Category: Holy Week

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:29
Date: Maundy Thursday + 4/1/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

“For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

Dear Christian Friends,

We begin these three holy days, the sacred Triduum, in an unusual way, beginning with a “Confessional Address.” It is to remember that we began the holy season of Lent forty days ago with an extended confession of sins, committing ourselves to the Lenten discipline of fasting, prayer and alms-giving. Therefore this night, as the forty Lenten days of preparation come to an end, it is good, right and salutary that we should hear an extended absolution, the forgiveness of our sins that we may enter the celebration of the Lord’s Passover in sincerity and truth. Continue reading “Confessional Address”

Text: Luke 22:1—23:56
Date: Passion/Palm Sunday + 3/28/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

On this Sunday, the beginning of the Great and Holy Week of the Christian calendar, Holy Church proclaims the entire account of our Lord’s Passion and death from the Last Supper, the temptations of Jesus and the disciples, the four trials of Jesus and the final hours of cross and tomb. The long, extended Gospel reading commands the attention of both hearer and preacher. It is hoped that the inspired Word heard directly, on its own, without comment or commentary will move heart and mind ultimately to true repentance and saving faith. For this is the goal, the culmination and purpose of the coming of Jesus into this world, namely, His vicarious, sacrificial, atoning death—“vicarious” meaning He died the death that should be ours; “sacrificial” meaning only His perfect holiness qualified Him to be acceptable to God; “atoning” meaning His death alone is the only adequate payment for the sin of the world, your sin and mine. It is called the Passion of our Lord since this is what it means when the Bible says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son” (Jn. 3:16). He gave His son to be incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He gave His son to preach and teach and heal all manner of sickness and malady. He gave His only son to suffer all, even death, in order to free all men from the curse and slavery of sin and death. Continue reading “Swept Into the Story”

Text: Mark 15:33-39
Date: Palm/Passion Sunday + 4/5/09
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

That’s it? That’s all? He dies and they lay Him in a tomb? Though you and I know that there is more to the story than that, indeed, that without the resurrection only half of the story has been told, especially in our age of instant gratification, the Sunday of the Passion pulls us up short, makes us slow down, and Holy Week tries to teach us how to ponder and meditate on why it is that the Savior had to die as the Suffering Servant. In fact, knowing the rest of the story as we do, it is nearly impossible for us to grasp the horrific sorrow and devastating grief of the first disciples, a sorrow and grief that we, nevertheless, need to apprehend. For the less we see our need for a Savior, the less will be our joy over his deliverance. Good Friday alone will not save, but without it there would be no Easter. Continue reading “Devotional Commentary”

Text: John 19:17-30
Date: Good Friday Triduum II + 4/6/07

     From a harmony of the four Gospels we have seven words or statements from the cross. Matthew and Mark report only the one, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” St. Luke has three more: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do;” “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise;” and “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” Each Evangelist’s account has its own character and purpose. St. Luke’s is the most catechetical, proclaiming the faithful Son of God who came to release all mankind from the grip of the bondage of sin. Good Friday, however, is reserved, always, for Saint John. He reports the additional words from the cross, “Woman, behold, your son,” “I thirst,” and “It is finished.” In addition to those words, however, are two more important details: the soldiers gambling for his tunic, and the piercing of Jesus’ side with a spear and the flow of blood and water. Taken together, St. John’s account of the crucifixion therefore emphasizes, more than the others, the triumph and victory of the Son of God, the Word made flesh Who came to conquer death and give life to all who believe. In John the Passion is victorious. Jesus’ death is referred to as his glorification, and by his cross he is lifted up like the healing serpent lifted up by Moses in the wilderness. Even his final word is a cry of victory, “It is finished.” He is not overcome. He has overcome.
Continue reading “Good Friday Triduum”

Text: Luke 22:7-20
Date: Maundy Thursday + 4/5/07

     It’s been a long night here in the Upper Room. During our Lenten midweek services we have heard the words of our Lord that he spoke to us that night in which he was betrayed from the Gospel of John, much of it standing just before heading out the door into this night. This night, however, is set aside to commemorate two things: first, the mandatum novum, the new commandment “that you love one another” from which this day receives its name “Maundy” Thursday, and demonstrated in our Lord’s washing of the disciples’ feet. Secondly, this night is the anniversary of the greatest mystery: the institution of the sacrament of our Lord’s Body and Blood, the sacrament of the altar, the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Communion, the Eucharist. It is a mystery because while we can and are to know, acknowledge and believe that Jesus meant what he said when he said, “this is my body, this is my blood,” still we cannot explain it. Those bent on explaining this mystery most often end up not believing it aright! But those who simply hear and boldly believe the words of Christ truly receive what he says, his holy Body and his sacred Blood, and the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation that has been purchased for us by his holy sacrifice on the cross.
Continue reading “Maundy Thursday”