Intro “Anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse” (Deuteronomy 21:23), so said Moses in the book of Deuteronomy. That was the haunting echo sounding in the minds of Jesus’ followers on the Saturday after His death. The man they had taken to be their Messiah, Jesus, the Son of God, had died on a tree. That meant that Jesus had died under the curse of God.
All their hopes were now in ruin. As one of them later said, “We were hoping that He was the One who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). But how could someone who died under God’s curse redeem Israel, let alone anyone else? Main Body That same man who died under God’s curse asked His Father to forgive us. But if Jesus died under God’s curse, how could God be His Father? Jesus was the One we put all our hopes on. He was the One we counted on to receive God’s forgiveness. And if Jesus died under God’s own curse, what good was that forgiveness anyway? And that’s what Easter’s all about: forgiveness. It’s not about rabbits and eggs. It’s not about spring and green grass. No, it’s all about forgiveness--is Jesus’ forgiveness for real? “Anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.” This verse comes from the book of Deuteronomy, the foundation of Jewish law. This was no less than Israel’s own constitution, but--unlike our own--God was its author; men were merely the writers. And not a jot or tittle of that law would fall away, as Christ Himself said, until all of it was fulfilled. Early the preceding Friday morning, the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, provided the curse. The Sanhedrin condemned Jesus to be cast out of Israel. They condemned Him to death and humiliation for blasphemy against God. But the Jews weren’t allowed to execute anyone, for they were subjects of the Roman Empire. It required a Roman trial for Jesus to be executed. And so the Romans provided the tree. The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, condemned Jesus to be crucified, to hang on a tree of their own devising, fulfilling Jesus’ death under the curse of God. But why should Jesus die like that? What horrific crime had He committed? Had He ever raised His hand to harm another? Wasn’t it always to heal? Had He led some blood-soaked rebellion against the Roman Empire? Even Pilate, the man who signed the death order, protested to the last: “I find no grounds for charging Him” (John 18:38). History has recorded the crucifixion of Christ as one of the greatest miscarriages of human justice. But what took place in that act of human injustice, which was also unfolded God’s divine justice? Why did Jesus Christ have to die under such a curse? We, His fallen people, are the reason. Christ died to be the sin-bearer for all people. In His death, He had taken our guilt and our curse upon Himself. That’s why His death was the condemnation that every member of the human race deserved, a condemnation deserving of God’s wrath. That’s why Jesus’ death was the way it was. It was to match the terrible verdict of the book of Deuteronomy: “Anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.” At the cross, all our sins were there on Jesus. At the cross, all our guilt for breaking God’s Laws was there on Jesus. And so the death that we deserved, a death deserving the curse of God, was the death Jesus suffered for us on the tree of the cross. All right, but it’s Easter; what’s the tie in? It’s this: Jesus had been sentenced and executed on the charge of blasphemy against God. But every word He had spoken was true, which means that He was the Messiah, the Son of God, after all. That means the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, was wrong. And on Easter Sunday, the courtroom of the Almighty declared Jesus innocent of all charges. But this was more than a victory for Jesus against His accusers. It was a victory for every member of the human race, for whom He died on the cross. The curse against all people was fully and finally played out to its conclusion. And once that conclusion was reached--once the Crucified declared, “It is finished”--it was finished. The curse remained no more. Jesus paid the penalty in full by His death on a tree. But it’s His resurrection that lets us know that all the punishment He took for us on the cross came to a good end. And it was a good end! For as the Apostle Paul declares: Jesus Christ “was declared the Son of God with power by His resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). When others demanded that Jesus give some sign that God had sent Him, He told them this--on the third day of His death, He would rise again. And He did! What further proof do we need that all He promised is true? This is what makes Easter the great celebration that it is. But celebrating is only part of what Easter is all about. Jesus had more in mind than a welcome-back party when He arose from the dead. For Jesus would soon be commissioning His apostles to do some specific acts on His behalf. The Apostles, and pastors down through the ages, were to disciple by baptizing and teaching (Matthew 28:19-20). They were to forgive and retain and sins (John 20:20-23). They were to preach repentance into the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47). And they were to celebrate the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:14-20). To this day, these four things that Jesus commanded are what Christ’s Church is still to do. Unless God the Holy Spirit brings others to faith through the ways Jesus has set up, the empty tomb remains just a curiosity. It becomes a footnote in history, with some words like, “The followers of Jesus claimed that He had risen from the dead.” But Christ wouldn’t let His resurrection only be some footnote for the ages. Jesus opened His apostles’ minds to understand the Scriptures. He said to them, “The Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and then repentance into the forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in His name.” But it wasn’t only for His Apostles to know what His resurrection meant. That’s why Jesus told them to proclaim and preach to others. What good are the Apostles without the ones to whom they were sent to preach and to give out the sacraments? What good are pastors without the people, the shepherd without the flock? For Jesus’ life-creating and life-changing Word is for everyone. And so Jesus commissioned His Apostles to proclaim Christ’s resurrection. And they made herculean efforts to do just that. The Apostles Paul, Peter, and Thomas roamed to the edges of the map to proclaim Jesus into the hearts of those who had not yet heard of Him. Later, pastors, such as Timothy, Titus, Polycarp, Ignatius, Clement, Ireneaus, Hippolytus, and others down through the ages, continued proclaiming Jesus’ life-saving Word. But the Church isn’t only made up of apostles and pastors. From the beginning, Christians “went on their way proclaiming the Word” (Acts 8:4). For 2,000 years, Christians have told others of Christ as they went about their daily vocations, giving a reason for the hope that they have (1 Peter 3:15). And Jesus tells all Christians to “let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). And now here were are, 2,000 years later, still living in the Light of Christ! We continue in the path of the saints who have gone before us. We call all to turn from their hell-bound course; but even more, we bring to them Christ’s forgiveness for their sins, all in the vocations where God has placed us to serve. Tell the frightened that their moments of fearful flight are forgiven. Tell those who think that Jesus is just another hassle to put up with, that He has returned from the dead and created a kingdom of pardon and peace. Tell those who only live for the fleeting pleasure of this life, that freedom from death is now theirs through Jesus Christ. Tell those who ask, “What is truth?” that the Truth, Jesus Christ Himself, has risen from the dead to bring us forgiveness and life eternal. Tell those who laugh at the claims of Jesus that they are all proven true by His resurrection! Conclusion Lent is a season lasting 40 days and 40 nights, a time when we recall the dark curse of sin. But it all ends on Easter morning, when we cry out the truth of the ages: “Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!” Christ’s resurrection has destroyed the curse of death for us. His resurrection is this loud and mighty message for all: “Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!” That’s why your sins are forgiven. That’s why you have eternal life. For “Christ IS risen! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!” Amen. -- Rich Futrell, Pastor Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Kimberling City, MO Where we are to receive and confess the faith of the Church (in and with the Augsburg Confession): The faith once delivered to the saints, the faith of Christ Jesus, His Word of the Gospel, His full forgiveness of sins, His flesh and blood given and poured out for us, and His gracious gift of life for body, soul, and spirit. ___________________________________________________________________ 'CAT 41 Sermons & Devotions' consists of works that are, unless otherwise noted, the copyrighted property of the various authors; posting of such gives members of this list implied consent for redistribution _with_attribution_ unless otherwise specified by the author (as long as no charge is made for the work and it is not made part of a compilation), as well as for quoting or use in a congregational setting _with_or_without_attribution_. 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