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Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
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He Gave Himself |
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Mark
1:32-45 Palm
Sunday March
28, 2010 About
2,000 years ago in a remote town in Palestine a tragedy occurred.
That is not really surprising.
Tragedies happen every day. Earthquakes,
floods, droughts, famine, pestilence, storms, plagues, wars, and deaths
happen with fearful regularity. The
vast majority of them are forgotten within a few decades, or years, or
even days. What sets this one
apart is that it has not been forgotten.
In fact, it is celebrated week after week in communities around the
world. The tragedy is, of
course, the death of Jesus of Nazareth. It
is easy to understand why His death was a tragedy. All death is tragedy. No
matter how wicked and wretched a person may have been in life, his death
is always tragic. In fact,
the more evil the person, the more tragic his death, for there is a God in
Heaven who marks our sins and remembers them against us on the Day of
Judgment. Then there is the
pain of death, the grief of parting, and the realisation that it all
happens because of sin. So
every death is the result of living in a fallen world, and that is tragic. Add
to this tragedy the innocence of the victim.
"Which of you convinceth me of sin?" Jesus" demanded
of his accusers. "I find
no fault in this man," cried Pilate to the mob outside his palace.
"Have thou nothing to do with that just man," said
Pilate's wife during the trial of Christ.
The Bible makes it plain that the crucifixion of Christ was not the
just desserts of a heinous crime, but the premeditated murder of an
innocent man. That makes the
tragedy that much worse, but, then, that was neither the first nor the
last time that has happened. Innocent
people have been killed since Cain killed Abel.
Often it has been the official powers that have done the killing.
It has been the kings, the governments, and, sad to say, the
Church. God have mercy upon us.
The Apostle Paul was killed by the official government of Rome, and
he was guilty of no crime. Thomas
Cranmer was burned at the stake by the official government of England, yet
he was guilty of no crime. Millions
have been killed in revolutions and wars, but were guilty of no crime. In 1900 people in the West were convinced the twentieth
century was going to be a time of unsurpassed progress in the world.
Scientific knowledge and a type of doctrineless version of
Christian "love" was going to end all war, oppression, and hate,
and bring peace and justice to all people.
Most of the mainline Christian denominations adopted this view,
expunging their faith of the central doctrines and foundational teachings
of the Bible; leaving themselves with nothing but the Golden Rule.
But the war to end all wars did not bring peace, Christless
Christianity did not change people's hearts, and technology was often used
for evil, so the same problems continued, and still continue to this day.
Nor
was betrayal unique to this tragedy.
Judas betrayed Christ, but the world has always had its Judases.
Countless fortunes have been stolen, friendships relationships, and
marriages ruined, even lives and nations have been lost through acts of
betrayal. What
made this tragedy so different was the Person to whom it happened.
For this was no mere human being; this was God in person.
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God, said Peter at
Caesarea Philippi." "Truly this was the Son of God" said
the soldier at the foot of the cross when Jesus died. "I and the
Father are one," Jesus said to the Jews.
He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." "This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," said the Father Himself.
The One who suffered this tragedy was God Himself.
That makes this tragedy unique among all others. Something
else makes this tragedy different, namely the willingness of the victim.
"God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten
Son," but the Son was not dragged kicking and screaming to the cross.
The Son gave Himself willingly for our sins.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life
for his friends." "No
man taketh my life. I lay it down."
Yes this tragedy happened to God, but it happened with His consent.
It was His intent to suffer the tragedy. So
why do we celebrate this tragedy? Because
it was done for us. On that
cross our sins were crucified and died.
In that tomb they were dead and buried. On the third day we were
raised from our deadness toward God to live a new life of peace and
harmony with Him. God Himself
suffered and died for us, in our places.
And it is through His sacrificial life, death, resurrection, and
ascension that we are made right with Him. Throughout
Lent we have been following our Saviour's journey toward the cross.
Christ came into the world to give His life as the Ransom for us.
Throughout His ministry He walked resolutely toward the cross, to
fulfill His mission to pay the price of our sins, and bring the people of
God into His Kingdom. This
week we come to the end of that journey.
We see Him falsely accused, found innocent, yet beaten and tortured
to death. The journey to the cross is ended. But the Saviour lives on.
Death could not hold Him. He
rose from the dead and lives today. Thanks
be to God.
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