In the name of +Jesus. Amen. The little children shouted with all their might. With palm branches in their hands, they sang and they danced and they shouted. They shouted with their parents, they shouted with their friends and if they were silent… if they did not shout, if they did not sing, if they did not dance… there would still be shouting. For if the people did not sing, the stones would have joined the heavenly chorus. Creation would have rejoiced in their stead.
Why all this fuss over a man? Why so much singing and dancing about Jesus? Both God and Man, this Jesus saves his people from their sins. Begotten of the Father from all eternity and yet born of the same corrupted flesh as you and me, born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus came to search you out. He did not leave you here alone to suffer in your sinful weaknesses. He has come to rescue you. He is one of us in every way, but He is not weak. He does not sin. He cannot sin, because the Law is His will. He is the Law and while He is humble, lowly, He is not weak.
He is tempted in every way that we are, but He does not succumb or fail. His Flesh is as willing as His Spirit. He endures all that we do to Him without a desire for vengeance or reputation or even success. He endures in perfect love. He is at one with His Father’s will. Their will is to redeem you, a lost and condemned person, to purchase and win you from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil… to give Jesus Christ into death at the hands of sinners that those sinners might be redeemed and live. He who knows no sin, knows what He is doing, and became sin to make sinners free of sin and death.
But he didn’t purchase you with dollar bills, or silver, or even bars of gold. Instead he poured out his precious blood and suffered and died on your behalf. The son of Mary begotten from all eternity gave his life upon the cross. And God died. There were no children shouting. Their songs had grown silent. Even the sun and the moon stopped making light. And in that moment the earth shook. Jesus was dead. And there in that man’s death, you were made alive. Satan was defeated and your sins were destroyed and eternal life is yours.
He binds you to himself. For just as he is risen from the dead, you have his name marked upon you. He lives and reigns on high and you are called by the name of the Lord. And so we sing, we shout, and we dance. God gave his only Son for you. To purchase you and win you for himself. Today you live in his loving arms. You are his own and life eternal is yours with him. Hosanna to the Son of David. Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed are you who come in the name of the Lord. Amen.
StarboCho 