Posted On: March 16th, 2008 at 12:48 am
Palm Sunday /Sunday of the Passion Trinity Lutheran Church 16 March 2008 Murdock, NE
Baptism of Genevieve Leigh Derby
Confirmation of Ty Stoll Fletcher, Raeanna Jordan, Peyton Lambert, Kyle Bogatz, Justin Furgerson, Shenia Stamps
+ Jesu Juva +
Matthew 27:11-66
Genevieve, Jesus on you put His Name on you today with the water of Holy Baptism. Ty, Raeanna, Peyton, Kyle, Justin and Shenia, you’re baptized too. You bear Jesus’ Name on your bodies as well. The sign of the holy cross was made upon your foreheads and your hearts.
The baptized are Christ’s disciples. “Make disciples of all nations,” Jesus said. How? “Baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teach them to keep everything I have commanded.” The baptizing with water and the divine Name is done. Gift given by the Lord Himself. Your parents saw to that. For Genevieve the teaching needs to be done. For you catechumens there’s been teaching for the last two years. And now you’ve come to your Confirmation Day: as Christ’s disciples -- His baptized and taught disciples.
“Have nothing to do with that righteous man named Jesus!” Pilate’s wife says. Might be good advice. After all, do you see how it goes with this Jesus? He’s been betrayed. Denied. Under arrest and on trial. And it’s not going well for Him. Going quite poorly. Downhill fast.
Pilate offers to let Jesus go. After all, Jesus is completely innocent. And Pilate knows it. But the crowds insist on paroling Barabbas the notorious hardened criminal. The crowds persist on having Jesus’ head! “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” they shout. The Palm Sunday praises have sure changed. And if they don’t get their way, they threaten to riot. So the governor gives in. Sentences innocent Jesus to the death penalty. Death on a cross!
Can this really be happening? To Jesus? To innocent Jesus? Surely legions of angels will descend from heaven to put a stop to this injustice! Nope. Surely Peter and the others will take up their swords and fight for Him. No. Been there and done that. And Jesus scolded Peter harshly. No chance of that happening now.
So the soldiers take charge of Him. Flog Him. The talons rip and shred the flesh from His shoulders and back. A horrific flow of blood. They strip off all His clothes. He’s exposed. What humiliation. And then the purple robe, crown of thorns and staff. “Hail, King of the Jews!” is their ridicule. They spit in His face. Take the reed and bash His head in.
Too weak now. Simon of Cyrene pressed to carry the cross. At Golgotha the soldiers pound the spikes through His hands and feet. Agonizingly piercing muscles and bones. Then He’s lifted up to hang -- until dead.
Numbered with the transgressors Jesus is. Criminals hang on each side. Everyone mocks Him. They lampoon Him. “He saved others but He can’t do anything for Himself!” “If you’re the Son of God, come down now from the cross! Then we’ll believe in you!” They’ll have nothing to do with a suffering and dying Jesus.
It doesn’t take long. Jesus dies. Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, is dead. And the scoffers leave.
This is the King Jesus who put His name on Genevieve and you catechumens. Who put His Name on you, members of Trinity. He is the betrayed, denied, beaten, mocked, innocent, crucified, and dead Jesus. There He truly is King. Ruling in mercy and forgiveness.
Shall we have nothing to do with Him? Some do have nothing to do with that kind of Jesus. Some belong to the baptized and confirmed of this congregation. Won’t be a disciple anymore. Can’t be seen with that kind of Jesus. Too embarrassing. Won’t trust in a dead crucified King. They’ve replaced Him with various false gods that never give them any rest. False gods that promise heaven but deliver hell. False gods that promise everlasting life but only deliver eternal death. That promise mercy but only dish out wrath.
But not you. Oh, no, not you. How can you have nothing to do with Jesus? How can you trust in anyone else? After all, everything He suffers, He suffers for you. The cruel and unjust death He dies, He dies for you.
For you. Yes, for you Jesus suffered. Yes, for you Jesus died.
He took all your sin in His Body on the Cross. He answered for it all. He who knew no sin became the sinner on the Cross as He bears all your sin. Jesus suffers the damnation sinners deserve: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
So now you’re forgiven. You are restored. You have a proper relationship with God through Jesus. Proud to bear Christ’s Name given to you in Holy Baptism. Proud to be His disciple. A disciple who lives on and from Jesus’ death. That’s the eating and drinking in the Sacrament. His Body: given into death for you. His Blood: Golgatha shed for you. To eat and drink with the bread and wine. Why? For the forgiveness of your sins. That’s His promise.
Will you be seen with that crucified Jesus? Do you dare to sit and be seen with Him at His Supper? Of course. He’s risen from the dead! Never to die again. And His gifts are eternal. He’s dishing out heaping portions of the forgiveness of sins (and that’s today in the Sacrament). And so for you there is also life and salvation.
Happy Baptism Day Genevieve!
Happy Confirmation Day Ty, Raeanna, Peyton, Kyle, Justin and Shenia!
Happy bearing Christ’s Name and being His disciples. May your Baptisms bear much fruit in your lives.