Lent GF09– “God’s Truth vs. Satan’s Lies.”  John 19:17-30

Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.  The text for our sermon meditation is taken from the Gospel account of St John, the 19^th Chapter:

 

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).  Here they crucified him, and with him two others-- one on each side and Jesus in the middle. … Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."

      A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.  When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

 

So far the reading.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

      “God is dead!”  These words are a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche a famous 19^th Century philologist whose writings have greatly influenced modern philosophy.  Nietzsche studied languages and through this study, critiqued religion, morals, science and many other subjects, even society.  He determined that society had killed God in their hearts and minds and had abandoned any moral underpinnings.

 

      At one time, Dr. Luther was even accused of living as if God was dead.  It seems that he was wandering the house in very dismal mood.  His wife, Katy decided to dress all in black to suit his mood.  Dr. Luther soon noticed his wife dressed in black and asked her who had died.  Katy replied, “Well from the way you have been acting, it would seem that God had died.”

 

       We might even agree because as St John writes, Jesus, our God, did die.  “Jesus bowed his head and gave up his spirit” are John’s exact words.  If God is dead then who killed God? This is the question we must answer this evening.  Satan would have us believe we killed God, but the truth will surprise you.

 

      One answer would be that man killed God.  If you go by Nietzsche’s observations of society, you would be correct to a certain degree.  Society has killed the memory of God in its collective heart and mind.  Society lives as if God does not exist.  Look at the legislation that is being handed down to us today in the United States.  Life issues are pragmatic decisions and a hindrance to scientific research.  Marriage as instituted by God is on the way to becoming scarce with the government at the state and federal level sanctioning domestic partnership and homosexual and lesbian marriage.  There are many other examples that could be used here as well.

 

      Let us return to John’s account for a few moments.  As we look at the last hours of Jesus’ life on earth, we see the chain of events that lead up to the moment when Jesus speaks the words that mark his time of death. We have heard in these past few weeks of our Lenten journey how Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the hands of his enemies, and the role that Caiaphas, Pilate, Peter and others played in the crucifixion of the Son of God.

 

      Caiaphas said, “It is expedient for one man to instead of the whole nation perishing.”  It was his intention to get rid of the one who called himself the Son of God.  Put this man Jesus to death and that will be the end of his “God Talk.”  No more will this alleged voice of God be heard in the streets of Jerusalem or anywhere else for that matter.

 

      Pilate was the one lone voice of reason in this whole series of events.  His voice alone was the voice of truth against which the rage of Jesus’ enemies broke like tsunami wave crashing against the shoreline.  Like the villages succumbing to this tidal wave, Pilate succumbed to the cries of those arrayed against Jesus.  The words crucify him and you are no friend of Caesar rang in Pilates ears and swayed his heart to do as the mob demanded.  Pilate washed his hands of the life of the Son of God, saying in effect that with the death of God all my troubles will be buried forever.

 

      Peter denied his lord and master in the face of confessing his Lord and Master before men.  Likewise the disciples, when Jesus was arrested they fled in fear.  Then they watched in relative safety from a distance as the Son of God, they once confessed, was falsely accused, wrongly convicted and brutally crucified.  They left the scene of God’s death in sorrow after witnessing the result of their abandoning Jesus in his time of need.

 

      What about us?  We act like we have killed God when we ignore him and his word.  The philosophy of this age says that we can make truth relative to our individual needs.  Morality is defined by doing what feels right to us at the time.  There is no longer any submission to a higher truth or divine law.  People cohabit or engage in premarital sexual relations or view the marriage license as just a piece of paper.  The Church cramps my style with outdated rules and regulations.  God is no longer relevant.

 

      Oh and lest we forget, there is also Satan who desired to kill God.  He worked through sinful men to accomplish this desire.  He deceived Caiaphas, Pilate, the disciples and you and me in order carry out his plan for Jesus' destruction.  He persuaded men to betray God, to slander God, to physically abuse God and finally nail God to the tree of the cross.

 

      In all this, there are those who will be satisfied to think that God is dead.  These people do not want to be accountable to a higher authority.  They do not want this higher authority to tell what to do or how to live their lives.  They do not want to be told they have sinned and need to humbly repent of their sin and be forgiven.  Their plan for life is live and let live.  I’m ok and you’re ok. Do your own thing and let me do mine.

 

      Yet for others, this is a fearful thought.  The realization of their part in the death of God brings about sorrow, pain or guilt.  What have I done?  What will become of me?  They wrack their brains and beat their breasts in deep sorrow as did those who walked away from Golgotha the place of Jesus’ execution.  Rightly so!  We should be beating our breasts and wracking our brains for the role we played in the death of God.  For, we are responsible for Jesus needing to be nailed to the cross.  But, let us look close at the death of Jesus and see if we did take his life.

  

    “He bowed his head and gave up his spirit,” John writes.

 

      “Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into you hands I commit my spirit.” Saying this, he breathed his last.  Luke writes.

 

      “With a loud cry, he breathed his last.” Mark writes.

 

      “And when Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.” Matthew writes.

 

      What do you think of when you hear these words?  What comes to your mind?  Did we kill Jesus?  Certainly, our sinfulness caused Jesus to be crucified.  Men scourged Jesus.  Men cursed Jesus.  Men pounded the nails through his hands and feet into the wood of the cross.  But Jesus was in control of this crucifixion from beginning to end.  Try as we might, we have no power to kill God.  We may deny his existence and authority over us, but we cannot kill God.

 

      St Luke and St John record Jesus' own words and actions which show that he is in control of his life and his death.  When the crowd tried to throw Jesus off the hill in Nazareth, Jesus hid himself, and walked through the crowd.  Likewise, when Jesus was in the Temple and the crowd wanted to stone him, he hid himself again and walked through the crowd.  In John 10, Jesus says:

 

      "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."  John 10:17-18

 

      Do you see where this thought is going?  Do you understand our part in the death of Jesus?  Yes, we caused Jesus to be crucified.  Our sins caused Jesus to be condemned to die.  Our sins caused Jesus to be scourged.  Our sins caused Jesus to be crowned with thorns.  Our sins caused Jesus to be led to Golgotha.  Our sins caused Jesus to be laid out on the rude wood of the cross.  Our sins caused Jesus to be nailed to that cross.  Our sins caused Jesus to be lifted up from the earth.  Yet, it was Jesus who laid down his life of his own accord.  No one took his life.

 

      Why is this so significant?  If someone other than Jesus took his life, then this death means nothing.  Jesus would not have all authority in heaven and on earth.  We would be forever placing blame on one person or another.  The sacrifice for our sin would be lost and Satan’s lies would reign as truth.

 

      However, in those final words of Jesus, “It is finished,” we hear the gracious words of God telling us that all sins have paid, all guilt is washed away, the lies of Satan have been destroyed, the reason of man is put in subjection to the will of God, and eternal life is offered to all who bow in humble faith and repentance at the foot of Jesus’ cross.

 

      Is it finished for you?  God grant that it is in Christ.  Amen