APRIL 5, 2009  SERMON ARCHIVE

In the name of Jesus. [Amen]

If you are a fan of college basketball you know about the time of year called "March Madness." Basically this thing called "March Madness," is one huge tournament that's supposed to decide which team is the best team in all of college basketball.

Suiting up for the game each year are usually 30 young men, who, for many of them, will realize something that they've dreamed of doing for most of their lives. This game is that big of a deal!

Many of the men who, in prior years, have had this same privilege to suit up for the national championship game… well… many of them claim that this moment was the "defining moment" in their entire life! By using those words, they're saying that the opportunity to suit up and play in that game - whether they won or lost that game - defined how they acted… what they did… in reality… who they were… for all of their adult years!

The same is said by so many people in so many other sports arenas as well as areas of life.

But, that's quite a tall order, isn't it? Isn’t that in fact putting a lot of "stock" into a kids' game that will last between 2 and 3 hours, tops?

And is that good and proper, for a person to have their whole sense of purpose in life to be based on one college basketball game? Maybe it is… And maybe it isn't. We'll let the moralists and ethicists of our culture fight over that question.

Why do I mention this "defining moment" as many see such opportunities in their lives?

I thought of it because I see a parallel in what our Lord Jesus did when He entered Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday some 2,000 years ago. Of course, He didn't suit up for a basketball game, or a football game, or baseball. But all that you've heard in this worship service today, especially the Gospel Lesson, does point to what can be easily argued to be the "defining moment" in Jesus' life.

Since the Son of God was conceived in Mary's womb… through His nativity… His being named "Jesus" 8 days later… through His childhood… through His Baptism… His temptation… His teaching, preaching, and healing ministry… really and truly… His entire life was pointing to this momentous week that began with His glorious entrance into Jerusalem.

I hope that it's not true, but some of those athletes who suit up for March Madness, or the Super Bowl, or the World Series will possibly do so not for the glory of their school or their team anything else… they'll compete for themselves.

But what brought Jesus to Jerusalem? Was He hungering for personal glory… for a big-time professional contract… for a chance to have his name etched into some trophy like all 30 of those players want? No… Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, had come into this world… He entered Jerusalem… to participate in an event that was far from being some kids' game! He came to die!

He entered Jerusalem for the express reason of sharing His glory with sinful man! He who had no sin became sin for you.

As He rode into Jerusalem on a lowly donkey, He was touted by some as the Christ of God… the Messiah. But within hours, very few were cheering for Him… in fact… most… including one of His closest friends, Peter, would deny that they even knew Him!

But… as we will sing in the closing hymn today… He rode on to die! He wouldn't… couldn't stop. His love for you was so great!

Your sins of speech… thought… and action…

Your sins of cheating… lying… and putting the worst spin on your neighbor's actions…

Your sins of grumbling and complaining…

Your sins of doubting God's promise to care for you always…

All that… and anything else… that could keep you apart from the warm embrace of your Creator, your Father in heaven.

But the love of God for fallen sinners like you compelled Jesus to enter Jerusalem and instigate the chain of events that this coming week are all about.

Your sins… my sins… made heaven totally "off limits" for us.

But Jesus rode into Jerusalem to restore what was broken… to bring together what had been ripped apart in the Garden of Eden.

He resolutely rode into Jerusalem so that He might undergo the punishment of hell that your sins deserved. And with that punishment rendered to Jesus, the Father's demand for justice against those sins would be satisfied - fully.

Nothing would detract Him from this "defining moment."

It wouldn't be the fanfare with the palms being waved in His face.

It wouldn't be the garments scattered on the ground before Him.

Not even would the utterly stark knowledge of the mocking, torture, pain, and shame of the cross stop Him as He entered Jerusalem, also known as the "City of Peace."

For… again… His love moved Him to do this, so that you might be His own and live under Him and His kingdom - forever! He entered the "City of Peace" to restore peace between you and God!

You see… this was the "defining moment" in Jesus' life. It all came to this moment… this week... "Holy Week" as we know it now.

Not even would the utterly stark knowledge of the mocking, torture, pain, and shame of the cross stop Him as He entered Jerusalem, also known as the "City of Peace."

For… again… His love moved Him to do this, so that you might be His own and live under Him and His kingdom - forever! He entered the "City of Peace" to restore peace between you and God!

You see… this was the "defining moment" in Jesus' life. It all came to this moment… this week... "Holy Week" as we know it now.

But dear people of God, listen to this: In your Baptism Jesus made His life's "defining moment" to be yours!

His death was made to be your death…

His resurrection from the dead was reckoned to be yours.

The forgiveness of sins that He earned on the cross was given to you through the faith and trust in Him that were given to you in those life-giving, Baptismal waters!

You see, this week of "Holy Week" isn't just the "defining moment" in Jesus' life… not at all!

It's also the "defining moment" in your lives…in your eternal lives! For as His redeemed ones, this week now defines how you act… what you do… in reality… it defines who you are for all eternity!

Toward the end of the Passion narrative we will hear l;ater this week, St. Luke described those who were with Jesus on Golgotha. He writes: "And all [Jesus'] acquaintances and the women who had followed Him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things."

As this Holy Week begins, I urge you all to not stand "at a distance" as this week's events unfold. Rather, even though you know the story, come and re-live the story of your salvation! Come and join your fellow redeemed as you "look on with wondering eyes" while Jesus gives His all… His life… so that you might have life in His saving name!

Earlier I mentioned that the 30 or so young men who usually participate in that thing called March Madness each hope to get their name inscribed on the championship trophy. But… 100… or 500 years from now… who will really care whose name is etched on that trophy? In fact, it's debatable if that trophy will still even exist!

But… 100 years from now… 500 years from now… 1,000 years from now…actually… for all eternity… your names, and all who look to Christ in repentant faith, will be remain permanently etched into the Book of Life in heaven.

Thanks be to God!

Christ is RIsen.