Peter who rejected the gospel but was under deep conviction. In the course of events, Peter fell overboard, but no one made any effort to save him. Taylor sprang to the mast, let down the sail, and jumped overboard in hopes of finding his friend. But no one on board joined Taylor in his frantic search. Taylor saw a fishing boat nearby and yelled to them to help, but they wouldn't do it without money. Finally, after bartering for every penny that Taylor had, the fishermen stopped their fishing and began to look for Peter. In less than a minute of dragging their net, they found him, but it was too late. They were too busy fishing to care about saving a drowning man.[2]

Are you like these fishermen? So consumed with the busyness of your life that you are indifferent to those “drowning” in sin around you? Beloved, if we take the claims of Christ seriously, then we must understand what is at stake. If people do not believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they will perish in Hell for all eternity. We must take the claims of Christ seriously.

 Herod was not threatened by Jesus so he sent him back to Pilate. And in sending him back to Pilate, he affirmed Pilate’s earlier declaration of his innocence. Luke 23:12-16,

And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.”

Jesus is in front of Pilate again and is again declared innocent. There is the added emphasis from Pilate in saying, “behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod.” Jesus’s innocence is confirmed now by two witnesses. According to Deuteronomy 19:15, “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.” Jesus’s innocence has been established, and justice is still withheld. 

Jesus Stands as the Sinless Stone

      Pilate continues to try to release Jesus, but is only met with more opposition from the crowd. It was the custom every year at the feast of the governor to release for the crowd any prisoner the crowd wanted. The crowd appealed to this custom, not for Jesus, but for another, Luke 23:18-21, “But they all cried out together, ‘Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas’—a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” The irony is thick. They want to crucify Jesus as they claim he is a violent revolutionary who stirs up the people to violence and is a threat to Rome, but ask to release Barabbas, who was a violent revolutionary who stirred up the people to violence and was a threat to Rome. Crucifixion was a brutal death that was only reserved for those who committed treason or who were trying to escape capital punishment.

      The crowd asks for Barabbas, whose name literally means “son of the father,” to be released while the true Son of the Father takes his place. The crowd is acting under the sovereign authority of God the Father, who has sent his Son to take the place of sinners and to set the captive free. We are like Barabbas. We are the guilty ones. We are the ones who have committed treason against a Holy God and deserve to be crucified, but Christ, the sinless Son of God, has come to take our place. Pilate again attempts to release Jesus by declaring his innocence a third time, Luke 23:22, “A third time he said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.’” Pilate asks a question that the people cannot answer, “What evil has he done?” They did not answer, “but they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified” (Luke 23:23a).

      The crowd did not want to answer the question; for they knew by answering it they would condemn themselves. They knew he had done no wrong, but to admit that they would have to come to grips with the evil they had done. John 3:19-20, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” The crowd could not deal with their own evil so they shouted with loud cries, “crucify him, crucify him!”

      Ironically the only way for their evil to be dealt with was for Jesus to take the cross. Jesus had to be rejected. 1 Peter 2:4 says that Jesus is the, “living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,” fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 28: 16, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” And in Psalm 118:22-24, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Jesus was the stone the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone so that whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.

      Beloved, the only way your evil works can be dealt with is through the cross of Jesus Christ. He went to the cross to pay for the evil you have committed. He himself bore our sins in his body on that tree that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is only by his wounds that we have been healed.  Friend, you need to look to Christ. He is your only hope for salvation. You cannot expect God to accept you with your evil works. Listen as Pastor JD Greear explains this,

Do you realize how completely pure and perfect God is? Do you realize what danger the presence of sin in your heart places you in? Imagine you were drinking a glass of milk and I told you it had been mixed with a few drops of human blood contaminated by the AIDS virus. That’s not much, but touching that glass of milk to your lips would repulse you. We stand before God wholly contaminated by sin. Sin cannot exist in the presence of God.[3]

Jesus came to become contaminated with sin so you could be made clean. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Do you believe that? Do you truly believe that?

Pilate believed in Jesus’ innocence, but did not respond to it. Pilate chose to bow to the world instead of the living Christ. Luke 23:23-25,

But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

Their voices prevailed. Pilate did not serve justice, but chose to serve his own reputation and self-preservation. Pilate oversaw the greatest injustice of all human history. The completely innocent Son of God was killed so a murderer could go free. The greatest injustice has become our only hope.

      What will prevail in your life? Will the voices of the world prevail? The voices that beckon you to choose the pleasures of this life, or to choose the busyness of keeping up with the world or the voices that offer you hope in something other than Christ? Will those voices prevail in your life as they did for Pilate? He believed in Jesus’ innocence, but that belief did not change him. His belief only proved he loved himself more than he loved God.

      Beloved, Jesus was delivered over for your sake.  Allow his death and resurrection to prevail in your life. Jesus was crucified for your sake. He died that you may live. Which word will be spoken over you? Forgiven or Condemned. Jesus chose to exchange his life for your sin. He chose to be condemned so you could be forgiven. Let his death and resurrection be the prevailing voice in your life!! You have two choices: bow to the world like Pilate or bow to Christ. Which will you choose?

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[1] http://genius.com/Harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird-atticus-finchs-closing-speech-annotated accessed 3.21.15

[2] http://www.sermoncentral.com/illustrations/sermon-illustration-sermon-central-staff-stories-evangelismurgency-83309.asp accessed 3.22.15

[3] Greear, JD. GOSPEL. Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary. B&H: Nashville, 2011. P. 94-95

image credit (http://codyknutson.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/sinless.jpg)

Are you Hungry?

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6)

Beloved,

At the beginning of the beatitudes, Jesus shows how he values one who mourns over their sin and recognizes their poverty of spirit. He wants us to see our desperate need so that we would hunger and thirst for righteousness. Jesus gives the picture of how we are to pursue righteousness. We are to pursue righteousness as a starving man pursues food. We are to pursue righteousness as a parched man runs after water. We all have experienced hunger and thirst. And we all know what we are willing to do to end our hunger and thirst. But are we even see our need for righteousness?

If we cannot see our need for righteousness, we will never strive to attain it.  And yet, God does not only want us to see our need for righteousness, but he wants us to pursue it through his Son. We need an “alien” righteousness that comes from outside of us. Philippians 3:7-10,

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

We hunger and thirst for righteousness by hungering and thirsting to know Jesus Christ.

     If were starving, we would do all that we could to find food. Beloved, we should recognize that we are starving for righteousness and hunger to know Jesus Christ for, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Mistaken Identity (Luke 22:63-22:71)

A few years ago my sister, Amie Kiehn, was placed on the “no fly” list for being a suspected terrorist. She was sitting on the plane on the tarmac when the speaker came on saying, “Amal Kahn, please come to the front of the plane.” My sister looked around and there was no movement. Again the speaker came on, “Amal Kahn, you need to get off the plane immediately.” Everyone could sense this was more serious than a routine problem. Everyone’s heads were turning to see if Amal Kahn would respond to this command.  The speaker came on a third time, “Amal Kahn, sitting in 22 B you need to get off the plane now.” My sister looked up and realized that she was sitting in 22 B. Before she could even process what was happening, she was asked by airline personnel to leave the plane.  Unfortunately for my sister, her name in the computer was shortened so it no longer appeared as Amie Kiehn, but as international terrorist Amal Kahn. An 18 year old college freshman was mistaken as an international jihadist terrorist.

It was a simple case of mistaken identity. The airline was extremely confident that my sister was a terrorist, but upon further investigation it was clear that they had mistaken her true identity. Although cases of mistaken identity are common, they are easily corrected with a little bit of investigation. In a growing biblically illiterate world, more and more people are misunderstanding the true identity of Jesus Christ. People may be confident in their idea of Jesus Christ, but confidence does not equal truth. We need to investigate the identity of Jesus Christ. Who is Jesus? It is one of the most important questions any of us will ever ask. And the consequences for mistaking his identity will be far worse than being place on a “no fly” list. The consequences will be eternal. Is Jesus merely a good teacher? Is he merely a prophet? Or is he the Son of God?

These questions have been asked for 2,000 years. The true identity of Jesus Christ was the basis for his trial following his arrest in the garden. As we investigate the Scriptures, I pray you will see four distinctive roles that will help you identify the Jesus revealed of the Bible and trust him. 

Trust in Jesus as our Prophet

       To say that the basis of the trial was to discover the true identity of Jesus is a little misleading, because the decision had already been made about His identity. The main concern of the people involved in the trial was not to discover who Jesus was, but to punish him for who he claimed to be. We see this first in how the officers were taunting Jesus to prove he was a prophet, verse 63,

Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him. (Luke 22:63-65)

As they beat him, they called out to him to prove that he was a prophet as they struck him.  And yet, they do not realize the simple fact that because they were striking him they were proving that he was a prophet.  Luke 18:31-33,

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”

Jesus was a prophet and was the One who the prophets spoke about. 

      The three main spiritual roles in the Old Testament were prophet, priest and the king.  We see Jesus fulfilling the first of those offices here. He was the Word made flesh who spoke the word to all flesh.  Jesus Christ was the preeminent prophet of God.  These soldiers were mocking and cursing Jesus, uttering all kinds of blasphemies against him. The language of Luke connotes a disdain for the treatment of Christ. Luke was disgusted at the treatment of Jesus. These soldiers meant to condemn Christ, but only brought upon their own condemnation. Psalm 69 epitomizes the pain of Jesus along with the retribution that will fall on those who do not repent,

You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you. Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink. Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually. Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them. May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents. For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded. Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous. (Psalm 69:19-28)

Jesus is the great prophet. These soldiers may mock Christ now, but they will not mock him forever. One day they will have to pay for how they treated the Son of God.

      We do not have the ability to beat the living Christ as these soldiers did, but that does not mean we do not have the ability to mock the living Christ. We mock Christ Jesus when we live according to the flesh. Paul writes to the Galatians, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”  We honor Christ as a prophet when we listen to his words and obey his voice.

      Mistaking Jesus’s identity as a Prophet will impact our trust that His words will come to pass. We need to trust in Jesus as the Prophet. His words will come to pass. We show our trust by believing in his Words. We show our trust by obeying his Words.

Trust in Jesus as our King

      The trial continues as Jesus is brought before the chief priests and the scribes. It is interesting to note that this trial scene differs slightly from the account in Matthew and Mark. It appears that Luke combines the first and the second meetings of the Sanhedrin into one account. We do not exactly know the why Luke combines them, but we do know that the question of Jesus’ identity is at the center of this accusation. Verse 66 says, “When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes and their council, and they said, ‘If you are the Christ tell us.’” Jesus as the Christ, the Son of David, is a theme throughout Luke’s gospel and especially brings back the birth narrative at the beginning.

It was said to the shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

It was said of Simeon that, “it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:26)

It was said of John the Baptist, “As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ. (Luke 3:15)

It was said of the demons, “And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. (Luke 4:41)

It was said by Peter that Jesus was, ““The Christ of God.” Luke 9:20

In many ways, Luke’s gospel was to prove that Jesus was the Christ. Christ is a royal title for the Messianic King who was going to come and rule over his people.

      The leaders were not investigating to see if he was the Christ, but only to prove that Jesus believed he was the Christ.  They did not believe that Jesus was the Christ. They did not choose to submit to him as the Messianic King. And Jesus knew what was in their heart for he replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer.” Jesus has already discovered from his interaction in Luke 20:1-8 in his dialogue with them about John the Baptist that they were not going to answer his questions. They were afraid of the people’s response so they would not commit to one side or the other. I find it very interesting that Jesus begins by saying, “If I tell you, you will not believe.” Jesus knows that their mind is made up and there is nothing that he can say to convince them. They have hardened their hearts and Jesus realizes there is nothing he can say to change their mind.

      We all have been in conversations where people ask questions, not because they want to know the answer, but they want to prove a point.  The elders wanted to prove a point regardless of the facts.  They were blind to the true identity of Jesus Christ. Jesus has already proclaimed throughout his ministry that he was the Christ, but the people were blind to it.   2 Corinthians 4:3-5 says,

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 

The elders did not want to see Jesus as the Christ because they eyes had been blinded by the god of this world. 1 Corinthians 12:3, “Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”

      Let me offer a humbling, yet encouraging word for our evangelism. The Incarnate Christ, the King of glory, said his evangelism or testimony would have been ineffective because of the hardness of their hearts. There are some people who have already made their mind up about Christ and there is nothing we can say to change their minds. This happened to Jesus and it will happen with us. Now we are not Jesus and we do not know beforehand that people are not going to respond, but we know that some will not respond regardless of our words. Faith is a gift from God. One can only say Jesus is the Christ by the help of the Holy Spirit of God. 

      I find this incredibly encouraging in my evangelism, because I do not have to depend primarily on my delivery or my knowledge.  I trust in the Spirit of God to awaken hearts and give faith.  If some people would not believe Jesus was the Christ if the Christ spoke, we should not be discouraged if people do not respond to us. We just keep sharing.

      Mistaking Jesus’s identity as the King will impact our trust His reign over our lives. If we do not see Jesus as King, we will not submit to Him. A prophet tells of what is going to happen, a King makes a declaration of how his people are called to live. If we only see Jesus as a good teacher, we put ourselves in a position to accept or reject his teaching, but if we see Jesus as our King, we have no choice, but to submit to his teaching. This is particularly challenging for the West that has an aversion to submission. Jesus is not only some teacher we listen to, but a King we submit to.

      This is one of the reasons I teach so frequently about church membership. Jesus the King has given the keys of His kingdom to the Church. Matthew 16,

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16-19)

Church Theologian Jonathan Leeman has said that we do not join a church, as if it was a club, but rather we submit to church. The King has established his kingdom. The kingdom is more than the church, but it is not less than the church. Shepherds serve under the authority of the Chief Shepherd.

    

  One of the ways you can diagnose if you are experiencing a case of mistaken identity of Jesus as your King is to examine your views of the local church. I believe how we view the local church will help us see if we are living for Jesus as our King. Trust in Jesus as the Christ, the Messianic King of glory by submitting to Him.

Trust in Jesus as our Judge

      Jesus does not answer the leaders’ question directly, but goes even farther. They are trying to judge him, but He reveals that he is going to be the judge of the world. Verse 69-70,

But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 

It is clear that Jesus’s reference to the Son of Man is a reference to himself. Jesus is saying that He is going to be seated at the right hand of the power of God. And the elders interpreted his respond as His claim that he was the Son of God because that is exactly what they asked him the follow up question. Jesus not merely a good teacher, but he is the divine Son of God who will judge of the living and the dead.

      Jesus is referencing the key Old Testament text in Daniel 7:13-14 and Psalm 110. Jesus is referring to himself as the divine Son of Man in Daniel 7 who has dominion and rule over all peoples, tribes and nations with a kingdom that will never be destroyed.   And he is also referring to Himself as the Divine Messiah who will rule and judge in Psalm 110. Psalm 110 is an important Psalm throughout the New Testament as it is mentioned the Gospels, Acts, Hebrews, the Pauline epistles and in Peter’s letters. That being said, it would be wise to take a moment and read the entire psalm.

The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head. (Psalm 110)

The one who sits at the right hand of God is the one who will judge the nations. 

      How should you respond to Christ being our judge? We should repent and trust in Christ alone for our salvation. Paul encourages the Athenians to repent in Acts 17:30-31 for God has fixed a day for everyone to face judgement.

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

Do you view Jesus as your judge? Many people do not think of Jesus as their judge, but only a good teacher who spoke of peace. The Bible does speak of Jesus as a good teacher who wants peace, but that peace comes at a price. Everlasting peace only comes when blood is shed.  Jesus reconciles all things to Himself by making peace by the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20). Jesus publicly testifies before the Sanhedrin that he is the One who will sit at the right hand of God until it is time to make all his enemies his footstool. He is the One who will come as described in Revelation 19:11-16,

 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Beloved, Jesus is a good teacher, but he is much, much more than that.  Trust in Jesus as your judge as revealed from his very own mouth.

      The priests thought his testimony was blasphemy, so they said in verse 71, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his lips.” Jesus’ own words condemn him and led him to fulfill his last role as priest.

Trust in Jesus as our Priest

Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus lived as a prophet, testified he was the Christ and the Judge, but He came to be our high priest. The reason Jesus stood before the council was so that he would be condemned and die for sinners. He had to come and die because without a shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Jesus had to come and fulfill the high priest’s office by offering himself as a sacrifice for sins.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:12-14)

Notice that Christ is now seated at the right hand of God, because he offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins. We see what Christ has done for us. Jesus offered his life as a ransom and became our merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, making the propitiation for the sins of the people (meaning through laying down his life, he satisfied the wrath of God on our behalf). 

Jesus, our High Priest, offered a single sacrifice for sins. Bryan Chappell gives a good picture of this sacrificial love from his hometown of two brothers playing on the sandbanks by the river’s edge.

Few things are more fun for children than playing on these mountainous sandpiles - and few things are more dangerous. While the sand is still wet from the river’s bottom, the dredges dump it on the shore. The piles of sand dry with rigid crusts that often conceal cavernous internal voids, formed by the escaping water. If a child climbs on a mound of sand that has such a hidden void, the external surface easily collapses. Sand from higher on the mound then rushes into the void, trapping the child in a sinkhole of loose sand. This is exactly what happened to the two brothers as they raced up one of the larger mounds.

When the boys did not return home at dinnertime, family and neighbors organized a search. They found the younger brother. Only his head and shoulders protruded from the mound. He was unconscious from the pressure of sand on his body. The searchers began digging frantically. When they had cleared the sand to his waist, he roused to consciousness.
“Where is your brother?” the rescuers shouted. “I’m standing on his shoulders,” replied the child.
With the sacrifice of his own life, the older brother had lifted the younger to safety. With similar selflessness the One who is not ashamed to call himself our brother saved us despite our waywardness (see Heb. 2:11).[1]

Beloved, do not mistake the true identity of Christ. He will one day be your Judge, but He came to be your priest. He chose to be condemned with his own words so you could stand on His shoulders now and let him lift you to safety. Trust Him as the Priest who died in your place.

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[1] http://www.christbk.com/firstchapter.asp?mode=view&index=1114 accessed 3.15.2015