Sermon Index
Palm Sunday, March 20, 2016
As we read the Passion of Jesus from the Book of Luke, we see that Jesus was innocent, but a lot of people were not innocent: There was Judas who betrayed him, Peter who denied him, the High Priests who were jealous, the Council which ignored justice, Herod who was frivolous, Pilate who was afraid of the crowd, the Soldiers who mocked him, Barabbas who was an insurrectionist and murder, and the Criminal on the cross who teased him. But no real sin was ever found on Jesus. But actually Jesus was not innocent because he took upon himself the sin of the world: my sin and your sin also. Thereupon, Jesus was the most sinful person ever and the most deserving to die. And in that strange way, justice was carried out that day. In that strange way we were made innocent through the suffering and death of Jesus.
Pilate states three times that Jesus is innocent, or has done nothing wrong. One of the Thieves on the cross declares that Jesus has done nothing wrong. Finally, the Centurion at the foot of the cross declares that Jesus is innocent (as opposed to being the Son of God, as in Mark and Matthew).
What were the charges against Jesus? In 22:66ff, the Council asked him if he were the Christ, Jesus did not deny it. They asked if he were the Son of God, he did not deny it, saying, “You say that I am.” Of course, Jesus was the True Messiah Christ, he was truly the Son of God, but they did not believe it, and so they charged him with the religious crime of blasphemy against God. Following the Law of Moses, the Jews would have stoned Jesus to death. But they did not have the authority to do it, so they took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman Governor.
Before Pilate they had to have a political charge. 23:1ff, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute (taxes) to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And so Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus did not deny it and said, “You have said so.”
Actually Jesus was guilty as charged! He is the Christ, the Son of God, and the King of the Jews.
But was crucifixion the proper response to the charges? Pilate said a third time, 23:22, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” Following the Law of Moses, the Jews would have stoned Jesus to death. But in another way of looking at it, since Jesus was the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, Jesus should have been sacrificed on the altar of the Temple in Jerusalem and his blood should have sprinkled in the Holy of Holies. But on this day, the Altar was the Cross.
Was Jesus innocent? In every age, each and every person has to be the judge. You and I have to decide if Jesus was innocent. Do not be too quick to make a decision. How many crosses should have been on that place called “The Skull” (23:33)? Only two? Maybe billions and billions for all the sinners of the world? A cross with an inscription with your name on it? If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, if you believe that you are sinner but that Christ has died for your sin, if you believe that Jesus Christ—the Son of God, the Lamb of God—has taken upon himself the sin of the whole world: then there need be only one cross on that hill: the cross of Jesus.
Jesus was the most innocent person in the world. On Good Friday, he became the guiltiest person in the world. On Easter Sunday, he was pure and innocent again. In his death and resurrection, our sin has been taken away and we share in the innocence of Jesus.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church