SermonStudio

When the grand hall was being built in Florence, the committee
in charge of decorations asked the most important artist in all
of Italy, Leonardo da Vinci, to submit some drawings. There
seemed to be little question that such an important hall should
bear the mark of anyone but da Vinci, but other artists also were
asked to submit drawings. One of the committee members had heard
of a new and very young artist by the name of Michelangelo, and
asked him to enter the competition. The sketches by Leonardo were
magnificent, but when the whole committee saw the work of
Michelangelo, they were so enthused that they gave him the job.
When the news of the committee's choice and the comments
concerning

Michelangelo's work reached Leonardo, the old artist went into a
decline from which he never recovered. Leonardo da Vinci spent
the remaining years of his life in sorrow and deep envy of his
young competitor.
The path of destruction left by the sin of envy is almost
beyond belief. When we count the nails driven into the flesh of
Christ, the nail of envy is found piercing the heart. The writer
of the first gospel declares that Jesus stood trial because of
the envy the priests and ruling classes felt for him. Their
jealousy was so great that they actually desired the death of
another man. It is hard to believe that one man would take the
life of another man when the work done by the accused was good
and for the benefit of all concerned.
There is a story told about an old saint who came upon two
companions while traveling between cities. As they talked he
noticed that one of the men was filled with greed, while the
other felt only envy for the other. The saint told the men as
they came to a fork in the road that he wanted to give them a
gift before leaving them. He told both that he would grant one
wish between the two of them and that whoever asked first would
have his wish granted completely and the other would receive a
double portion of the same. The greedy man knew what he wanted,
but could not stand the thought of the other man receiving twice
as much as he received. The man of envy also knew what he wanted,
but he could not stand the other man getting what he wanted all
to himself. Time passed without either of them saying a word
until the old saint reminded them that he was going to take leave
of them soon. Finally, the man of greed took the man of envy by
the throat and demanded that he make his wish known or he would
kill him. The man of envy agreed to do so and made his wish. "I
wish to be made blind in one eye only," said the man of envy, and
with that his wish was fulfilled. The greedy man received double
the wish and was made blind in both eyes.
Envy breeds destruction, and all, including the envious, must
suffer in the wake. Jesus died upon the cross and died a painful,
humiliating death. But the envious were destroyed

as well and suffered not only the inevitable defeat but also
everlasting disgrace.
We look upon the death of Jesus as something which had to
happen, part of a plan, and it was, but his death bore the sins
of man and the result of our plunder. His death happened not
because God thought it would be a good exercise for the spirit or
to see if he could take it. Death was not a pleasant occurrence
for God, but it was necessary to redeem his creation. In envy, to
spite their own salvation, they gave Jesus up to the authorities
and with imposters and false evidence they charged Jesus with
crimes uncommitted.
Can you recall your last sin of envy? Do you remember when you
tried to suffer in silence as another employee received some
praise that you deserved? Doesn't it seem wrong for your sister
to receive all of the attention from your parents? How about the
neighbor who seems to always have some new piece of furniture
when that person's spouse doesn't make as much as your spouse
does? And this sin called envy isn't limited to the old or the
mature. Not on your life! We recognize the real reason behind the
green eyes when we see your ex-friend with the ex-boyfriend that
you told to get lost. Isn't it envy that makes you so sure that
the only reason the big kid is starting is because the coach is a
good friend of his father's or is it because his father is
running for school board? Envy, envy, envy, it will destroy us
all, and, in the process, we are hammering that nail through the
innocent body of Jesus.
Most of us are like Pilate, for we underestimate the capacity
that envy has to destroy. Jesus was brought to trial out of envy,
and Pilate thought that when the mob had a choice between an evil
man like Barabbas and a good man like Jesus, they would choose to
release Jesus. The choice was logical. Here they could have a
murderer and anarchist roaming the streets, or they could have a
religious fanatic who could heal and be kind to the poor. What
kind of a choice would you and I make? The question should not
even be asked. Of course we would choose Jesus and send Barabbas
back to the dungeon.

But would we? This man who calls us hypocrites, and our
leaders vipers? The one who ate with the unclean and broke all of
the rules that we made holy and kept the community together? This
is the one who got under the skin of our young people and made
them reject all of the material things that we provide as passe
while they look hopelessly for some utopia. These are the things
that made the people shout, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him." It wasn't
the idea that he would destroy the temple or that he would take
the place of the Emperor Caesar. Envy, envy, envy.
In all of us this envy exists and its persistence drives us
mad. Relentlessly we pound the nail into the flesh of Christ and
make him die. We know that we are wrong, that our suspicions are
false, but we need to save our face. How many times have you
heard the remorseful comments that go something like this: "Maybe
he was right this time but he challenges me so many times about
things that he doesn't know anything about," or the daughter who
cried, "Of course I don't believe that my parents love my sister
any more than they love me, but then why do they come to visit so
often when they know that my sister is the only one who has
enough room to keep them?" And of course, the employee who sees
his job as just doing what he is supposed to do and minding his
own business feels envy but he really says to himself, "If he
wants to make all kinds of suggestions and help the boss that's
up to him."
We vote for Barabbas, but we really wanted Jesus to go free.
We couldn't believe our ears that others were shouting for
Barabbas, too. Then before we knew it the whole thing was too
late. They simply took Jesus away and released that murderer into
our midst. We need help. We need forgiveness. We need a new way
of life. Get rid of the envy and do away with the nail.
Some years ago a man who was well known for his painting
ability came to a museum and stood before some work of a known
contemporary. For hours he stood and observed the painting with a
critical eye. Most people expected him to be jealous and critical
of what he saw, for after all, most

people considered him to be second best and a few even credited
him with being the first among contemporary painters. People
stood about and waited for his comment as he stepped back from
one of the masterpieces. When they looked at his face they saw a
warm glow and then they read his lips as he said with a real sigh
of humility, "And to think that they say I am a painter, too."
That is the way God intended us to live with one another: giving
recognition always to the other man as a person of great worth
and not a rival to be destroyed.
Tonight as we leave, our prayer for each other is that we
shall release the envy that has plagued us today and yesterday.
We shall drop that hammer before we strike one more blow upon the
nail and we shall ask for deliverance. No envy, just love. Never
underestimate it. Pilate did, and look what it cost him. Give up
the envy and rejoice in the well-being of others. It will make a
new person out of you and it will have meant that Christ died to
forgive what you have given up.