Holy Saturday

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished’, and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” John 19:30

Salvation was completed at the cross. It was proclaimed made known in the resurrection. When we use the word “finished”, it tends to point to either a failure as in “I’m finished with you!” or a success, such as, It’s completed! What do these words of Jesus mean? What has been “finished”, and what does that mean?

One word is clear enough. “Is” is definite. When Jesus says something, He makes it so. He does it for even bigger things like forgiveness, commanding the weather, healing the sick. So, whatever is finished, really is done.

Does Jesus mean His life on earth is finished? No, because we know that His death was not the end of everything.  He rose to new life. In the same way, we do not have to remain stuck in Good Friday, but can live in the resurrection life of Easter morning.

Abide with us, Lord, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. Abide with us and with Your whole Church. Abide with us in the end of the day, in the end of our life, in the end of the world. Abide with us with Your grace and goodness, with You holy Word and Sacrament, with Your strength and blessing. Abide with us when the night of affliction and temptation comes upon us, the night of fear and despair when death shall come. Abide with us and with all the faithful through time and eternity.

Collect for Easter Eve LUTHERAN WORSHIP © 1980 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld ©WELS

Easter

O God, for our redemption You have given Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by His glorious resurrection You have delivered us from the power of our enemy. Therefore, grant that all our sin may be drowned through daily repentance and that day by day a new person may arise to live before You in righteousness and purity forever.

Isaiah 25:6-9
Easter Joy
The one thing most people want is happiness. Our expressions at Easter indicate that Easter is supposed to a happy time, “Easter Joy” and “Happy Easter” are just a few expressions, which come to mind. It is a time of rejoicing not because of our happy circumstances but because, and only because of what God has done for us in the Resurrection. True Christians are happy regardless of the hardships they may face. If circumstances indicate that you may be experiencing hardships, handicaps and misfortunes God has a message for you this day – Easter joy is based not on outward circumstances rather on God’s victory, which He invites you to share this day.

Easter is a happy time because…

I. It is a feast – Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.

A. This passage from Isaiah looks forward to the day when God would destroy death forever. Isaiah looks to the day when God would offer a fest for all the nations. A banquet in the Old Testament stood as a symbol of the consummation of God’s saving purpose in history.

B. This feast is a celebration of God’s victory over death. God will swallow death up forever and thus death will no longer plague mankind. This is the work of God, and people have reason to celebrate His salvation with joy.

II. It is a victory – Isaiah 25:7-8 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.

A. A question could be asked, “How can we find an Easter message in an Old Testament passage? It is found in the form of a promise of the future. The future was fulfilled on Easter.

B. Today, we’ve been given a perspective of God’s plan of salvation, which was in His mind from the time of creation. When Isaiah wrote these words is was God Himself giving us His Word. On Easter God gave us His deed!

III. It is salvation – Isaiah 25:9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD; we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.

A. Your happiness does not depend on your well- being in this world. Christians to this hour are oppressed, persecuted, and defeated yet they still rejoice. How so?

B. The reason is the source of Christian’s joy – God. A person can rejoice because God Himself has defeated our worst enemy – death. God has provided a banquet feast for us.

On Easter, we celebrate the reality that life overcomes death by the power of the resurrection. This was the promise Isaiah hoped for – for us today we celebrate its reality. Now death is dead forever! This is what God has done for us! This is reason for rejoicing and celebration.


- http://spiritlessons.com/Documents/Jesus_Pictures/Jesus_Christ_Pictures.htm;
- Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld ©WELS;

Easter Dawn

Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:19-28
Victory is Guaranteed

Days prior to Super Bowl III New York Jets quarterback “Broadway Joe” Namath guaranteed victory. The country was shocked and taken aback. How could he be so sure, so brazen, and so confident? People simply didn’t make such predictions.

In a more serious note, St. Paul guarantees our victory over death. From the perspective of what God intended for us – that we should not die but live – death is indeed a certain enemy. Yet here in our text Paul makes a bold statement – our victory over death is guaranteed! How is this so?

I. Our victory over death is guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection.

A. Christ is the first fruits.

1. Just as the first sheaf of grain offered as a sacrifice to God in the Old Testament represented the full harvest that was to follow, so Christ’s resurrection is the first of many resurrections that will surely follow. (v.20)

2. Because our resurrection from the dead is assured, our physical death can be regarded as sleep (“who have fallen asleep” v.20)

3. The hope we have based on Christ’s resurrection does not relate only to this life but also to life beyond physical death (v.19)

B. Christ is the source of life.

1. Death is an event brought on by the first man, Adam.

2. The second Adam, Jesus Christ, the God-man, by His death and resurrection abolished death (V.22; 2 Timothy 1:10)

Transition: But when will this banishment of death occur for us in view of the fact that we must all experience physical death? “Each in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ” (V.23) Our victory over death is guaranteed!

II. At Christ’s 2nd Coming.

A. The triumphs of evil that we see around us, especially the devastation caused by death, will not continue forever.

1. Christ, even now is in control and will one day openly display His victory over all evil.

2. In the meantime, He will not permit any evil, including death, to destroy us. (Vv.25, 27)

B. The day is coming when all the forces opposing God will be destroyed. (V. 24)

1. The scheming of Satan, the plotting of evil people, the perversities of our sinful nature, and the grip of death will be conquered.

2. From that day on there will be no more death!

C. The second coming of Christ will mark the beginning of a new existence in which the Triune God will be everything to us in a kingdom of glory without end. (V.28)

Can we guarantee victory without any hesitation or doubt? The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees our victory over death, pointing us to that day when we shall rise to endless life, and death shall be no more!

Artwork by Ed Riojas, ©Higher Things; - Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld ©WELS;
Artwork by Ed Rojas, © Higher Things

Good Friday

“After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), ‘I thirst.’ “- John 19:28

One can only imagine the personal sufferings of Jesus on the cross. There is trauma on a number of levels. Jesus suffered sleep deprivation, the trauma of four trials; three Jewish and one Roman.  For a period of roughly twenty-four hours, he was beaten flogged; spat upon, humiliated and mocked. Jesus shows us that there is human suffering on the cross as he cries His fifth word: "I thirst!"

In our day and time, we strive to alleviate pain. We can do this with continuous dosages of morphine. The Romans of Jesus' day the focus was on inflicting pain and making a science out of it. Once I remember a twenty-six year old medical school resident at the Indiana University medical center telling a parent not to trust any pain medication older than him.  Modern man is fixated on relieving pain. At the time of Christ, the Romans spent decades perfecting the craft of human torture through the art and craft of crucifixion. As Jesus cried from the cross "I thirst" He was ravaged by extreme physical pain.

Fulfilled prophecy authenticates Christ.  If Jesus were to fail in any of the clear Old Testament prophecies, which predict what the Son of God would do, Jesus would be considered a fake, a fraud, a false Christ. Yet because prophecy has been fulfilled, we can say with Thomas "Jesus you alone are my Lord and my God!"

These words spoken from the cross: "I thirst" shows the extent of Jesus' human suffering. It helps us endure our own hurts and pains and authenticates Christ as our one and only Messiah - the Savior of the world.

Almighty God, graciously behold this Your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld ©WELS
Collect for Good Friday, LUTHERAN WORSHIP © 1980 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Good Friday

Maundy Thursday

“but standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”  John 19:25-27

In the midst of His suffering Jesus reaches out to two of His closest associates a dear friend and His own mother.  Mary is suffering as she watches from a distance.  Simeon of old had predicted that a sword would pierce her own heart when Jesus was but eight-days-old. That prediction is now her reality.

In singling Mary out Jesus turns her over to John. John has received a stepmother. Mary a stepson. John will now have the responsibility to care form Mary as his own mother. This is the 4th commandment - the honor and care of parents.  Jesus would not be able to physically care for His mother so He chooses John.

By these words Jesus demonstrates proper families regard. Parents own children spiritual and physical care, love and support.  Children owe parents love, honor, service, obedience. When they are older physical care and support.  Jesus by these words demonstrated deep concern for others. Half of Jesus' last words on the cross are concerned with the needs of others.  We are connected to each other by blood and by faith. May we show proper human regard especially with those from our own family.

O Lord Jesus, since You have left us a memorial of Your Passion in a wonderful sacrament, grant, we pray, that we may so use this sacrament of Your body and blood that the fruits of Your redeeming work may continually be manifest in us; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy  Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld ©WELS

Prayer for Maundy Thursday LUTHERAN WORSHIP © 1980 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Jesus I will Ponder Now

Make me see Thy great distress,
Anguish and affliction,
Bonds and stripes and wretchedness
And Thy crucifixion;
Make me see how scourge and rod,
Spear and nails, did wound thee,
How for man Thou diedst, O God,
Who with thorns had crowned Thee.

Finally, Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified – John 19:16

Introduction: Hanging on a cross - suspended between earth and heaven - the Son of man suffers – as no one has ever suffered – before or since. Stricken, smitten and afflicted see Him hanging on that tree – He hangs there - for you and for me.

We have come to the end of our series – Jesus I will ponder Now. Today we witness Jesus as He offers Himself as a sacrifice for the life of the world. The old song sings:

1. Make me see thy great distress,
Anguish and affliction,

A. The distress of Jesus is one no one has ever experienced. The physical torture was tremendous. But even greater was the spiritual torments He received. On that bloody and cruel cross, Jesus was abandoned by God and by men.

B. Thus, the Savior’s affliction and anguish was the highest cruelty. The wrath of an angry and offended God was poured out on the Son of man on a hill called Calvary. Heaped upon Him was a double load.

1. He suffered, as no man should.

2. He suffered innocently the righteous for the
unrighteous.

Transition: Jesus suffered great distress, anguish, and affliction. He suffered in time so we could be in bliss with God eternally.

2. Bonds and stripes and wretchedness
And Thy crucifixion;

A. Mel Gibson’s movie the “Passion of the Christ” is a vivid portrayal of the Roman style of execution called crucifixion. It is a rendering of what took place in Jerusalem during those short three hours on Good Friday. This movie is an apt depiction of what crucifixion was really like. No wonder the world feared the Romans! No wonder some still today cannot bear to see it. No wonder the Romans had a law that read: Roman citizens may not be crucified. The scourging, whippings and beatings Christ endured was pure violence.

B. And yet, Gibson’s film is not “gratuitous violence.” To the contrary - there is a higher good, which comes from the sufferings and the passion of the Christ.

1. Your sins, oh man, are gone. Your sins are buried in the tomb of Christ never to be seen again.

2. He separates them as far as the east is from the west and He remembers your sin no more.

3. There is now no more condemnation for those who are in Christ who was crucified. This is why we call this day Good Friday, for on a Friday - in time - the Son of God suffered to set you free.

Transition: Why mark these sacred hours when Jesus the Christ suffered? Why does every faithful Christian church station a cross prominently? What it the significance of the cross?

3. Make me see how scourge and rod,
Spear and nails did wound Thee,

A. It was a human who transgressed God’s law. When the Father said, “Of all the trees you may eat. But of the tree in the midst of the garden you will not eat, lest you die.”

B. It was a human who believed the lie when the tempter said, “you will not die, for the Lord knows in the day that you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing the difference between good and evil.”

C. It was a human who disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit.

D. Therefore it had to be a human who would suffer in your stead. Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a human mother became the Father’s only attempt and the only hope for the human race to be free from sin. There is no other plan. There is no other way. There is no other hope except through Christ. This is what prompted St. Paul to write, “I determine to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Transition: What is the significance of the cross? The hymn writer sums it up in thirteen powerful words.

4. How for man Thou diedst O God,
Who with thorns had crowned Thee.

A. Sacred Scripture is quite clear. “There is salvation in no
one else save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

B. Here we see that great exchange God’s mercy and forgiveness purchased at the cross of His own Son! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

C. “No other child, no other Savior, Can ever help this sinful earth. Then take the Gift the Father sent us And spread the Story of His Birth.” That’s what our children said to us this past Christmas Eve. Good Friday assures us of a Merry Christmas! The birth of a baby means the death of a man – and that miserable death has saved us!

Conclusion: Come now, come weary sinner, come to the foot of the cross for all things are now ready!

Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS used by permission for personal and congregational use.