Matthew 27:11-54
Pr. Kurt A. Van Fossan – In Nomine Christi Iesu
A popular false teaching circulating around many Christian churches today promotes the idea that if you follow Jesus and His teachings, your life in this world will be prosperous and successful. The more faithful you are, the more worldly wealth you’ll be given. Such false teaching is called a theology of glory.
I couldn’t help but wonder if this same misguided thinking was in the minds of the people who were singing “Hosanna in the highest!”(like we did in our opening hymn), as Jesus approached Jerusalem. When they thought Jesus was their ticket to worldly riches, they excitedly crowded around Him. But then, soon after Jesus entered Jerusalem, what do we hear? The events of our Gospel reading certainly don’t sound like they were part of the same week.
On more than one occasion the religious leaders were prevented from doing anything to Jesus because they were afraid of what the people might do. But now, instead of being afraid of what the people might do if they tried to harm Jesus, Pilate was afraid of what the people would do if he didn’t harm Jesus! We hear no protests from the Palm Sunday supporters. Instead many shouted crucify!, crucify! Why? Why Did the Cheering Stop? Do you think it stopped when Jesus’ suffering instead of His success was visible?
The people were eager to drop everything and gather around Jesus when they thought that following Him could possible mean that they would be healthier and wealthier. But once Jesus started talking about future not present glory, and about being willing to sacrifice all for the sake of others, that’s when, what I call the, “‘I want it now,’ crowd,” quickly dwindled.
Can you see yourself in that “I want it now!” Palm Sunday crowd? If we’re honest with ourselves, we all want relief from our suffering, not more suffering. Who here would follow Jesus if all He promised was more suffering? I sure wouldn’t.
The good news is that Jesus does promise prosperity, perfect health and wealth beyond our wildest dreams to all who trust in Him as their Lord and Saviour. The big difference between Jesus’ message and the “theology of glory” message of many preachers today is that the glory our Lord promises is a future glory, stored up in heaven for all those who trust in Him.
It was Paul’s faith in those promised treasures in heaven that enabled him to say: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
Are you, who trust in Jesus, ready for that? Because of your faith in Jesus Christ, God has made you an enemy of this world and its way of thinking. The more you live your faith, the more suffering you will experience in this world. People will make fun of you, mock you, curse you, especially when you say you believe the whole Bible is the Word of God!
Of course you could go the way of some who call themselves members of this church, but rarely attend. A lot of them think that having their names on our membership list is enough. Now they can spend their time, talents and treasures in building their kingdoms on this earth. They do their best to avoid all suffering in this world by rejecting Christ and His teaching and supporting the world’s teaching.
If that’s what you plan on doing, then I’ll tell you right now, you, along with those “members” will be in for a rude awaking. They show by their actions that they don’t want to be members of Christ’s body, the church. (Out of concern for them, we want to do our best to help them know this before it’s too late.)
But if, instead, you, with the help of God, repent of your sins and desire to be active members of His church, then let me give you some good news to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ and all His promises.
You can’t understand the suffering and death of Christ, as spoken of in our text, without the good news of His resurrection from the dead–His victory! And Jesus even speaks of this victory while He hangs on the cross. “‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’–that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”
That certainly doesn’t sound like a victory cry, but by quoting these words from the beginning of Psalm 22, written hundreds of years before, Jesus was referring His hearers then and today to Psalm 22 (like we do when we quote the beginning words of a hymn in reference to that hymn). In Psalm 22 (the most quoted Psalm in the NT), not only are some of the awesome details of Jesus’ death included (“they mocked me; they hurl insults at me...they have pierced my hands and my feet...they divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing” NIV), but also good news of His rescue–His resurrection (“I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you...For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help...future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn–for he has done it!” NIV). Jesus Himself rarely spoke of His death without also speaking of His resurrection–His victory over our sins, death, and all the forces of evil.
It’s true! We will be spared from God’s judgement against our sins because Jesus was forsaken–He suffered death in our place. Physical death is now a blessing for us. A time when we will receive the rest of the glorious benefits of Jesus’ victory on the cross.
This is why we fold the palm branches into crosses. Palm branches from ancient times have been used during festive times as symbols of victory. To fold this symbol of victory into an instrument of torture and defeat, is absurd to the world’s way of thinking. But to us Christians, we know and believe that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, true man and true God, used the cross to set us free from our sins, by suffering the penalty for our sins Himself, and then coming back to life to assure us that He was successful.
To know and believe in this truth, is to be willing “to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it.” Are you ready to make that commitment, with the help of God? May God enable us all to renew our commitment to Jesus Christ our Lord, and to be willing to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it, trusting in Jesus’ victory through the cross.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
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