Sermon on Luke 18 for Esto mihi Sunday (Quinquagesima Sunday)
Translated / outlined by M. Carver, 2012.

DISTICH
The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ
The source of our salvation is.

INVOCATION

In the name of Christ Jesus, your and my most worthy Savior, who by His agonizing passion and death redeemed us from sin, reconciled us to God His heavenly Father, and restored life; blessed and worshiped forever and ever, world without end. Amen.

The holy doctor of the Church, Augustine, says, “The cross of Christ, that is, His agonizing passion and death, is the cause of our salvation.” Therefore it behooves us to remember it constantly, give Him thanks for it, and always take mighty comfort in it.

Now therefore, that this may be done by us with some profit, sing with me: Lamb of God, pure and holy…, etc., and then pray for the assistance of the Holy Spirit in a believing heart, the holy Our Father.

READING

Image of the 12, and Jesus motioning toward Jerusalem in the background] Legend: My Jesus, You go forth to suffer pains of dying Your death upon the cross remain my heart’s memorial, Have mercy, Jesus, on me in all my distress To You I’ll ever true remain in life and death.

INTRODUCTION

1. Outline of the story of Abraham’s journey to sacrifice his son.

2. Description of how Jesus Christ is the antitype.

3. Since He freely and willingly suffered death for us, even death on the cross, we should always remember His cross and death and take comfort in it, and we will be strengthened in tribulation and sustained to eternal life.

4. I will focus on the first part of the Gospel and give you instruction in this contemplation and briefly treat Jesus’ highly comforting Passion-sermon, which he gave on to His disciples as they journeyed; and from it I will give you profitable teaching, heart-refreshing comfort, and necessary warning and admonition.

BODY

Thesis/Intro.: What you should contemplate in this Passion-sermon. The profound Person which with his painful and contemptible suffering redeemed the poor human race. It is Jesus (Not Job. Not King David. Not St. Paul) He prophesies about what they would see. He had done many mighty wonders before: slew Assyrians, helped David slay Goliath, defended Israel through Gideon. It is not a creature but God Himself.

A. Christ suffered not according to both natures, nor according to his Divine nature, but only according to His human nature.

1. It gives us strong consolation (the fitting satisfaction)

2. It refutes those who go too far or not far enough (e.g. Eutyches, Theopaschites; Nestorius / Nestorians). God suffered in unity of Person, not in property of nature.

B. Christ suffered a manifold painful and contemptible Passion.

1. His whole life was full of cross, and offense by Jew and heathen.

2. Why do the heathen rage?

3. He was betrayed by His own disciple Judas. (cf. Joseph and his brothers, Samson and his countrymen). Augustine: His life is a payment for the sin of the whole world.

4. Christ was mocked and spat upon

5. Chris was accused falsely and is silent (contrast with Jereboam
and his prophets, Elisha at Bethel).

6. Christ was covered with stripes and blood. St. Paul received mercy (only 39 lashes). Christ received none. “The plowmen have toiled over my back…” By his stripes we are healed. Bernard: “He was wounded to heal you.”

7. Christ was put to death (Daniel’s prophecy) not by fire (cf. Aaron’s sons), nor by collapsing roof (Samson), nor by sword (Stephen), but the contemptible death of the cross. Cf. Moses’ bronze serpent.

8 . Consider Jesus’ pain and suffering in Jerusalem. Say withAugustine: “Dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken? etc.” I am the cause of Your pain and death. Bernard: “The fall of your soul was so terrible that it could not be restored but by the death of God’s Son.”. Consider your sin, how dread its penalties; the flood on the first world, the fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea, the Romans’ destruction of Jerusalem. “If this be done in the green wood, what will become of the dry?” Let it drive you to amendment of life. Consider how much cost God to redeem you, the inexpressible anguish of wrath on the cross. If your sins plague you, consider Christ’s sufferings on your behalf. If the law terrifies you, remember Christ’s Passion that redeems you from the Law’s curse. If the evil one vexes you, think back to afflictions of him who conquered Satan and destroyed his works. If fear and and terror chase you to hell with their fiery vengeance and death his sharp sting, look at the bloody suffering of Jesus, from whom blood and water flowed and freed you from eternal death. “I will redeem them from hell and rescue them from death. O death, I will be your poison…” etc. Finally, see how fitting it is for you to thank Christ for His voluntary suffering. Take up your cross and follow Him. Hymn: Weltlich Ehr und zeitlich Gut, stanza 8: Man, behold thy Savior dear, / Who yet is thy example here— / To Him submit, confide; / Take His easy yoke on thee / And so follow faithfully, / Till thou come where He shall guide, / Where the angels thee abide. Paul: Our old man is crucified with Christ.

C. Christ suffered such pain and death for you because of

1. His own unspeakable love. (Cf. Nisus, Euryalus, Marcus Curtius, King Codrus). Paul: Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us… Take comfort in this in distress and death. Paul: Who will separate us…? Augustine: You loved me more than Yourself…

2. The infallible words of the prophets. David: Psalm 22. Isaiah “He was punished and afflicted…” Also the types of the Levitical sacrifice and Moses’ bronze serpent. This was so that you would be certain and not doubt that Jesus of Nazareth is the true Messiah. Peter: Of this Jesus all the prophets bear witness… Here you also see God’s goodness toward you. Luther: Through Christ’s heat we enter God’s heart and see that Christ could not have loved us unless God loved us. Paul: God praises his love toward us in that Christ died for us while we were sinners… John: God’s love was revealed to us in that God sent his only son… Bernard: No one can see better that God loves us than from Christ’s five wounds… Chrysostom: Oh, how much and great grace God bears for us! He spared not His own son… Cyprian: If God had not wanted to save me, He would not have given His only Son…

D. Christ suffered in Jerusalem (holy city, God’s dwelling, Ahaliba)

1. To fulfill the foreshadow (Moria was enclosed by Jerusalem). All the sacrifices were to be done before the tabernacle, later, in the temple at Jerusalem. “It cannot be that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.

2. To show us the advantage of His death: there Adam died and was buried, therefore the second Adam had to conquer death there. Jerusalem is a preview of the eternal city of God, which Christ wins for us through His cross and death. He was led out of the earthly Jerusalem that we might be led into the heavenly Jerusalem. The city was originally called Salem, that is, Peaceful, when King Melchizedek the priest of God the Most High ruled there, and who is supposed to have first built it. Later the Jebusites ruled there and called it Jebus, until David and Joab conquered and took it. There Christ by His cross struck down the hellish Jebusites and all discord, and restored eternal peace. “Now we are justified by faith, and we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Hymn: “Wir danken dir für deinen Tod” (Nicolaus Selnecker), 3 stanzas.