Holy Week 2023
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is one of the most dramatic days in the Church calendar – today our journey through Lent takes a dramatic turn.
Through this journey we may well have taken time to consider our relationship with God. We may well have given something up, or taken something up – but now we’re approaching the end of that particular journey.
Soon, Lent will be over for another year – and we have another big decision to make – the decision as to whether anything we may have done or not done through Lent is going to make a difference to the rest of our lives.
The first Palm Sunday was the beginning of an irreversible change – a change not just in the life of Jesus, or his disciples, but a change in the whole of history – because whatever a person’s view of the Christian faith, there is no doubt that Jesus has changed the course of history…
Jesus was taking a journey which would lead to arrest, torture and death – and yet he was taking a journey that would bring real life to millions through his resurrection….
On that first Palm Sunday we are told that the crowds were there waving their palm branches – they were there cheering for Jesus… but for many of that crowd, their waving and cheering seems to have been pretty empty – in a short time they would perhaps even be amongst a crowd choosing to save a murderer in Barabbas, rather than Jesus…
The problem was that so many of these people had their own idea on what Jesus should be like and what he should achieve. There were those who thought by riding into Jerusalem Jesus was signalling the beginning of his take-over. He would now come triumphantly to overthrow the Romans and the Jewish authorities. Whether by force or by any other method, Jesus would get the sort of power that would change people’s lives…
Anything less than this would be seen by many as failure.
And maybe it wasn’t just the crowds who had these sort of feelings – even those closest to Jesus seem confused – we know that Peter would deny even knowing Jesus, we know that Judas Iscariot would betray him – we know that other followers were nowhere to be seen after Jesus was arrested… They too perhaps had expectations of Jesus which, when he seemed to fail to deliver them, led them to doubt or turn away.
The first Palm Sunday and the days that followed said so much about the followers of Jesus – triumphant and supportive one moment, defeatist and denying the next…
And that is the great challenge of Palm Sunday today – to consider what sort of category we fit into. A visiting preacher was really getting the congregation moving. Near the end of his sermon he said, "This church has really got to walk," to which someone in the back yelled, "Let her walk preacher." The preacher then said, "If this church is going to go it's got to get up and run," to which someone again yelled with gusto, "Let her run preacher."
Feeling the surge of the church, the preacher then said with even louder gusto, "If this church is going to go it's got to really fly," and once again with ever greater gusto, someone yelled, "Let her fly preacher, let her fly." The preacher then seized the moment and stated with even greater gusto, "If this church is really going to fly it's going to need money." There was silence. Then someone in the back seat cried, "Let her walk preacher, let her walk."
Palm Sunday is one of those days where we’re called to decide what our faith is about because like those crowds cheering Jesus into Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday who were absent or had changed their minds when it came to trying to save Jesus later in the week, it’s very possible that we too might have expectations of Jesus which are nowhere near anything he promised…
Perhaps we cling to Jesus as some sort of safety net, perhaps as someone who will help to bring us prosperity, perhaps as someone who will manage to take our minds off the problems of our lives or even this world, perhaps as a non threatening friend , perhaps as someone to be admired in books or even stained glass windows…
But that isn’t the Jesus who entered Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday – that Jesus was someone who was confounding all the expectations and hopes, he was making a stand against the institutions and standards of the world, he was about to win a better and longer lasting victory than any earthly ruler and to do it without force or violence or bullying, but to do it with the most powerful display of love every known…
And to follow Jesus it’s impossible to jump from the adulation of Palm Sunday straight to Easter Day – it’s impossible just to look at the victories, because in between there was the pain of seeming defeat – and that pain is sometimes a pain we may have to endure – not to the same degree of Jesus of course, but following him doesn’t mean an easy ride – it doesn’t mean that there will be no pain or suffering, it doesn’t mean that there will be bags of money or influential positions…
Journeys into Jerusalem were complicated in Jesus’ time – there were Romans and there were religious authorities and there was rivalry and bitterness. Journeys into Jerusalem today are also pretty complicated at times with fears of gunfire or even bombs in places. Just outside there are roadblocks and barricades and not too far away, huge walls… All symbols of pain, of fear, sometimes of hatred and yet, in this complicated but beautiful and incredible city one thing remains unchanged…
It was and is the place where Jesus came in triumph on a donkey with palms waving, it was the place of pain as he faced arrest, torture and death, but we know the end of that story and today whilst we reflect on the joyful entry but consider also the pain to come we reflect also on the greatest victory…
Following Jesus means that there will be someone to take us along every step of life’s journey – there will be someone who understands the darkest of times, there will be someone who has experienced every depth that we ever can, and emerged triumphant…
And that is the promise Jesus makes to us – not to be the superstitious strength, not to be a lucky mascot, not to be the giver of lots of material gifts, not to be the comforting friend or teacher, but to be THE SAVIOUR, OUR SAVIOUR. Amen
Monday in Holy Week
One of the key players in the Holy Week story is Judas Iscariot – tonight in the gospel (John 12:1-11) he is involved in the account of Mary washing the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume – Mary carries out the anointing as an act of huge devotion, but Judas is horrified – this expensive perfume could have been used to help the poor – why was it being wasted away ?
John tells us in the gospel that Judas isn’t concerned about the poor, but is in fact a thief, only interested in stealing money from the common purse…
Judas is a really complicated character to think about – very often he is simply condemned as the betrayer of Jesus – the word ‘Judas’ has entered into our language as a word to describe somebody who has let someone down… there is nothing good said about him.
And maybe that’s right – he was guilty of betraying a man who he knew was innocent – he was guilty of betraying a man with whom he had spent loads of time – whose miracles he had watched, who had shared food with him, times of prayer and teaching… Judas must have known some of Jesus’ most intimate thoughts – and yet he betrayed him…
And there are several theories why and I want to think about two of them : the first is that he was simply greedy – his love of money had led to him being tempted to give Jesus up – there was a good price on his head, and Judas could go back to his life before Jesus with a good sum of money to invest…
And he had watched the miracles – he knew the power of Jesus, and he wanted Jesus to use that power to do what Judas wanted…
Well, there is probably an element of truth in them all… Judas was greedy – the gospels tell us that. He was constantly concerned about money. But what a sad reversal this became. Judas accepted the money to betray Jesus – he must have felt it was a reasonable price – he must have thought it was worth it…
But very soon he realised that there was no money that could replace what he did. Once he realised the full enormity of what he had done he tried to give the money back but it was too late… there are great lessons for us as we are reminded that money is worth very little compared to relationships, and as we are reminded that money cannot in fact buy everything…
But it was also a lesson to us that sometimes we can’t go back on what we do – sometimes we need to think through our actions, because once they’re done, they’re done…
And what about the second theory ? The fact that Judas seemed so upset perhaps indicates that he did think there would have been a different outcome. But he couldn’t force it…
Judas thought that he could dictate events to God, but he couldn’t and not one of us can. It can be a very painful recognition when we realise that God’s timing is not our timing, and God’s ways are very often not our ways…
There are times when we will all have hopes and expectations which are not seemingly met – but the great consolation of Holy Week is that Jesus is showing us through these events that through sadness we can find joy, and through darkness we can see light…
And there is a third theory – one that says that Judas was just a pawn in God’s plan – that the poor man really had no chance from the start – well, this isn’t quite true – Judas made a choice to betray Jesus – and he could have made a different choice ! God allows every one of us freewill – and that means we too have to make choices – and as we go through Holy Week – as we prepare to celebrate once again the resurrection of Jesus on Sunday, we too must make a choice to follow him or not.
If we do then we must learn from the mistakes of Judas – we can’t choose the way Jesus calls us to follow, we can’t choose the time and the place he asks us to do things, we can’t try and force his hand to do what we want rather than follow his plan – and we must never be distracted by money or any one of loads of distractions which can take our focus away from Jesus….
And if that sounds negative, it really shouldn’t be because what we can be assured of is the love of the Saviour of the world – a love which he feels so strongly that he was willing to die for each and every one of us – in Holy Week, we recognise God’s commitment to us – and we review our commitment to him…. AMEN
Sometime ago I had a meeting with the then assistant Bishop of Llandaff, Bishop David Yeoman, and he said that when he was travelling in Africa, a Bishop came up to him on the Saturday evening and asked him to preach at a big confirmation service the following day.
Bishop David hurriedly prepared what he thought he was going to say and the following morning climbed up into the pulpit about to preach, and in front of him he read a note that had been left for him. It said very simply, ‘Sir, we want to see Jesus.’
Suddenly all the words he had to put down to preach were in question – how many of those words were actually helping to reveal Jesus to people ? And as we journey through Holy Week perhaps there is no greater request that we can make than to see Jesus a little more clearly…
And as we look at him through this Holy Week – perhaps there are a number of different images we see…
First we see the risen Jesus – triumphant, the conqueror of death, the giver of life. On Sunday we will rightly celebrate that great victory – on Sunday we will reflect on how our lives have been changed by the resurrection of Jesus… Joy and celebration should play a great part in our lives as we recognise that God loves us and went to enormous lengths to show us that…
Secondly perhaps we’ll see the Jesus who fought for justice, who favoured the underdog and gave everyone chance after chance. We look at the Jesus who for example talked about Good Samaritans, who talked about Prodigal sons, about 1 sheep out of 100 going missing but being tremendously important to the farmer; Jesus, who spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well when nobody else would, who mixed with those who were considered the outcasts and sinners in society; Jesus, who taught about justice and peace; Jesus, who forgave sinners and promised to the dying thief on the cross, a place with him in paradise – Jesus, who confounded so many of the expectations people had about him…
Thirdly, and Holy Week reminds us of this, we must also look at the suffering Jesus. Through his earthly ministry he faced persecution constantly, he was rejected by many, he was tortured horribly, he was even killed…
It’s impossible to look at Jesus without looking at those parts of his life when people, people just like you and I, did everything they could to destroy Jesus.
Because it’s only in looking at his life in that way that we can really come anywhere towards seeing the love that he has for us all…
The incredible love and compassion that he showed in his earthly life is love that remains constant today – and that love is personal – it is for every single one of us…
And perhaps that is the final thought this evening – ‘We want to see Jesus’ means to want to see him in every way – it means to see him as a triumphant Saviour, to see him as an advocate for justice and for peace, to see him as someone concerned for the needs of absolutely everyone, it means to see him as a suffering servant – someone willing to give up everything for us, but above all it must surely mean seeing him as someone who can make a difference in our lives…
Jesus is not a picture in a book or a window, he is not a figure of history simply to be studied and admired; he is a Saviour who wants to transform our whole lives – a Saviour who wants to be invited in to share every moment of our lives…. That is the invitation and the challenge of Holy Week…
Someone once reproached the preacher Charles H. Spurgeon and said to him, "Mr. Spurgeon you are preaching too much. You will kill yourself by damaging your constitution, Sir." Spurgeon at the time was preaching roughly ten times a week. Spurgeon smiled and said, "If I had a thousand constitutions I would gladly ruin them all for Jesus Christ's sake."
We may not have that strength or that commitment but we are called to respond today and every day to a Saviour who gave so much more than that in commitment – a Saviour who gave everything….
And so may we pray in the words of a song that you may know :
“Open our eyes, Lord,
we want to see Jesus,
to reach out and touch him,
and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord,
and teach us to listen,
open our eyes, Lord,
we want to see Jesus.”
AMEN
Wednesday in Holy Week
Maundy Thursday
They will remember and they will understand the meaning of his words and of his acts. And they will share this remembering with the rest of us. This is why we are gathered here tonight: partaking in this meal - we too will remember – and we too, like them, must respond.
Holy Saturday - Vigil
In every area of life it seems there are pessimists and optimists, and the Church is obviously no different, but today offers us a very stark and powerful reminder that there is no place for pessimism as we follow Christ.
On Good Friday most of the disciples had left Jesus, they had run fearful for their own lives, disillusioned with the seeming collapse of their organisation – there would have been few who had any hint of optimism amongst the followers of Jesus… And who can really blame them.
On that first Good Friday, the person upon whom they had placed their hopes, the person they had given up so much to follow, the person who seemed to promise so much, was hanging on a cross, shortly to be placed dead inside a garden tomb…
Yes, they had reasons for being pessimistic, but soon, as we know, their misery was turned to joy, their despair to hope, their defeat to victory, and their fear to courage.
The victory that Jesus achieved on the cross was a wonderful turning point for the whole of history. The powers of evil and darkness couldn’t destroy him though they used everything they could find to try and do so – even the crucifixion to end his life once and for all.
But it wasn’t the end ! Jesus rose from the dead, to live for evermore, and to offer his people everywhere a share in that amazing new life…
And yet we so often are willing to live as pessimists rather than as optimists… There’s a story about a singing group called "The Resurrection" who were scheduled to sing at a church. When a big snowstorm postponed the performance, the Minister put up a notice saying, "Resurrection is postponed."
Sadly there are many that would think this if they look at our Churches at times… We talk as if we’re constantly fighting a losing battle, and very close to admitting defeat – attendances in our Churches is down, we’ve not got enough money, people are no longer interested in God… We need more young people, we need some middle aged people to take on more responsibility… the list of worries can go on and on….
A lot of time in church life it seems is taken up on knocking ourselves down, and the resurrection is when we are reminded that we have cause for optimism. We all have gifts, we all have talents, we all have many blessings in our lives – yes, there will be times when things don’t seem so good, but as Christians, we are never without hope, because we live our lives as part of a family whose head has even conquered death…
There is nothing that God cannot do. Someone once said, ‘Remember this: Easter is not just a holy event that happened 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem. It is a little Easter on whatever day we discover our need for the love of God, and when we discover that all the Good Fridays of our lives cannot destroy the love God has for us.’
But he rose again, and that is the message we preach today – Jesus crucified, but Jesus alive again !
As a child I always went to Church on Good Friday – and the service always finished just before 3pm and most people left the Church very quickly…
Some of you will know that it’s traditional on Good Friday to finish Church at 3pm, not just before, but in Penarth, where I was we always finished a little early because there was the Good Friday visit of the Barbarians Rugby Squad, often containing lots of internationals – the match, as a gesture of observance of the day kicked off a little after 3pm – this also had the benefit of allowing people to get from Church to the ground !!
And for a long time, my faith probably stayed in that position – not exactly perhaps, but I was happy to leave Jesus as someone who was not encroaching on the rest of my life, someone who might as well have stayed in the tomb where they put him after the crucifixion, while I got on with rugby and all the other distractions I could find…
Eventually Christ became really alive for me though – and the Christ of Good Friday became the Christ of Easter Day – and someone who began to make a difference in every part of my life…
Many Christians today I fear also leave Jesus as someone who is not alive and active in their lives – and by doing so are missing the incredible joy and peace of knowing him alongside them…
We celebrate resurrection at Easter, but we must not stop there – we must seek to live out the excitement, the challenge, the joy and the love of Christ amongst all the people we meet…
There’s a poem which reads,
‘Some of us stay at the cross, some of us wait at the tomb,
Quickened and raised with Christ yet lingering still in the gloom.
Some of us 'bide at the Passover feast with Pentecost all unknown,
The triumphs of grace in the heavenly place that our Lord has made His own.
If the Christ who died had stopped at the cross, His work had been incomplete.
If the Christ who was buried had stayed in the tomb,
He had only known defeat,
But the way of the cross never stops at the cross and the way of the tomb leads on
To victorious grace in the heavenly place where the risen Lord has gone.’
We all know that we need our churches to be fuller for all kinds of practical reasons, but what we most need is our churches to be full of people praising the living God, and going out sharing his love…
The second is that Judas was trying to force the hand of Jesus – one theory has Judas as a radical even before he met Jesus, a man who was desperate to overthrow the Romans – he saw Jesus as the man to do this.
But what substance is there to these theories ?
Tuesday in Holy Week
This evening’s gospel (John 12:20-36) was set in the context of the Feast of Passover, one of the holiest days of the Jewish faith. Jewish people would travel long distances to celebrate the festival together at the Temple. Some of these people were the Greeks who met Philip in our reading – and came up with the simple but incredibly profound words, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus’.
We’ve reached Wednesday in Holy Week. For those who have observed it from the start, we’re a long way into Lent now. If you’re taking something up or giving something up, it may well be getting a bit more difficult by now. But Holy Week is a stark reminder that our faith isn’t easy. And our readings this evening provide us with both a lesson in perseverance, but also a real challenge as to where we put Jesus in our lives…
From the Old Testament (Isaiah 50: 4-9) we recognise the need for dependence on God, for a willingness to listen, to be taught, and for desire to trust God, knowing his strength and his power. For many people living at the time Isaiah was writing faith was about getting religion right. It was about obeying all of the laws prescribed by the religious authorities. But Isaiah brought a whole new dimension in – our faith isn’t just about obeying the laws and all the rules, we’re going to fail miserably sometimes if that’s the measure; but our faith is actually far more about getting our lives right…
We do that as we recognise that we’re not perfect but we’re loved by God. He is there for us and with us…
And that leads on to the reading from the letter to the Hebrews (12:1-3). In terms of verses, it’s a short passage, but in terms of depth it’s enormous.
I’m going to read through it again –
‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.’
There’s so much that could be picked out from there to think about in Holy Week, but I just want to think of 3 bits. Firstly, we can let go of sin… We get things wrong at times. We really do mess things up occasionally, (well, I assume that’s not just me !!), but God forgives us… time and time again, he invites us back to him and welcomes us with open arms.
And secondly, that frees us to live our lives, trying to be the people God wants us to be, looking to Jesus as our inspiration and guide. Sometimes people talk about the Christian faith as something that’s restrictive, as something that’s not there to be enjoyed, but God frees us from sin and all that separates us from him, so we can truly experience life in all it’s fulness.
And thirdly there is the reference to the cross. The reference to Jesus dying for us – accepting all the humiliation that came with crucifixion, accepting the pain, both physical and the mental pain of rejection… And he did that as an expression of love, the deepest and most powerful love ever known…
He saw those that rejected him, hurt him, planned to kill him, and he loved them – and he died for them… And he died to remind us that he would take away our pain, our suffering, our humiliation, and because of those things we’re back to that point I made before – that we can live the life he wants us to live, that we can experience that fulness of life… And this reading acts not just as a reminder that we can do this, but actually I think of it in many ways as almost a command that we should be doing these things – God has given us these incredible gifts, how are we using them ?
And that’s a real callout to the church today. The Church in Wales isn’t going through its strongest period in history – things are tough, but God hasn’t walked away from the church and we can be confident that the message we have to share remains one that is relevant and life transforming…. Run with perseverance the race that is set before us…, don’t be disheartened….
And that leads to the gospel reading (John 13: 21-32) and this scene at the Last Supper. Jesus says, ‘very truly I tell you, one of you will betray me…’ We read this through a different lens from those who heard it that night. We know about Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus – we’ve thought of some of the reasons, and we know that it was part of a bigger picture, one that told us that death was not the end, but something that offered the potential of a glorious new start…
But those disciples hearing this for the first time must have been confused – who could it be? Who would do such a thing? What does betrayal mean? Have I done something wrong?
There must have been all kinds of questions… As I said, we have the answer to the questions – it was Judas all along !!
But let’s go back and put ourselves in that room, and just ask ourselves about our relationship with God. We may not be about to do what Judas did… we may never have done that, but what is our commitment? Journeying through Holy Week we’re again asked to recognise the commitment of the Saviour of the World – total commitment ! And in return, he invites us to travel with him, to journey with him, to live with him… to recognise and use the gifts he gives us and to share them and his love wherever we can…. AMEN
Maundy Thursday brings with it a huge range of emotions and challenges for us all. It is the day when we remember that righteousness and truth and justice and peace were neglected in favour of betrayal and a lust for power. The day when it seemed that love had been beaten into submission by hate.
We have the arrest, court proceedings and torture of the Son of God in the middle of the night following the heart-breaking hours of the Last Supper. The gathering of friends for a farewell meal is filled with sorrow because they know it will bring the end to a time of intense friendship and teaching, and consistent fellowship.
The disciples may not have known what was coming but they knew that their relationship with Jesus was changing. They knew the days of following him and teaching and praying together were coming to an end – what was to follow they couldn’t grasp.
The twelve, and the rest of the followers of Jesus, had heard him speak words of Truth and Justice to them and to the crowds; they had seen him heal the sick time and time again; they had felt and seen his power; three of them had seen him glorified in the mystical transfiguration on the mountain, but now, suddenly, they are seeing him in the role of the servant.
It is not a comfortable experience for them. He picks up a towel and starts washing their feet. This was very different from the ritual washing we see in some churches on Maundy Thursday. This was no staged presentation - Theirs were dirty feet. They had walked many miles, they had been bare or in sandals, on dusty roads that had hardened their soles and imbedded the dirt in the cracks.
The courteous thing for a host to do was to wash the feet of the guests - or, more likely, to have the lowest ranking servant perform this act of ritual honour. Jesus is their host at the meal, but now also he is their servant. He doesn’t ask one of them to do the washing; he does it himself. The disciples must be stunned, but only Peter protests.
Peter thinks he knows his place and wants Jesus to know his own place also.
But Jesus is not playing by the rules. He never has;
Peter ought to have remembered, but he doesn’t. Peter is frightened. Everything is changing and he doesn’t seem to like change. Later, in the night, he will be so terrified of his master’s different role that he will deny his dearest friend. But right now he shows his usual stubborn independence: “I will not allow you to wash my feet.”
Jesus, who is being very tender to all of them throughout the meal, puts Peter quickly in his place. “You better let me do it, Peter, or you will not be with me - you will have no share with me.”
It is this change in their relationship that the disciples will remember later, and in the remembering they will find meaning and understanding. Enough to change the world.
They have been followers and friends, they have been students and companions to Jesus. In the early days when Jesus attracted the thousands with his signs of the Kingdom and with words of authority, they basked in the popularity of their master and felt some of his power rub off on them. They were filled with pride. They were the chosen.
But tonight, on this unforgettable Thursday night, their roles are changing drastically, and they are afraid. The change comes with sorrow, but also with great tenderness, and with an example of servanthood. “Having loved his own, he loved them to the end.” It is this deep love, this peace that is preparing them for the change.
They are warned that when his arrest and death come, they too will be in danger and be despised. Jesus himself knows that soon he will enter into the most agonizing hours of humiliation and abandonment. But first, he must give hope and strength to his friends. He is pouring this love out to them by giving them his new commandment: “Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another.”
The hours pass. The agony of the garden follows, then the humiliation of the court procedures, the torture of his body, the knowledge of those feet he had washed earlier running away and abandoning him…. The disciples forget his words, they forget the times of joy out of concern for saving themselves. Peter denies him... They are facing the end of hope.
Later, they remember… they will recall this last meal together, his tenderness, the washing of their feet… You can imagine that throughout the remainder of their lives, every time they enter a home to have their feet washed, they will remember this night and their Lord kneeling in front of their feet and the memory will be nearly unbearable. Above all, they will remember that he loved them and that he went willingly to the cross because of his great love for them.
Perhaps, as Jesus held those feet, the feet of his disciples in that room at the Last Supper, he thought of where these friends had been with him over the past few years, maybe he thought of the happiness they had shared, the laughs, the parties, the late night discussions, the many miles they’d travelled together; and maybe he also thought where these feet would take those disciples in the years to come… Knowing what was ahead for them and for him, maybe there were prayers for courage, for strength…
He knew that these would be some of the feet that would take out his message, because these were the feet that would take these disciples out into the world to proclaim the Good News, to offer comfort and healing, to teach and preach, to convict and challenge, to love unconditionally.....
Today that is a responsibility and a privilege that he has passed to us… God who loves us enough to call us into a relationship with him, God who has the power to conquer death, calls us… and trusts us… AMEN.
Good Friday
Today is the most solemn day in the Christian calendar and the Passion gospel that we have heard is a powerful retelling of the events of that first Good Friday.
The reading began with the arrest of Jesus and then the interrogation. In the arrest (John 18:1-12) we heard of Jesus finishing praying and going across to the Kidron Valley. As he went, he would have noticed a stream that was red with the blood of thousands of lambs being sacrificed in the Temple for the Passover. It would perhaps have been a chilling scene as Jesus considered what he would do next.
And then he went to a garden – as we look back we think of the Garden of Eden where humanity first opened that rift with God and now it was in a garden, the Garden of Gethsemane that Jesus would give the possibility of humanity being restored in their relationship with God.
We’re told that Judas then arrived knowing this was a place Jesus went to regularly with his disciples, and he came with a detachment of soldiers as well as some officials from the Chief Priests and Pharisees. This was likely to have been a large group, disproportionate perhaps to arrest one man – maybe they were afraid Jesus would resist in some way, maybe they feared that he really did have power that could challenge them.
But when Jesus heard or saw their approach he went out to meet them… And that really sums up so much of what Jesus is about – moving towards others, whoever they are, to try and build a relationship. When the group say who they are looking for Jesus says, ‘I am he’, and those who had come to arrest him we’re told, ‘drew back and fell to the ground’.
And then Jesus turns to his own disciples asking that they be released. Concerned still for his people, knowing their fear, perhaps even knowing their weakness…
And so Jesus was arrested and then (john 18:13-27) he is taken away to be interrogated. Somehow Peter follows and is questioned as to whether he is one of Jesus’ followers – his reply of ‘I am not’ contrasts with Jesus’ reply to those who came to arrest him, ‘I am He’.
Later Peter is of course challenged twice more and each time he denied knowing Jesus…
What powerful readings, not just for Good Friday but for any day. We’re reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus, we’re reminded that he offered himself willingly. We’re reminded of his willingness to come forward and meet his accusers in the garden, of his care and concern for those weak and terrified disciples, of his courage in defending all that he had done, and while he defended himself ready to die for his people, his closest followers stood aside, denied knowing him, or ran and hid.
Our challenge for today must be to respond to the sacrifice and love of Jesus, to be courageous in our willingness to stand up for him and to proclaim his message, and to be ready always to open ourselves up to God, to empty ourselves so that we may be filled with more of Him….
The reading continues (John 18: 28 – 19:16a & John 19:16b – 37) by offering us more insights into the characters around the cross. There is Pilate to whom Jesus is brought. He doesn’t really want anything to do with Jesus. And yet, Pilate has other things to think about – certainly he may be a bit worried about Jesus, but he’s more worried about the influence of Annas and Caiaphas and the powerful Jewish authorities who could make trouble for him. And he’s perhaps worried about Herod too, and also, if he does nothing, whether he might look weak to Caesar should he get to hear of these events…
Pilate is a man in turmoil, finding no fault, but not really seeing Jesus as important enough to really cause a stir. He offers the deal of Barabbas or Jesus, promising to release one of them, but the crowds choose Barabbas and Jesus’ fate is sealed.
Then we think about the crowd, baying for blood. How many of them, we don’t know. Whether they were people planted by the Jewish authorities, we don’t know. What their motives were, we don’t know. But what we do know is that they weren’t seeing a Messiah at all. Maybe these were some of the people who had cheered Jesus into Jerusalem waving their palms less than a week before, but Jesus hadn’t been the Saviour they’d hoped for, and so now, they turned against him, ready perhaps to move on to the next candidate…
In John’s gospel those crucified with Jesus are not mentioned, other than for being there, but the soldiers are mentioned - four of them. They’re going about their usual business, casting lots to see who can get something more out of this crucifixion in terms of this cloak. For them it’s dreadfully routine.
But whilst this may have meant nothing for these four soldiers, nearby are four others for whom this event means everything, Jesus’ mother and his mothers sister, and then two other Mary’s, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. They had not abandoned Jesus – they waited with him, accompanying him just in the way that someone might sit at the bedside of a loved one approaching death…
And then there was John, the ‘beloved disciple’ as he is described – and from the cross there is that incredible touch of compassion. Jesus says to his mother, ‘Here is your son’ and to John, ‘Here is your mother’.
So in these readings we have the desire to please others at the expense of Jesus by Pilate. He didn’t stand by his own feelings, but gave in and tried to find other ways of releasing Jesus, and when they failed he gave in to the evil. When we look at Pilate perhaps we’d all have some sympathy – he didn’t want to cause riots which could cost him his job. He didn’t want to upset the relatively stable peace such as it was, he didn’t want to admit to feeling something about Jesus, and so he took the easy path.
Then there was the crowd – peer pressure perhaps, or maybe they wanted to try and taunt Jesus into doing something miraculous or maybe they’d just decided that this Jesus wasn’t interesting enough for them – he wasn’t the sort of Messiah they’d decided they needed.
Also there were the soldiers, going about their business, indifferent to the drama being played out, but also there were the people who stayed with Jesus, who would never leave him…
And in those people we have an obvious challenge – we can take the easy route like Pilate, the route that others want us or expect us to take; or we can join in with the crowds who want to condemn Jesus once again; or we can formalise everything, so that, like the soldiers we just go about our business, whether that be in church or out of church – we can be a different person for every different occasion.
Or there is of course the other choice – we can be the people who never turn from Jesus, who recognise that we need him with us always, who recognise that that is where he wants to be – guiding us, supporting us, strengthening us, encouraging us, loving us… loving us always… Inviting us into a closer relationship with him… the events of Holy Week show the depth of that love for us, they show his willingness to call us to him, they show us the power to offer and to bring new life…
Soon will come the burial of Jesus, the burial that some people thought might be the end – perhaps there were some who thought that as Jesus cried out those words from the cross, ‘It is finished’, but those were not words of defeat, but rather of accomplishment and victory…
Today as we remember his death and his sacrifice and his love, we think of our response and we hold on to the fact that it was in seeming defeat that Jesus brought us all the possibility of victory… As his arms were stretched out on the cross in pain, so those arms are stretched out today ready to embrace us and welcome us into a new relationship with him… AMEN
There’s a definition of a pessimist which says, ‘A pessimist is someone who can hardly wait for the future just so he can look back with regret.’
On the other hand there was a schoolboy who took a very optimistic view of life when he brought home his school report one day; It was an awful report, filled with poor grades. "What have you to say about this?" asked his father. "One thing for sure," the boy replied, "Dad, you really can be proud of me. You know I haven't been cheating!"
And that’s what our readings remind us of this evening… just think of a few of them.. In Isaiah (55:1-11) we have an invitation to abundant life… not to just existing, but to abundance ! A church committed to just survival will be a church struggling to survive and it’s a battle that will probably be lost. A church committed to abundant life will be a church that is attractive, that is filled with hope, with love overflowing, with gifts in people discovered and used.
A church that is committed to abundant life will be a church that is recognising the invitation of God to trust, to be confident, to be ready to grow….
And think of the reading from Ezekiel (37:1-14)… the valley of the dry bones… there, trust in God brought new life out of death… Again we can look at so many of our churches and the worries we might have, but recognise that God has the power to bring new life out of any situation, when we work with him, when we trust him…
And then we jump to the gospel reading (Matthew 28:1-10). Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had gone to the tomb but were greeted by the angel with the words, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said…’
The reason we are here this evening is because of the resurrection. The reason we are here is because history was transformed that day. The reason we are here is because we are being encouraged to go forward celebrating new life…
And contrary to what is often portrayed, or even thought by us at times, we are part of a family with victory and success running right at the very core. Jesus spells success. He came down to earth as a relatively poor child in a struggling family, living in a country oppressed by foreign rule, and he rose to become the most famous figure in history.
On the way he challenged authorities, he upset the religious rulers, he overthrew tables, he criticised important people, he ignored those who others bowed down to, and then he died….
2000 years ago lives were transformed by the appearance of the risen Christ. New journeys began for so many people, people who had followed him such as Peter, people who had persecuted him, people who may not even have ever heard of him before – today lives are still being transformed by the power of Christ…
Perhaps we’ve all been guilty of pessimism at some point, but let us pray that in the future we may always put our hopes and our trust in the risen Christ, knowing that in and through him, we can conquer anything that comes our way, and proclaim his name and his power and his love, until our Churches are full, and resounding with his praise. AMEN
EASTER DAY
Today we celebrate with millions of Christian people the empty tomb. Jesus, who had died on the cross, had risen and we, with all those millions around the world, can shout alleluia !
This morning I want to think about the meaning of some very simple words – the words Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord' - those words must be some of the most simple yet profound ever spoken.
Jesus was dead - of that there was no doubt - the Romans were good at executions, there was no mistake.
Jesus had come to live amongst us - he had taught people, inspired people - he had encouraged people and loved people - and he had made the ultimate sacrifice for all the sins that had ever been committed, or would ever be….
And on the cross he had shown his power, his courage, his love - he asked forgiveness for those who put him there - incredible considering their treatment of him; and of course, when one of the robbers crucified with him said to Jesus, 'remember me when you come into your kingdom', Jesus replied that the robber will be with him in paradise.
And in those two things, Jesus brought into words what he came to earth for.
He came to offer a way of forgiveness - the bible tells us that every one of us gets things wrong at times, sometimes badly wrong, but Jesus says to come to him, to say sorry and move on….
When Jesus talked of forgiving those who had put him on the cross, he talked of offering forgiveness to anyone... And in offering forgiveness he was offering a new life, eternal life... When he promised the robber that he would be with him in Paradise, he was extending that promise to all who turn to him.
That is the message of Easter - a day that history changed, a day that the world was transformed for every single person - whether they know it or not, whether they choose to accept it or not...
Easter is God's incredible gift to each one of us.
A while ago I watched a film called 'The Way'. It is the story of a man walking the pilgrimage route to Santiago de compostela - the place where it is believed St James is buried. It's an incredible story which focuses particularly on one man and his story but on some other pilgrims too.
It is a religious pilgrimage but few of the pilgrims in the film are really religious - but when they arrive at the cathedral they are urged to do what pilgrims have done before them, and go down on their knees as they approach the statue of St James - and there's something that makes them do it...
They even surprised themselves by doing it - having walked all those miles I'd have thought the last thing you'd want to do is to get down on your knees, and move forward on those knees which must already be aching from the ridiculously long walk, but that's what they do....
And in coming to Christ that is the emotion that many have felt... Not expecting to be changed, transformed; not expecting that the presence of Christ will do anything, not expecting to even find him in some cases...
But they come.... They come with doubts and fears, they come with needs, they come with hope - hope that life can somehow be different.
And Easter means it will be... Easter means that like Mary Magdalene, we are able to proclaim, ‘We have seen the Lord’ – and as her life was changed so is ours !
That is the incredible truth of Easter - If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith is a foolish fantasy, but Christ is alive, and the evidence is overwhelming. It's what Jesus predicted would happen, (Matt 16:21; Mark 9:9-10; John 2:18-22), and its what the Old Testament prophesied (Psalm 16:10; compare Acts 2:25-31; 13:33-37).
Even more convincingly the tomb was empty and the grave clothes tidied up. If those who opposed Christ wished to silence His disciples, all they had to do was produce a body, but they could not (John 20:3-9).
Add to that that many people saw the resurrected Christ. They looked at His face, touched Him, heard His voice, and saw Him eat (Matt. 28:16-20; Luke 24:13-39; John 20:11-29; John 21:1-9; Acts 1:6-11; 1 Cor. 15:3-8).
And perhaps most convincingly the lives of the disciples were revolutionised. Though they fled and even denied Christ at the time of His arrest, they later feared no one in their proclamation of the risen Christ (Matt 26:56, 69-75). The resurrection was the central message of the early church. The church grew with an unwavering conviction that Christ had risen (Acts 4:33; 5:30-32; Rom. 5:24).
And today men and women and children testify that the power of the risen Christ has transformed their lives. We know that Jesus is alive not only because of the historical and biblical evidence but also because He has miraculously touched our lives.
And that is the main message, the simple message - the message Mary Magdalene offered, 'I have seen The Lord' is a message we can all share.
Easter is not an academic subject, it is an historic event - it is about a relationship and a reality that can transform us day by day.
The risen Lord asks us to follow him, to look at him, to know that he is there with us and for us every step we take...
Pope Francis in his first Easter message said, '"Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: He is life!
If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward, He will receive you with open arms."
It is an incredible invitation… As the stone of Jesus' tomb was rolled away, so was yet another barrier that humanity had put between ourselves and God - and God will keep rolling away those barriers as he calls us ever closer to him.
We live in a sometimes frighteningly politically correct society –in Florida some time ago, and this is a true story, an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Pentecost holidays. He hired a lawyer to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and the observance of their Holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognised days.
The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the Judge suddenly shouted, ‘Case dismissed !’
The lawyer immediately stood up protesting against the ruling saying, ‘Your honour, how can you possibly dismiss the case ? The Christians have Christmas and Easter and other days – the Jews have Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays.’
The Judge leaned forward in his chair and said, ‘But you do ! You and your client are woefully ignorant’. The lawyer was a little surprised at this and said, ‘Your Honour, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists’.
The Judge replied, ‘Psalm 14 states, “The fool says in his heart, there is no God”, and my calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day and thus it is the opinion of the court, that if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool – therefore April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned.’
If we are going to be fools, let us in the words of St Paul, be ‘fools for Christ’ (1 Cor.4)…. Jesus has claimed a victory for us all through his resurrection, a victory which has promised forgiveness of sins, and a new and eternal life. And that life isn’t one just for the future in eternity, but a life to be lived today and always – a life that God offers to share with us…
On Good Friday, the world fell into darkness, but on Easter Day, a light shone that has never, and will never, be put out…. Christ is risen - and life has changed... For evermore. Alleluia! Amen
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