We Always Need to Hear the Word of the Cross

[Jesus said:] “Now my soul is troubled. And what will I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this reason, I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified [it]! And again, I will glorify [it]!” (vv 27-29).

[Prayer]

Heavenly Father, you glorified your name in the birth of Christ and his transfiguration. You glorified your name on the cross of Christ, in his resurrection, and in his ascension. Enable us now to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of the faith, that all our works may glorify you ... in Jesus’ name.

[Introduction]

They heard a word from heaven.

Can you imagine what that must have been like ... to hear a thundering voice responding to Jesus’ prayer that the Father would glorify his name?

What would that have been like ... to be in the crowd ... in Jerusalem ... during Jesus’ triumphal entry on Holy Week ... and to hear our heavenly Father speak in this way?

Can you imagine the reaction on everyone else’s face when they heard it, too?

Would it be one of awe? Or would you have leaned into your neighbor and whispered ... Did you hear that? What was that?

It’s thunder, some people said. But others said, an angel has spoken (v 29).

Jesus, in turn, said to Philip and Andrew, This voice didn’t happen for my sake, but for yours. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up out of the earth, I will draw all people to myself (vv 31-32).

3. Jesus is talking about the Word of his Holy Cross (v 33).

He is talking about his hour of glorification, the hour he was exalted on the cross, the hour he draws all people to himself through the cross. There, he is lifted for all to see. He’s also talking about the hour of his resurrection and ascension ... and he’s talking about this hour.

All these events all go together. They all preach the glory of Christ crucified. They glorify the name of God, which is YHWH, the God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast covenantal love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast covenantal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin (Ex 34:6-7a).

Because it is September 14, we are observing how He did this. Today is Holy Cross Day or the Festival of the Exaltation of the Cross. It’s always good to remember the cross ... in our preaching ... in our worship ... in our daily lives.

The celebration of this day began in the fourth century, after Helena, the mother of Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, claimed she found the cross of Christ. Whether her claim is true is not important. The Word of the Cross calls us to fix our eyes on Jesus.

We Lutherans are called Theologians of the Cross. We are called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified by Jesus. As Paul wrote in our epistle, We preach Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23). We preach this in Baptism, Absolution, and the Supper. In Baptism, we were united with Christ on the cross. He declares Absolution to us on account of the cross. And we receive the fruits of the cross in the Supper. We preach this because this is how he delivers the forgiveness of sins.

God is glorified on the cross. There would be no exaltation without his suffering. There would not be Easter without his Good Friday. We would not have eternal life apart from his death ... on a cross.

Receiving this word of the cross is not easy. In describing our Lord’s journey to the cross, Saint John in particular is leading us to lift our eyes and look up continually to see the cross ... to see our sin nailed to the tree ... so that no one might boast in [God’s] presence.

2. That’s why we don’t like seeing the Word on a cross ... do we?

We’d prefer to have a simple and clean salvation, wouldn’t we? But there is nothing neat and clean about salvation.

If you had told people at the beginning of the first century that the cross would become a beloved symbol all over the world, they would have told you ... you’re nuts. The cross is an instrument of fear and terror. The cross is a means of painful, prolonged, humiliating death. It is bloody. No one is more powerless than the one hanging on a cross.

And to think, as Jesus said, that this is why he went to the cross (v 27). He went as the spotless Lamb to the slaughter.

First, the Romans beat Jesus with a special whip called a flagrum that had multiple leather straps. Each of those straps had barbs on them to rip away flesh. Jesus received 39 lashes with one of these whips. This beating alone probably would have been enough to kill him. The shock certainly would have led to nausea, profuse sweating, confusion, loss of consciousness.

Jesus was then forced to carry his cross a half-mile down the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha. There, he was stripped again for extra humiliation before being pierced for our transgression. As he hung on the cross, all of his weight would have dislocated the joints in his arms and shoulders. Breathing would have become painful. And all the while ... he was likely lifted ... just high enough ... so that his mockers could continue laughing in his face.

This is what happened when Christ was crucified.

This is what happened ... not because you love him ... but because he loves you.

1. Jesus shed his holy blood on a cross for you, the blood he continues to share with you.

Do you see now how the Father again glorifies his name?

There are many people in our world who think it foolish to proclaim this. Far too many people think they don’t need this, let alone believe it. They scoff at us. In some churches, they never talk about it. They leave their crosses empty ... their altars bare. It’s all neat and clean.

We should therefore be thankful that our cross is not empty, and our altar is not bare. A bare cross and altar are simply reminders that someone is going to die. But Christ was crucified for your sins and bruised for your iniquities. And by his stripes, he has forgiven your sins ... forgiveness that he continues to give to you ... even today ... in the hour of his glory for our good.

Though I would rather see a crucifix on our altar, look in the center of our cross and altar. On both you see the name of Jesus. That’s what those letters Iota, Eta, Sigma at the heart of our crosses are for. Those are the first Greek letters of the name of Jesus. You also see those on the left side of the shield on the altar. The right side has the letters RPC ... Latin for Rex Pacis Christi ... or Christ, the King of Peace.

Granted these are just symbols, but Christ is still at the center of our lives ... physically ... on the altar ... where his body and blood is given and shed for you.

[Conclusion]

This is how we preach Christ crucified. Our Crucified One has taken your death and Our Risen Lord is giving you eternal life. God has called and gathered us here at Trinity Lutheran Church to enlighten us to this proclamation of Christ crucified ... [He is] the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor 23-24). And whenever we eat and drink his body and blood we proclaim this until he comes.

Therefore, lift up your eyes and see the cross of Christ.

Lift up your eyes and see your sin crucified.

Lift up your eyes and receive him, who shares his new life with you so you can share forgiveness with one another. Share the fruits of his cross. God Incarnate has lived for you and died for you ... and Hallelujah, He is risen!

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE CROSS THAT WE ALWAYS NEED TO HEAR

... in Jesus’ name.

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