The Longest Day
Notes
Transcript
Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Predestination
Dr. Harry Ironside told of a man who gave his testimony, telling how God had sought him and found him. How God had loved him, called him, saved him, delivered him, cleansed him, and healed him. It was a tremendous testimony to the glory of God.
After the meeting, one rather legalistic brother took him aside and said, “You know, I appreciate all that you said about what God did for you, but you didn’t mention anything about your part in it. Salvation is really part us and part God, and you should have mentioned something about your part.”
“Oh,” the man said, “I apologize. I’m sorry. I really should have mentioned that. My part was running away, and God’s part was running after me until he found me.”
Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
The Gospel reading contained over 3000 words. It is, in a sense the climax of Jesus’ battle with His enemies, both in the spirit and in the flesh. It begins with the highest level of earthly acclaim at His earthly manifestation as King of the Jews, and ends with the lowest level of earthly sorrow at the death and burial of the One whom His disciples believed would deliver Israel.
The Gospel reading contains over 3000 words. It is, in a sense the climax of Jesus’ battle with His enemies, both in the spirit and in the flesh. It begins with the highest level of earthly acclaim at His earthly manifestation as King of the Jews, and ends with the lowest level of earthly sorrow at the death and burial of the One whom His disciples believed would deliver Israel.
Jesus’ enemies thought that the story ended when Jesus said, “It is finished,” and that it ended in defeat. Truly, if you didn’t know either this story or our calendar, you might think so too. Interestingly, the text begins with “When Jesus had finished all these sayings...” The sayings being referenced are the “Olivet Discourse” where Jesus responds to the comment about the beauty of Herod’s Temple by revealing both its destruction and the days of Christ’s Parousia, or 2nd Coming. He then illustrates what will happen at His return with three parables, the “10 Virgins,” the “Talents,” and “The Sheep and the Goats.” It is after He says these things about His ultimate triumph that Jesus makes the stark proclamation, “after two days… the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
In truth, Jesus has been heading to this moment from the foundation of the world. In terms of His incarnation, the shadow of His death hung over the shining brightness of His birth. Through the apparent highs and lows of His ministry, the shadow of the cross was ever present. Even today, Psalm Sunday carries the seeds of Good Friday with it. Jesus can only be “the Resurrection” by “fulfilling all righteousness,” including the seeming “alien righteousness” of becoming sin for us, enduring the cross, and despising its shame.
On Palm Sunday, children and adults celebrated His entrance. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, His disciples enjoyed His intimate company and puzzled over his seeming preoccupation with a cruel, shameful death, before having their entire world rendered chaotic by Judas’ betrayal. They fled from that scene physically, while we flee from it spiritually as we seek for a more palatable theology - the theology of glory. We flee from shame, we flee from suffering, and we flee from death. When forced to confront it, we long for it to have a heroic meaning, a purpose beyond the wages of sin.
The only thing that makes death noble is when life conquers it.
If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Perhaps this is why people are willing to come to church on Christmas and Easter, even if they aren’t disciples of Jesus. Christmas and Easter celebrate life for those who don’t know Christ. Their brightness dispels the darkness of death for them.
The Gospel encompasses Christmas and Easter, but it includes Good Friday, in fact, Good Friday is essential to the Gospel -
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
Our sins also reflect our flight from Christ’s gracious Word, for they are God’s judgment upon our rebellious transgression of His Law, a rebelliousness that is so deeply ingrained that we do it without even thinking about it. We sin daily, we sin freely, we sin happily. We resent our parents for making us obey them, we resent others who exercise the authority that has been delegated to them by God, from our teachers in class, to our bosses at work, to our elected officials in our local, state, and federal offices, including, perhaps especially the ones for whom we didn’t vote.
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
There were a lot of people who celebrated Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. There are a lot of people who celebrate good morals, miracles, and profound teaching. A lot of people will say “Amen” to the pointing out of other people’s sins. But Jesus doesn’t point out other people’s sins - He addresses your sins. As a prophet, He calls you to repentance. As a priest, He offers a sacrifice for your sins. As a King, He conquers the enemy who holds you captive, and makes you His subject.
None of this is magic - the Prophet declares the Word of the Lord for us to hear it and respond. The Priest performs the rites and rituals that procures our atonement. The King fights the war, captures the territory, and secures His throne. None of this is abstract or theoretical. The prophetic Word addresses real issues, presents real problems, and proclaims the real solution. The sacrifice involves a real body, real blood, a real death. The Kingdom has real enemies, and real resources and His rule affects real people - us.
Jesus didn’t pretend to take these roles; He fulfilled them to the full. If you want a fake Savior, look elsewhere. If you want a false King, Priest or Prophet, there are plenty to go around, but none of them are Jesus Christ. A lot of people can offer you what you want, but only Jesus can give you what you need.
You need someone who can make peace between you and God. You need someone who can give you the truth concerning yourself, concerning God, concerning this world and the world to come. You need someone who has the power to transform hearts and minds, so that the people who have been transformed can make a difference in this fallen world.
What do you see around you that needs the intervention, the intercession, or the impartation of Jesus Christ? What situations do you see that won’t be changed apart from Christ? That’s why He caused you to see them. That’s why He placed you here, in this place, with these people, in this community.
So what will you do now? Ask why God won’t do something? That’s pointless since he’s already done everything.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
Or will you accept that God works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure when you have become a part of His Kingdom.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Or will you accept that God works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure when you have become a part of His Kingdom.
We are the vessels that God is pleased to use. We are the witnesses that testify to Him.
For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
God makes us into vessels of honor as the Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and works it into our hearts and lives. He empowers us with His power, makes us wise with His wisdom, fills us with His love, and gives us His peace.
So let the peace of God, that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.