Sermon -- Lenten Vespers (mid-week #2)

This sermon was preached at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Novi, MI on March 23, 2022.  It was also preached at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belleville, MI (March 30) and at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Plymouth, MI (April 6).

LUKE 23:13-16

THE CRUCIAL HOURS.

A Part for the Whole?

In the name + of Jesus.

     Pontius Pilate issued his assessment of Jesus.  “Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him” (Luke 23:15).  According to John’s Gospel, Pilate declared this assessment three times (John 18:38; 19:4; 19:6).  Pilate’s official verdict, however, declared otherwise.  That’s not to say Pilate did not take this case seriously.  Pilate examined Jesus in the presence of his accusers.  He allowed Jesus to defend himself against the charges that were made against him.  He was astounded that Jesus made no reply to any of them.  Pilate interrogated Jesus privately as well.  It was the only time Jesus engaged in conversation when he was on trial.  Jesus had said almost nothing to the Sanhedrin.  Jesus had been mute before King Herod.  With the Roman governor, Jesus spoke about his kingdom.  Pilate may have determined that Jesus was a crackpot, but not dangerous; not guilty of the charges against him, and certainly not worthy of death. 

     Pontius Pilate knew that he should let Jesus go.  His wife had warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus because he was innocent.  So, first Pilate tried to get rid of the case.  When Pilate learned that Jesus was a Galilean, he tried to pawn off the case to King Herod.  If this is a Galilean matter, let the Galilean king deal with it.  After all, Herod was in town because of the Passover.  Herod was disappointed by his meeting with Jesus.  He mocked him and sent Jesus back.  So, Pilate had to deal with Jesus again.  He tried to orchestrate Jesus’ release by following a custom that had developed over the years.  The governor would release a prisoner of the Jews’ choosing during the Passover.  Pilate stacked the deck by presenting only two options.  Did they want him to release Jesus who would merely annoy them, or did they want him to release Barabbas who perhaps murdered someone they knew and loved?  Imagine Pilate’s shock when they chose Barabbas!

     Since Pilate could not release Jesus without a riot starting, he would try to appease the crowd.  Pilate 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” (Luke 23:14-16).  Pilate had hoped that punishing Jesus by scourging would be enough to satisfy the chief priests and rulers of the people. 

     Unfortunately, Pilate’s attempt to satisfy the bloodthirst of the crowd was met with greater vengeance.  A partial punishment was not enough.  They wanted Jesus wholly condemned.  They did not merely want Jesus to be bloodied—as if scourging wasn’t brutal enough—they wanted Jesus to be slain.  Pilate’s offer, “Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him, but I will punish him anyway to satisfy your ravings” was met with more intense ravings.  “They all cried out together, ‘Away with this man…  Crucify, crucify him’” (Luke 23:18,21)!  A partial sentence was not enough.  They demanded a total condemnation and crucifixion.

     Pontius Pilate’s attempt at appeasement worked about as well as it has ever worked when facing people who demand more and more.  In 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain had hoped to avoid war with the policy of appeasement.  World War I was still a vivid memory, and no one in Great Britain was eager to engage in a new war.  Hitler sought to annex a region in Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland.  Many ethnic Germans lived there, so Hitler claimed he was coming to their aid because of their connection to Germany.  Hitler and Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement which conceded to Hitler the right to take that land, assuming it would stop there.  Chamberlain came back to Britain a hero, boasting that he had secured “peace for our time.”  Chamberlain believed that appeasing Hitler would pacify him.  Then Hitler seized all of Czechoslovakia.  Shortly after that, he invaded Poland.  Then World War II began by formal declarations.  Appeasement sounded like it would work.  It did not.  The demands of a wicked man would not be pacified by giving in to just a few of them.

     In the same way, our sinful nature is never content to be fed bits and pieces of wickedness.  Giving in just a little bit to satisfy our sinful demands never satisfies our sinful demands.  The sinful flesh always craves, always hungers, always thirsts for more.  The sinful flesh never complains that it is too full.  It has to demand more, because sin itself never satisfies. 

     King Solomon wrote, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).  Greed is never satisfied.  Whoever loves money always wants more no matter how much he has.  Whoever is a narcissist always seeks more attention.  He wants others to love him as much as he loves himself, and his self-esteem is connected to how many likes or shares he gets on social media.  And sexual desires are never gratified by giving in just a little bit.  Giving in a little bit only stokes them up all the more.  Appeasement never works with the sinful nature.

     King Solomon also wrote, “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly” (Proverbs 26:11).  Even though sinful actions and attitudes are destructive, sinners continue to try to find happiness in them.  This is why you and I go back to our sins.  We may even call our wickedness good because we think that sins will finally produce happiness.  But by our wickedness, we mock God’s word and bring God’s wrath on ourselves.  By our self-centeredness, we bring harm to other people.  And we are still not satisfied.  We return to our sins again and again, convinced, “Eventually they will make me happy.  Eventually, it will be enough.  Eventually I will be content.”  This is because we are not partly sinful; we are wholly corrupted by sin and we cannot stop our sinning no matter what we do.  Repent.

     Pontius Pilate tried to appease the priests and Pharisees by scourging Jesus.  The priests and Pharisees would not be appeased.  A partial punishment would not satisfy their hatred.  Only a whole condemnation would do that.  Therefore, Pilate did not release Jesus after scourging, but handed him over to be crucified and to satisfy the ravings of wicked men.  Appeasement resulted in a grave injustice.

     This grave injustice, however, was by God’s design.  For, it was God’s design to rescue sinners from their total depravity and from the condemnation that sinners deserve.  St. John wrote, “(Jesus Christ) is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).  The word “propitiation” refers to a sacrifice which diverts the wrath of God from the guilty one to the substitute.  The one who is slain suffers the wrath of God.  Jesus is the propitiation for our sins—a whole burnt offering for us.  When a whole burnt offering is made, nothing is spared.  It is wholly consumed.  This is what Jesus Christ has done for us.  He took upon himself the wrath of God for our sins—from our angry rants to snide remarks huffed under our breath.  Jesus made himself the focus of God’s judgment for every time we wanted to be the focus of everyone’s attention.  He was wholly consumed in the fiery wrath of God at the cross. 

     Jesus was totally devoted to the salvation of all.  “(Jesus Christ) is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).  Jesus suffered and died for all sinners—a total sacrifice for the totality of mankind.  Jesus did not pick and choose the people for whom he died.  You don’t have to wonder if his death was for you.  He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  If you are in the world, then Jesus saves you.  He does not save a part; he saves all.

     The blood that Jesus shed is not a partial payment for your sins, either.  It is the whole payment for all sins of all time.  For “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).  Therefore, you do not need to fret that there is any contribution you still need to make.  You are not saved by faith in Jesus and something you still have to add.  It is not by faith in Jesus and your sincere devotion.  Our devotion is not always so sincere.  It is not by faith in Jesus and your willing obedience.  We don’t always obey, and when we do it is not always so willing.  It is not by faith in Jesus and some sacrifice that you have to make.  If you were to add some sacrifice on your part, your part would still be corrupted by sin.  God could not accept it.

     There is no part to add to Jesus’ whole payment, and what glorious news that is!  Since Jesus has made the full payment by his sacrificial death, your account is completely settled.  Your sins are fully pardoned.  “The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).  Therefore, you are not teetering in and out of the kingdom of God.  You have been wholly cleansed.  You are completely pure before God.  Your salvation is certain.

     Jesus has made you completely his through your baptism.  He transforms your heart and your mind to follow his word and to live in accordance with it.  He has converted you so that you do not split your devotion between good and evil, truth and lies.  Now your desire is for sincere devotion, willing obedience, and perfect faith.  And even though you and I don’t live up to our desires, the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us of that, too.  For our confidence and our comfort are not in how devoted we are to Jesus; our confidence and our comfort are that he is wholly devoted to us.

     Pilate’s assessment of Jesus was true: “Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him” (Luke 23:15).  But the greater truth is what saves us: Jesus’ death has done everything to gain us eternal life.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.