This years Lenten Midweek Sermons are from a series prepared by Pastor Brent Kuhlman of Murdock, NE.
Passion Reading: The Lord’s Supper
Apostles’ Creed / Second Article: Jesus Christ – True God & True Man!
Who is this Jesus? The Small Catechism answers the question this way: Jesus is true God. And He is true man. Begotten of the Father from eternity. Born of the Virgin Mary.
Strange God – this man Jesus. Inconceivable to speak of God this way, isn’t it? After all, shouldn’t a God be a God only when He stays put way up in heaven. When He doesn’t concern Himself with all the messy stuff down here in the rough and tumble of this broken world. God is God when He stays in eternity – speaks to Himself – gazes at Himself – thinks only about Himself – THAT’S A GOD! He wouldn’t be God if He gets involved in the rot, filth, and gunk of our lives and planet.
And yet the Small Catechism confesses that this man Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary is God - begotten of the Father from eternity! Yes, this man Jesus –flesh and bones – arms and legs –eyes and ears Jesus IS GOD. God in the flesh. Who came down from heaven. Who was incarnate – enfleshed by the Holy Spirit-filled Word spoken into Mary’s ears by the angel Gabriel.
Dr. Luther in one of his Christmas sermons hammers home this point: Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, is “with us in the muck and work of our lives so much that his skin smokes” (WA 4:608,32-609,1). In other words, the body of Jesus is just chuck full of God! So much so that His skin smokes with divinity!
And yet look how it goes with the God-man Jesus whose skin smokes with divinity! During the meal the Twelve have a scrum. Peter says he’s the greatest among them. After all, didn’t Jesus give him the keys of the kingdom? Matthew objects. He’s able to keep all the kingdom’s finances in order. James and John lose their tempers with all kinds of talk of calling down fire from heaven. And then Simon the Zealot ready to throw a few punches. And if that isn’t enough, Satan has taken advantage of all this chaos. Devilishly, he infiltrates one of their hearts. Judas Iscariot who held the moneybag.
Imagine that! An apostle’s heart possessed by Satan! In order to be the red dragon’s instrument! To betray God-man Jesus into death!
Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you that one of you will betray me.” And even though the prospect of this betrayal pains Him immensely, He doesn’t seem too concerned to put a stop to it! He will let himself be handed over and killed. Is that how God should act?
Can you really have a God like that? What God would allow such fighting among His followers? What God would suffer like this? To die? What God speaks of such deceit and demise in this strange way: “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in Him God is glorified”?
Not a God we would picture! It doesn’t makes sense. Such a God repulses many in this world. People are disgusted by the picture of a crucifix, and the understanding that our God came specifically to die for you and for your sins. The world hates that Jesus could be found in a wretched, sweaty human body that is susceptible to sores and colic, has to stuff itself with porridge and go to the bathroom like we do. It is blasphemy.”
Would you have a God like that? A God that is born of a woman? Who coughs, hungers, and defecates? A God who is betrayed? You don’t have a choice. He is who He is -- this man – this God-man Jesus. He makes the choice. He interrupts our lives. The time and space in which we live in order to redeem it. To recreate it.
And look at how all-the-fullness-of-the-Godhead-dwelling-bodily-in-Jesus does it! He takes off his clothes. Wraps Himself in a towel. And then does the unthinkable! He washes and dries each one of the apostles’ grimy, filthy, feet! He hosts the Passover like a Servant. God Jesus – the Servant! Not for Himself. But for sinners!
God Jesus lives not for Himself – but for you! He’s all about your wellbeing – not His! His concern is for you! He sees you. His heart goes out to you. To save you. From sin’s pollution, from death’s icy grip, from hell’s forevermore damnation!
And so He goes deep into our world, taking on our flesh. True God begotten of the Father from eternity is also true man born of the Virgin Mary. In Jesus, God is a man and that man Jesus is God! For you!
Friends, that’s Calvary. There, God-man Jesus does the unthinkable! He dies. He dies because He carries all your sin and all its condemnation. Yes, that right, God-man Jesus endures the damnation that all sinners deserve. And by doing so He rescues you from God’s eternal wrath. In short, you are saved, in the Good Friday dying of that God who is a man and that man who is God!
And even today, he is among us as one who serves. Servant God-man Jesus! He put His name on you at the font. He cleansed you with the water and Word of Holy Baptism. In that washing Jesus purified the whole lot of you: body and soul. In baptism, you’re now part of Him. One with Him. Behold how far He comes to save you! Calvary.
So that as Jesus lived for others, you too do the same. Wrapping yourself in a towel, if you will, and washing the feet of others as a servant. The fruit of the Lord’s Supper’s forgiveness is that you live as little, servant “christs.” Having hearts that love the neighbor in need. Not shying away from those that are hurt, unloved, or despised. But going deep -- deep down in service for such people.
That is His good use for you now as you trust His promise that He died for you.
What a God! What a Savior! That’s Jesus!
In the Name of Jesus.
