A HARMONY OF JESUS' PASSION

First Lesson

When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out to the Mount of Olives as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."

But Peter answered and said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away."

And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that today, even this night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times."

But Peter spoke more vehemently: "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." And so said all the disciples.

They went over the brook Kidron, and they came to a garden named Gethsemane. When He came to the place, Jesus said to His disciples: "Sit here while I go and pray over there. Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, and He was withdrawn from the others about a stone's throw. And He began to be sorrowful, troubled, and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."

And He went a little farther, and He knelt down. He fell to the ground on His face and prayed, that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said: "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. Not My will, but Yours, be done."

Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony He prayed more fervently; and His sweat became like great drops of blood, falling down to the ground.

When He rose up from prayer, He came to His disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? What, could you not watch with Me one hour?" He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise, watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing and ready, but the flesh is weak."

He went away again a second time and prayed, saying the same words, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."

And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. So He left them and went away again and prayed the third time, saying the same words once more. Then He came to His disciples the third time, and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough. Behold, the hour has come; it is at hand. Behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us be going. Behold, he who betrays Me is at hand."

Now Judas, one of the twelve, who betrayed Jesus, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and the scribes and the Pharisees and elders of the people, came there with lanterns and torches, and weapons: swords and clubs. And immediately, while Jesus was still speaking, a great multitude came, and the one called Judas went before them. Now he who betrayed Jesus had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; take Him, and lead Him away safely."

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?"

They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth."

Jesus said to them, "I am He." And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Then, when He said to them, "I am He," they went backward and fell to the ground.

Then He asked them again, "Whom are you seeking?"

And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He; therefore if you seek Me, let these go their way," that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none."

Judas drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. He went up to Him, and said to Him, "Hail, Master!" and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come? Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

When those who were around Jesus saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly Simon Peter, one of those who stood by with Jesus, stretched out his hand and drew out his sword, and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this!" And He touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath; for all who take the sword will die by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? But how then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus? Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given me?"

In that hour Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you in the temple, teaching, and you did not lay hands on Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness. All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. The Scriptures must be fulfilled.

Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body; and the young men laid hold of him. And he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

Second Lesson

Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. And they led Him away and brought Him into the high priest's house. They led Him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Now it was Caiaphas who gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

And Simon Peter followed Jesus at a distance, and so did the other disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door and brought Peter in, right into the courtyard of the high priest.

And the servants and officers, who had made a fire of coals in the midst of the courtyard, stood there; for it was cold. And they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself at the fire. And after they had sat down together, Peter sat down with the servants to see the end.

The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them; indeed they know what I said."

And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?"

Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"

Then Annas sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. And the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death; and found none, even though many false witnesses came forward. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

But at last two false witnesses came forward and bore false witness against Him, saying, "This Fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.' We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.'" But not even then did their testimony agree.

And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing? What is it that these men testify against You?"

But Jesus kept silent and answered nothing.

And the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "I adjure You by the living God that You tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God, the Son of the Blessed?"

And Jesus said, "I am. It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard His blasphemy. What do you think?"

And they all condemned Him to be worthy of death. They answered and said, "He is deserving of death!"

Then some began to spit in His face. And the men who held Jesus mocked Him. They blindfolded Him and struck Him in the face and asked Him, "Prophesy to us, Christ; who is the one that struck You?" And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him. And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

Now Peter was sitting outside, below in the courtyard. And a certain servant-girl, one of the servant-girls of the high priest, the one who kept the door, saw Peter warming himself as he sat by the fire. She came to him and said, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?"

He said, "I am not."

She said, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." She looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."

But Peter denied it before them all, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him; I neither know nor understand what you are saying."

And he went out on the porch. And a cock crowed.

And after a little while, when he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and began to say to those who stood by, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth. This is one of them."

Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" One saw him and said, "You also are of them."

And again he denied it with an oath. He said, "Man, I am not. I do not know the Man."

Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him; for he is a Galilean." Those who stood by said to Peter: "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it." One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?"

Peter therefore denied it again. He said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying." He began to curse and swear, "I do not know the Man. I do not know this Man of whom you speak."

And immediately, while he was still speaking, a cock crowed a second time. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter called to mind the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times."

And when Peter thought about it, he went out and wept bitterly.

Lent 2008 – The Gospel According to Jesus' Enemies

"It is Expedient that One Man Should Die"

Text: John 11:47-52

O dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken

That such sharp sentence should on Thee be spoken?

Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession –

What dark transgression?

O wondrous love, whose depth no heart hath sounded,

That brought Thee here, by foes and thieves surrounded!

All worldly pleasures, heedless, I was trying

While Thou wert dying. (TLH 143)

Dear Fellow Christians we enter this evening the sacred season of Lent – a time dedicated, on the one hand, to the special contemplation of our own sinfulness; and, on the other, to the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus, who has washed us of the filth of our own sin and set our feet on the path to heaven. The theme for our meditations this Lenten season is "The Gospel According to Jesus' Enemies." The text that will form the basis of our meditation this evening is found in the 11^th Chapter of John's Gospel:

John 11:47-52 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. ⁴⁸ "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation." ⁴⁹ And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, ⁵⁰ "nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." ⁵¹ Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵² and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

These are the verbally inspired words of our God. Confident that our God will bless us through the study of these words, so we pray, “Sanctify us through your truth, O Lord. Your word is truth.” Amen.

Fellow Christians:

Some months back I happened to be cleaning out an old shed for my wife's aunt, and in the course of that epic struggle I came across a tattered old cardboard box that I had noticed, off and on, for the past couple of years. The box was about 12" by 12" and about an inch or so thick, with metal straps binding it together. The cardboard was so old it was literally falling apart. Finding it, as I did, in the midst of several pickup loads of junk, I assumed it was more of the same. When I looked inside, I discovered that I was right, since it contained nothing but a bunch of old metal signs. (Some of you are probably way ahead of me here.)

Not knowing really anything about it, I set the box (neatly) in a corner and forgot about it – again. Several months passed, and I saw that same box, again, and for whatever reason decided to take a closer look. This time I saw that there were actually 40 brand new Farmer's Union signs in the box. Wondering if they might have some value after all, I later checked on ebay and found that those neglected and worthless signs had a retail value of almost $3,000.

As we enter the season of Lent, our goal is to be reminded of what we already know, but tend to lose sight of, given the demands of our busy lives. During this season we pick up (and dust off, if need be) that incredible account of our Lord's Passion and once again acknowledge its incalculable value for every human being, beginning with ourselves. To help us in this worthy endeavor, we intend this year to take a fresh new look at our Lord's Passion from the perspective of his enemies. More to the point, we intend to examine the various gospel truths spoken by Jesus' enemies, though in each case we will note that what Jesus' enemies meant by what they said fell far short of the profound truths that you and I can now recognize in their words.

We begin our series this evening with the words of a man that you would assume would be the very last person on earth that would reject or oppose the Promised Messiah, Caiaphas, the High Priest of Israel. His words again: "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."

You and I today can clearly and obviously identify the irony in these words of the High Priest. As the occupant of a sacred office, Caiaphas was inspired by God to speak God's truth. What is rather interesting here is the fact that that's not the way Caiaphas himself meant these words. The first lesson that we learn this evening – a lesson that we will see repeated in each of our Lenten meditations this year – is that God can and does accomplish his good will also through evil, ill-intentioned human beings. This is, in fact, a testament to the unlimited power of our God, that even his enemies must do his bidding.

Again, what Caiaphas actually meant was something much different than what we hear in these words. His intended meaning centered not so much on the substitute-death of God's Son as it did on the word "expedient." Expedient indicates a sort of a shortcut that brings about a desired end. The "end" that this self-serving man wanted to bring about was the preservation of his own stature and power. What he therefore expressed here was little more than a mafia mentality. What Caiaphas meant was simply that if this guy, Jesus, presents a threat to us in any way, kill him, and the problem goes away. Pure evil from the High Priest of Israel.

Caiaphas had no idea how right he was, but not in the way he intended. The problem that needed to go away was sin, not Jesus. Jesus did not threaten him; sin did. The great irony here is that killing the innocent Son of God did indeed solve Caiaphas' problem, just not in the way he intended.

Again, how ironic not only that Caiaphas said what he said, but that he prefaced it with the words: "You know nothing at all." Those words applied to no one so well at to Caiaphas himself, whose arrogance was surpassed only by his ignorance.

Caiaphas had fallen into an all too familiar trap, one that has destroyed rulers of every age. Egomaniacal leaders often come to imagine that the best thing for the people that they rule is that they themselves remain their rulers, and that they must therefore remain in power, even if others must be crushed or killed. Their's is obviously an opinion born of pure arrogance. The deadly result is that all such rulers are willing to sacrifice the very people over which they rule in order to remain in power. To put it in clearer terms, they believe it would be better for their subjects to die than to be ruled by someone else. Oh they toss in the idea that just one or two or a few must die, but that just serves as a feeble justification for what they really believe.

The discussion in the Sanhedrin that preceded Caiaphas' remark bears this out. It also lays out the pure evil of these men. Did you catch it when you first read the text? These men began their debate by stating what they believed to be the problem: "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him." Think for a moment about what they are saying, for their words are every bit as true and yet every bit as evil as were the words of Caiaphas. Here we are given a window into the blackness of their souls, for they began by acknowledging the divine approval that Jesus had to have to do what he was doing. John's Gospel also gives us a glimpse into their stubborn unbelief when he records their debate concerning Jesus: "Therefore some of the Pharisees said, 'This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.' Others said, 'How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?' And there was a division among them." (John 9:16) The true nature of the division was not who or what Jesus really was, for the miracles testified to that. The blind man that Jesus healed put it to the Jews this way: "If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." Their response? "They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out." (John 9:33-34)

Our text reveals the real issue here for the Jews when they themselves admitted: "If we let Him alone like this… the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation." Here the root of the problem is finally laid bare. Here is what really fueled the hatred that these men felt toward Jesus. Right or wrong didn't matter; Jesus threatened to take away what was theirs because he threatened their desires. They chose eternal torment in hell, rather than the loss of their power, pleasure, and prestige here on earth. Imagine the utter horror of these men when they one day face their God and hear his eternal and just condemnation.

Now take a long hard look at your own life, your own attitude, and your own desires. Lent is the perfect time for honest self-evaluation. Does Jesus threaten or fulfill your desires? Do you find any examples in your own life of the sort of choice, the sort of "expedience" that we see in Caiaphas and the Jewish Council? The honest answer is that we see it often in ourselves. If we find it expedient to lie to avoid some sort of shame, punishment, or penalty, we are prone to lie. If we crave popularity, and find it expedient to dress or conduct ourselves immodestly to gain or preserve that popularity, we often do so. If we seek wealth and material prosperity, and find it expedient to cheat or steal to achieve that goal, we convince ourselves it is acceptable to do so.

The inevitable lesson for you and me is that Caiaphas is not just someone else who lived and died a couple thousand years ago. Caiaphas is alive and well inside of each one of us, for that same sort of evil resides in our own sinful flesh.

And yet, dear Christians, that is exactly why Jesus did what he did. That is why, knowing how unworthy and evil all mankind truly was and is, our Savior came to this earth for precisely this reason – to offer a solution not for our goodness but for our evil. He did not come to suffer as he did because we were good and deserving, but because we were unerringly wicked and perverse. Every time we see ourselves in any other light, apart from Jesus Christ, we are absolutely no better than Caiaphas and the rest of the unbelieving Jews.

Jesus came to do exactly what Caiaphas predicted, but his life and death had nothing to do with any earthly kingdom or power. Jesus died so that all mankind need not spend an eternity receiving exactly what we had deserved.

Here we are once again reminded of the true value of this special time of the year. Lent is the season dedicated to reminding ourselves of the sin that was ours and the punishment that we had earned because of that sin. This is so necessary because Jesus himself holds no value for us when we imagine ourselves as better than we really are. Satan, on the other hand, hates Lent. He hates it because it is the best and most effective antidote to his program of sin-denial. He has successfully convinced the world that the answer to the guilt that even the unbelievers experience is to deny that sin is really sin. God's solution is exactly the opposite. Freely confess all of your countless sins, and God is faithful and just to forgive every one of them on the basis of the perfect life and innocent death of Jesus Christ. It is in this sense alone that the mis-intended words of Caiaphas ring true: "It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."

You and I are the nation, you and I are the people who have been spared eternal death through the death of the one man, Jesus Christ. Rediscover the true, priceless value of this sublime truth during this season of Lent. Amen.

"The Gospel

According to Jesus' Enemies"

- Lent 2008 -

St. Paul Lutheran Church

Bismarck, North Dakota

ST. PAUL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

2510 E. Divide Ave.

Bismarck, ND 58501 (701) 223-4885 Cell: (701) 425-5483

www.bismarcklutheran.org

Mr. Mark Johnson – President Mrs. Eileen McEnroe - Organist

Rev. Michael Roehl – Pastor

Mid-Week Lenten Services - 2008

The Opening Hymn (As noted on the back page and on the Hymn Board)

Invocation

Pastor: In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation: (Spoken) Amen.

Confession and Absolution

P: Acknowledging that we stand in the presence of our Holy God, in true contrition and humility we confess our sins to Him in the words of the 38^th Psalm:

Psalm 38 (Supplement page 39)

P: Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. According to His authority, and by His command, I announce to you the solemn decree of our God that all of your sins are forgiven, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

All: (Singing from p.19 of the Supplement) The Agnus Dei "Lamb of God"

O Lamb of God, O Christ our Lord, Whose blood, once shed,

true life restored, impart Your Joy, our faith increase.

Sustain with Your mercy and grant us Your peace.

The Reading of the Passion History

The Apostolic Creed

I believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day He rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven

and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.

From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost,

the holy Christian Church

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Sermon Hymn (As noted on the back page and on the Hymn Board)

The Sermon – The theme for our devotions this Lenten Season is

"The Gospel According to Jesus' Enemies"

(Please turn to the back page for this evening's theme)

The Response – (Based on TLH Hymn 586)

A Pilgrim and a stranger, I journey here below

Far distant is my country, the home to which I go.

Here I must toil and travail, by enemies oppressed;

But there my God shall lead me to everlasting rest.

I've met with storms and danger, with sorrow, pain, and tears,

Yet Jesus' death and merit now free me from my fears.

There's nothing here that tempts me to wish a longer stay,

So I shall hasten forward, to greet God's Judgment Day.

The Offering – (Hymn #528, Verses 1 & 3 edited)

If God Himself be for me, I may a host defy;

For when I pray, before me my foes, confounded, fly.

If Christ, my Head and Master, befriend me from above,

What foe or what disaster can drive me from His love?

I build on this foundation, that Jesus and His blood

Alone are my salvation, the true, eternal good.

Without Him all that pleases is valueless on earth;

The Lord, my God and Savior, alone my love is worth.

The Prayer of the Day, followed by the Lord's Prayer

The Benediction

P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

And the love of God the Father,

And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C: Amen, Amen, Amen. (Sung by all)

The Closing Hymn (As noted on the back page and on the Hymn Board)

Silent Prayer

[All are invited to remain for fellowship and light refreshments.]

Weekly Hymn and Meditation Schedule