Think of what Jesus did
Hebrews 12:1-4
Many things happened on the evening of that first Maundy Thursday. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper during the observance of the Passover meal. He washed His disciple’s feet. Judas betrayed Him. Jesus taught fellowship at the table, he talked about true greatness and servant hood, he talked of His betrayal and death, about how their grief would turn into joy. We are re-enacting the events of that evening. To make the commemoration meaningful, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, experience, albeit vicariously, what he experienced, and understand why he did what he did. What he did was a spiritual tour de force. No wonder the disciples were exhausted and fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane . Luke 22:45 records how they felt: “they were exhausted from sorrow.” Our seder meal, the Lord’s Supper, and the foot-washing must be seen in the context of God’s love and intervention in human history. Since Creation and the calling of Abraham, the creation of the people Israel, their deliverance from Egypt , the Passover meal, Ten Commandments, the covenants and promises of a Messiah through the Prophets — We see God connecting with us. We see God’s hand in Jesus’ ministry, all the way to the Cross and Easter morning. God is saying to us in Hebrews 12:2. “fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame.”
“Fix your eyes on Jesus”. He didn’t enjoy the Cross. He “endured” it, and He “despised the shame” of it. But he kept on going? Why? Did the support of His disciples encourage him? No. Was Jesus somehow displaying the strength of his mind over matter? No. Was it just the sheer tenacity of Jesus character? No. What kept Him going? Jesus did it for the joy of loving you and me, so that we may live with a perfect faith. Lets get this right — Jesus loved us. He provided for us. He gave us a model for discipleship. He kindles our faith. But it cost him.
In the Garden of Gethsemane , Jesus nearly gave up, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. (Matt.26:38-39) and when He prayed (Luke 22:44), Jesus said to His Father, “if it is possible, take this cup from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done.” And as the disciples slept when Jesus needed them the most, as Judas betrayed Him with a kiss, as Peter denied him three times, and finally as everybody ran away and deserted Him- - - Jesus could have turned His back and walked away too. Think of all the “exits” Jesus could have taken? He could have said, “Father, I quit, no one believes what I am doing?” But that is not what Jesus said or did – because He. Was. Thinking. of us. When Peter disowned Jesus, he understood how it is to have no friend. He could have denied us then. When it felt like all of earth was turning against Him, He turned toward us and remembered us and said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6) What about the crucifixion? Think about the pain and the shame. He could have just taken care of Himself, who would have blamed Him? But instead He took care of everyone who nailed Him to the Cross: “Father forgive them.” (Luke 23:43); He takes care of the Thief: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” He takes care of His mother: “Woman behold your son. “He takes care of John, Son, behold your mother” (John 19:26-27); And when his body was “broken”, heaven turned it’s back on Him- - - and He took the hit, the full impact of all our sins hit Him. “My God, my God!” He screamed, “Why have you forsaken me!” Let us remember, it was our sins that nailed Jesus to the cross. The cross would have no meaning, if we did not recognize God’s occasion to assert God’s love. And when we recognize God’s love, we have faith. And when we have faith, we are led to confess our sins. When we confess our sins and acknowledge God’s redemptive love, God effects reconciliation and begins to perfect our faith. Think of what Jesus did. We are the treasure God redeemed through the cross. We are worth dying for. God makes a statement of love. All of that is for making us respond in faith. Let us respond in faith. Let me end with a quote from Martin Luther – “God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.”
Many things happened on the evening of that first Maundy Thursday. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper during the observance of the Passover meal. He washed His disciple’s feet. Judas betrayed Him. Jesus taught fellowship at the table, he talked about true greatness and servant hood, he talked of His betrayal and death, about how their grief would turn into joy. We are re-enacting the events of that evening. To make the commemoration meaningful, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, experience, albeit vicariously, what he experienced, and understand why he did what he did. What he did was a spiritual tour de force. No wonder the disciples were exhausted and fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane . Luke 22:45 records how they felt: “they were exhausted from sorrow.” Our seder meal, the Lord’s Supper, and the foot-washing must be seen in the context of God’s love and intervention in human history. Since Creation and the calling of Abraham, the creation of the people Israel, their deliverance from Egypt , the Passover meal, Ten Commandments, the covenants and promises of a Messiah through the Prophets — We see God connecting with us. We see God’s hand in Jesus’ ministry, all the way to the Cross and Easter morning. God is saying to us in Hebrews 12:2. “fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame.”
“Fix your eyes on Jesus”. He didn’t enjoy the Cross. He “endured” it, and He “despised the shame” of it. But he kept on going? Why? Did the support of His disciples encourage him? No. Was Jesus somehow displaying the strength of his mind over matter? No. Was it just the sheer tenacity of Jesus character? No. What kept Him going? Jesus did it for the joy of loving you and me, so that we may live with a perfect faith. Lets get this right — Jesus loved us. He provided for us. He gave us a model for discipleship. He kindles our faith. But it cost him.
In the Garden of Gethsemane , Jesus nearly gave up, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. (Matt.26:38-39) and when He prayed (Luke 22:44), Jesus said to His Father, “if it is possible, take this cup from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done.” And as the disciples slept when Jesus needed them the most, as Judas betrayed Him with a kiss, as Peter denied him three times, and finally as everybody ran away and deserted Him- - - Jesus could have turned His back and walked away too. Think of all the “exits” Jesus could have taken? He could have said, “Father, I quit, no one believes what I am doing?” But that is not what Jesus said or did – because He. Was. Thinking. of us. When Peter disowned Jesus, he understood how it is to have no friend. He could have denied us then. When it felt like all of earth was turning against Him, He turned toward us and remembered us and said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6) What about the crucifixion? Think about the pain and the shame. He could have just taken care of Himself, who would have blamed Him? But instead He took care of everyone who nailed Him to the Cross: “Father forgive them.” (Luke 23:43); He takes care of the Thief: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” He takes care of His mother: “Woman behold your son. “He takes care of John, Son, behold your mother” (John 19:26-27); And when his body was “broken”, heaven turned it’s back on Him- - - and He took the hit, the full impact of all our sins hit Him. “My God, my God!” He screamed, “Why have you forsaken me!” Let us remember, it was our sins that nailed Jesus to the cross. The cross would have no meaning, if we did not recognize God’s occasion to assert God’s love. And when we recognize God’s love, we have faith. And when we have faith, we are led to confess our sins. When we confess our sins and acknowledge God’s redemptive love, God effects reconciliation and begins to perfect our faith. Think of what Jesus did. We are the treasure God redeemed through the cross. We are worth dying for. God makes a statement of love. All of that is for making us respond in faith. Let us respond in faith. Let me end with a quote from Martin Luther – “God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.”
(Sermon for Maundy Thursday, March 20, 2008 SU church, 5:30 pm)
Posted by in 02:06:18
i agree with you!