(John 2:1-11, 20:1-7)

I am reading a book by Ann Rice, “Christ the Lord: The Road to
Cana”. It is an unexpected rendering of Jesus story supported by Biblical scholarship, leading up to Jesus active ministry. If you are among the many who ask, what was Jesus life before his first miracle? What were his thoughts about his mission? How did he struggle to obey God’s will? This is a book for you.

In summary (I haven’t finished the book yet), the book portrays Jesus as a person with real life dilemmas. He was an ordinary carpenter. Joseph and Mary knew him but, like Jesus, were prayerfully waiting for a time when his mission will be revealed. The intriguing thing about the fiction book is that real events led Jesus to do what he did. He falls in love with Avigail. He struggles to be faithful to God, despite his love for Avigail. Unexpected events happen, Jesus surrenders Avigail to another man. Avigail is the woman who was wedded in Cana, where Jesus performs his first miracle; where he launches his ministry.

Jesus life and those of his family are lives lived in the real world, where unexpected things happen. This is the real world where we must live in real faith in order to have hope.

Sometimes it is convenient to assume everything about our faith, with out realizing that Jesus himself did not have all the answers all the time. He lived in constant serendipity[1] of God’s revelation. But the events of every day were unexpected leaving Jesus to wonder, what will happen next. His arrest, torture and death were certainly forecast. But the pain was unexpected and real.. Even at the last moment, Jesus struggled to obey.

Our text today talks about Jesus resurrection story. I would like to dwell today on a small detail of that story. It is an unexpected detail that may have great meaning.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus went to Pontius Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. They were allowed to take his lifeless body from the cross to a new tomb that Joseph had prepared for himself. They washed His body, and wrapped it in white linen, folding His arms over His chest. They closed His eyes, kissed His cheek, and placed a napkin over His face.

For 3 days, the disciples were hopeless. But on the third day, something unexpected happens. The stone rolled away, and up from the grave He arose. He lives!

In our text, Mary Magdalene comes first to the tomb. The unexpected happens. The stone rolled away. She goes to Peter and John, and they run together to the tomb. John got there first but stops at the door. Peter arrives and goes right in. The tomb is empty, but he sees the linen clothes strewn about. But there was something unexpected in that scene. Something caught his eye that was very interesting. And this is the small detail that has great meaning.

The Gospel of John tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside as the linen was scattered. V. 7 “The napkin was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Is that detail important? Let’s see.

The folded napkin has to do with Master and Servant relations, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was set and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master had finished eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and take the napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then clear the table. For the napkin cast aside, meant, “I’m done”. But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, “I’m not finished yet.” The folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!”

Peter and John saw a folded napkin in the empty bed! Was Jesus saying, “Im not finished yet…Im coming back!”

Jesus had accomplished his mission on the cross. John 3: 17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him, might be saved.

But in many ways his work was to be continued by his disciples. But were they prepared? So Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (20:10ff) and commands her to “tell the disciples” that she had seen him (which is the fundamental Evangel). Mary Magdalene gave the Evangel to them, “I have seen the Lord.”

Imagine how hopeless they were before that Good News. Wouldn’t you be hopeless too? Would you believe Jesus if he did not resurrect on Easter?

So the question is: Was the napkin folded in order to…in verses 19 ff, enable Jesus to first send out his fearful disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

Was the napkin folded, because …v 22, the disciples had to first,  “Receive the Holy Spirit. You are given power, to forgive sins, or not to forgive sins.

Was the napkin folded, because (24), hope was not yet a reality to Thomas? “Unless I see the nail marks and put my fingers where the nails were, I will not believe it.” V. 26, Jesus tells Thomas, “put your finger here, see my hands, reach out your hand and put it into my side, Stop doubting and believe. Only then does Thomas says “My Lord and my God.”

In fact none of the disciples understood what Jesus meant with the words “I will rise again” until after the unexpected fact.

This may be surprising to you but many Christians believe in Jesus but cannot yet accept the unexpected resurrection part.

Some might ask: Does God violate the law of gravity? But if God obeys our laws of gravity, we would not need faith. We would be God’s ourselves. Nothing will be unexpected. Like the Jews who could not reconcile God becoming a human person. And so we are doomed to faithlessness and hopelessness.

Easter reminds us that without the unexpected resurrection there is no hope. Easter reminds us in Revelation there will be a day when another supper will take place. It will be called the marriage supper of the Lamb, and that at the end of the meal, Jesus will stand at the head of the table, and He will wipe His fingers, mouth, and He will take His napkin, and cast it aside…when that happens, it IS over!

The last soul that will be saved, has been saved. The last doubter that’s going to come home has come! When Christ’s work is done, He will come again.

Right now, the napkin is still folded! Tomorrow the napkin may be cast aside. Are we living in the reality of hope? If so prepare for the unexpected.

The Gospel of John, unlike the other Gospel stories, does not tell much about the Lord’s Supper, but it does have the only account of the foot washing of the disciples. It is that act of servant hood, in the midst of the drama of Jesus coming crucifixion, that I would like to look at this evening. As Jesus sought to accomplish his mission of reconciling the world with God, which was amazing in itself, his teaching of the ultimate lesson of humble servant hood, an example of the way he wanted his disciples to live, is even more amazing.

I don’t know if you have ever washed anyone else’s feet? Not the kind of washing in a bath tub or washing a baby’s feet in a basin? But washing a stranger’s adult feet in public. I have and it is a very moving experience. There is something about the feet and the way we stand on it that is interesting.

The Hindus have four castes: Brahmin high caste (symbolized by head – for teachers and priests), Ksatriya (the arm – the warriors, rulers), Vaisya (the stomach – the merchants, artisans) and lowest caste Sudra (feet – laborers, the one’s who touched the ground, soiled, dirty, and did demeaning work). There were also the outcastes, who took care of the dead, of animal carcasses in tanneries, of shoemakers, which were the lowest jobs. Our feet represent the lowest part of the body.

I did a first foot washing many years ago at my ordination. Washing an unknown farmer’s feet is very humbling. Touching the the lowest part of the human body that is “down to earth”, so to speak, dusty and soiled, is truly humbling. This was followed by other foot washings as part of the ritual of holy week. In the beginning, I was hesitant at first, but determined. I went down from the pulpit to the aisle looking for someone to wash. The guy I picked out did not protest, but I could see he was very uncomfortable. I took off his shoes, his socks, put his foot in the basin, poured water over it and dried it with a towel. Being on the ground, kneeling before him, washing with water, made me feel like a servant.

After the service, the guy who’s feet I washed, was thankful. He felt humbled, that someone would actually do that for him. It was a moving experience for him and I think both of us could fully appreciate how Jesus might have felt to care for another person, intimately. Think of our humble nurses who do this everyday?
 
Jesus was trying to show the disciples that he came to serve. He humbled himself to serve those who called him Master. There was to an extent a crushing of his pride in doing this. The Greek word used in chapter ten for this is laying down a life. John was really trying to show that Jesus was a servant who was willing to lay down his life for the sake of his friends. On the cross, Jesus spread out his arms as the true servant of God and welcomed all the sins of humanity.

Spreading out your arms like that makes you feel vulnerable, open, accepting. As a servant on the cross that is what Jesus was, vulnerable, open, accepting. He opened himself to all the sinfulness of humanity.

Tonight Jesus is inviting us to come to him, to rest our sins on him. That is why today is called Maundy Thursday. Maundy, from Latin mandatum, means command. He commands us to eat and drink, he commands us to come, he commands us to love as he loves us. He commands us to serve. He commands us to embrace him at the cross.

The Cross is the place where grace and sin collide like two speeding cars that smash into each other head on. But the wreckage is suffered only by God. We walk away free - free from sin’s penalty, free to walk with God, free to live with God for all eternity. Jesus came as a servant to lay down his life for us. On the cross of Calvary that servanthood was manifested where he stretched out his arms to sinners and we obtained eternal life.

Let me end with an illustration: “A story from Scotland tells of a mother’s dramatic rescue of her child. Workmen were blasting rock in a quarry with tons of dynamite. One day after they had attached the fuse, lit it, and retired to a safe place and gave the alarm they saw a three year old child wandering across the open space where danger threatened. Every passing second meant death was closing in on the child. The workmen called to the child and waved their arms, but he only looked on their strange antics with amusement. No man dared run forward knowing the explosion was only seconds away. The child most certainly would have been killed, had not his mother appeared at this moment of crisis.

Taking in the situation at a glance she did what her mother’s heart dictated. She did not run toward her son or yell to frighten him. Instead, she knelt down, opened wide her arms and smiled for him to come. Instantly the child ran towards her. Shortly later the area shook with the force of the explosion, yet the child was safe in his mother’s arms.

That is the picture of the grace of God on the cross. With outstretched arms on the cross, Jesus gives his gracious invitation to the world. Indicating we are to come to him for eternal safety. (Sermon at Silliman church, April 9, 2009, Maundy Thursday)

 (Psalms 118, John 12:9-19)

The triumphal entry of Jesus into
Jerusalem was a royal coronation ending in a death sentence. But it was a drama scripted from Psalms 118: “Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love endures forever (1) This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it (24). …. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord… (26)With branches in hand, join the joyous procession (27)

This is the day of salvation! Jesus is the long awaited King of Israel. Hosanna in the highest (which means save us! But by week’s end, people were calling for his blood “Crucify him!. Why was Israel so fickle? Was it because Jesus did not fit the bill?

1.       The expectation: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord…(26)

Can we blame the people for their great expectations on Jesus coming to Jerusalem? They had heard of his miracles, especially the raising of Lazarus from the dead. They expected Jesus, the healer and miracle worker from Nazareth, to be the Messiah, Savior, King of Israel. His coming to Jerusalem was his ascension to the throne of David. They had waited far too long for this promise to be fulfilled. And it was being fulfilled right before their eyes. Or so they hoped. Was it a misplaced expectation?

There’s an apocryphal story that says that Judas betrayed Jesus after he was corrected by the other disciples. No Judas, it is not “Take up your crown and follow me?” Jesus said, “take up your cross and follow me…..And Judas betrayed Jesus.

The old covenant stipulated that God will perpetuate the crown of David if Israel, the chosen people, will worship only one God, and obey the commandments. This was based on Scriptural promises.

And this is where the problem lies. After David and Solomon, the kings of Israel with few exceptions, became power seekers. They trusted in other Gods, and in the might of their political allies. Despite the warnings of the prophets, like Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, the kings went about their politics like ordinary kings. They were warned against befriending Assyria. They were warned of the invasion by Nebuchadnezzar. They were warned against the worship of other gods. But they were hard necked.

And so again and again, the Israelites were made captives – first by the Assyrians, by the Babylonians, by the Greeks and now at the time of Jesus, by the Romans. And the 500 year waiting for salvation by God’s anointed Messiah, was palpable. At every Passover when they gathered in Jerusalem, the expectations of Hosanna were raised higher. And so when Jesus, the miracle worker arrived in Jerusalem, they crowned him king of Israel.

2.       Rejected by Israel: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone (22)

The problem is the Jews were not paying attention. All religions start with faith in God but end up wielding power over one another. It was faith that gave Israel the Law. But the law became a power system, an institution with hierarchy and interests. Salvation was by the grace of God in Egypt, through the plagues and the Passover. But now salvation was a matter of offering sacrifices in the temple, a mechanical act. If you were a rich sinner, you sacrifice a cow. If you were a middle class sinner, you sacrifice a goat. If you were a jobless sinner, you sacrificed a dove for your sins once a year at Passover. There was no contrition. There was piety. But there was no faith.

Jesus was the stone that was rejected. The priests rejected the cornerstone of the temple, by allowing the idolatrous selling of animal sacrifices and of money making at the temple which had become a market. So Jesus drove the merchants away. Jesus said “I will destroy this temple and rebuild it in 3 days. The priests exploited Jesus “words”. Quickly, Hosanna became Crucify him!

The priest’s agenda was power. Their expectations were now in conflict with God’s plan of salvation.

3. What is God’s plan of salvation? Jesus is the cornerstone.

God’s plan was to offer a new covenant for his people. He would offer his only Son to remind them of his Fatherly love. That through His Son, they may learn that more important than power, is the Spirit of love.

How did the Jews misread the Messiah? How did they fail to grasp what was going on? John clearly informs us that even our Lord’s disciples didn’t understand. Well, it was something new. It was difficult to understand until Jesus was glorified—that is until after our Lord had been rejected, crucified, and resurrected. It is only then that the Holy Spirit made things clearer.

Palm Sunday is the day of understanding what the Lord is like. The Lord chose to ride a donkey. His message is simply that He is a different King, not the king of quick solutions, but the king of your heart. We must allow Jesus to rule our lives triumphantly. We too welcome the Lord with joy and celebration as He rides triumphantly into our hearts and minds.

Palm Sunday reminds us that the Lord is a personal God, who knocks at the door, rides calmly into our lives and uses us to inspire a world that is fallen and hopeless. We are invited, too, to wave palm branches of joy and salvation in the air, and shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

The “triumphal entry” was a day of misunderstanding. Jesus did not fit the bill of a military Messiah. Even today, He does not fit the bill of a God who overthrows the wicked, who brings prosperity, peace, and freedom so people can think they have a right to God’s blessings, though they cannot accept their sinful state. Because they believe they are sinless, they cannot accept a king to die for their sins. Like the Jews, we prefer to hear Jesus saying, “Take up your crown, and follow Me” . Actually he said “Take up your cross, and follow Me.” Is this the day? For a quick fix king? No. Is this the day for Christ to rule your heart today and forever? Yes.

(Sermon delivered April 5, 2009, Silliman church)