Rev. Steven S. Billings
Maundy Thursday
Sermon
3-20-2008
St. Matthew 27:15-26
15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. 19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him." 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!" 22 Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!" 23 Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!" 24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it." 25 And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children." 26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.
Have you ever been so certain you were right only to find out you were wrong? You were so sure that you were correct that you acted on your convictions and things started to fall apart? You were right, and nobody could tell you otherwise. Stubbornly refusing even to consider that you might be wrong, you kept on doing what you were doing and things just got worse and worse. Finally, you hit bottom and someone or something forced you to take another look. Lo and behold, you discovered how wrong you had been, and how asserting your "rightness" had called a curse down on your head. You made a mess. You hurt a lot of people. You even hurt yourself. But all you could do now was live with it.
"His blood be on us and on our children." Wow. Those of you who've seen Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" may not know that this line was spoken in the film, but omitted from the subtitles - a concession to the Jewish community. Why? Because it's an inflammatory remark, that's why. It's gruesome.
The Jews wanted blood. They demanded Jesus' blood. And they didn't care whether or not they were cursing themselves. They were so sure they were right in putting Jesus to death that they were willing to absolve Pilate and assume the guilt of innocent blood. They were so convinced they were right that they were willing to curse their children as well.
Welcome to the wonderful world of sin, where we call down curses on ourselves and put the Son of God to death by our actions. Just like the Jewish rabble we think we're so right, but we're so, so wrong. And the guilt of Christ's blood is all over us. We can't escape the curse; we're smothered in it. We're guilty - guilty as, well, you can fill in the blank.
Some 53 days after this scene - where the crowds so self-righteously demanded the crucifixion of the Son of God - Peter stood up at Pentecost under the direction of the Holy Spirit and let the crowd have it. "You killed the Son of God!" he shouted. "You're guilty. His blood is on your hands. All because you fooled yourselves into thinking you were right."
But there were no executions on Pentecost. Instead, the masses received Peter's proclamation of what a mess they had made. God had sent His Son into the world and they had put Him to death. They understood the magnitude of this great sin. "What shall we do?" they asked. Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." And they did Scripture says that 3,000 of them became believers that day.
Just think - what if just one of those 3,000 had been one of the same ones who cried out "His blood be on us and our children!" Pretty ironic, don't you think? The blood they called down upon themselves is now given to them freely by the forgiving Christ. If you can imagine that, you can imagine just how gracious our God really is. What that person once said as a curse, God now turned into a blessing. His blood - on them - on their children - for the forgiveness of their sins.
This evening's double-edged sword calls down both curses and blessings. This was Christ's whole point in the upper room. His blood - on us - on our children - for the forgiveness of our sins. He took bread and made it His Body by the power of His Word. He took the cup and made it His blood by the power of His Word. Then He said, "Keep on doing this." His blood is connected to His forgiveness. There can be no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood.
This was Christ's agenda in going to the cross. His blood - flowing freely from His head, His hands, His feet, His side - for you - for your children - for the forgiveness of your sins. This is love, my friends, pure and simple, the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus sheds His holy, precious blood by His innocent suffering and death for you and your children.
It's also His agenda at the empty tomb. He is risen so that He may personally give you the gift of His blood and the blessing it contains. His blood be on you and your children, for life and salvation. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
