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Series C – Palm / Passion Sunday – Sunday, March 20, 2016 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:29	the holy Gospel According to Luke chapters 22 and 23.
0:36	now the Feast of unleavened bread Drew near which is called the Passover the chief priests and the scribes were
0:42	seeking how to put Jesus to death for they feared the people then Satan entered into Judas called ascariot who
0:48	was one of the number of the twelve he went away and conferred with the chief priests and the officers how he
0:54	might betray him to them and they were glad and agreed to give him money so he
0:59	consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd
1:05	then came the day of unleavened bread on which the Passover Lamb had to be sacrificed so Jesus sent Peter and John
1:12	saying go and prepare the Passover for us that we may eat it they said to him
1:17	where will you have us prepare it he said to them behold when you have
1:22	entered the city A man carrying a jar of water will meet you follow him into the house that he enters and tell the Master
1:30	of the House the teacher says to you where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples and he
1:37	will show you a large upper room furnished prepare it there and they went
1:42	and found it just as he had told them and they prepared the Passover and when
1:48	the hour came he reclined at table and the apostles with him and he said to them I have earnestly desired to eat
1:54	this Passover with you before I suffer for I tell you I will not eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of
2:01	God he took a cup and when he had given thanks he said take this and divide it amongst yourselves for I tell you that
2:08	from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes and he took bread and when he
2:15	had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them saying this is my body which is given for you
2:21	do this in remembrance of me and likewise the cup after they had eaten saying this cup that is poured out for
2:28	you is the New Covenant in my blood but behold the hand of him who betrays me is
2:34	with me on the table for the son of man goes as it has been determined but woe to the Man by whom he is betrayed and
2:41	they began to question one another which of them it could be who was going to do this a dispute also arose among them as
2:47	to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest and he said to them the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship
2:55	over them and those in authority over them are called benefactors but not so with you rather let the greatest among
3:02	you become as the youngest and the leader as one who serves for who is the greater
3:07	one who reclines at table or one who serves is it not the one who reclines at
3:13	table but I am among you as the one who serves you are those who have stayed
3:19	with me in my trials and I assign to you as my father assigned to me a kingdom
3:24	that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on Thrones judging
3:29	the Twelve Tribes of Israel Simon Simon behold Satan has demanded to have
3:36	you that he might sift you like wheat but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail and when you have
3:43	turned again strengthen your brothers Peter said to him Lord I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death and
3:49	Jesus said I tell you Peter the rooster will not Crow this day until you deny three times that you know me
3:56	and he said to them when I sent you out with no money bag or knapsack or sandal
4:02	did you lack anything they said nothing he said to them but now let the one who
4:08	has a money bag take it likewise a knapsack and let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one for I
4:16	tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me and he was numbered with the transgressors for what is written
4:22	about me has its fulfillment and they said look Lord here are two swords and he said to them it is enough
4:29	and he came out and went as was his custom to the Mount of Olives and the disciples followed him and when he came
4:36	to the place he said to them pray that you may not enter into temptation and he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw
4:43	and knelt down and prayed saying father if you are willing remove this
4:51	cup from me nevertheless not my will but yours be done and there appeared to him an angel from
4:57	heaven strengthening him and being in agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat became like great drops of blood
5:04	falling down to the ground and when he rose from prayer he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for
5:10	sorrow and he said to them why are you sleeping rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation
5:16	while he was still speaking there came a crowd and the man called Judas one of the twelve was leading them and he drew
5:22	near to Jesus to kiss him but Jesus said to him Judas would you betray the son of man with a kiss
5:28	and when those who were around him saw what would follow they said Lord shall we strike with the sword and one of them
5:36	struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear but Jesus said no more of this and he touched his ear
5:42	and healed him then Jesus said to the chief priests and the officers of the temple and the elders who had come out
5:48	against him have you come out against as me as a robber with swords and clubs when I was with you day after day in the
5:55	temple you did not lay hands on me but this is your hour and the power of
6:01	Darkness Then They seized him and led him away bringing him to the high priest’s house
6:06	and Peter was following at a distance and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down
6:12	together Peter sat down among them then a servant girl seeing him as he sat in
6:17	the light and looking closely at him said this man also was with him
6:23	but he denied it saying woman I don’t know him and a little later someone else
6:30	saw him and said you also are one of them but Peter said man I am not and
6:35	after an interval of about an hour still another insisted saying certainly this man also was with him for he too is a
6:43	Galilean but Peter said man I do not know what you are talking about and immediately while he was still speaking
6:49	the rooster crowed and the Lord turned and looked at Peter and Peter remembered
6:54	the saying of the Lord how he had said to him before the rooster crows today you will deny me three times
7:00	and he went out and he wept bitterly now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat
7:07	him and they blindfolded him and kept asking him prophesy who is it that
7:12	struck you and they said many other things against him blaspheming him
7:17	when day came the Assembly of the Elders of the people gathered together both Chief priests and scribes and they led
7:24	him away to their counsel and they said if you are the Christ tell us but he
7:29	said to them if I tell you you will not believe and if I ask you you will not
7:34	answer but from now on the son of man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God so they all said are you
7:41	the Son of God then and he said to them you say that I am then they said well what further testimony do we need we
7:48	have heard it ourselves from his own lips and then the whole company of them arose
7:54	and brought him before Pilate and they began to accuse him saying we found this man misleading our nation and forbidding
8:00	us to give tribute to Caesar and saying that he himself is Christ a king and
8:06	pilate asked him are you the king of the Jews and he answered him you have said
8:11	so then pilate said to the chief priests in the crowds I I find no guilt in this
8:16	man but they were urgent saying he stirs up the people teaching throughout all Judea From Galilee even to this place
8:23	when pilate heard this he asked whether the man was a Galilean and when he learned that he belonged to herod’s
8:29	jurisdiction he sent him over to Herod who was himself in Jerusalem at that time when Herod saw Jesus he was very
8:37	glad for he had long desired to see him because he had heard about him and he was hoping to see some sign done by him
8:43	so he questioned him at some length but he made no answer and the chief priests
8:49	and the scribes stood by vehemently accusing him and Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him
8:56	then arraang him in Splendid clothing he sent him back to pilate and Herod and
9:02	pilate became friends with each other that very day for before this they had been at enmity with each other pilate
9:09	then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people and said to them you brought me this man as one
9:15	who was misleading the people and after examining him before you behold I did not find this man guilty of any of your
9:21	charges against him neither did Herod for he sent him back to us look nothing
9:27	deserving death has been done by him I will therefore punish and release him but they all cried out together away
9:34	with this man and released to us Barabbas a man who has been thrown into prison for an Insurrection started in
9:40	the city and for murder pilate addressed them once more Desiring to release Jesus but they kept shouting crucify crucify
9:48	him and the third time he said to them why what evil has he done I have found in
9:56	him no guilt deserving death I will therefore punish and release him
10:01	but they were urgent demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified and their voices prevail
10:08	so pilate decided that their demand should be granted he released the man who had been thrown into prison for
10:15	Insurrection and murder for whom they asked but he delivered Jesus over to
10:20	their will and as they led him away They seized one Simon of Cyrene who was coming in from
10:26	the country and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus and there followed
10:32	him a great multitude of the people of women who were mourning and lamenting for him but turning to them Jesus had
10:38	Daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me but wheat for yourselves and for your
10:43	children for behold the days are coming when they will say blessed are the baron and the wombs that never bore and the
10:49	breasts that never nursed then they will begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us for if they do
10:57	these things when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry two others who were criminals were LED
11:03	away to be put to death with him and when they came to the place that is called the skull There They Crucified
11:09	him and the criminals one on his right and one on his left and Jesus said father forgive them for they know not
11:16	what they are doing and they cast lots to divide his garments and the people stood by
11:21	watching but the rulers scoffed at him saying he saved others let him save
11:27	himself if he is the Christ of God his Chosen One the soldiers also mocked him
11:32	coming up and offering him sour wine and saying if you are the king of the Jews save yourself there was also an
11:38	inscription over him this is the king of the Jews one of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying are you not
11:45	the Christ save yourself and us but the other rebuked him saying do you
11:51	not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation and we indeed justly for we are receiving the
11:57	due reward for our Deeds but this man has done nothing wrong and he said to
12:03	Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom and he said to him truly I say
12:09	to you today you will be with me in Paradise it was now
12:14	about the sixth hour there was Darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour while the Sun’s light failed and the
12:21	curtain of the temple was torn in two then Jesus calling out in a loud voice said father into your hands I commit my
12:28	spirit and having said this he breathed his last now when the Centurion saw what
12:33	had taken place he praised God saying certainly this man was innocent and all
12:38	the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle when they saw what had taken place returned home beating their
12:44	breasts and all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him From Galilee stood at a distance watching
12:50	these things in the name of Jesus earlier this year my wife and I traveled
12:57	to Norway and when we were in Norway we had the Supreme Joy of hearing worship
13:03	songs in Norwegian had no clue what they were singing
13:09	now unless they were singing a song that we actually knew which they did from time to time I would sing along in
13:14	English and hope that I remembered because you know not the leave in the song book was in Norwegian and you’ll
13:20	have to forgive me you know my Norwegian is well non-existent except for the word
13:27	ufta and you betcha so now with that in mind I would like you
13:33	to consider this that what we have today in our epistle text in Philippians
13:38	chapter 2 is a hymn it’s an ancient one it’s a song that if
13:45	I were to try to sing it to you I would fail on two fronts number one I don’t know the tune
13:51	number two Greek is a dead language so we don’t exactly know how it’s pronounced all
13:58	right so they have we have what we call academic Greek that we all supposedly speak to each other those of us who know
14:04	Greek so we can’t actually hear the melody can’t hear the tune but be
14:11	advised this is probably one of the most amazing hymns ever written we have no
14:18	clue who wrote it but we know this but that because it is found in Scripture it
14:23	was inspired by God the Holy Spirit himself so I mean we talk about songwriters being inspired well this
14:31	hymn itself is inspired and so we’re going to take a look back and we’re going to do a little bit of back and
14:36	forth what I’m going to do is I’m going to braid this song This hymn together with some other pieces of scripture as
14:44	we going into Holy Week begin to ponder the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation his
14:51	suffering for our sins and ultimately his glorification a day that is still
14:57	coming so if a lot of this has taken place there’s still a little peace that’s left to come and so we return to
15:04	our epistle texts and we read these sentences from this ancient inspired
15:09	hymn have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus who
15:16	though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be
15:23	grasped now real note here in Romans chapter 12 verse 2 we hear
15:29	this exhortation from the Apostle Paul do not be conformed to this world but be
15:35	transformed by the renewal of your mind and I don’t know if you’ve noticed on the news lately but from my vantage
15:43	point it seems like the world is going crazy
15:49	I can’t watch a single news story without thinking that something is
15:54	terribly going wrong in the world everybody seems to be at each other’s throats America is divided more than
16:02	ever the world is divided more than ever I mean there was just this past week a
16:09	huge rally in France against Isis and some media Outlets didn’t even mention it right and against Islam and with
16:18	between Islam the whole political season the rhetoric involved in that the
16:23	destruction of people’s I mean reputations
16:28	we are a cantankerous awful group of people and the sufferings that we bring
16:35	oftentimes are at well at the hands of other human beings it’s just awful
16:42	and the reality is is that we’re not victims in this we all are perpetrators and so Paul
16:51	recording this Hymn for us begins with these words have this mind among yourselves
16:57	and that’s what repentance is it’s a change of mind you think you understand
17:02	how the world operates well you probably do the way you well the word world operates is you need to climb to the top
17:09	on the backs of other people you need to seek Fame Fortune you need
17:15	to have the best I mean after all you deserve it right this is how the world operates and
17:22	this is how the world thinks and so of course you’re in competition to rise to the top with seven billion other people
17:29	many of whom will sell your mother into slavery in order to get ahead of you
17:36	that’s the world that we live in so Paul in this hymn that if we were to hear it
17:42	we would not recognize the tune or the words says to be con not be conformed to
17:47	this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind and so this hymn pondered the lyrics of this hymn so that
17:55	we can again repent change our minds and be conformed to Christ and the way he
18:02	operates and we learn from this text that it says that Jesus Christ though he was in the
18:08	form you can even say by Nature he’s God that’s a good way to put it
18:14	he did not consider or count equality with God a thing to be grasped now real
18:20	quick a little bit of a side note have any of you had a talk with Jehovah’s Witnesses about Jesus and what they
18:26	believe about him well the Jehovah’s Witnesses will tell you that Jesus is not God they will tell you that he is
18:32	one of the first and greatest creations of God and some might even say they
18:38	think he might be Michael the Archangel okay so let me ask you a question let me ask you a question all right if we were
18:44	having you know coffee together and stuff like that and and I were to say to you you know my dog Luther he’s a really
18:51	smart dog and I’m so proud of him he’s the most humble dog ever and you go really sip your coffee and
18:58	your cappuccinos tell me more about this humble dog of yours well do I humble dog Luther he does not consider equality
19:05	with me a thing to be grasped okay usually hang on one second grab
19:11	that cell phone maybe 9-1-1 Pastor rosebrose lost his mind right right and
19:16	there’s a simple reason for this because dogs are not equal with humans in the Big Chain of order of creation dogs are
19:24	below humans humans take care of dogs and you know things like that that they are loyal pets but think of it this way
19:30	if Jesus isn’t God would it be of some benefit to us if he did not consider
19:36	equality with God a thing to be grasped how is that humble
19:42	yeah I’m a humble dog I don’t strive to be equal with humans Well you aren’t
19:47	okay so think of it this way if Jesus is not God then there’s no virtue in this
19:53	instead this text reveals that he is God and it says that he is by nature God and
19:59	he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped and a good thing to kind of compare that with then is our
20:07	first parents in the Garden of Eden we return to the scene of the crime where
20:12	in in Genesis chapter 3 we read these words the serpent being more crafty than
20:17	all the other Beasts of the field that the Lord God had made said to the woman did God really say that you shall not
20:22	eat of any tree in the garden the woman said to the serpent well we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden but
20:28	God said You shall not eat of the fruit that’s in the middle of the garden neither shall you touch it lest you die
20:33	but the serpent said to the woman you will not surely die for God knows on the day that you eat of it your eyes will be
20:40	opened and you will be like God knowing Good and Evil
20:48	and so this is the good thing to kind of compare it with here Jesus who is God by Nature does not
20:54	consider equality with God a thing to be grasped our first parents who are not God at all but were made in the image of
21:01	God they plunged us into all of this misery by striving to be like God
21:09	thinking that equality with God was a thing that they should grasp and that’s what plunges Us in to the
21:17	problem that we now find ourselves in this hymn then continues
21:23	but Jesus emptied himself emptied himself taking the form of a
21:31	servant which kind of begs the question what kind of God is this
21:37	when you read the mythological stories of Zeus and Athena and Mars and Jupiter
21:43	these are Gods who wield power crosses Zeus and he’ll throw a lightning
21:49	bolt at you and teach you a lesson if you survive the experience
21:54	you don’t read anywhere of God’s humbling themselves but who is this God
22:00	that we worship and serve says of him he emptied himself
22:07	and we know this because Jesus born of the Virgin Mary
22:13	does not go around flexing his glory muscles
22:18	instead he makes very little use of his divine power even though he is God by
22:24	Nature so much so that it says of the boy Jesus that he grew and he learned
22:30	he matured like everybody else and he was found in the form of a servant
22:37	and I want you to think of this word servant in this hymn as the lowliest of
22:42	the lowest of slaves I mean in any trade any Union that you’re in any any
22:49	industry that you might serve there’s generally kind of a of a known hierarchy
22:54	I mean even in the trucking world there’s a hierarchy right well in the slave world of the ancient you know in
23:00	the ancient times even among the slaves there was the lowest of the low and then
23:06	the hot the top of the top even enslaved there was stratification if you’ve ever watched Downton Abbey you kind of know
23:12	what this is talking about the people downstairs even there’s a pecking order there but Jesus
23:17	empties himself and takes on the form of a servant and the servant that he takes the form of is the lowest of the low and
23:24	he’s doing this for you and for me a great picture of this is found in the Gospel of John Chapter 13 starting at
23:30	verse 1. before the Feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the father
23:37	having loved his own who were in the world he loved them to the end during supper when the devil had already put it
23:43	into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon’s son to betray him Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his
23:50	hands and that he had come from God was also going back to God he rose from supper he laid aside his outer garments
23:57	and taking a towel tied it around his waist then he poured water in a basin
24:04	began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him keep in mind
24:11	this was a necessary step they didn’t have showers and baths back
24:18	then they didn’t have Nikes or really cool boots they had
24:23	Dusty roads and sandals these men’s feet needed to be washed
24:29	and the one who washed their feet taking on the role of the lowest of the lowest servants this is the task for the
24:36	servant at the bottom of the servant rung Jesus does this task and who is he he is
24:44	God by Nature who is this God who does this well Peter
24:50	is incensed he’s not going to have this done it’s absolutely scandalous King of
24:57	Kings Lord of lords alpha and omega beginning and the end
25:03	acting in the role of the lowest servant
25:10	Peter said to him Lord do you wash my feet Jesus answered him what I am doing you
25:16	do not understand now but afterwards you will understand and then Peter protests
25:21	very hard he said You shall never wash my feet
25:29	Peter thinking like the world and think about it in Our Gospel text
25:34	today that very long narrative there during the Passover while Christ is
25:40	literally having his last meal as a free man he’s about to go to the Cross he’s going
25:46	to die in less than 24 hours and what did the disciples do they bicker amongst
25:52	themselves who is the greatest you can imagine
25:58	how these actions of Our Lord taking on the form of the lowest of the low servant blow that whole thing right up
26:06	who is this God who behaves like this
26:11	you shall never wash my feet Jesus answered him if I don’t wash you you have no share with me
26:19	and he’s checkmated
26:24	it’s either be washed or have nothing with to do with Jesus but Jesus is everything
26:29	so Simon Peter said to him Lord then not my feet only but also my hands
26:36	and my head washed me from top to bottom then that’s a good prayer
26:41	that’s a good prayer the hymn then continues in Philippians and being born in the likeness of men
26:49	and being found in human form God by Nature now is found in human nature and
26:56	this hearkens back to the Christmas text that we just recently heard I won’t read them in their entirety but let me remind
27:04	you what Matthew says Matthew 1 18-25 the birth of Jesus came
27:09	and took place in this way when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together he was found
27:15	to be with child from the Holy Spirit and her husband Joseph being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame
27:20	resolved to divorce her quietly as he considered these things behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
27:27	dream saying Joseph son of David do not fear to take Mary as your wife
27:32	for that which is conceived in hers from the Holy Spirit and she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he
27:40	will save his people from their sins you kind of miss it when it’s translated
27:46	as Jesus I think it would be better but just leave it in the Hebrew he will be called Yeshua the Lord saves for he will
27:53	save his people from their sins all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet behold the Virgin
28:00	shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call his name and here it is again another reference
28:06	to Jesus is deity Emmanuel which means god with us
28:12	and so Jesus was born Joseph names him Yeshua the Lord saves because God has
28:18	sent to us a savior but he didn’t send some hireling some creature that he created God himself Christ himself
28:28	steps off the throne and comes and Tabernacles Among Us
28:34	and we read about the birth of Jesus
28:39	where the Angels appear to the Shepherds in Luke 2 in the same region there were
28:45	shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the
28:50	glory of the Lord showed around them and they were filled with great fear and the angel said to them fear not for behold I
28:55	bring you good news great joy that’s for everybody for All Peoples For unto you
29:01	was born this day in the city of David a savior
29:06	and when you read the newspapers you look at the magazines browse what’s going on in the internet turn on Fox
29:13	News CNN whichever your political bent is and you look at how the world is
29:19	unraveling one thing is Sir we don’t need a politician
29:26	we need a savior and that’s what God has given us
29:33	fact God himself is our savior glory to God in the highest the Angels
29:39	sang in peace among those with whom he is pleased and the angels went away and
29:45	left them in heaven and the Shepherds went and said let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing as that has
29:50	happened which the Lord has made known to us and they went with haste and found Mary
29:55	and Joseph and the baby lying in a Manger wrapped in
30:01	I know the Texas waddling clothes but you could translate that as Grave clothes
30:07	strange that you can do that so the mystery of godliness and what
30:13	Christ has done for us profound the hymn then continues
30:21	next stanza he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of
30:27	death even death on a cross
30:32	since we do not have to look at the horror of crucifixion I think it’s lost on us just how scandalous this is
30:39	to die this way the scriptures themselves record that cursed is anyone who is hung on a tree
30:48	cursed and that’s one of the reasons why the
30:53	message of Christ’s crucifixion is so scandalous to those Jews who know their Old Testament
30:59	because they see Jesus as cursed and indeed he was
31:05	but see that’s the point he became obedient to the point of death but not just any death
31:12	the most scandalous of deaths the death reserved for the well the worst of the
31:19	worst of the worst we return to Our Gospel text a small
31:26	portion of it and it says this when they came to the place that is called the skull Golgotha there they crucified Jesus and the
31:33	criminals one on his right and one on his left and Jesus said father forgive them for they know not what they do
31:42	another sign Jesus is just not like us at all
31:50	makes you think we’re the problem how is it that you can pray for the people who are murdering you
31:58	unjustly no acrimony
32:03	no defense no hey I’m innocent
32:09	no hey I’m being repressed by the imperial system He Goes Forth not only uncomplaining He
32:18	Goes Forth praying for the people who are doing this to him
32:25	I’ve never met anyone like this
32:32	so the cast lots divided as garments and the people stood by watching but the rulers scoffed at him
32:38	yeah they did he saved others let him save himself if he’s the Christ of God and there’s kind
32:45	of the rub you see Jesus didn’t come to save himself he didn’t need saving
32:54	I do and you do
32:59	so they don’t get it they’re thinking oh the way the world thinks save yourself if you have all this power
33:08	but see he’s using all of his power to obey to obey the will of the father
33:14	that this is the way our Salvation is secured so he does not save himself and
33:19	thank God he does not because he’s taken this one all the way
33:26	into the ground Six Feet Under
33:31	he’s not going to do anything to stop it at his command there is a ten thousand
33:38	Legions of angels all Jesus had to do was whistle
33:44	say the word make a motion with his pinky finger and all of these men and this evil would
33:51	have come to an end yet he didn’t
33:57	he saved others let him save himself if he’s the Christ of God the chosen one
34:02	so the soldiers mocked him coming up and offering him sour wine and saying if you are the king of the Jews save yourself
34:08	there was also inscription over him this is the king of the Jews well at least they got that right
34:14	right one of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying are you not the Christ save yourself in US
34:22	but the other would rebuked him saying do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation and we
34:29	indeed justly for we are receiving the Jew reward for our Deeds and he’s right
34:37	but this man has done nothing wrong how fascinating somebody dying for their crimes justly so
34:44	not even sorrowful for a second no pangs of guilt no feelings of remorse the only
34:51	thing he can do is revile the very God who made him and is there bleeding and
34:58	dying for his sins the other one through some miraculous power of the Holy Spirit actually has
35:04	come to his senses his mind is transformed and he sees this all for what it is I’m getting what I deserve
35:11	and so are you this man’s innocent and I’m not and so
35:16	he says a prayer to Christ and Christ hears his prayer
35:23	and he says to Jesus Jesus remember me when you come into your
35:28	kingdom so Jesus said to him and this is the
35:34	most amazing part truly I say today to you today you will be with me in Paradise
35:42	weird word paradisos it’s not Greek
35:48	it’s not Hebrew it’s Persian
35:53	why is Jesus pulling a Persian word in right here do you want to know what this
35:59	word literally means in Persian
36:04	it means Garden of Eden
36:10	I don’t think it’s an accident so let’s plug that in truly I say to you today you will be with me in the Garden of
36:17	Eden Christ says behold I make all things new
36:24	and truly he does now this paradise is currently with Christ
36:30	in the Heavenly Kingdom but it will be restored to Earth on the last day
36:37	as we continue to consider the fact that he was obedient to death even death on a cross we continue reading and that was
36:43	about the sixth hour there was Darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour while the Sun’s light failed the curtain
36:48	of the temple was torn into Jesus calling out with a loud voice father into your hands I commit my spirit and
36:55	having said this he breathed his last now when the Centurion saw what had
37:00	taken place he praised God saying certainly this man was innocent and here’s the great mystery of
37:07	it all the wages of sin is death
37:15	Jesus here died how is that possible if he was innocent
37:25	and this is where the mystery gets profound second Corinthians puts it this way
37:31	verses 19 and 21 of chapter five in Christ God was reconciling the world to
37:37	himself not counting their trespasses against them for our sake God made
37:43	Christ to be sin who knew no sin so that we might become the
37:48	righteousness of God the father imputed to Jesus all of our
37:55	iniquity and that’s what the prophet says in Isaiah 53 surely he has borne
38:00	our griefs surely he has carried our sorrows and we esteemed him stricken Smitten by God and Afflicted but he was
38:06	pierced for our transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities
38:12	the chastisement that brought us peace was upon him and that’s the thing
38:19	how is it that the innocent one dies because God made him Jesus to be the
38:27	sinner and that’s the amazing part about it all of my sins all of your sins all of
38:35	the sins of the whole world of dirty rotten politicians
38:42	to scheming lawyers to self-absorb celebrities
38:47	to Grassroots ordinary sinners like you and like me every one of our
38:52	transgressions were put onto Christ he becomes the singular Sinner and then God pours his
39:01	wrath out on Jesus and he drinks that cup down to the dregs
39:07	every sin atone for everyone every idolatry
39:14	every Disobedience every time you fail to serve your neighbor or worse you’ve
39:20	sinned grievously against your neighbor Christ has bled for it and he’s died for
39:27	it and the most shocking thing of all of this is that we can now say
39:33	on a Friday afternoon 2000 years ago God died
39:41	scandalous thing to say but that’s exactly what he did
39:47	because he was doing this to save you and to save me
39:55	the hymn then takes a wonderful turn I like to think that the way the music
40:01	must have played that go along with this hymn that at this point then this stanza the music would pick up right
40:10	kind of like the Hallelujah Chorus you know how it gets into that ah right and
40:15	so now this hymn says this because Christ even though he is by
40:23	nature God did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself
40:29	and was found in the form of a servant and was obedient to death even death on a cross
40:35	here’s the term God therefore has highly exalted him Jesus bestowing on him the name that is
40:43	above every name he is the servant of servants so that at the name of Jesus every knee
40:50	should bow in heaven on Earth and under the Earth every knee not some everyone and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is
40:59	Lord to the glory of God the Father
41:06	the lowest becomes the highest the greatest servant becomes the
41:13	ultimate King and you know what
41:18	we can trust a king like that because somebody who is made King under
41:24	those circumstances is not made King because he’s seeking
41:29	after himself I hate and I mean this I hate the way we
41:34	do our elections for president here in the United States the most Cut Throat the most ruthless the most dirtiest the
41:42	biggest Mudslinger becomes the greatest in our land
41:50	what a complete abomination but see Jesus comes and he does not come
41:57	to serve himself he does not come to sling muck he does not come to slander
42:04	he does not come to cut out your legs and step on you as he’s climbing the
42:09	ladder he comes and he goes straight to the bottom of humanity
42:17	even willing to suffer the ignomy of dying on the cross for your sins and for
42:23	mine and God the father says
42:29	you’re the man and God the Father exalts him
42:36	so at the name of Jesus every knee should bow mine and yours
42:43	those in heaven those in hell and everybody confess yes Jesus
42:49	you are Lord You Are God to the glory of God the Father
42:57	who’s the greatest Among Us not anyone living that I know
43:06	but I hear read about a man who was God who did not consider equality with God a
43:11	thing to be grasped who sought not to save himself but to save Sinners Like You and Me
43:18	and so as this hymn turns and we hear of the great exaltation of this humble
43:23	servant we say yes Lord you are right I am wrong
43:30	I don’t even know how the universe really operates and here’s the best part
43:36	we’re going to find out we get hints of it here of the love of God
43:42	and what God is all about and the one thing I’m excited about
43:48	is a God who truly loves seeing him face to face
43:53	who doesn’t seek his own but seeks to be Savior for even his greatest
44:00	enemies enemies like me and like you in the name of Jesus Amen

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