Tomorrow is Palm Sunday also known as Passion Sunday. Why the two designations? Palm Sunday marks our Lord’s entrance into Jerusalem when He was heralded with shouts of “Hosanna,” acknowledged as the Son of David come to save! Passion Sunday reminds us, however, that He would save in a way not anticipated or understood…He came into Jerusalem to suffer and to pay for our sins with His blood.

Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday also commences Holy Week. The services really form a single unit:

Psalm Sunday/Passion Sunday: He comes for victory over sin and death.

Maundy Thursday: He institutes His Supper to keep us in that victory.

Good Friday: He wins the victory through His death on the cross.

Simply said, without Holy Week — without this backdrop of Christ’s victory — Easter Sunday loses its meaning: the victory I describe above during Holy Week is dark, shrouded, and hidden…the world sees no victory in suffering and dying. It is Easter, however, that demonstrates the victory being won and won during Holy Week in an unmistakable and glorious way. But first things first: we need to enter Christ’s victory in the way God ordained and in the only way our sin could be dealt with.

We enter starting tomorrow the most important week of worship leading up to the most important single day (Easter Sunday) in the Church Year. My sermon is entitled, “My God, My God, Why?” (Matthew 27:46). Have you ever asked God “Why?” in the midst of your suffering, fear, or anxiety about something? You’re not alone…Jesus did too and He did so for us.

Invite a friend. Share the message. Confess and receive — once again — the victory over sin and death!

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow’s sermon:

Sermon

My God, My God, Why? (Matthew 27:46)

Pastor Espinosa

Sunday of the Passion, April 13^th, 2014

 

          Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. As a good Christian there are some things that you should never say; some things that you should never ask. One of those questions is “Why?” “Why?” implies a lack of faith. “Why?” implies the need to understand. But the Lord says in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” The Word says, “trust,” not “ask why.”

 

One day Job asked, “What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high?” (Job 31:2) He cried out, “Let the Almighty answer me!” (Job 31:15) He wanted an answer. In effect Job was asking why he was suffering so much in light of the righteous life he was committed to living and had in fact been living. When the answer finally came, it wasn’t exactly what Job was looking for. Job 38:1-2: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?’” Job reconsidered his position recorded at Job 42:1-2: “Then Job answered the Lord and said: ‘I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.’”

 

This is why dear Christians that St. Paul by inspiration of the Holy Spirit declares this about those who live in true faith: “for we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7) It’s true that the great Anselm of Canterbury confessed that he was engaged in faith seeking understanding, but even for Anselm understanding never preceded faith, but faith preceded understanding. So there you have your moral lesson for the day: “Don’t ask ‘why?’!” Cut it out! Knock it off! Stop doing it! Well, doesn’t it just feel great to get that out of your system?! Now you’ll probably never do it again! Right? If only it was that simple.

 

Thanks be to God that the Lord is always having mercy on us poor sinners. He never said that the Scriptures would answer all questions, but He answers many and it is only because we choose not to study the Word of Life that we are deprived of so much that would otherwise help us more than we know. The Holy Scriptures reveal much regarding the reasons we suffer. Two reasons are universal, true for both believers and unbelievers alike: (1) The fact that sin entered the world, so that now we endure the ramifications of this entry (e.g. bystanders who suffer the results of war or violent crime); (2) The fact that we suffer the consequences of our own active and actual sins (e.g. when we get a speeding ticket, or hurt our bodies due to our vanity).

 

The other reasons, however, are reasons for believers specifically, which is to say that there are many more reasons why believers are permitted to suffer. Aren’t you glad that you’re a Christian? Here are some:

[Please come tomorrow for the rest…]

In Your Service and To Christ’s Glory,

Pastor Espinosa