Lenten Sermon Series, gHoly Weekh #6,
gGood Fridayh
Looking for the Truth Mark 15:1`5

Palm Sunday, The Sunday of the Passion, March 29, 2015



Mark 15:1-5
Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
2 gAre you the king of the Jews?h asked Pilate.
gYes, it is as you say,h Jesus replied.
3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, gArenft you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.h
5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.


Pilate is famous for asking Jesus the question gWhat is truth?h (John 18:38.)

Pilate was the judge that day. He had to decide what was the truth in the case of Jesus of Nazareth.
Was Jesus a social revolutionary? Was he a political rebel? A false king? Was it treason against the Roman Emperor?
Or, was Jesus innocent? Was he being falsely accused by the Jews who were jealous of him?

Actually, Pilate did not know the whole truth about Jesus.
Jesus really was the King of the Jews.
But he was also the King of the World. The King of the Universe!

Pilate thought he did not deserve death. But that was not the truth!
The truth is that Jesus had taken upon himself the sin of the world.
Jesus must die for the sin of the world.
That is the truth.

Pilate is the judge, but when we read this Gospel story, we too must become judges.
We have to ask, gAre you the king of the Jews?h
We have to ask, gWhat is truth?h
And how shall we decide, how shall we judge?

First, who is on trial? It is not just Jesus. We are on trial. We should be standing before Pilate. Have we committed sins that deserve death? Maybe we should just be flogged or whipped or made to pay a fine.

Jesus is taking upon himself our sin. When he is flogged, it is for us.
When he is insulted and spit upon, it is for us.
He is taking our place.

If you were Pilate, would you condemn Jesus to death on the cross?
You should. He has the sin of the world upon himself, he deserves death.
That is the truth.

Pilate didnft see the truth. He did not see that Jesus was really the King of the Jews.
He put the sign on the cross that said, gThe King of the Jews.h
Pilate thought it was a joke. But it was the real truth!

What is truth? What is true? Do you know? Because of faith, you do know. You know the truth about Jesus. You know that he really is the King of the Jews. The Savior of the Jews. The King of the World, the Savior of the World, your own Savior.

What is truth? It is that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment of our sin. And so our sins are forgiven. Jesus rose on the third day. And so we have peace with God. Jesus died and rose again. And so we will too.

That is the truth. And the Bible word for gtruthh is gAmen.h

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church


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