The passion and death of our Lord
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle A
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 50:4--9a (C, L); Isaiah 50:4--7 (RC)
This is one of the five servant songs in Isaiah. The servant encounters shame and derision with fortitude and faith, with the sure confidence that God is with him. The servant's ears are open to the wisdom of Yahweh and so he is able to stand against the tide and speak words of comfort to those who are afflicted.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 45:21--25 (E)
The Lord is God alone, to whom every knee shall bow and every tongue swear allegiance. He is the source of righteousness and strength.
Lesson 2: Philippians 2:5--11 (C, E, L); Philippians 2:6--11 (RC)
Paul is attempting to instill the humility of a servant in the minds of the Philippians and so he points to the example of Christ. This passage contrasts the exalted state of being in the form of God and being equal to God with the servant posture which Jesus assumed. ''He became obedient unto death, even death on a cross'' (v. 8). Because of his obedience, God has exalted him as Lord of all, to whom every knee shall bow. Paul sees this as the fulfillment of the suffering servant poem in Isaiah 45
Gospel: Matthew 26:14-27:66 (C, RC, L); Matthew (26:36--75) 27:1--54 (55--66) (E)
These extensive passages relate the multifaceted events concerning the arrest, trial, suffering and death of our Lord. Even the shortened version is far too large to preach on, especially when we consider all the other events that are packed into this day. One could, of course, merely read the Passion Story and cap it with a brief time of reflection, deleting the sermon. This is not recommended. A better course of action is to select a specific portion of the account as the basis for a short sermon. A third possibility is to highlight a theme that runs throughout the entire narrative. Let me suggest three such themes. First, there is the theme of political intrigue. The Chief Priest, the scribes and the Pharisees conspired to do away with this troublemaker, with the active cooperation of Judas Iscariot. Here we see man's attempt to manipulate events, to play God. Second, there is the theme of the helplessness of God. It is summed up in the phrase: ''He saved others, he cannot save himself'' (27:42). This theme forces us to struggle with the
mystery of human freedom. God was helpless to save the world from sin and death without sacrificing his Son. A third thematic strand running through the passion account shows Jesus not as a victim but being in control. Christ willingly gave his life for the world. God employs even the forces of evil and human weakness to bring about the salvation of the world. Darkness and death are all around but humankind, at its worst, can't stop the dawn.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 31:9--16 (C, L) - The servant of God hears rumors of intrigue from those who plot to take his life but he continues to trust in the Lord.
Psalm 22:1--21 (E) - A plea for mercy from one who is mocked and scorned; ''Save me from the mouth of the lion'' (v. 22).
Prayer Of The Day
Merciful Lord, our hearts are overwhelmed with thanksgiving for enduring the barbs of sinful and foolish humans and for going all the way to the cross in order to save us. May our lives be filled with faith and love and so prove that your suffering sacrifice for us was not in vain. In the name of Christ. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Note: The remainder of this chapter will be devoted to the Gospel Lesson. Since this is Passion Sunday, as well as Palm Sunday, we will focus on the story of our Lord's passion and death. Following the most recent revision of the lectionary, Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday have been celebrated together. Formerly, Passion Sunday was celebrated on the Fifth Sunday In Lent. The suggestion has been that our Lord's Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem be observed right at the beginning of the service, with the Palm Sunday Gospel read from the back of the church, just prior to the procession. Some congregations have confirmation, reception of new members, and other events. On top of that, even the shortened version of the gospel is quite lengthy. Very little time is left for the sermon. The preacher is confronted with the choice of giving an overview of the Lord's passion or focusing in on a single segment of that story.
Text: Matthew 27:11--14
The Silence of God. Pontius Pilate was frustrated with the silence of Jesus. He asks a simple question: ''Are you the king of the Jews?'' Yet, the response is an ambiguous: ''You have said so.'' But when he was confronted by the Jewish elders, he uttered not a word. The governor couldn't comprehend Jesus' reticence to defend himself. The Lord lets each person draw his or her own conclusions about himself; otherwise, there would be no need of faith. There are many times in our lives when God seems mute, when we cry out for God to make himself known. The probable reason that the Lord didn't speak out is that no one was listening, no one really wanted to hear the truth. It took the action of the cross to catch the ear of a world deafened by sin.
Text: Matthew 27:15--26
Which Jesus do you want? It's interesting that Pilate was giving the people the choice between two Jesuses. There is Jesus Barabbas and Jesus Christ. The name Barabbas is Hebrew for ''Son of the father.'' Thus, there were two Jesuses, one who was called the son of the father and the other who was called the Son of God, the Father. These were two very different Jesuses. The one was a man of violence, who believed in taking the kingdom by storm. The other, the Christ, was a man of peace, who died on a cruel cross to reconcile the world to God. The one preached judgment and retribution on one's enemies but the other proclaimed love and grace. Which Jesus do you want?
Text: Matthew 27:37
Titilus. On the cross the Roman government hung the titilus, the sign that contained the charge for which he was convicted: ''This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.'' The charge was false. It can be argued that Jesus never intended to be the king of the Jews, much to the disappointment of his disciples. He said, ''My kingdom is not of this world.'' His goal was to usher in the kingdom of God for all people - a non--geographic, non--temporal realm of the spirit. The king of the Jews was dead and in his place there rose one who would be the Savior of the world. On the cross that hangs in our church, can a titilus be observed that reads: ''Jesus, king of the Lutherans'' or ''Jesus, king of the Methodists''? Maybe the sign reads: ''Jesus, Savior of the upwardly mobile middle class.'' Such a Jesus deserves to die, so that the kingdom of God might be open to all.
Text: Matthew 27:39--40
''You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days ...'' The enemies of Jesus were taunting him for his weakness. Jesus had made such a claim referring not to the temple in Jerusalem but his body. His enemies did not understand that though the temple of his body was being destroyed, God would raise it up on the third day.
Text: Matthew 27:45--50
A loud shout. Jesus didn't die in the usual way. That is, most people die with a groan, a whimper, a sigh or a rattle. There is not energy to cry out. Jesus died with a loud shout on his lips. First, there was the cry of dereliction, the shout of despair: ''My God, my God, why have you forsaken me'' (v. 46). Then, it says that Jesus cried again with a loud shout and breathed his last. Matthew emphasizes the sense of abandonment our Lord felt on the cross. Luke adds a new dimension. He gives content to that last shout of our Lord. Luke 23:46 reports that Jesus cried at the last: ''Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.'' It is a shout of victory. The feeling of abandonment yields to trust; he is convinced that the Father would lead him through the darkness into the light.
Text: Matthew 27:51--53
Open temple, open tomb. The crucifixion was an earth--shaking event that broke the shackles of sin and death. The curtain in the temple was torn asunder, from top to bottom, symbolizing that access to God was now open to all who trusted Jesus. In the temple ritual, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and that once a year. Through Jesus, our High Priest, we can all stand in the presence of God. The earthquake associated with the crucifixion also opened some of the tombs. After the resurrection, some of them came out of their tombs and entered the holy city. The dead were placed in tombs to keep them away from the living. Now, through Christ, the dead are free to begin a new life. Via Jesus' body and blood, our temple, we are able to stand in the holy presence of the Almighty. Even death cannot separate us from the love of God; our graves now have an open door.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Gospel: Matthew 26:1-27:66
Sermon Title: Christ Confronts The Enemy
Sermon Angle: The enemies that our Lord confronted were many. There was the religious establishment who rejected and feared the Christ. There was the treachery of Judas and the ill--formed faith resident in the other disciples. Let us not forget the devious power of the Evil One. Underlying all these enemies is our mortal foe, sin, which gives dominion to our ultimate enemy, death. Jesus met all these enemies and triumphed over them all.
Outline:
1. Jesus confronts the enemy without - the religious establishment
2. Jesus confronts the enemy within - the faithlessness of the disciples
3. Jesus confronts the enemy of our soul - sin and selfishness
4. Jesus confronts our ultimate enemy - death
5. His victory is ours through faith
Sermon Title: The Crucifixion In 3--D
Sermon Angle: When we examine the passion narrative we can clearly see three dimensions. In the first dimension we see the deviousness of humankind. On this level we can see that our Lord's death was caused by the schemes of blind, evil and power hungry humans. Through political intrigue they sought to do away with a troublemaker, in an effort to preserve their way of life. In a second dimension, we are made aware of the weakness of God. In the garden Jesus passionately sought another way but there was no way other than the cross. In the third and deepest dimension, we see that the cross is both the wisdom and strength of God. God takes the devious scheming of humankind and transforms them into a means of saving the world. Those who behold the crucified from the up close and personal perspective are compelled to confess with the centurion, ''Surely this man was (is) God's Son!'' (Matthew 27:54).
Sermon Title: Grief Work
Sermon Text: Matthew 26:36--46
Sermon Angle: Most Christians underestimate the agony of our Lord's grief because he is the Son of God. As the cross cast its shadow over him, he trembled at the great price he was about to pay. Like a cornered cat, he frantically searched to see if there were any way of escape. He needed someone to stand beside him, someone to whom he could pour out his soul. That's what grief work is all about; being there for the one who is entering the dark night of the soul. We cannot take away the grief of another but we can make it bearable by sharing it. By listening, we demonstrate that we care. That is what our Lord needed. That's what we all need when we enter the valley of the shadow of death.
Sermon Title: Which Jesus Do You Want?
Sermon Text: Matthew 27:15--26
Sermon Angle: Most people meet death with a whimper or a sigh. Jesus met death with a shout. Jesus didn't meet the grim reaper with resignation but with confrontation. He confronted the painful loneliness of death head on and ended his life with a shout. Luke tells us the content of that outburst; it was a shout of faith triumphant. We too can meet death with the shout: Thanks be to God who has given me the victory through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Outline:
1. Most of us recoil at the prospect of death
- even Jesus felt the sting of death
2. We cannot choose when we will die but only how we will die
- we can meet death with fear
- we can meet death with resignation
- we can meet death with faith
3. Christ met death with a shout of victory and so can we.
God shows his love for us in that he was willing to confront death head--on in the person of his Son. In so doing, God released the faithful from bondage to death. In the movie, The Deer Hunter, Michael attempts to free his friend Nick from the power of death. They were both subject to combat in Vietnam but Nick was forced to play Russian roulette by his captors. After his release, Nick remains in Saigon where he lives a life of drugged dissipation. Later, Michael
returns to seek out his friend and finds him in a back room of a Saigon bar, playing Russian roulette for the entertainment of a wacky group of gamblers. Michael tries to dissuade his friend from this perilous pastime but Nick is too far into his psychotic stupor to listen. In desperation, Michael decides that the only way to shock Nick into his senses is to also play this senseless game. From a human standpoint, Michael's supreme gesture is the height of foolishness. Yet, it is the ultimate embodiment of incarnational love that is willing to take up its cross for the sake of those in bondage to sin and death.
Death possesses a peculiar power to control our lives. When I was an adolescent, I had the neurotic fear that I might die a premature death if I did something wrong. I have overcome or, at least, controlled this fear by confronting it. The other day I called on a man who was clearly at the very end of his life. He was dying of the same disease that claimed my father less than three months earlier. A niece was sitting there. She admitted the seriousness of the situation. Yet, when we were talking to him (he couldn't speak) she was playing the denial game. ''Uncle Evert, we've got to get you better because Hal (her husband) needs surgery, and he can't have it until you're home.'' Evert died the next morning and this niece called the church office. ''Hi, Pastor. Well, Uncle Evert (long pause) ... slipped away this morning.'' She couldn't even say the word death. Christ has freed us from the fear of death and the power of our last enemy, so that we can stare death in the face and claim our Lord's victory.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 50:4--9a (C, L); Isaiah 50:4--7 (RC)
This is one of the five servant songs in Isaiah. The servant encounters shame and derision with fortitude and faith, with the sure confidence that God is with him. The servant's ears are open to the wisdom of Yahweh and so he is able to stand against the tide and speak words of comfort to those who are afflicted.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 45:21--25 (E)
The Lord is God alone, to whom every knee shall bow and every tongue swear allegiance. He is the source of righteousness and strength.
Lesson 2: Philippians 2:5--11 (C, E, L); Philippians 2:6--11 (RC)
Paul is attempting to instill the humility of a servant in the minds of the Philippians and so he points to the example of Christ. This passage contrasts the exalted state of being in the form of God and being equal to God with the servant posture which Jesus assumed. ''He became obedient unto death, even death on a cross'' (v. 8). Because of his obedience, God has exalted him as Lord of all, to whom every knee shall bow. Paul sees this as the fulfillment of the suffering servant poem in Isaiah 45
Gospel: Matthew 26:14-27:66 (C, RC, L); Matthew (26:36--75) 27:1--54 (55--66) (E)
These extensive passages relate the multifaceted events concerning the arrest, trial, suffering and death of our Lord. Even the shortened version is far too large to preach on, especially when we consider all the other events that are packed into this day. One could, of course, merely read the Passion Story and cap it with a brief time of reflection, deleting the sermon. This is not recommended. A better course of action is to select a specific portion of the account as the basis for a short sermon. A third possibility is to highlight a theme that runs throughout the entire narrative. Let me suggest three such themes. First, there is the theme of political intrigue. The Chief Priest, the scribes and the Pharisees conspired to do away with this troublemaker, with the active cooperation of Judas Iscariot. Here we see man's attempt to manipulate events, to play God. Second, there is the theme of the helplessness of God. It is summed up in the phrase: ''He saved others, he cannot save himself'' (27:42). This theme forces us to struggle with the
mystery of human freedom. God was helpless to save the world from sin and death without sacrificing his Son. A third thematic strand running through the passion account shows Jesus not as a victim but being in control. Christ willingly gave his life for the world. God employs even the forces of evil and human weakness to bring about the salvation of the world. Darkness and death are all around but humankind, at its worst, can't stop the dawn.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 31:9--16 (C, L) - The servant of God hears rumors of intrigue from those who plot to take his life but he continues to trust in the Lord.
Psalm 22:1--21 (E) - A plea for mercy from one who is mocked and scorned; ''Save me from the mouth of the lion'' (v. 22).
Prayer Of The Day
Merciful Lord, our hearts are overwhelmed with thanksgiving for enduring the barbs of sinful and foolish humans and for going all the way to the cross in order to save us. May our lives be filled with faith and love and so prove that your suffering sacrifice for us was not in vain. In the name of Christ. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Note: The remainder of this chapter will be devoted to the Gospel Lesson. Since this is Passion Sunday, as well as Palm Sunday, we will focus on the story of our Lord's passion and death. Following the most recent revision of the lectionary, Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday have been celebrated together. Formerly, Passion Sunday was celebrated on the Fifth Sunday In Lent. The suggestion has been that our Lord's Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem be observed right at the beginning of the service, with the Palm Sunday Gospel read from the back of the church, just prior to the procession. Some congregations have confirmation, reception of new members, and other events. On top of that, even the shortened version of the gospel is quite lengthy. Very little time is left for the sermon. The preacher is confronted with the choice of giving an overview of the Lord's passion or focusing in on a single segment of that story.
Text: Matthew 27:11--14
The Silence of God. Pontius Pilate was frustrated with the silence of Jesus. He asks a simple question: ''Are you the king of the Jews?'' Yet, the response is an ambiguous: ''You have said so.'' But when he was confronted by the Jewish elders, he uttered not a word. The governor couldn't comprehend Jesus' reticence to defend himself. The Lord lets each person draw his or her own conclusions about himself; otherwise, there would be no need of faith. There are many times in our lives when God seems mute, when we cry out for God to make himself known. The probable reason that the Lord didn't speak out is that no one was listening, no one really wanted to hear the truth. It took the action of the cross to catch the ear of a world deafened by sin.
Text: Matthew 27:15--26
Which Jesus do you want? It's interesting that Pilate was giving the people the choice between two Jesuses. There is Jesus Barabbas and Jesus Christ. The name Barabbas is Hebrew for ''Son of the father.'' Thus, there were two Jesuses, one who was called the son of the father and the other who was called the Son of God, the Father. These were two very different Jesuses. The one was a man of violence, who believed in taking the kingdom by storm. The other, the Christ, was a man of peace, who died on a cruel cross to reconcile the world to God. The one preached judgment and retribution on one's enemies but the other proclaimed love and grace. Which Jesus do you want?
Text: Matthew 27:37
Titilus. On the cross the Roman government hung the titilus, the sign that contained the charge for which he was convicted: ''This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.'' The charge was false. It can be argued that Jesus never intended to be the king of the Jews, much to the disappointment of his disciples. He said, ''My kingdom is not of this world.'' His goal was to usher in the kingdom of God for all people - a non--geographic, non--temporal realm of the spirit. The king of the Jews was dead and in his place there rose one who would be the Savior of the world. On the cross that hangs in our church, can a titilus be observed that reads: ''Jesus, king of the Lutherans'' or ''Jesus, king of the Methodists''? Maybe the sign reads: ''Jesus, Savior of the upwardly mobile middle class.'' Such a Jesus deserves to die, so that the kingdom of God might be open to all.
Text: Matthew 27:39--40
''You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days ...'' The enemies of Jesus were taunting him for his weakness. Jesus had made such a claim referring not to the temple in Jerusalem but his body. His enemies did not understand that though the temple of his body was being destroyed, God would raise it up on the third day.
Text: Matthew 27:45--50
A loud shout. Jesus didn't die in the usual way. That is, most people die with a groan, a whimper, a sigh or a rattle. There is not energy to cry out. Jesus died with a loud shout on his lips. First, there was the cry of dereliction, the shout of despair: ''My God, my God, why have you forsaken me'' (v. 46). Then, it says that Jesus cried again with a loud shout and breathed his last. Matthew emphasizes the sense of abandonment our Lord felt on the cross. Luke adds a new dimension. He gives content to that last shout of our Lord. Luke 23:46 reports that Jesus cried at the last: ''Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.'' It is a shout of victory. The feeling of abandonment yields to trust; he is convinced that the Father would lead him through the darkness into the light.
Text: Matthew 27:51--53
Open temple, open tomb. The crucifixion was an earth--shaking event that broke the shackles of sin and death. The curtain in the temple was torn asunder, from top to bottom, symbolizing that access to God was now open to all who trusted Jesus. In the temple ritual, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and that once a year. Through Jesus, our High Priest, we can all stand in the presence of God. The earthquake associated with the crucifixion also opened some of the tombs. After the resurrection, some of them came out of their tombs and entered the holy city. The dead were placed in tombs to keep them away from the living. Now, through Christ, the dead are free to begin a new life. Via Jesus' body and blood, our temple, we are able to stand in the holy presence of the Almighty. Even death cannot separate us from the love of God; our graves now have an open door.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Gospel: Matthew 26:1-27:66
Sermon Title: Christ Confronts The Enemy
Sermon Angle: The enemies that our Lord confronted were many. There was the religious establishment who rejected and feared the Christ. There was the treachery of Judas and the ill--formed faith resident in the other disciples. Let us not forget the devious power of the Evil One. Underlying all these enemies is our mortal foe, sin, which gives dominion to our ultimate enemy, death. Jesus met all these enemies and triumphed over them all.
Outline:
1. Jesus confronts the enemy without - the religious establishment
2. Jesus confronts the enemy within - the faithlessness of the disciples
3. Jesus confronts the enemy of our soul - sin and selfishness
4. Jesus confronts our ultimate enemy - death
5. His victory is ours through faith
Sermon Title: The Crucifixion In 3--D
Sermon Angle: When we examine the passion narrative we can clearly see three dimensions. In the first dimension we see the deviousness of humankind. On this level we can see that our Lord's death was caused by the schemes of blind, evil and power hungry humans. Through political intrigue they sought to do away with a troublemaker, in an effort to preserve their way of life. In a second dimension, we are made aware of the weakness of God. In the garden Jesus passionately sought another way but there was no way other than the cross. In the third and deepest dimension, we see that the cross is both the wisdom and strength of God. God takes the devious scheming of humankind and transforms them into a means of saving the world. Those who behold the crucified from the up close and personal perspective are compelled to confess with the centurion, ''Surely this man was (is) God's Son!'' (Matthew 27:54).
Sermon Title: Grief Work
Sermon Text: Matthew 26:36--46
Sermon Angle: Most Christians underestimate the agony of our Lord's grief because he is the Son of God. As the cross cast its shadow over him, he trembled at the great price he was about to pay. Like a cornered cat, he frantically searched to see if there were any way of escape. He needed someone to stand beside him, someone to whom he could pour out his soul. That's what grief work is all about; being there for the one who is entering the dark night of the soul. We cannot take away the grief of another but we can make it bearable by sharing it. By listening, we demonstrate that we care. That is what our Lord needed. That's what we all need when we enter the valley of the shadow of death.
Sermon Title: Which Jesus Do You Want?
Sermon Text: Matthew 27:15--26
Sermon Angle: Most people meet death with a whimper or a sigh. Jesus met death with a shout. Jesus didn't meet the grim reaper with resignation but with confrontation. He confronted the painful loneliness of death head on and ended his life with a shout. Luke tells us the content of that outburst; it was a shout of faith triumphant. We too can meet death with the shout: Thanks be to God who has given me the victory through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Outline:
1. Most of us recoil at the prospect of death
- even Jesus felt the sting of death
2. We cannot choose when we will die but only how we will die
- we can meet death with fear
- we can meet death with resignation
- we can meet death with faith
3. Christ met death with a shout of victory and so can we.
God shows his love for us in that he was willing to confront death head--on in the person of his Son. In so doing, God released the faithful from bondage to death. In the movie, The Deer Hunter, Michael attempts to free his friend Nick from the power of death. They were both subject to combat in Vietnam but Nick was forced to play Russian roulette by his captors. After his release, Nick remains in Saigon where he lives a life of drugged dissipation. Later, Michael
returns to seek out his friend and finds him in a back room of a Saigon bar, playing Russian roulette for the entertainment of a wacky group of gamblers. Michael tries to dissuade his friend from this perilous pastime but Nick is too far into his psychotic stupor to listen. In desperation, Michael decides that the only way to shock Nick into his senses is to also play this senseless game. From a human standpoint, Michael's supreme gesture is the height of foolishness. Yet, it is the ultimate embodiment of incarnational love that is willing to take up its cross for the sake of those in bondage to sin and death.
Death possesses a peculiar power to control our lives. When I was an adolescent, I had the neurotic fear that I might die a premature death if I did something wrong. I have overcome or, at least, controlled this fear by confronting it. The other day I called on a man who was clearly at the very end of his life. He was dying of the same disease that claimed my father less than three months earlier. A niece was sitting there. She admitted the seriousness of the situation. Yet, when we were talking to him (he couldn't speak) she was playing the denial game. ''Uncle Evert, we've got to get you better because Hal (her husband) needs surgery, and he can't have it until you're home.'' Evert died the next morning and this niece called the church office. ''Hi, Pastor. Well, Uncle Evert (long pause) ... slipped away this morning.'' She couldn't even say the word death. Christ has freed us from the fear of death and the power of our last enemy, so that we can stare death in the face and claim our Lord's victory.
