text - John 19:13-30
Today we are considering the events of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we confess in the creed, "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord... who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried." Christians really should have the suffering and death of Christ always in mind an on their lips every day. However, this day is especially devoted to considering and preaching about Christ's suffering, in order that we realize all that happened to Christ on this day, namely, in the Garden, at the house of the high priest, Caiaphas, in the judgment hall before Pontius Pilate, and on the cross. Under God's gracious guidance we shall speak of these events at some length.
In recording the events of the suffering of Christ, the Evangelists always repeat these words, "These things happened so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled," for everything that Christ suffered happened in accord with Holy Scripture. For that reason the Evangelists not only record the events of Christ's suffering, but also repeat, "This happened that Scripture might be fulfilled." As though they wish to say, Ask the prophets about it; they will tell you why Christ suffered. Great and severe is His suffering, His martyrdom, and the cross; but great also is His love, compassion, ardor, and all-encompassing grace toward us, in that the devout Lord and Saviour with His suffering and death fulfilled the Scriptures for our sake.
And that is the paramount significance of the passion, that we realize and consider how Christ suffered in obedience to His heavenly Father and in our behalf to benefit us, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. It is well that we consider the true price of the redemption with which Christ redeemed us. It was not the exodus form Egypt. The redemption is nothing temporal, but rather, eternal, from sin, death, and hell. It is also well to consider the price paid for our sins, namely, that Christ did not pay gold or material goods, but rather His body and life, Himself the offering for our sins, as St. Paul exults (Gal 1:4, Eph 5:2, Titus 2:14). At the same time one should bear in mind what great agony He suffered for us and how excruciating it was for Him; how His sweat was as great drops of blood; how He was mocked, crowned with thorns, spit upon, scourged, nailed to the cross, and pierced for our sake. But this is the greatest and noblest consideration, that Christ had to suffer in order that He might fulfill the Scriptures.
We should diligently ponder all this, in order that we might not only recognize the greatness of the redemption, the price and the martyrdom, but also discern the love and good will toward us; how deeply concerned He is about us, and how His great heart, love, and compassion motivated Him to give Himself for us. That is why we should lovingly esteem both Him who suffered such martyrdom for us and also the heavenly Father who ordained this and placed this martyrdom upon Him. Such love should generate within us the realization of His goodwill toward us which prompted His voluntary martyrdom and suffering in our behalf.
What should our response be when God's Son is given for our sakes and endures sin, death, and hell? Should we not respond, My Lord Jesus Christ suffered for me; therefore, n return, I will love Him, gladly preach, hear, and believe His Word, be obedient to, and follow Him. If we do not do this, we are a thousand times more malicious than the people of the world.
We need to study the passion of Christ, in order that we might remember that it happened for our good and for our eternal benefit. I must have regard for His bloody sweat, His agony, and His crucifixion, and say, That is my help, my strength, my life, my joy. All this happened for our sakes and for our benefit. We must believe this and thank Him form the bottom of our hearts. Whoever does that and views the suffering of Christ in this way is a Christian.
He has shown us great kindness and we should never forget it, but always thank Him and find comfort for ourselves, confessing, His pain is my comfort; His wounds, my healing; His punishment, my redemption; His death, my life. No one can preach it sufficiently; no one can be sufficiently amazed that so great a person came from heaven, stepped into our place, and suffered death for us. We have been visited graciously and redeemed with a great price. We should hold firmly to our Saviour and sacred Head, Jesus Christ, who for our sins was crucified and died. To this end may the gracious God help us. Amen.
excerpts from Martin Luther sermon
Today we are considering the events of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we confess in the creed, "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord... who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried." Christians really should have the suffering and death of Christ always in mind an on their lips every day. However, this day is especially devoted to considering and preaching about Christ's suffering, in order that we realize all that happened to Christ on this day, namely, in the Garden, at the house of the high priest, Caiaphas, in the judgment hall before Pontius Pilate, and on the cross. Under God's gracious guidance we shall speak of these events at some length.
In recording the events of the suffering of Christ, the Evangelists always repeat these words, "These things happened so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled," for everything that Christ suffered happened in accord with Holy Scripture. For that reason the Evangelists not only record the events of Christ's suffering, but also repeat, "This happened that Scripture might be fulfilled." As though they wish to say, Ask the prophets about it; they will tell you why Christ suffered. Great and severe is His suffering, His martyrdom, and the cross; but great also is His love, compassion, ardor, and all-encompassing grace toward us, in that the devout Lord and Saviour with His suffering and death fulfilled the Scriptures for our sake.
And that is the paramount significance of the passion, that we realize and consider how Christ suffered in obedience to His heavenly Father and in our behalf to benefit us, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. It is well that we consider the true price of the redemption with which Christ redeemed us. It was not the exodus form Egypt. The redemption is nothing temporal, but rather, eternal, from sin, death, and hell. It is also well to consider the price paid for our sins, namely, that Christ did not pay gold or material goods, but rather His body and life, Himself the offering for our sins, as St. Paul exults (Gal 1:4, Eph 5:2, Titus 2:14). At the same time one should bear in mind what great agony He suffered for us and how excruciating it was for Him; how His sweat was as great drops of blood; how He was mocked, crowned with thorns, spit upon, scourged, nailed to the cross, and pierced for our sake. But this is the greatest and noblest consideration, that Christ had to suffer in order that He might fulfill the Scriptures.
We should diligently ponder all this, in order that we might not only recognize the greatness of the redemption, the price and the martyrdom, but also discern the love and good will toward us; how deeply concerned He is about us, and how His great heart, love, and compassion motivated Him to give Himself for us. That is why we should lovingly esteem both Him who suffered such martyrdom for us and also the heavenly Father who ordained this and placed this martyrdom upon Him. Such love should generate within us the realization of His goodwill toward us which prompted His voluntary martyrdom and suffering in our behalf.
What should our response be when God's Son is given for our sakes and endures sin, death, and hell? Should we not respond, My Lord Jesus Christ suffered for me; therefore, n return, I will love Him, gladly preach, hear, and believe His Word, be obedient to, and follow Him. If we do not do this, we are a thousand times more malicious than the people of the world.
We need to study the passion of Christ, in order that we might remember that it happened for our good and for our eternal benefit. I must have regard for His bloody sweat, His agony, and His crucifixion, and say, That is my help, my strength, my life, my joy. All this happened for our sakes and for our benefit. We must believe this and thank Him form the bottom of our hearts. Whoever does that and views the suffering of Christ in this way is a Christian.
He has shown us great kindness and we should never forget it, but always thank Him and find comfort for ourselves, confessing, His pain is my comfort; His wounds, my healing; His punishment, my redemption; His death, my life. No one can preach it sufficiently; no one can be sufficiently amazed that so great a person came from heaven, stepped into our place, and suffered death for us. We have been visited graciously and redeemed with a great price. We should hold firmly to our Saviour and sacred Head, Jesus Christ, who for our sins was crucified and died. To this end may the gracious God help us. Amen.
excerpts from Martin Luther sermon
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