Innocent
Zephyr United Methodist Church
Early First United Methodist Church
April 1, 2007
Rev. Eddie Smart
Philipians 2:5-11 (NIV) [See Luke 22:14 - 23:56]
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
A thief on the cross chastises the other thief on the cross for joining the crowd in mocking Jesus. There's Jesus on the cross between the two thieves. One mocking and one saying, "Don't do that. We are getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
JESUS IS INNOCENT
The thief then asks, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
And Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
What kind of justice is that? An innocent Jesus dying on the cross A guilty thief going to Paradise with Jesus.
BUT Luke doesn't begin this story of strange justice here. Luke begins in an upper room. Jesus TAKES, BREAKS, BLESSES, GIVES BREAD
"This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
Jesus TAKE the CUP. "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."
The broken body and poured out blood were just hours away.
AND THEN Luke places in his passion narrative a story that Matthew and Mark tell elsewhere. Here are the disciples arguing about whose the greatest. And Jesus explains that his standards are different from the world's standards. In the world -- the one seated at the table is greater than the one who serves. For Jesus -- the one serving is greater than the one seated at the table.
Jesus said, "But I am among you as one who serves."
After they argue over greatness, Jesus then goes to the Mount of Olives. He goes there to pray. He goes there to be betrayed.
He prays, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me: AND YET not my will but yours be done."
Kneeling in that garden Jesus gives us that ultimate example of how to pray. Angels come to attend to Jesus. He prays so earnestly in his anguish that his sweat becomes like drops of blood.
AND THEN the innocent Jesus is betrayed by Judas with a kiss. A disciple cuts off the ear of a servant. Jesus stops the violence & heals the servant. And Jesus surrenders to those who came after him armed as if he were a bandit.
Jesus is mocked. Jesus is beaten. Jesus is blindfolded. Jesus is insulted.
Jesus is taken to the chief priests, scribes, & elders. Jesus claims to be the Son of God. They want Jesus dead.
The assembly takes Jesus to Pilate. They claim Jesus claims to be a king. They accuse Jesus of perverting their nation. Pilate examines Jesus, BUT Pilate finds Jesus INNOCENT!
"Oh, you mean he is a Galilean?" "I have no jurisdiction. He must go before Herod."
Jesus is taken to Herod. BUT Herod finds Jesus INNOCENT! and sends him back to Pilate.
Pilate says, "I find Jesus innocent and Herod finds Jesus innocent. I will flog him and let him go."
BOY, did that assembly of priests, scribes, & elders throw a fit! "Crucify, crucify him!" they shouted.
"Give us Barabbas and crucify him."
So Pilate gave them the verdict they demanded. Barabbas is free and Jesus is to be crucified. What kind of justice is that?
Jesus is taken to the place called "The Skull" "They crucified Jesus there with the criminals."
Between two thieves, Jesus died. One of those thieves proclaimed Jesus innocent. From noon until 3 in the afternoon, darkness fell over the whole land. The curtain in the temple is torn in two.
Jesus cried, "Lord into your hands I commend my spirit."
A centurion witnessed the whole thing. He praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent."
But there is Jesus hanging on the cross. The sign over his head reads, "This is the King of the Jews." Jesus suffered. Jesus died. He died on that Roman cross.
When troubles come our way, our favorite expression is Why me? Why Jesus? Pilate declared him innocent. Herod declared him innocent. The thief knew he was innocent. The Roman Centurion knew he was innocent.
Why Jesus? He was innocent. John's gospel puts it this way, "For God so loved the world..."
Why Jesus? He was innocent. Paul puts it this way, whether we think of the meanest scoundrel or the sweetest saint, they both are "ones for whom Christ died."
Why Jesus? He was innocent. Max Lucado puts it this way, "never
were [God's] arms opened so wide as they were on the Roman cross. One
arm extending back into history and the other reaching into the future.
An embrace of forgiveness offered to anyone who'll come. A hen
gathering her chicks. A father receiving his own. A redeemer redeeming
the world. No wonder they call him the Savior."
