Maundy Thursday, 2017

April 14, 2017
Rev. Thomas Christopher

Episode Notes

Maundy Thursday Sermon
Preached April 14, 2017
Trinity/St. Martin's/ St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Churches
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Read: Exodus 12:1-14, John 13:1-15, 34-35, Matthew 26:26-28

"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." So said John the Baptist as Jesus made His way from the Jordan to begin His walk to the cross for you. See the same Lamb of God now in the upper room with His disciples celebrating the Passover.

"Paint the door with the blood of the lamb," God said through His servant Moses, "and the Angel of Death will pass over your house." Only those marked by the blood of the lamb would be saved; and the blood of that Old Testament lamb was a foreshadowing of the blood of the one perfect Lamb of God Who would be sacrificed on the cross bearing the sins and guilt of all mankind and only those marked by the blood of this Lamb will be saved.

But how does one become marked by the blood of this Lamb? Moses commanded the people, "Paint your doors with the blood and it will mark you as God's people and you will be saved." Here on this night, the Lamb of God shows you how He has marked you. As Jesus washed the disciples' feet and cleansed them of the dirt of the road, so after His resurrection He will send His disciples out to baptize and wash sinners clean of the dirt of their sin creating new life in them. You have been baptized, and in Baptism God covers you with Jesus' blood, marking you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.

And giving His disciples the bread and wine Jesus says "Take and eat, this is My body, drink of it all of you, this is My blood of the new covenant poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." And in this blessed Sacrament Jesus feeds you with Himself, His very body and blood given for the sins of the world, marking you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.

Soon the Lamb of God would be betrayed by His own friend, convicted by His own High Priest, condemned and scourged by the secular powers and finally sacrificed on the altar of the cross. But the Lamb of God is given for you, going for you under the wrath and condemnation of the Law, taking your place under the damning weight of sin, giving up His life to bear the awful horror of hell you deserved. Here is the Lamb of God who goes for you just as the prophet had foretold: "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned —every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53).

And there on the cross, under the punishment that would reconcile God to you again, as He hangs dead, His side would be pierced and out of His body would flow the blessed Sacraments that mark you with His blood and save you from the eternal death your sins deserve. Out of His body, pierced by a Roman spear, would flow the water of Baptism, which is Christ for you; out from His body, pierced to pay for your sin, would flow the blood of the New Covenant, which is Christ for you, and by this body broken, by this blood shed, by this water poured out, you are marked as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.

Here are the Sacraments of your salvation, the instruments of God which mark you with the blood of the Lamb, which save you from the Angel of Death, from eternal damnation. Jesus washes His disciples' feet, foreshadowing Baptism and by water and the Word God washes you with Jesus and saves you.

There in the New Covenant of the Lord's Supper Jesus feeds His disciples His very body and blood, and so He now feeds you with His same body given for you, His very blood shed for you and in so doing fills you up with Himself and saves you.

Throughout the season of Lent we have been looking at how God hides His glory, the glory of Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world, behind the suffering and humility of the cross and affliction and the humble things of this world. Tonight we see that glory hidden in humble water that, joined with God's Word, now saves you by forgiving you your sins and covering you with Jesus for your eternal salvation. Tonight we see that glory hidden under bread and wine that, joined with God's Word, now saves you by forgiving your sins and filling you up with Jesus to make you an heir of eternal life.

Jesus would shortly be suffering a cruel death, but He was going to the cross for you, sustained in His trials by the knowledge that He was doing this for you and that by His suffering you would be saved. As you make your way through this life you also must bear trials and griefs and sufferings of many kinds, some of it because of your own sin and foolishness, some of it because of other people's sin, some of it just the natural consequences of living in a fallen world. But as you bear these crosses and suffer these trials, know that all who are marked by the blood of the Lamb through the blessed Word and Sacraments, go into that suffering and shame covered with Christ, marked by His blood, and given the blessed assurance that, having been redeemed by Christ the crucified, nothing in all creation shall be able to separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus their Lord.

Tonight, as always, your Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God given for your sin, comes to you and for you in Word and Sacrament. Word, Baptism, Holy Communion, these are Christ for you; with them sustaining you in the true faith you cannot be lost, but without them you cannot be saved.

So, friends in Christ, behold here, in Word, in water, in bread and in wine, behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He is here for you, for your life, for your salvation by His blood and righteousness. Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Amen.


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