Midweek Lenten Sermon 4

St. Matthew 27:15-26; St. John 18:28-40

+ Jesu Juva +

Jesus is at court. Pilate’s. When you’re in court you expect to receive justice. Getting what you deserve. Expecting the truth to win out.

And there stands Jesus, the Truth in the flesh. He stands before the judge: Pilate. And all Pilate can ask is: “What is truth?” He stands right in front of you Pilate. Jesus is the truth of God’s love given to a world of sinners who choose the lie instead of the Truth.

Pilate’s wife warned him: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man!” And the governor judges Jesus to be innocent. “I find no basis for a charge against him.” “What crime has he committed?” But the more Pilate pushes Jesus’ innocence, the more the silent instigators incite the crowds against Jesus. The shouts grow louder and louder. The unrest grows larger and larger. Pilate would release the innocent Jesus. But the crowds call for His head. They want innocent Jesus executed. “Crucify him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate cannot resist the mob. It’s just too much. Human justice fails. The governor washes his hands. Puts the blame on the crowds even though he’s in charge. “I am innocent of this man’s blood.” And yet hidden in this kangaroo court is the truth and justice of God.

The truth and justice of God is revealed when an exchange is made. Capital murder prisoner Barabbas is released. The notorious criminal is set free. Guilty as sin. What a bad apple. He deserved to rot forever in jail. No parole. Not even for good behavior or time served. He’s a scoundrel. But he receives pardon. Liberty. Reprieve. Amnesty.

Barabbas for Jesus. That’s the deal. The murderer goes free. Jesus, the Prince of Life, sentenced to death. “Handed over to be crucified.” That’s the exchange. We heard the blessed Apostle Paul’s commentary on this event on Ash Wednesday. “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

What a blessed exchange that takes place at the governor’s palace. Guilty Barabbas swapped for the innocent Jesus. Barabbas set free. Pardoned. Given life not death. Guiltless Jesus condemned to die. Murderer Barabbas took lives. Jesus, the Author and Giver of life is handed over to death. A sweet swap. Because it’s all for you. This is the truth and justice of God. This is God’s good and gracious will for you.

Jesus dies in the place of all sinners. “It was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer.” “Pierced for our transgressions.” “Crushed for our iniquities.” “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” “Numbered with the transgressors.” “Bore the sin of many.” “Poured out His life unto death.” That is God’s truth. That is God’s justice.

You are Barabbas. You are the convicted. You are the guilty. You are the murderous rebels. You deserve to die by God’s Law. “The day you eat of it you will die.” For the children of Adam and Eve, “the wages of sin is death.” And yet the most merciful God provides us with a swap. A blessed exchange. The innocent Lamb of God Jesus takes your payday. Standing before Pilate He bellies up to your pay table. He takes your sin salary. Gladly receives the hefty wages of your sin: death. “Handed Him over to be crucified.”

In exchange for your sin, you receive pardon. You are set free. Acquitted. In exchange for the death you deserve God gives you life: Christ’s. In exchange for the damnation of hell, God gives you the mansions of heaven. Oh my, what a sweet swap! The Father looks at you and treats you like His own beloved Son.

So innocent Jesus is condemned and put to death. Married to Him through faith you are acquitted and given life. Jesus goes into death for you in your place. You are set free in the place of Jesus. The death He dies is your death. The life you live is His life.

Jesus died for you. He answered for all your sin. Shouldered it and suffered it to death in His crucified Body.

When you receive the absolution from the pastor as from God Himself you are forgiven. You are to trust the absolution as Christ speaking and giving to you. For what is loosed on earth is loosed in heaven. The Holy Absolution spoken into your ears is the enactment of Calvary’s sweet swap in your lives. In Holy Absolution, you the sinner, are justified. The blood of Jesus is on you and your children through that Word of the Gospel. It washes you clean. That’s the judgment of God Himself in His Word of forgiveness. That is the truth about you as God sees it.

Hold on to that Word of God. Cling to the Absolution. Not doubting but firmly believing that by it your sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

To receive the Absolution after confession of sin is to know the truth. The most important truth. That you are forgiven. That you have a life. That you have salvation. All for Jesus’ sake and His sake alone.

In the Name of Jesus.