Sermon for Easter

The reading: John 20:1-18

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes. 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' " 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

The message

A few months ago, I was in the city for a deans meeting.  This is a group of pastors who represent different regions the Lutheran Church in New York.  We meet a 6 or7  times a year at the Bishop’s office located right around Columbia University on the Upper West Side.   The closest train station is the 116th street stop on the 1 train.  It’s a small but always very busy station. With all of the schools, churches and tourist sites up there, people are constantly getting on and off the train.   After our meeting and lunch, most of the pastors head over to that train station to start the trip back home. It’s a chance to follow up about news and information from the meeting, complain about our schedules or just vent frustrations with our work, buildings, churches or members (none of you here, of course). 

That afternoon, 5 or 6 of us walked down the station stairs together. There was a young woman sitting and crying in the station.  Most of us just passed by, wondering if she was okay or saying a quick prayer for whatever was going on in her life.  Most of us suspected this could be something major that was making her cry, it might take a very long time to talk through, it could be something beyond our ability to help or it might be unsafe, after all we had no idea what we would be walking into.  There were lots of reasons to not stop.  Perhaps the best reason to not stop was the young lady might prefer to just be left alone. In that case walking by was considerate.  One of the pastors in our group did stop, said a few introductory words to the young woman and sat down with her, in the middle of the dirty stairs. There they sat, directly in the way of all those people like me, who had no idea what they might be walking into, so they kept walking away.  The pastor who stopped told us she might be there for a while and to go on without her, which we did (the young woman was in good care and no one wants to be surrounded by 5 pastors they don’t know in a stairwell, that’s just sort of creepy and complicated).    

I’m not sure how long they sat there or what was said and done, I suspect part of this meeting on the subway stairs eventually included that question the 2 angels in the empty tomb and then Jesus all ask Mary on the first Easter morning, “why are you crying”.  The pastor on the subway stairs was probably not so direct. Before you can ask someone “why are you crying”, he or she has to think you actually care about what the answer is, that you can handle the answer, that you will stay regardless of why those tears are there.

That uncertainly is the most difficult part of asking someone “why are you crying”.  You do not know what the answer will be until you ask the question, you do not know what exactly you are walking into until you are sitting there.  What am I walking into was the big question last week as we celebrated Palm Sunday.  We heard the report of Jesus triumphant welcome into Jerusalem as the Messiah and then the report of Jesus being crucified, put on the cross between 2 criminals.  No one walking with Jesus after he raised Lazarus from the dead expected Jesus to be crucified a few days later, no one shouting Hosanna in streets and throwing palm branches before Jesus feet had any idea this was basically a funeral procession When Jesus first invites his disciples to “follow me”, when he restores the paralyzed, gives sight to the blind, turns water into wine, welcomes an outsider into the kingdom of God, heals the son of a royal official,  feeds a great crowd of thousands with a few loaves and a couple of fish, walks on water, raises Lazarus from the dead, and confronts human authority with God’s authority.  people thought they were walking to power and glory. No one thought Jesus was on a walk to death and life, to hell and back. Most people get off the road long before it ends.  As soon as people get a hint of what they were walking into, of where this was going, they stop and walk the other way.   

Even Jesus struggles with walking this road, lamenting, praying for strength, crying out, I don’t want to do this.  In John’s Gospel, we clearly see the only way that Jesus can complete this walk is with prayer, with God at his side, with trusting that God is in trials, God is in death, God is in humiliation, God is in pain.  Jesus knows the question is not “what am I walking into”, the question is “what are God and I walking into”.   Today is really a continuation of that question, of “what are God and I walking into”.  When Mary heads out early in the morning on the third day since Jesus death, she does not know that she is walking into the good news.  After Mary’s report about the stone being moved, Simon Peter and another disciple run to the tomb but have no idea what they are walking into. They walk into the greatest, most significant moment in history. They leave and  have no idea where they were. 

Mary stays by the empty tomb. There, the angels ask Mary that question we do not want to walk into, “why are you crying”. Mary says: they have taken my Lord away. Moments later, Jesus asks the same question, “why are you weeping”  and she says “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away” She thinks Jesus is the gardener, she still does not know that she walked into news of salvation, resurrection, forgiveness, truth and eternal life.   She realizes that Christ is Risen only when Jesus calls her by name. Once Mary realizes it is Jesus asking her “why are you crying”, those tears the angels couldn’t stop turn quickly to shouts of joy.  From the  risen Christ, why are you crying is an invitation to relationship, an invitation for her to tell her story and realize it matters, to express her grief and receive comfort, to express her fears and receive strength. 

This Easter we receive an invitation as well.  A gift of salvation by grace through faith that pushes us to God and lets us walk into life knowing God is actually there, walk into school, work, home, church knowing God is actually there with you, walk into relationships knowing God is actually there with you, walk into peace knowing God is actually there, walk into those places you do not want to go knowing God is actually there, walk through conflict, suffering and death knowing that God is actually there.  It is our power to tell someone, anyone you are in our work and prayers, knowing, Christ is Risen for all people, with God all things are possible and prayer actually matters. On Easter, we see God walking with Jesus through death and into life.  This is the day when God sits on the subway stairs with us and asks “why are you crying?” This is the day we learn our God, entirely out of love for us and concern for us, is not afraid of the answer.  Our God does not go “this is going to be tough”, “I don’t have time for this”, “he or she does not deserve anything” or “oh crap what do I do now”. When God asks us “why are you crying”, It is good news of welcome, acceptance and Easter joy, it is the promise “I will walk with you, wherever you go”.      

Sermon for Palm Sunday

The reading

John 12:12-27; 19:16b-22

12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!" 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: 15 "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. 17 So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. 18 It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. 19 The Pharisees then said to one another, "You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!"

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

27 "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say -- 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour."

19:16b So they took Jesus; 17 and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

The message

We are now in our last few weeks with John’s Gospel.  From September to Christmas, we looked at about 15 Old Testament readings that covered the history of God’s communication with people, God’s great acts of interference and power in the world and the corrective words and bold promises of the prophets. These reports, teaching stories and historical events showed us God reaches out to people in love and care.   We heard God make big promises, that Abraham would be father of many nations, that there would never again be a flood, that the people will be set free from slavery in Egypt, that God’s people would be restored, that God would walk with some unlikely heroes.  We saw so many of those promises fulfilled at Christmas, when the word of God was made flesh and dwelled amongst us. From Christmas until now, we have gone through John’s Gospel, starting with the prologue, where again great promises are made, that reading this book will change you, that the witness and testimony of John the Baptist would be proven right at Easter, that the 7 signs of power that Jesus performed will show the world that Jesus is the savior. 

Over the last few months, we read 4 of the 7 signs that John reports to prove and verify that Jesus is the Messiah, learned from some of the teaching moments where Jesus shows that all people are welcome in the kingdom of God through his words and actions, were inspired by the faithful actions of Jesus first followers and reality checked by their failures.. All of this leads up to “there they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them”.  A few weeks ago, we started the story of Jesus last hours, events that make up almost a third of John’s Gospel.  Today, we hear the joyful beginning of those hours (Jesus entry into Jerusalem) and the worst part of those hours, where it all leads, “there they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them”.

This best of times and worst of times, starts as the story of 2 crowds.   That whole great crowd did not come to Jerusalem just to see Jesus.  One part was a crowd that followed Jesus after he raised Lazarus from the dead, wanting to see what’s next. The other part was a crowd in Jerusalem for the festival. People had come to Jerusalem to mark the Passover in the Holy city (like Christians make pilgrimages to Bethlehem at Christmas or to the sites where Jesus died and was buried at Easter).  Many of the people on this first Palm Sunday did not come to see Jesus, they did not go there to hear Jesus speak or experience his healing, helping and restoring ministry. They had no idea Jesus was even going to Jerusalem, The crowd following Jesus since they saw him call Lazarus out from death, they become witnesses, they teach and tell the Jerusalem crowd all about what has been happening, what Jesus has said and done. We see this a little later as Andrew and Phillip tell Jesus a group of Greeks want to see him. Jesus says no but he does not dismiss the visiting Greeks, their curiosity or their needs, Jesus tells Andrew and Phillip you go do it, you talk to them, pray with them, help them, share the good news. 

We just completed our annual Palm Sunday parade or procession in the neighborhood, Sunday mornings are quiet around here, but along with us, there was another crowd, people driving or walking by, people looking out their windows or slowly plodding to work, maybe even a few going home after a very long night.  Some people do come up to me days later and ask “what were you doing out there”, That is our chance to witness, to tell people what we are doing here.  We have many people who come through this space each week, to play basketball, practice soccer, attend school, talk to teachers, support one another in 12 steps.  They are not necessarily here for Jesus, but let’s make sure they know Jesus is here for them, at the heart of our community and lives.       

Of course, we really have 2 readings this morning, the triumphant entry into Jerusalem and Jesus crucifixion.  Right after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.  Jesus disciples expected him to be walking into glory and power, to make claims to thrones and kingdoms, to overwhelm the worldly powers around them.  The Palm Sunday walk is one filled with imagery that shows us a great crowd proclaiming Jesus is the Messiah (riding a donkey and  covering the road with palm branches where both spoken of by the prophets, the cry Hosanna means “save us”).  After entering Jerusalem, it is not a coronation anyone expected. There is no crown of gold waiting for Jesus, it is a crown of thorns instead, there is no great army swearing allegiance, there is a crowd yelling crucify him instead.  We do not hear Jesus was anointed as high priest or placed on the throne, Instead, we get “there they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them”  None of the crowd were on a walk to glory, they are on a walk to the cross (a walk most of them stop long before its end). 

To see these chapters side by side, Palm Sunday and Good Friday, we have to ask “what am I walking into”. This is a question Police, EMS, Firefighters and other first responders face dozens of time per shift. That’s a question we all ask a lot. We ask it anxiously waiting for news from a Doctor or results from a medical test that will be available in a week or two.  We ask it waiting for test scores or pacing in an office waiting for an administrator to tell us how we did, we ask it waiting for a phone call, We ask it when we avoid people we fear will give desperate plea for help or lead us into something we really do not want to do (or to be fair, can’t do) . I ask What am I walking into a lot, I ask before hospital visits, weddings, funerals, meetings, baptisms, even simple follow ups to messages “give me a call, I have to ask you something”.  I frequently enter  some of  the most private, personal and emotional moments in the life of a family and community, without knowing too much about what I am walking into (as a generally shy or reserved person, its not the easiest thing to do but I  can go because God walks with me). 

Perhaps that’s what makes sharing faith so hard. We do not know what we walking into, If our prayer will be welcome, if it will get very uncomfortable, interfere with new relationships or ruin long standing ones.  People we tell “God loves you: may express exclusion, a belief in wealth or science or undeniable reports of hypocrisy and bad behavior,  In some parts of the world, witnessing can be a crime, an action punishable by imprisonment, death or at least exclusion from family and community.  

What am I walking into, that’s a good question, its practical, necessary, helpful, It can sometimes be a matter of life and death, but it can’t stop us from being the Lazarus crowd.  We should be asking “What are God and I walking into”, That is the question that should be on our minds

What are we walking into here, As St Jacobus Lutheran Church?  I see a community that cares for one another, walks with one another, encourages one another, gives generously of time, space and money.” I see a community that has for almost 151 years taught our neighbors the  forgiving, joy giving, community changing presence of God.   

Next week as we celebrate Easter, we will hear angels and Jesus ask Mary “why are you crying”, in that question, we will see how asking “what are God and I walking into” works.    

Sermon for Sunday, March 18

The reaidng

John 19:1-16a

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. 3 They kept coming up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and striking him on the face. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him." 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" 6 When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him." 7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God." 8 Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. 9 He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Pilate therefore said to him, "Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" 11 Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." 12 From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor." 13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge's bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, "Here is your King!" 15 They cried out, "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but the emperor." 16 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

The message

Today, we pick up where we left off last week and hear the last half of Jesus trial before Pilate, the Roman Governer of Jesus home and community.  The report of this trial is filled with rapid movement inside and outside of Pilate’s office (and of Gods kingdom and of people in and out of the light and darkness).  The flow is complex, like any court today. There are layers of rules and there is a hierarchy of decision making powers. There are people with various levels of knowledge, about the procedures and process but Jesus is the only one who knows about what God is doing.  The trial starts in John 18:28-32 as the religious authorities stand outside Pilate’s office and demand death of Jesus for his crimes against the Jewish law (which Pilate barely cares about). Then the trial moves inside, where Pilate and Jesus debate with one another on kingship. Then outside again as Pilate goes before the crowd to announce that he does not find Jesus guilty of any crime, let alone one punishable by death.  That is where last week’s reading ended. Now this week, in verses 19:1-3, the  action moves inside, soldiers abuse Jesus, beating him and putting a crown of thorns on his head. After this, the trial moves back outside.  In verses 19:4-8, Pilate once again declares that he does not find Jesus guilty of any crime, He shows a physically weakened, humiliated and abused Jesus to the crowd, hoping they will be satisfied, it is not death but at least Pilate did something nasty. The trial goes back inside and in verse 19:9-11, Pilate and Jesus have another debate on power. Like the last one about kindgoms, they are once again talking about completely different things.  Finally, the trial moves outside again and in verses19:12-16a, a frustrated, anxious and uncertain Pilate reluctantly gives in and sentences Jesus to death.   The crowd manages to get Pilate to take action, to sentence Jesus to death, by accusing Jesus of violating Roman law (which gets Pilates attention, after all, his power is from Rome and could easily be taken away by Rome, especially for tolerating people challenging the emperor with claims of kingship). 

Last week, we looked at the power of God vs the power of this world, expressed in who sees the whole picture (Jesus) and who is not influenced by outside factors or worldly forces like power or glory (again Jesus).  This is all expressed through a trial, one of main ways throughout history that people have relied on to make sure order is maintained, laws are enforced, power is expressed, fair decisions are made and justice is served.  Of course, the system does not always work that way, never has really, at least not for everyone. There are always examples of innocent people found guilty, guilty people who walk away unfound or unpunished or several people who commit the same crime with very different consequences.

Last week, I promised that I would talk about my day in court, well it’s really my 2 or 3 minutes in court as a defendant.  It was a long time ago, probably 20 years. My brother and I were accused of jumping a turnstile at our local train station and were issued summons with a few dollar fine. I was anxious in all sorts of semi realistic ways, we had just turned 18 a few weeks before. I wondered if this would stay on my record, if I’d have to check off that box on all sorts of paperwork and applications that ask “any trouble with the law”, I thought I could lose my scholarship for college, I wondered what if I applied to jobs and people were, “um I don’t think so, we don’t accept people who try to rip the city off for $1.50”.  This all happened before the internet was so available and research so easy.  (I just googled it for this sermon, it’s considered like a parking ticket, a non-criminal complaint and has no impact on your record).  At the same time, I know that people have been trapped in cycles of crime, poverty and struggle for less, with severe and lasting consequences from convictions for minor quality of life stuff. I’ve read entire books on it, about what’s broken with broken window policing and policy.  

First, I was shocked that we were actually given summonses, my brother had just joined the Navy, I was doing volunteer work with the local police precinct and we both volunteered at the local community ambulance (all of which we conveniently worked into our brief conversation with the officer).  We fully expected our good deeds to get us off the hook, probably a warning, “don’t do it again, you can get in real trouble” and a response of “okay, we certainly won’t , thank you for your understanding” (it’s happened that way before in other matters, you look like good kids, don’t be stupid anymore)     

We decided that we would fight it.  I don’t know what we expected to say at court but my brother and I spent an hour or two getting some sort of story together, our defense and evidence. We had a story about a broken machine and defective card or something. Whatever we had, we were going to use it. We assumed that we would be given a several hour hearing, call each other as witnesses, take a lunch break, be grilled on the stand and fight the unfair system. (I can’t imagine why I thought this 40 or 50 dollar fine would occupy a whole day). A few weeks later, when I went before the judge. There was a public attorney there (at least I think that’s who he was, time restrictions prevented him from bothering to introduce himself). He knew the system, He looked at the summons for a second and said, just sit there and be quiet, don’t say a word in front of the judge.  I thought “huh, what am I missing”, It was obvious that he knew something I didn’t. I had this elaborate story to explain what happened, it was going to be great. The judge said some technical formalities, this is answering summons number, the hearing is open etc.   Then I thought, okay, it’s my time to at least say something, my name, not guilty or whatever.  After the formalities, the judge says something along the lines of “The wording on this summons does not meet the legal requirement to indicate any violation actually occurred,   the matter is dismissed”.  Immediately after he reads off some other legalese sentences and that’s all. Relieved, I say “is that it, I’m all done” and then guy who told me to be quiet gives me a dirty look like “dude I said don’t say anything at all”.  I saw my brother in the hallway afterwards, same thing in his room.

  

This story of my minutes in court has a lot more to do with the results of Jesus trial before Pilate that it does with the actual arguments and events. After this trial, Jesus is sentenced to death by crucifixion, a nasty punishment reserved for the worst offenders and offenses and definitely not where anyone following Jesus from Christmas to now thought he would end up.  Of course, the results of this are also not what anyone expected.  Jesus will endure that death and rise again, for the forgiveness of all sins and giving of eternal life. It is the ultimate victory over death and evil, the limitless presence of God in and through all suffering. This is also the heart of God’s grace revealed through Jesus, scripture and our experience. In this story, Jesus tells us the same advice I got in court that morning, sit there and be quiet, don’t say a word, let God be God, remember by faith, not works your sins have been forgiven,    

My good deeds did not keep me out of court (although I thought they should).   I was all set to save myself from this but my creative thinking didn’t save me, it didn’t even get told. Honestly, If I had opened my mouth and said anything at all, I would have been found guilty of the original accusation or worse.  This case was over before it started, I just didn’t know it. I wanted to do the work, I wanted to save myself, I wanted to have power.   Last week, we saw the interaction of power, there were lots of factors beyond any one person’s control. Pilate could not disregard the crowd, the high priest could not sentence Jesus to be crucified, the crowd could not do much without being prodded and instructed, Jesus, following God’s will to the end, would not stop it from happening. Through history, people have wanted to punish the Jews for their role in this, especially as recorded in John. That ignores the truth. In this trial, people act like people, sinful and anxious. However, God acts like God, in control, speaking truth and responding to serious injustice with grace and mercy. 

Sermon for March 11

The reading: John 18:28-40

28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" 30 They answered, "If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you." 31 Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law." The Jews replied, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death." 32 (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) 33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" 35 Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." 37 Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." 38 Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I find no case against him. 39 But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" 40 They shouted in reply, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a bandit.

The message

Today, we hear the first part of Jesus trial before Pilate, a Roman Governor. His territory included Jerusalem and the regions where Jesus was born, lived, taught, performed those 7 signs of power and constantly faced off with the religious authorities.  He was the only person who had the authority to put Jesus to death. (Rome allowed non-Roman governments to make local and small decisions but restricted major things like capital punishment to their leaders). Pilate was an outsider to the Jews, a gentile, a leader appointed by Rome and charged with looking after Roman interests (which were often different from the interests of the Jewish people).  They are so separated that the religious authorities who bring Jesus before Pilate and the crowds that follow them cannot even enter Pilate’s headquarters without violating the Jewish law and being ritually unclean.  They must talk to Pilate outside, meaning Pilate has to enter and leave what is basically his office to listen and speak to Jesus’ accusers (Rome did respect local customs and traditions to some extent).  For us, it is a reminder of what is said and done in the light and in the darkness. It is a court case that centers on power and knowledge.  

After all, the Gospel of John is very concerned with inside and outside, with those in the light and those in the darkness, those who understand and those who do not see what God is doing in the world.  This week and next week, we will see the trial of Jesus before Pilate physically go inside and outside 7 times: The trial starts in John 18:28-32 as the religious authorities stand outside Pilate’s office and demand death of Jesus for his crimes against the Jewish law (which Pilate barely cares about) and then the Roman law (which gets his attention).  Then in John 18:33-38a the trial moves inside, where Pilate and Jesus debate with one another on kingship. This is a conversation where they are obviously talking about two different things, Jesus is focused on God’s transcendent power over all, which Jesus knows is breaking into the world through him. Here, truth is unchanging. Pilate is focused on worldly power, on being a ruler like so many others, with authority granted temporarily by people and maintained by violence and force. It is a position where truth can often be manipulated or just ignored for survival. Now in verses 18:38b-40, they move back outside,  Pilate goes before the crowd  to announce that he does not find Jesus guilty of any crime punishable by death.  Pilate once again tries to make the Jewish authorities handle their own problems and offers them a choice of saving Jesus or Barrabbas, a thief and all around bad guy. After some persuasion by the religious authorities that Jesus is more of a threat to everyone, the crowds demand Barrabbas.

That’s where this week ends, next week we see the trial go back inside, in verses 19:1-3, the  soldiers abuse Jesus, beating him and putting a crown of thorns on him. After this the trial moves back outside.  In verses 19:4-8, Pilate once again declares that he does not find Jesus guilty of any crime, He shows a humiliated and abused Jesus to the crowd, hoping they will be satisfied, it is not death but at least Pilate did something nasty. The trial goes back inside and in verse 19:9-11,  Pilate and Jesus have another debate on power. Like the last one about kindgoms, they are once again talking about completely different things.  Finally, the trial moves outside again and in verses19:12-16a, a frustrated and uncertain Pilate reluctantly gives in and sentences Jesus to death.  Pilate, with all his authority, does not have the power to anger and disregard the crowd without facing difficult consequences, without going before a higher official in the Roman Empire and explaining himself.   Jesus speaks the truth, regardless of consequences.   

At each movement, each transition inside or outside, public or private, we are reminded that each participant has a different issue, a different cause and a different type of power.  The religious authorities want to get rid of Jesus, seeing him as a political threat to a delicate peace and a religious threat to their own comfort and authority.  They try to kill Jesus several times by exploiting fear and inciting the crowds to turn on him but each attempt fails. . While they have some power over the people, its insufficient to get rid of Jesus.  While they rule over some things, capital punishment is not one of them. Pilate seems to view the whole thing as wrong and annoying but even he needs to keep the crowds satisfied. His power was temporary, others gave it to him and could be taken away.  Reports to Rome that he was allowing unrest, failing to handle disputes in a place they barely knew existed or allowing Roman law to be broken, could easily mean his replacement. Jesus’ power is different. He goes through this trial, like the rest of his ministry, well aware that his kingdom is not of this world and whatever happens, God will be victorious.  This is what even his closest disciples never quite understand until after Easter, even death cannot stop God’s will from being done.   The crowds, at least the ones who show up, seem anxious, they trust their leaders and worry about Jesus disrupting the way things are, while things were not great, they could be much worse. 

Perhaps even today, this has not changed too much, justice, courts, law enforcement, the work of figuring out what is right and fair still has insiders and outsiders, factors beyond truth that influence decisions.  I have been to trials a few times as a witness and once as a defendant (that’s next week’s story).  In all of the cases, I always felt like I was on the outside, like I barely knew what was going on. There were lots of things going on that I didn’t understand, that were not what I expected.  Once, I was a witness for a housing dispute, I received a supenona with a lot of frightening legal words on it, threats that failing to respond could land me in jail or liable for a judgment. I showed up with the paper and went to the clerk to sign in, explaining I’m here, I’m here, don’t throw me in jail, or fine me or whatever this document threatens to do.  The clerk doesn’t even look at the paper and says “you can go sit.  I ask “don’t you want to mark me down as present, don’t I have to sign in, don’t you want to see this”. He quickly dismisses me, saying we only care if you get called and aren’t there, most everything gets settled before the actual hearing anyway. To me this was a big deal, to the clerk, just another guy who didn’t get it.  I sat around for about 2 hours, reading, writing and watching 3 or 4 clerks run around, watching teams of lawyers and clients make deals, go from room to room and get things stamped. I had no idea how anyone could possibly keep track of what was going on.  After a while, I went back to the clerk who I annoyed earlier with my desire to sign in and asked “when is this coming up”, to which I was told “oh your still here, that’s  been settled and points to a pile of folders.  I ask, “Can I leave “and he says “if you want”, I avoided my sarcastic urge to say “no im waiting for my free lunch or I want to sit here and do nothing for another hour and then go”.   

Someplace in this process there was power, real problems were being resolved, significant sums of money were changing hands and life changes where happening. It was working. To the initiated, it all made sense, it’s all in a day’s work.  They were the ones who controlled the flow of information, whose full understanding of the system gave them power. To an outsider like me, it was just confusion (and aggravation).  I had some power here, the lawyers could point to a mystery witness, a neighbor who might say x or y, a ploy to force a settelement and keep people honest 

At the point of Jesus trial, no one really gets it. A few people like Mary are close to getting it, but right here in Pilates office, no one understands what is going on.  Only Jesus knows the full system, It will take Jesus death and resurrection for people to get it, it will take the Holy Spirit descending on the church for people to get it. As much as it is the place where people come inside, Church can often be a place where people are outside, people who understand the service and people who don’t.  There are people who know their scripture and people who know the bible was written by Jesus a long time ago, unwelcome for sin or sexuality or age.  I think of bringing the preschool kids up here, showing the church to friends who did not grow up in church or even welcoming people who worship in other traditions. They all ask  “What do you do in here”. There are lots of answers, we leave our sorrows, raise up our prayers, hear God’s word, sing God’s praise, be strengthened and inspired to serve, to teach . in short we experience the other worldly power of God.  You do all that here, the answer is come and see.  

Next week, we hear the second part of Jesus trial before Pilate and ill talk about my own day in court.  This week the focus is on power,  next week, Grace.