Sermon for the Sunday of the Passion A+D 2010

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

From palms... to passion; from exuberant joy... to somber grief; from shouts of "hosanna" (John 12:13)... to calls to "crucify him" (Luke 23:20). This Sunday has everything. It begins with the waving of palm branches in procession, it ends with the cross. As a result, over the years, this Sunday has had a number of different names. In some times and places it has been called Palm Sunday... in other times, Passion Sunday. We Lutherans use both: because, well... you see... you really can't have one without the other. Take the palms, for example. Palms are part of our Lord's Passion, yes, but they are not the only thing. Palms without the cross are like leaves and branches without the tree. The world isn't saved from sin by a palm tree but by the tree of the cross, and the passion of our Lord who hung on it.

The Passion of Christ. From the Latin "passus," meaning 'to suffer,' as in the Apostles' Creed: "passus, mortus, et sepultus est." He suffered, died, and was buried. Out of His passion to save the world from sin and death, our Lord endured His passion.

In any case, that is our theme for today—  the dramatic move from Palms to Passion on this Palm Sunday and Sunday of the Passion.

Time permits but a few highlights. We will hear these things in greater depth and detail during the course of this week. On Thursday, we will rejoice in the upper room and the Supper of Jesus' body and blood. On Friday, the cross and the Crucified One. On Saturday, His rest in the tomb and our Baptism into His death. And on Sunday, the open, empty tomb and the glory of Jesus' resurrection. For today, just a few things.

It starts out as you heard in St. John with Jesus being welcomed into Jerusalem as a king, riding a donkey in peace, with palm branches waving. "Hosanna!" the cry goes up. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna" — "save us," the traditional way to greet a victorious king coming home from battle. But this King is headed toward His battle, into holy war with sin, death, and devil.

Half a week later it's the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The time is Passover. The setting is a borrowed, upper room. The Passover lamb is killed, bled to death at the temple. Roasted in the fire until well done. The four cups of wine are filled. The table is set with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. With sour bitterness on their tongues, the disciples hear Jesus speak of His betrayal. One of His own will do it. He knows this — He even knows which one it will be. And yet Jesus allows that betrayal... for us. This is His passion to save.

It's at that same time that Jesus takes the unleavened bread, the Bread of Affliction, gives thanks, breaks it into pieces, and gives a piece to each of the disciples. "This is my body, given for you" (Luke 22:19) He takes the third cup after the meal, gives thanks, and gives it to each of them. His cup is theirs to drink. "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20). His body and His blood, soon to be offered on the altar of the cross, here He gives as food and drink. He is the Bread of Life, the Wine of heaven. He gives the very same Body and Blood to you here today - for your forgiveness, life, and salvation. This is His passion to save.

They head to the place called Gethsemane. He is deeply distressed and troubled. The sin of the world weighs heavy on Him. It drives Him to the ground in prayer. "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.  Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). He prays for us all, for everyone who has cried out in the silence in an hour of despair and death, and heard nothing return from the silence. He prays, "Thy will be done" (Matt. 6:10) as He taught His disciples. And the will of His Father is that He should drink the bitter cup and die for the world. This is His passion to save.

He is betrayed with a kiss, a sign of friendship, and arrested like a criminal. They come with "swords and clubs" (Luke 22:52) against this gentle Shepherd, who healed their sick and brought good news of the kingdom. For this, you see, is the hour of darkness (Luke 22:53). It is Satan's hour... not ever the hour that Jesus longed for... not ever the hour that Jesus wanted... but still the hour Jesus willingly underwent, for this is His passion to save.

Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin, the religious high court. The priests, elders, and teacher of the Torah examine Him... to accuse Him: "if you are the Christ, tells us" (Luke 22:67). Every religion must ask this question, and hear the answer. Who is this Jesus? Is He the Messiah, the Son of God? "You say that I am" (Luke 22:70), He says... alluding to the great Old Testament name of God, Yahweh, the great "I Am Who I Am" (Exod. 3:14) adding to that the promise that "from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God" (Luke 22:69). Really?!? That's what He chooses to say? He's either a liar, a lunatic, or He is who He says He is. There is no other option. You can't say, "He's a great prophet, a great teacher, a great example, a great anything" unless you also say that He is "the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matt. 26:63).

At that, Religion renders its verdict. In their eyes, Jesus has condemned Himself by speaking blasphemy. God in the flesh is a blasphemy to man's religion, which wants to keep God nicely in a box on a shelf somewhere in heaven. God in heaven is safe; God dwelling in the flesh among us is a threat to our religions, our attempts to be gods in place of God. Jesus endures it all silently. He offers to apologetic, no protest. It has to happen this way. His rejection is the world's salvation. This is Jesus' passion to save.

And so He's brought before Pilate, the Roman governor, the representative of Caesar. He taught His disciples to render unto Caesar, now Caesar will render unto Him (Mark 12:17). To the heavy handed world of Politics, Jesus is a threat to the peace, a usurper to the throne, a troublemaker, a subversive. King of kings and Lord of lords, yet His kingdom is not of this world. Pilate shakes with fear at the glimpse of an authority greater than His own. One day every knee will bow to this King. But not this day. For Christ is silent and makes no defense (Luke 23:9).

Pilate tries to cut a compromise. Political correctness isn't new to our day. He offers the people a way out, a choice - Barabbas the murderer... Barabbas the terrorist... or Jesus the messiah. Who would want the likes of Barabbas loose on the streets? But Barabbas goes free, and Jesus goes to His death. The guilty one gets off, the Innocent One dies. He becomes our sin, we His righteousness. This too is His passion to save.

And so the die is cast. The Creator of the World stands condemned by the world and is led away by soldiers through the city. Through the city to a place called "the Skull" Led through the city to a place called "the Skull" to hang an innocent man among thieves. Jesus... Jesus the Christ, Jesus the King, Jesus the Son of God. He is all these, and more, hanging there in the darkness, forsaken by His Father, that forgiveness might be won. This is His passion to save.

Dear friends in Christ, faith (Christian faith) is a passion for the Passion of Jesus. The bad news is that you and I have no credential to wave before the Lord. No perfect work that makes us pleasing to God. We cannot  —we must not— try to justify ourselves. That's the bad news. The good news is you and I already have all that you need to stand before God on the day of judgment: the passion of Jesus - His suffering, death, and burial. Your Baptism declares it; the Supper confirms it. He is passionate to save you.

The peace of God –which surpasses understanding– guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.