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This Sunday is Palm Sunday. It is the last Sunday in Lent and is the gateway to the climax of our Lenten journey. It appears to be a high point in Jesus’ ministry with a royal welcome and parade into the city of Jerusalem complete with crowds calling, “Hosanna,” and waving palm branches. However, things quickly degenerate into Jesus’ arrest, sham trials, an illegitimate verdict, mocking, lashes, and his crucifixion. The events of Holy Week are important, for they show the depth of Jesus’ suffering and the fullness of God’s love for us. If possible, I highly recommend that you find time to attend the Maundy Thursday service at First UMC (April 17 at 7:00 p.m.) or the community Tenebrae Service (April 18 at 2:00 p.m. at St. James Christian Church). These services offer the opportunity to focus on Jesus’ final hours and death.
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The sermon will focus on Jesus’ sixth word from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Both Matthew and Mark tell us that as he breathed his last, Jesus cried out with a loud voice. Only John records the content of that cross. Unfortunately, the written words do not convey the manner in which it was spoken and that to which it is referring.
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How do we interpret this cry from the cross? Was it a resignation to death or a cry of victory? And what exactly was the “it” that was finished? Answering these questions lead us to a deeper understanding of the magnificent act of grace that Jesus was offering on the cross. Once again, Jesus is sharing with us a more complete portrait of God and a fuller picture of Jesus’ mission. There is good news in these words which open to us the grace of God which can transform our lives.
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