“The way he breathed his last” (Mark 15:1-39)

Mark 15:1-39

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Pastor Tom Johnson, March 28, 2021

We listened to an extended reading of Jesus’ suffering and death. Mark, the Gospel writer, gives us what feels like a front row seat. We, too, are now witnesses of Jesus’ Passion and death. Simon of Cyrene carries the Cross shoulder to shoulder with Jesus. The two other men crucified with Jesus are within conversational distance. And some of Jesus’ faithful disciples are at a distance including Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the younger. But it is the centurion by far who has the best seat in the house. From beginning to end, he witnesses this sick and sadistic display and abuse of power. He carries out his orders of crucifixion. He helps the Roman authority drive fear and terror deep into the hearts of the people whose land they possess.

The centurion is, our Scripture says, standing right in front of Jesus. In fact, the New Testament language here is wonderfully awkward. It says something like “the centurion stood beside opposite Jesus.” Usually, to stand opposite another person carries a negative connotation. That is to say, the centurion stands against, opposed, or contrary to Jesus—which he most certainly did. It was by his hands that Jesus is nailed to the Cross. But at the same time, he stands in very close proximity to Jesus. He stands face to face with Jesus—looking straight up and toward the execution he is supervising. He stands opposite Jesus and he stands alongside Jesus.

British Pastor and theologian N.T. Wright describes the centurion in this way: “A battle-hardened thug in a Roman uniform, used to killing humans the way one might kill flies” (from Mark for Everyone, p. 216). The tragic reality is that crucifixions were frequent and routine in the areas of the world occupied by the Roman. I suspect it is hard for any of us to imagine that Jesus was just one of thousands who were executed in this cruel and unusual way. Crucifixion had become an art and a science to those who invented a form of capital punishment designed to maximize pain, discomfort, suffocation, thirst, and public humiliation; and, at the same time, making it possible for the condemned to survive for days at a time in their prolonged agony. The Roman message of the cross was “This is what we will do to you and your people if you resist, rebel, or break our laws.” It was common for people to see these cruel and public executions as they came in and out of Jerusalem.

The centurion probably had seen it all—so he thought. But that day, he encounters Jesus. He stands opposite and facing the son of a carpenter from the region of Nazareth. There he stands beneath the mocked, beaten, and dying Jesus with an inscription above him which read “King of the Jews.” Can you see yourself in this centurion—this nameless soldier just doing his job for god and country? Have we not also seen so much injustice in this world—enough death at the hands of mentally ill, street violence, killings of police officers, wrongful death at the hand of law enforcement?  We have seen death from the pandemic numbering the hundreds of thousands in the United States alone. Eight people being shot and killed in a grocery story does not seem like a lot to us—unless it is someone we know and love. Have we not also become a little battle-hardened? The centurion is an expert at watching people struggle against death on the battlefield. And, in his time in Jerusalem, he becomes an expert at watching people face a gruesome death in this barbaric form of capital punishment.

But the centurion also knows courage, strength, loyalty, and sacrifice on the battlefield. And as he stands face to face with Jesus, that is what he sees—courage, strength, loyalty, and sacrifice. He did not see someone afraid of death, struggling powerlessly, or crying for vengeance. He sees another soldier fighting the good fight. He sees a commanding King who was leading the battle against injustice, evil, and sin. The way in which Jesus breathes his last is a sermon in and of itself. The way in which he dies speaks powerfully and clearly to this “battle-hardened thug in a Roman uniform.” And the words that follow out of his mouth is one of the greatest confessions of faith in all the Bible: “Truly, this man was the Son of God!” He uses a title reserved for the Roman emperor himself, “son of God,” and hails Jesus not just King of the Jews but King of heaven and earth. “Truly, this man was the Son of God!” 

The centurion’s profession of faith provides a thread that connects the dots of the whole story of Jesus. At Jesus’ Baptism the voice of God the Father speaks from heaven, “You are my beloved Son. With you I am well pleased!” (Mark 1:11). At Jesus’ transfiguration when the disciples get a glimpse of his blinding glory, the Father says again from heaven, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him” (Mark 9:7). And now God speaks this same truth through the lips of “a battle-hardened thug in a Roman uniform.” “Truly, this is the Son of God!” 

This is the faithful Savior who dies—who confronts death face to face—who conquers sin, evil, and death itself—who courageously wins the battle for you and me—the one who cries forgiveness—the one who assures us of eternal life even when he is on the cross—the one who powerfully transforms even the most battle-hardened hearts like yours and mine.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will every pray thee;
Think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.
          (“Ah, Holy Jesus,” LSB 123 v. 5) 

“When I am lifted up” (John 12.20-33)

John 12:20-33

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Pastor Tom Johnson, March 21, 2021

A group of Greeks ask Philip to see Jesus. Philip tells Andrew and together they tell Jesus about these foreigners in Jerusalem on pilgrimage in the holy city who want to see him. This set up is important. These are Gentiles who were not born into the Hebrew faith. They are not ethnically Jews. But they have converted and are Jewish in faith. They have come to the Temple to worship the true and living God.vThey hear about a certain Rabbi—Jesus of Nazareth—whose teachings are creating a stir. They want to see Jesus. They want to meet Jesus. They want a face to face encounter. They clearly want to better understand his life-changing teaching.

On the surface of things, Jesus denies their request. He does not say, “Sure, send them in.” Instead, he launches into a conversation about how now is the hour for him to be glorified—that is to say—now is the time for Jesus to be lifted up for all to see—not for this Greek coalition alone—but for the whole world. John does not want us to miss the troubling irony. Jesus says  he will be lifted up—and by that he indicates the kind of death he will suffer. He will be lifted up on a Roman cross. Last week, in John chapter three, Jesus uses the same language and imagery: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so the Son of Man will be lifted up.” It seems like Jesus has denied this Greek delegation’s request to see him. But by speaking about his death and resurrection, he is committed to fulfilling his mission to how he is best seen. He is best seen—best understood on the cross confronting death and evil for all humanity.

This is what Jesus does not want the Greeks, the Jews, or any of us to miss: he did not just suffer and die for our sins. I know this may sound like a strange point to make since we emphasize it so much. Christ died for our sins and for the sins of the world. He was lifted up on the cross so that we could be lifted out of the guilt of our sin. But he was also lifted up so that we could be lifted out of the power of our sin, death, and evil. This is what is so glorious about God the Father’s words and Jesus’ words in our text. They both speak about lifting Jesus up. They both speak about glorifying his name. They do not speak words of surrender and defeat but of victory and triumph.

I love Jesus’ rhetorical question, “Should I say, ‘Father, deliver me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.” Jesus boldly sees his own death with resolve and purpose. “This is what I have come to do.” “Now the ruler of this world will be driven out,” he says. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” These are the words of Christ the Victor over sin, death, and our adversary. Do you see Jesus lifted up on the cross in that way—that when he dies on the Cross, he is not being defeated by death but confronting and defeating death with his innocence, righteousness, and divine power? Satan, the ruler of this world, is not driving Jesus out of Jerusalem and eliminating the Messiah. Jesus is driving out Satan and evil by his victorious crucifixion. “Now the ruler of this world will be driven out,” Jesus says confidently and triumphantly.

Jesus is lifted up in glorify—magnifying his love and the love of the Father for all creation. Jesus is lifted up to put on open display his triumph over sin, death, and the devil. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth,” Jesus says, “I will draw all people to myself.” That means when Jesus is lifted up and his arms are stretched out on the cross, it is to open his arms to more widely embrace the world. He is stretching out his arms in acceptance, openness, and love. And once his arms reach around the world, he will draw all people to himself. All people. That includes the Greek seekers who wish to see Jesus.

Jesus gives these Gentiles something better than a face to face meeting. He gives them his life. He literally welcomes them with outstretched arms. The will see him as God the Father sees him—as Savior of the world and Victor over death and the adversary. And notice he does not say, “I will draw both Israelites and Greeks to myself.” He says, “I will draw all people to myself.” That includes you and me—not matter out religious background, our ethnicity, gender identity, or social status. Jesus  not only powerfully defeats all our enemies and the enemies of our well-being, he also powerfully reaches his arms around all humanity to draw us into his loving embrace. He is lifted up to wrap his arms around you and lift you up.

My song is love unknown,

My Savior’s love to me,

Love to the loveless shown

That they might lovely be.

Oh, who am I

That for my sake

My Lord should take

Frail flesh and die?

          (“My Song Is Love Unknown,” LSB 430, v. 1)

“Not to Condemn” (John 3:14-21)

John 3:14-21

Pastor Tom Johnson, March 14 2021

You can see “John 3:16” lifted high on poster boards by fans at sporting events on television. I remember seeing them in the 1970’s. It has become a shorthand for the Gospel for many Christians. “For God so loved the world—God loved the world in this manner—he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This is how God loves the cosmos—he gives his all and everything in the person of the eternal Son of God who left his heavenly throne, took on our humanity, born into time, grows, teaches, heals, preaches, lives, dies, and rises again for the world. Whoever trusts in the person and work of Jesus has the assurance of God’s love, his grace, forgiveness, and eternal life. Jesus wants us to live and move with this confidence that we are deeply loved—with an eternal love. And if that is not clear enough, Jesus says, “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” This is John 3:17.

It is vitally important that we keep John 3:16 with John 3:17. Without holding them together, we risk making the Gospel into a wager or a command to believe—or else. John 3:17 makes sure we don’t put an “or else” into the good news. We should remember that Jesus is speaking these words to Nicodemus—a biblical scholar and teacher. He is perplexed by Jesus’ words. Jesus helps him better understand God’s heart—God’s motive—God’s purpose in sending Messiah Jesus It is not to condemn the world—not—not to condemn. This is the same word Jesus uses in the Sermon on the Mount when he says, “Do not judge—do not condemn” [Matt 7:1]. 

The New Testament word “condemn” [krinō] means to consider another person as less than—not worthy of God’s favor—but deserving of judgment and punishment. It means to criticize and find fault in another. It is also a legal term meaning to hand someone over to the judicial court for punishment. Sadly, many outside the Christian faith think of Christians as judgmental people. We have held up the poster board with John 3:16. Like Moses lifting up the bronze serpent that brought healing to God’s people, we may now need to hold up the proverbial poster board with John 3:17. We need to lift high the cross for the salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life that God gives through his Son. But we also must let the world know that what we fear most will never be realized through Jesus.

We fear rejection, invalidation, contempt, shame, and guilt. Jesus did not come to do that—he did not come to condemn. And we followers of Jesus should also make that clear. But it must be clear to us first. Our job is also not to judge or condemn. The culture wars going on today threaten to adulterate our message. In our zeal for truth and morality we can get lost in our own right-ness—our self-righteousness. We can be on the right side but 100% wrong—wrong in our tactics, wrong in our message, and give people a wrong view of God, Jesus, and the Christian faith.

Jesus is speaking these words to Nicodemus—a Pharisee. And you know the Pharisees in the New Testament were known to be right about many things. But their attitude toward others was all too often totally wrong.  It is even in the English language when we say someone is Pharisaical—someone who has a superiority complex, someone who is self-righteous, and hypocritical. I’m confident that you would agree with me that we don’t want to be known as judgmental, condemnatory, pharisaical Christians. That is NOT who we are called to be. That is NOT Jesus’ mission. Jesus did not come as a moral crusader. There is enough condemning going on in our world. And not only that, one of the saddest realities is how hard we can be on ourselves. What is shame and guilt but self-condemning? And—if that is not enough—in addition that, we are in the middle of a spiritual war waged by Satan—whose name means “the Adversary.” He is like a legal prosecutor pressing charges against us, judging us, and advising God on what he should do to hold us in contempt and dispose of us. 

But we have an Advocate with the Father—the Holy Spirit—and we have the Son who does NOT come to join forces with our evil foe. He comes to free us from shame, guilt, and hopelessness. That is Jesus’ mission. That is our mission as his Church. We are not here to point out the bad and ugliness in the world. There is enough of that. We are called to be positive, encouraging, hope-filled, with an unwavering emphasis on the good in the good news.

It alarms me when I hear people say that they will not come to church because it is filled with judgmental people. Or they feel like they need to reform themselves first, reform their lives, and then they can become part of a faith community. No, we should be a place were people come as they are. We should trust in the Holy Spirit to confront their sin just as we know the Holy Spirit confronts ours. We are all a work in progress together! And we should unite under that banner of hope. “For God so loved the world—that he sent his Son not to condemn but to save—to bring true love in the world—acceptance, forgiveness, hope, and joy. “

Amazing grace—how sweet the sound—
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see!”
          (“Amazing Grace,” LSB 744 v. 1)

“Loss and Profit” (Mark 8.31-38)

Mark 8:31-38

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Pastor Tom Johnson, February 28, 2021

Jesus tells his disciples that he must suffer greatly, die, and rise again. Peter thinks this is an outrageous plan. He loves Jesus. He says, “God forbid it! This will never happen to you.” Jesus tells Peter to get out of his way. And he calls Peter “Satan”—which means “the adversary.” Peter has set himself against God’s will and plan for humanity. He is an obstacle—an adversarial impediment to Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem and his ultimate death and resurrection.

Peter is thinking about self-preservation. It’s a completely natural human response. We burn our hand on the strove and we quickly pull it away and nurse it. We lock our doors at night. We turn and walk the other direction if we see danger.  Peter heard Jesus talk about great suffering and death. I’m not too sure if he heard Jesus speak about resurrection. Peter cares about the welfare of Jesus. But it is through Peter’s rebuking of Jesus that Jesus hears the Adversary’s voice trying to keep him from giving his life for the world. Peter wants Jesus to tighten his grip on the things of the world and on his own self-preservation. And Jesus responds with the proverb, “What will it profit [you] if [you] gain the whole world but forfeit [your] soul? Or what will [you] give in return for [your] soul?” How valuable is human life? What is your soul worth? What is your life worth? Jesus is remarkably current in understanding the importance of self-worth. How much do you value your own existence? At what price would you sell yourself on the auction block of the world? 

Sin is like the the antigospel—the antithesis of the good news of Jesus Christ. Sin is pursuing our unhealthy appetites at all cost. Our energy, our attention, and our time are consumed by whatever it is that we want and desire. And if we are really selfish, we forget or stop caring about how it impacts others. Whether it is pride, greed, or for some other reason, we can be overcome by our own desires. We too can lose our lives when we try to gain the whole world—like a fly that has drowned in a bowl of soup. One individual’s greed can destroy a whole corporation. One person’s addiction can destroy families and careers. Personal vengeance can leave a trail of casualties a mile long. The truth is that when we fixate on ourselves and our own wants and needs, we are not helping ourselves at all. God wants us to trust him as not only our Creator but also our Sustainer. 

If Jesus embraced Peter’s rebuke—if Jesus tried to avoid suffering and death—Jesus never would have triumphed over death and the grave. He never would have been able to bring us forgiveness and eternal life. He never would have risen victoriously from the grave. Peter’s plan would have robbed the world of a Savior. Imagine if Jesus was more concerned about his own self-preservation than humanity’s salvation—if he was more driven by wordly ambition than by eternal redemption. He would not be the Christ but the Antichrist. Jesus’ mission was so entrenched in his mind and spirit that he would not even allow Peter or the Adversary to put an obstacle before him for a second. Jesus came into the world to bring forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Jesus wants it not only to be his own personal mission but our mission as well. “What will it profit [you] if [you] gain the whole world but forfeit [your] soul? Or what will [you] give in return for [your] soul?” This is a radical understanding of what it means to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength—and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus calls us to drastically rearrange our priorities. It's all too natural to put ourselves first and let our relationship with others and God fall by the wayside. But Jesus is calling us to put him first—to take up our cross and follow him—to make him the head and captain of our souls and to love others the way he has loved us.  When we do give up trying to gain the world and its treasures for ourselves—when we lose ourselves in Jesus and others—the irony is that we haven’t forfeited our souls or lost anything. We realize that have gained and profited priceless and eternal treasure. “What profit is it to gain the whole world but forfeit your soul?” Ironically, Jesus turns this question on its head: He forfeits his life to gain the world. “What will you give in return for your soul?” Jesus turns this question on its head also: he gives his life on the cross and rises from the dead not for himself but for us.

Lord, Thee I love with all my heart;

I pray Thee, ne'er from me depart,

With tender mercy cheer me.

Earth has no pleasure I would share,

Yea, heav'n itself were void and bare

If Thou, Lord, wert not near me.

And should my heart for sorrow break,

My trust in Thee can nothing shake.

Thou art the portion I have sought;

Thy precious blood my soul has bought.

Lord Jesus Christ, My God and Lord, my God and Lord,

Forsake me not! I trust Thy “Word.

          (“Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart,” LSB 708, v. 1)