Sermon for Passion Sunday, March 21, 2010
“ Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. ”
FOR TELLING A LIE, some people have suffered punishment, imprisonment, social rejection and the hatred of others who were betrayed into their trust. But when a person tells the truth and suffers, even dies for it, that sacrifice is known in heaven and God accepts the gift of that truth for which one has given his own life. For so it was with Jesus, and with the prophets before Him. They spoke only the truth, the words of life, the breath of God, and those who hated the truth they spoke had them stoned, sawed in half, burned alive and crucified. And still they spoke the truth.
I just read this: “An effective ministry is one that stands the test of time, results in lives changed and focuses on Jesus. The difference between an effective ministry and one on life support is simple, an effective ministry woos people, the ineffective wows them.” People who want the truth know the difference. That was why so many followed Jesus, and his popularity caused the priests of the Temple great alarm. His teachings weren't flamboyant, even His healings were done quietly or in secret. His entourage was fishermen, tax collectors and uneducated men and women. All the trappings of a successful religious leadership were totally missing from the new Church that was being birthed. And every time the movement grew too large, Jesus would say something that drove most of His followers away.
So it was in Jerusalem that day He'd rescued and comforted the woman caught in adultery. A crowd gathered, wanting to hear Him, but from the start He told them the truth, about themselves. They were not the children of Abraham, for had they been they would have recognized God's Son and followed Him. They were not children of God, but of the devil, for they also sought to kill Jesus. They'd had enough. “Now we know you are demon possessed and must be a Samaritan.” Jesus truthfully denied that, and then added, “If anyone keeps my sayings, he will never die.” Confident in their own views on life and death, they propped Abraham up again and asked if Jesus thought He was better than Abraham, who never saved anyone's life, not even his own. Jesus corrected them, saying Abraham did see His day and he rejoiced in it. He was referring to the day God called Abraham up onto Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son Isaac. Willing to obey, Abraham went, but God stopped him from going through with it, and He honored him, saying indeed by this son would many nations spring, and that the seed of Abraham would bless every nation, tribe and family on earth. That seed, Jesus knew, was Himself. Telling the truth, Jesus faced an angry mob. “You're not even fifty, and you say you've seen Abraham?” You can hear the taunts, the catcalls and the rising anger in their voices. With more than a human power, Jesus then stood tall and declared, “This is the truth! I tell you, before Abraham ever existed, I AM.” Jesus used God's own Name, I AM, spoken by God to Moses at the burning bush, for Himself, and they picked up stones to kill Him. These were the very stones they had brought earlier to execute the adulteress.
A priest walks the borderland between the world of people and a completely other country. In such a place, we hear impressions of the truth, truth the world needs to hear, truth that breaks the silence of heaven. But, a church having priests is objected to by some, for the Bible calls all Christians a priestly and royal nation, where we are all priests. This is true. But if I ask what's a priest then , no one knows. In the common reasoning, if all are priests, then nobody is a priest and none may claim priesthood. As ever, tell the truth and be scorned for it.
A priest is specially called by God, trained, ordained and equipped to offer the proper sacrifice. That sacrifice is accepted by God, transformed, and returned so the priest may offer it to God's people. You witness this entire transaction at the altar during the Communion, and are recipients of that sacrifice by the hands of a priest. You also are specially called by God, given the faith, baptized into your priesthood that all believers share, and called to give your proper sacrifice, which is your entire self—a living sacrifice. Once given, He takes you, transforms you by the indwelling of His Spirit, makes your spirit come alive, and sets you back on your feet to offer yourself to the Church and as the Church to the world. You enter the borderlands and walk in truth, now knowing that the truth you tell may turn others against you.
But what is a high priest? I am not one. I have the office of priest to the priestly nation—that's you—to administer special gifts and ordinances, but the high priest first of all is Jesus Christ. His sacrifice was unique, only to be done one time for all. Today we enter a two week season at the end of Lent which memorializes that sacrifice, and thus we veil the crosses, use special prayers, walk a little more carefully and visit the stations of the cross in private devotion. Our high priest gave us His life and died on that cross, His painful altar, a public spectacle lifted up and reviled, His precious Blood covering a mutilated Body. Only once, and yet we recall the fruit of that sacrifice for ourselves, as He commanded, every time we approach this altar, making its benefits real and available to ourselves, serious as life and death, by the hands of a priest and the offering of bread and wine.
But what is this high priest? The Epistle to the Hebrews was read this morning, and that brief work holds more about this subject than any in the Bible. It instructs that Jesus Christ “took on him the seed of Abraham… to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Heb 2:16-17 Jesus became a Jew, descended from Abraham, so that in the same flesh as His countrymen He might offer Himself.
It goes on to say that “we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” 4:14-16 Our high priest, having completed His sacrificial office, went to heaven, and we embrace the truth and proclaim it, trusting that we have a high priest who feels our weaknesses, was tempted as a man, yet never sinned. And to Him we may come bravely to seek His mercy and grace.
Then speaking of the priesthood, it says, “no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son… Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest.” 5:4-10 No one may simply choose this thing called priesthood, and no one may offer a sacrifice except what God calls for. Cain's offering of his farm produce was rejected. Not even Jesus could choose His own priesthood, nor His sacrifice, but only the Father. Jesus humbled Himself to do His Father's will and in His suffering He learned what obedience feels like to a man, and thus became our author of salvation.
This truth is too important not to tell. And it is too heavy a thing to be burdened with unless the grace of God helps us to hold it up. Humankind is a failing family. We heard and believed a lie long ago, and most of us still believe it, that we are somehow gods, able to live our own lives, make our own truths, eat the fruits of this earth, never knowing where they came from or from Whom, and die only to ascend to a heaven where all people enter a land of light. That's a lie. It's a lie about God. It's a lie about people. It's a lie about life and death. And it's a lie about sin. And that lie is killing people right now, and they will die eternally. What did Jesus, our high priest say that so angered them? Keep my words and you will never die. Is that important? He was willing to die so that you'd believe it. “By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” If He was willing to die to save us, are we willing to live to tell that truth? What is the truth?
The truth doesn't begin with the death of Jesus, but with the death of Adam, Eve and the whole race of mankind. It was never meant to happen. And what they did to earn death was nothing compared to what we do today against the will of our Almighty God. People have forgotten that God made all this and today many will adamantly deny it. What commandment do they even keep? What deadly sin do they not commit regularly, contemptuously against a God they refuse to answer to. Are we better than they? We are just like them. If we don't get help, this world, this life will end for us badly.
Jesus told the truth and we killed Him for it. But His death opened the way from death to life for us, and so let us hear His words again. Whoever believes in God's Son will not perish, but live forever. Whoever eats His Body and drinks His Blood will live forever. Eternal life is knowing God and His Son, Jesus Christ. “ If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32
PFH+