SermonStudio

This pericope constitutes the third of the four servant songs
in Isaiah. Yehweh's servant hears his voice and is therefore
fortified with determination to suffer mental agony in terms of
ridicule, false accusations, humiliation and shame. He suffers
confidently because he believes Yahweh will vindicate, help and
pronounce him innocent.

Lesson 2: Philippians 2:5-11 (C, E, L); Philippians 2:6-11 (RC)
Paul is pleading for unity in the Philippian congregation. He
uses Jesus as an example of humility. In this pericope, Paul
shows the dual reality of the humanity and divinity of Jesus. His
deity is indicated in the words "in the form of God" and
"equality with God." His humanity is expressed in the phrases,
"emptied himself," "the likeness of men," "in human form,"
"obedient unto death." This humility, obedience and self-
renunciation led to Christ's exaltation by God who gave him a
name above all names -- "Lord." It is God's will that every
tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

Gospel: Mark 15:1-39 (C, E, L); Mark 14:1--15:47 (RC)
The short from of today's Gospel consists of 39 verses of
chapter 15. It is Mark's account and interpretation of Jesus'
physical end. Jesus is brought to trial before Pilate; his
behavior is characterized by silence. Pilate offers to release
Jesus in place of a notorious criminal, Barabbas, but the people
choose Barabbas. Roman soldiers have fun scourging and mocking
Jesus as a king. When Jesus falls under the weight of the cross,
Simon of Cyrene is compelled to carry it. Two others were
crucified with him. While on the cross, Jesus' enemies hounded
him with shouts of derision. After crying out, "My God, why?"
Jesus dies. In response, the veil of the temple was split and a
Roman soldier confessed that Jesus was the Son of God.

Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 31:1-5, 9-16 (L); Psalm 31:9-16 (C) -- "Be gracious to
me, O Lord, for I am in distress." (v. 9)
Psalm 22:1-21 (E)

Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty God, you sent your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to
take our flesh upon him and to suffer death on the cross. Grant
that we may share in his obedience to your will and in the
glorious victory of his resurrection."

Hymn Of The Day
"A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth"

Theme Of The Day: Behold Your King!
Gospel -- Your king is crucified.
Lesson 1 -- Your king suffers shame.
Lesson 2 -- Your king humbly serves.
According to the lectionary, this is a joint Sunday: Passion
and Palm with Palm Sunday taking a minor role. There is a
contrast of moods: the triumph of Palm and the tragedy of
Passion. The lections and propers focus upon the Passion, but the
theme, "behold your king," bridges the two emphases. In the
Gospel Jesus dies as a king; in Lesson 2 he is exalted as a king;
in Lesson 1 the servant is a son or king of Yahweh. To have a
king suffer and die makes the story more tragic than ever. In
Lesson 1 we have a picture of the humiliated servant suffering
mental abuse. In Lesson 2 Jesus humbles himself to the point of
death on a cross. The Gospel tells us of the crucifixion. The
Prayer picks up the theme of suffering; "to suffer death on the
cross." The Psalm emphasizes the one who in distress cries for
deliverance from suffering. The Hymn reminds us of the Lamb who
was sacrificed for the sin of the world.

THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel: Mark 15:1-39
1. King (v. 2). The central issue in the trial, passion and
death of Jesus was the matter of kingship. He was accused of
making himself a king. This claim was the subject of Pilate's
interview with Jesus. His enemies repudiated Jesus as king, for
they claimed to have no king but Caesar. Using the idea of a
king, the soldiers had fun dressing up Jesus as a king. While on
the cross, his enemies used the king idea as the basis for
mockery. The superscription on the cross identified him as king.
But what a king! He was a king without a crown, throne and
scepter; he had no courtiers, no army, nor navy. All he had was a
kingdom of truth and love.
2. No answer (v. 4). In the trials with Caiaphas, Herod and
Pilate, a distinctive feature was the silence of Jesus. He
refused to defend himself, to deny charges, or to expose his
enemies. Why did he give "no answer?" An answer would do no good
because his enemies had made up their minds that he was guilty of
death. Moreover, they were not open to truth or to change. Jesus'
silence indicated he was willing to die for the sins of the
world.
3. Envy (v. 10). Pilate was convinced that Jesus was innocent
of the charges. He realized that Jesus was brought to trial
because of the religious leaders. Well might they envy one who
could heal the sick, raise the dead, still the storms and
captivate the people. If Pilate knew this, he had reason to
release him. Pilate was a person who knew what was right, but
lacked the courage to act on it.
4. Compelled (v. 21). Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry
Jesus' cross to Calvary. A cross may be carried voluntarily, but
most crosses are thrust upon us. If it is our own cross, we may
choose to carry it. But, it is another matter if the cross
belongs to another person. Life often thrusts a cross on us -- it
is unavoidable and inevitable. Even though the cross is
compulsory, we gain from carrying it. Simon must have become a
disciple, for the early church identified him as the father of
Alexander and Rufus, men known by the church.
5. Torn (v. 38) When Jesus died, the curtain between the Holy
of Holies and the Holy Place was torn from top to bottom. The
Holy of Holies was the place where God was identified with the
Ark of the Covenant. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of
Holies once a year. The torn curtain indicated that the crucified
Christ broke down the partition between God and man.
6. Son of God (v. 39). It took a hard man of war and a Gentile
to see in the crucified one that Jesus was the Son of God. This
is a confession that Jesus is divine and the Messiah. The
conviction came as a conclusion to his experience at the cross.
He saw and heard a man who acted God-like. His conclusion that
seemed to explain him was that Jesus was the

Son of God. So, it must always be -- the truth that Jesus is
God's Son is not an a prior thesis but a conclusion that is
inescapable after experiencing the cross.

Lesson 1: Isaiah 50:4-9a
1. Disgrace. The suffering of the Messiah was not only
physical but mental and emotional. This may be a worse form of
hurt -- hurt feelings. The servant as a faithful follower of God
endures shameful treatment. His enemies pull out his beard and
spit in his face. Jesus endured this form of suffering: the
soldiers dressed him up as a king, the superscription above his
head, crucified between two criminals, exposed naked before a
crowd, taunted and mocked: "If you are the Son of God ..."
2. Confidence. The servant is successful in taking the
suffering because of his confidence in God's presence and help.
God was near and ready to help. Though God allows suffering, he
sustains the sufferer who suffers for his sake. When Jesus cried,
"My God, why?" we sense the trauma and tragedy of God's apparent
withdrawal.

Lesson 2: Philippians 2:5-11
1. Equality (v. 6). Paul claims that Jesus before the
incarnation was on an equality with God -- "very God of very
God," as the Creed says. If he were equal with God, there was no
need for Jesus to grasp any honor, authority or power. This is a
confession of the deity of Jesus.
2. Even (v. 8). Jesus was obedient to death on a cross. This
God-man comes as a human to die for us. It is bad enough to die,
but there is something worse -- "even." It was not only death but
even death on a cross. This was the most horrible and humiliating
form of death ever devised. It was so cruel that it was reserved
only for the worst non-Roman criminals. Jesus went to the depth
of humiliation and showed his matchless love by dying on a cross.
3. The name (v. 9). As a result of this horrible death, God
honors Jesus with not a name but with "the name." In Biblical
thinking a name denoted the nature and character of the person.
The name given to Jesus was "Lord" which every tongue is to
confess and before which every knee is to bow.

PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
A Preaching Problem
The problem of preaching on this Passion Sunday is to get time
to preach! It is probably the busiest Sunday of the year, and the
sermon may be minimized and possibly excluded. This would be
tragic because the day is important by centering in the passion
of Christ. For many, it may be the only opportunity to hear a
sermon on the cross.
The day is crowded: 1. the confirmation of a youth group; 2.
the blessing and distribution of palms; 3. the longest gospel
lesson of the year; 4. if Passion Sunday falls on the first
Sunday of the month, holy communion may be celebrated; and 5. a
class of adult new members may be received including baptism and
confirmation.
The sermon may suffer as a result of this crowded service. The
preacher must jealously maintain that the importance of the day
and subject demands at least 20 minutes for the sermon. How can
this be done within an hour? Some possibilities: 1. begin the
service 15 minutes earlier to enable the service to end at noon;
2. postpone confirmation to Pentecost Sunday; and 3. delay infant
baptism until a later Sunday after Easter.

THREE LESSONS
Never A King Like This One!
Need: Jesus does not correspond to the popular picture of a
king; one arrayed in royal robes, holding a scepter of absolute
power with an army, navy and air force; one having the

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costliest jewels and furnishings, and being the richest person in
the realm. Here in Jesus is a king who is different. On this
Passion Sunday, why do we refer to Jesus as a king? Did not
Pilate ask, "Are you the king of the Jews?" The soldiers saluted
him, "Hail, king of the Jews!" The inscription on the cross was
"The king of the Jews." The priests cried, "Let the Christ, the
king of Israel, come down from the cross." This king has a
different authority, power and wealth. He is the kind of king you
can love, worship and obey. On this Passion Sunday we hear Pilate
asking us, "Shall I crucify your king?"
Outline: Though Jesus is king of kings --
a. He suffers humiliation at the hands of his enemies --
Lesson 1.
b. He humbles himself to suffer as a slave -- Lesson 2.
c. He suffers death on the cross -- Gospel.

Gospel: Mark 15:1-39 (Short form)
1. When triumph and tragedy kiss each other. Mark 11:1-10,
15:1-39
Need: Passion-Palm Sunday consists of mixed emotions. One does
not know whether to laugh or cry, celebrate or mourn. Palm Sunday
seems to be triumph for Jesus and Passion Sunday is one of agony,
suffering and death. Within a week this was Jesus' expeience and
we need to re-live it with him.
Outline: How triumph turns to tragedy --
a. Acceptance to rejection by the people -- 11:9; 15:14.
b. Victory to defeat -- 11:7-10; 15:33-38.
c. Joy to sorrow -- 11:9-10; 15:37.
d. Parade to a death march -- 11:7-9; 15:20.
2. God's plus sign. 15:1-39
Need: When we use the Greek form of the cross, it is a plus
sign. The arms of the cross are of equal length. This is
significant in understanding the cross as God's yes. Often the
cross is seen only as a negative symbol associated with torture,
negation and death. This sermon is to strike a positive note
saying what benefits come from the cross.
Outline: The cross is God saying "yes" --
a. Yes, Jesus is our substitute (Barabbas) -- 15:15.
b. Yes, God and people are reconciled (rent veil) -- 15:38.
c. Yes, Jesus is God's Son (confession of centurion) --
15:39.
3. Killing a king. 5:1-39
Need: The idea of killing a king is horrible. Is that the way
to treat a king? A king deserves respect and obedience. A king is
to be served. But Jesus as king was killed by his people. The
theme of the trial was his kingship. All that happened was based
on the charge that he was king of the Jews.
Outline: The killing of Christ the King --
a. Tried as a king -- v. 2.
b. Rejected as a king -- vv. 9-13.
c. Mocked as a king -- vv. 16-20.
d. Crucified as a king -- vv. 25-32.
4. What will you do with Jesus? Mark 11:1-10; 15:1-39
Need: Pilate's question, "What then shall I do with Jesus?"
makes everyone responsible to give an answer. How we answer
depicts our faith in Jesus and determines our destiny. In the
text various answers were given and today the same answers are
possible.
Outline: What will you do with Jesus?
a. Praise him -- 11:1-10.
b. Mock him -- 15:16-20.
c. Condemn him -- 15:13.
d. Confess him -- 15:39.

Lesson 1: Isaiah 50:4-9a
1. Not why but how we suffer. 50:4-9
Need: Why suffer? is not the question, because we do not
choose to suffer unless we are paranoid or have a martyr complex.
To suffer or not to suffer is not for us to choose. Suffering is
a cross that is laid upon our shoulders. The correct question is
how we suffer when it comes as it will, if it has not already
done so, come to every one of us.
Outline: How a servant of God takes suffering --
a. Daily hears God's voice strengthening you -- v. 4.
b. Willingly accepts the suffering -- v. 5.
c. Endures suffering patiently -- v. 7.
d. Trusts in God to deliver from suffering -- v. 7.
2. The worst kind of suffering. 50:6
Need: During Passion week we are inclined to dwell exclusively
on the physical suffering of Jesus: the torture of a crown of
thorns, the scourging, the carrying of the cross to Calvary, the
nails in hands and feet and the slow physical draining until
exhaustion. There is this side to suffering as our text says, "I
gave my back to the smiters." The rest of the verse deals with a
greater suffering: shame, disgrace, humiliation -- mental,
emotional suffering of loneliness and abandonment. This non-
physical suffering was symbolized by the spear thrust in Jesus'
side from which came blood and water -- a broken heart. In this
sermon we want to point out how Jesus and we can suffer most
deeply from the slurs, gossip and verbal abuse of unkind people.
Outline: No greater suffering than this --
a. Desertion of friends -- "they all forsook him and fled."
b. Mockery -- crown of thorns, scepter, regal robes.
c. Rejection -- "crucify him."
d. Abandonment -- "Why hast thou forsaken me?"

Lesson 2: Philippians 2:5-11
1. Being in your right mind. 2:5-11
Need: "As a man thinketh, so is he." What you think determines
your attitude and your actions. The importance of thinking is
seen in bumper stickers: "Think snow," "Think sailing," etc. When
we do something senseless, we say we were not in our right minds.
Paul felt that way about members of his Philippian church -- they
were haughty and proud. This resulted in divisions. The solution
was a change of mind to one of humility as illustrated by Jesus.
"Have this mind among yourselves" -- what mind?
Outline: Marks of being in your right mind --
a. A mind of humility -- "he humbled himself" -- v. 8.
b. A mind of obedience -- "he became obedient unto death" --
v. 8.
c. A mind of consecration -- "every knee should bow ...
every tongue confess" -- vv. 10, 11.
2. Going down to go up! 2:5-11
Need: You are waiting for an elevator. The elevator arrives.
You want to go up but it is going down. You get on it and go down
before you can go up. This is what happened to Christ and what
needs to happen to us. Christ came down to earth, to humility, to
servanthood and to death where he reached the bottom. Then he
rose, ascended and was exalted to the right hand of God. A
Christian also goes with Christ down to death in the waters of
baptism and then rises and lives with Christ. To go up, one must
first go down. They who humble themselves shall be exalted.
Outline: What it means to go down to go up --
a. Going down with Christ -- vv. 5-8.
b. Going up with Christ -- vv. 9-11.