Crucify Him!

Kongsvinger Lutheran Church

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Welcome to the teaching ministry of Kungsvinger Lutheran Church. Kungsvinger is a beacon for the gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of northwestern

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Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone.

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And now, here's a message from Pastor Chris Roseberg. The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, chapter 14, verse 1, through chapter 15, verse 47.

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Now the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread were only two days away.

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And the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill

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Him. But not during the feast, they said, or the people may riot. While he was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made of pure nard.

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She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, why this waste of perfume?

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It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor. And they rebuked her harshly.

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Leave her alone, said Jesus. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

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The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them at any time you want, but you will not always have me.

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She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.

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I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.

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Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priest to betray Jesus to them.

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They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

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On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the

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Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the

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Passover? So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.

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Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, The teacher asks where is my guest room where I may eat the

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Passover with my disciples. He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.

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The disciples left, went into the city, and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the

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Passover. When the evening came, Jesus arrived with the twelve, and while they were reclining at the table eating, he said,

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I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me. They were saddened, and one by one they said to him,

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Surely not I. It is one of the twelve, he replied, one who dips bread into the bowl with me.

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The son of man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man who betrays the son of man.

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It would be better for him if he had not been born. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying,

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Take it. This is my body. Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.

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This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, he said to them. I tell you the truth,

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I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God. When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the

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Mount of Olives. You will all fall away, Jesus told them. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.

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But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. Peter declared, Even if all fall away,

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I will not. I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, Today, yes, tonight, before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will disown me three times.

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But Peter insisted emphatically, Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.

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And all the others said the same. They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples,

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Sit here while I pray. He took Peter, James, and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.

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My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, he said to them. Stay here and keep watch.

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Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.

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Abba, Father, he said, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me, yet not what

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I will, but what you will. Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.

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Simon, he said to Peter, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?

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Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.

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Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. And when he came back, he again found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy.

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They did not know what to say to him. Returning the third time, he said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting?

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Enough. The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go.

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Here comes my betrayer. Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd, armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the teachers of the law and the elders.

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Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them. The one I kiss is the man.

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Arrest him and lead him away under guard. Going at once to Jesus, Judas said,

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Rabbi, and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

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Am I leading a rebellion, said Jesus, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?

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Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.

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Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man wearing nothing but a linen garment was following Jesus.

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When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind. They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders, and the teachers of the law came together.

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Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

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The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.

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But they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

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Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him. We heard him say,

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I'll destroy this man -made temple and in three days build another not made by man. Yet even their testimony did not agree.

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Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, Are you not going to answer?

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What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you? But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

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Again the high priest asked him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? I am, said

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Jesus. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.

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The high priest tore his clothes. Why do we need any more witnesses, he asked. You have heard the blasphemy.

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What do you think? They all condemned him as worthy of death. And then some began to spit at him.

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They blindfolded him, struck him with their fists and said, Prophesy. And the guards took him and beat him.

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While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw

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Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. You also were with the

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Nazarene, Jesus, she said. But he denied it. I don't know or understand what you're talking about, he said, and went out into the entryway.

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When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, This fellow is one of them.

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And again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near Peter said to Peter, Surely you are one of them, for you're a

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Galilean. He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, I don't know this man you're talking about.

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Immediately the rooster crowed a second time, and then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him.

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Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times. And he broke down and he wept.

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Very early in the morning, the chief priests and the elders and the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin reached a decision.

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They bound Jesus, led him away, handed him over to Pilate. Are you the king of the

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Jews? asked Pilate. Yes, it is as you say, Jesus replied.

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The chief priest accused him of many things. So again, Pilate asked him, aren't you going to answer?

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See how many things they're accusing you of. But Jesus still made no reply. Pilate was amazed.

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Now it was the custom at the feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called

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Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked

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Pilate to do for them what he usually did. Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?

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asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priest had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priest stirred up the crowd to have

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Pilate release Barabbas instead. Well, what shall I do then with the one you call the king of the

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Jews? Pilate asked them. Crucify him! they shouted. Why?

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What crime has he committed? asked Pilate. But they shouted louder. Crucify him!

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Then, wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released

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Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified. The soldiers led

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Jesus away into the palace, that is, the praetorium, and called together the whole company of soldiers.

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They put a purple robe on him. They twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.

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And they began to call out to him, Hail, king of the Jews! And again, and again, they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.

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Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him, and when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him, and then they led him out to crucify him.

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A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.

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They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which is the place of the skull. They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.

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They crucified him, dividing up his clothes, yet they cast lots to see what each would get.

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It was the third hour when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read, The King of the

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Jews. They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.

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Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, So you who are going to destroy the temple and build it again in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself.

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In the same way, the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves.

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He saved others, they said, but he can't save himself. Let the Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.

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Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. At the sixth hour, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.

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And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, which means,

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My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? When some of those listening, standing near, heard this, they said,

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Listen, he's calling Elijah. One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.

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Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down. And with a loud cry,

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Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

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And when the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus heard his cry and saw how he died, he said,

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Surely this man was the Son of God. Some women were watching from a distance.

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Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger, and Joseph and Salome. In Galilee, these women had followed him and cared for his needs.

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Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. It was a preparation day, that is, the day before the

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Sabbath. So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the council who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.

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Pilate was surprised to hear that he had already died. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.

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And when he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock.

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Then he rolled the stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

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In the name of Jesus. Our text for this morning's sermon is a portion of the gospel that we read.

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Chapter 15, verse 1. Very early in the morning, the chief priests and the elders and the teachers of the law and the whole

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Sanhedrin reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Are you the king of the

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Jews? asked Pilate. Yes, it is as you say, Jesus replied. Chief priests accused him of many things.

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So again, Pilate asked him, Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.

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Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. Now it was the custom of the feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested.

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A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising.

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Little side note here. Barabbas, Bar means son of, Abba, father.

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Ironically, Barabbas' name is the son of the father. What an interesting twist.

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The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. Do you want me to release to you the king of the

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Jews? asked Pilate, knowing that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have

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Pilate release the son of the father instead. Well, what shall

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I do then with the one you call the king of the Jews? Pilate asked them. Crucify him, they shouted.

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Why? What crime has he committed? asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder. Crucify him.

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I've heard many sermons where pastors have this amazingly bad ability to read us into the biblical text.

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For instance, how many of you have heard sermons about daring to be a Daniel, and yet you're not a

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Daniel? Or how about slay your personal Goliaths like David? Or how about becoming a mighty warrior like Gideon?

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And yet each of us, when we look at our lives, we're not nearly as daring as Daniel.

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We're really lame at slaying our Goliaths and mighty warriors that we are not.

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So it seems odd to read ourselves into these stories as if we're Daniel, Goliath, I mean, not Goliath, but David or Gideon.

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It doesn't fit. Now, I would argue, though, the text that I just read, scripture screams at us, demands that we read ourselves into this text.

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Let me explain. If you have your Bible, flip over to Acts chapter 3. I want to read a few verses to you.

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The day of Pentecost has already come, so we're more than a month, probably two months out from Jesus' death and resurrection.

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And here's what Luke writes for us in Acts chapter 3. When he saw

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Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money, and Peter looked straight at him, as did John. And Peter said,

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Look at us. So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said,

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Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

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Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.

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He jumped to his feet and began to walk, and then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising

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God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called

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Beautiful. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. And while the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called

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Solomon's Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them, Men of Israel, why does this surprise you?

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Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

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The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant

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Jesus. You handed him over to be killed. You disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.

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You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life.

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Those are some really harsh words. Now, granted, there were probably some people that were there who saw this miracle who were also in the crowd on that morning when

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Pilate asked, Who should I release to you? Barabbas, the son of the Father, or Jesus, the one you call the

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King of the Jews? But I will bet you dollars to donuts, there were people that were hearing

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Peter on this day who were not part of that crowd. And yet Peter, in a very blanket statement, says this.

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You handed him over to be killed. You disowned him before Pilate. You disowned the

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Holy and Righteous One. You killed the author of life. And I defy any of you to say that Peter was lying.

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The text that I read from the Gospel this morning, where the crowd calls out, Crucify him.

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It was you. You were the one in the crowd shouting,

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Crucify him. And I was there with you, shouting the same thing.

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Crucify him. It was our sin, our treachery, that sent our beautiful Lord to die.

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We were there. We were there mocking and spitting on Jesus. We put a cloth over his eyes so he couldn't see and beat his head with a stick and then told him to prophesy who is hitting you,

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Jesus. You broke his nose with your tightly clenched fist. You reached down deep into your throat and hawked up the phlegm and then spat on his bruised and battered face.

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You took that razor -sharp crown of thorns and you dug it deep into his flesh. You mocked him and bowed down before him, deriding him as if he were a king, but in fact he was.

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You made sure that every blow of the cat of nine tails dug deep into Jesus' flesh and ripped quivering pieces of skin and muscle from his back.

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And you marched Jesus to Golgotha. You would have had him carry the cross the whole way, but he was so beaten and bruised he wasn't even strong enough to carry his own cross.

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And that poor schmuck, Simon of Cyrene, well, he'll do. If Jesus couldn't carry his cross, then at least we had somebody that can carry it because the deed hadn't been done.

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So you marched him to Golgotha and then you, you drove the nails into his hands and his feet.

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And each hammer blow, ringing, there was also, mixed with that, the cries of Christ's agony and pain.

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Bloodied, beaten, barely recognizable as a human being. You raised up Jesus' cross.

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You suspended Christ between heaven and earth and then you mocked him. Come down if you're the

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Christ. Save yourself, you who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, you shouted.

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But Jesus wasn't hanging there and suffering in order to save himself. He was there saving you.

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The one whose sin put him on the cross, he was dying for, he was bleeding for, he was being punished by God for.

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There's Christ. He's bleeding for all of your sexual immorality.

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There's your king, dying for all of your impurity. There's the

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Alpha and the Omega, dying for all of your debauchery. There's the author of life, dying for your idolatry.

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There's the King of Kings, dying for your witchcraft. The Lord of Lords, dying for all of your hatred, all of your discord, all of your jealousy, all of your fits of rage, all of your selfish ambition, all of your dissensions, all of your factions, all of your gossip, all of your envy, all of your drunkenness, all of it, every last filthy bit of it, bled for, died for, punished for, so that you can go free, so that you can be forgiven, so that you, the one who shouted crucify him, could be pardoned by God.

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Why? Why? Because God loves you. God's love for you surpasses your hatred and your sin and your unbelief.

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God's mercy is greater than all of your sin. Isaiah says,

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Christ was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering, and like one from whom men hid their faces, he was despised and we esteemed him not.

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Surely he took up our affirmatives and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God and smitten by him and afflicted, but he was pierced for our transgressions.

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He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we're healed.

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We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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God's grace is so great that he desires you to be forgiven so much so that he's willing to take all of your sin upon himself and be punished in your place.

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The innocent one is punished by God as if he were the guilty one. Christ called out,

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My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And that's what hell is, to be forsaken by God.

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Christ was forsaken by God so that you would never be forsaken. Through all the hate of that crucifixion, even though it shines forth in all of its ugly glory, there's still a brighter light, the light of the love of Christ for sinners like you and like me.

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Never once while Jesus was suffering did he retaliate in kind. All of the mocking was met with determined love for the ones hurling the insults.

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And when all was accomplished, every last sin atoned for, then

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Christ cried out, It is finished. And then

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God died. You killed

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God. I killed God. Even the

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Roman soldier at the foot of the cross recognized what we'd just done. We often read that passage,

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Surely this man was the Son of God, as if it's some kind of confession of faith. I read it like this.

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What have we just done? Surely this man was the Son of God. What have we done?

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But what you meant for evil, God meant for good. What was the greatest crime and injustice in the history of humanity,

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God turns and works it for our salvation. Therefore, repent.

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Repent of your sick and twisted sins and all of those lies of the devil that you've been listening to, and calculate the cost of those sins with the sufferings and the blood of the

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Son of God. Repent and believe that this Jesus willingly, lovingly died for you.

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Repent and believe that you now have the forgiveness of all of your sins, won for you by this same

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Jesus Christ for whom you had shouted, Crucify Him. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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If you would like to support the teaching ministry of Kungsvinger Lutheran Church, you can do so by sending a tax -free donation to Kungsvinger Lutheran Church, 15950 470th

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Avenue NW, Oslo, MN 56744 And again, that address is

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Kungsvinger Lutheran Church, 15950 470th

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Avenue NW, Oslo, MN 56744 We thank you for your support.

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