The Passion of Christ- our salvation

Article for Palm Sunday April 13, 2025

Deuteronomy 32:39 39“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.”

We have a very powerful God.  One God who can create and destroy what He has created.  One God to fear and one God to love, because this one God loved us first.  And how do we know this one God loves us?

The one God provides for our living.  The one God provides us protection against the evil one.  The one God has provided us a means of salvation.  I ask you again, how do we know our one God loves us?

Luke 22:1–2 1Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put [Jesus] to death, for they feared the people.

We celebrate the triumphal entry of our Lord and savior today.  We call this day Palm Sunday. The Church calls this day The Sunday of Passion.  There were also those who laid their cloaks down so why don’t we call this day Cloak Day?  Or maybe we should call this day The Passion of Palms and Cloak Day.

Whatever we call this day we know it is a day that Jesus came to Jerusalem to do two things.  One is to eat the Passover Meal with His disciples.  This becomes the Lord’s Supper and the last meal that Jesus will eat on earth and from then on we will eat at His Altar.  And this is the day that starts Holly Week which is also the day Jesus will be arrested.

Luke 22:3-6 3Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

I would be remiss if I did not also remind you that this is the day the apostles argued over who was the greatest among the apostles.  This day we celebrate is also the day Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss.  It is a day of truth and unfolding of events that will shape our salvation forever. 

Jesus is preparing His disciples to move forward in and through the body and blood that was about to be given and about to be shed.  Why?  The question should be asked, why will Jesus choose to die for the sins of every man and woman and especially for those who will be a part of His crucifixion? 

Jesus will go willingly to His crucifixion with the start of a kiss from His betrayer.  His betrayer is not just Judas but also our sins.  Let us look at this kiss given to the only sinless one.  This kiss represents the belief of those who believe but are afraid to follow the one who came to save us.  This is a kiss from those who would follow man’s word over God’s word.

Look at this kiss placed from the lips of the one who betrays, given to the cheek of the one who saves.  It is like when we say that what we do is not really that bad and I only do it so I can save myself from those who go against God.  Talk about peer pressure.

One day we may find ourselves in the midst of those who will kill us or kill our loved ones thinking we will be saved by denouncing God.  I guess that brings up another situation where Peter will denounce Jesus three times.  What is your weakness and what is your strength.  Which life do you feel is the more important to be saved to?  We won’t know until or if the situation presents itself.  But God knows!

Are you fearing God yet?  More and more every day?  I hope so.  Jesus said in Luke 12:5 who to fear and why you should fear Him.  In James 4:12, James tells us that there is only one who saves and one who can destroy.  There is only one judge, and this is the Judge to fear with your life, your eternal life.  So, we need to ask ourselves do we fear man more than we fear God?  I beg you to fear God.

Luke 22:14-15 14And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

Jesus knew what was going to happen in just a short time.  Jesus knew of the arguments, the betrayals, and the confusion that was stirring in His disciples.  Jesus knows of our confusion and teaching that we received from our pastors.  Jesus knows what you understand and what you do not understand.

This is why Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper.  That all who partake of His body and blood will know they are forgiven of all that they confess.  And those who partake of His body and blood will remember He died on the cross for our sins. 

We read and study the letters of Paul to the Corinthians in chapters ten and eleven.  These words explain the seriousness of taking the Lord’s Supper.  In these words of Paul’s, we see the fear we should have of God if we do not self-examine and if we do not decern the Body and Blood of our Lord.  Confession is good for the soul.

Luke 22:16-18 16For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

Jesus has fulfilled what He needed to fulfill in God’s Kingdom on earth.  We await the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God to come.  On that day there will be peace on earth and the mark of the end of sin and death will take place.  The Lamb of God will show Himself to everyone and all will believe, those who fear God will be saved and those who fear man will be subject to the judgement of God.

Philippians 2:9-11 9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Will you fear and bow to God who gave His only Son up to be crucified for our salvation?  Jesus gave Himself up for us because of the love of God for us. 

Our treasure is waiting when we have completed our race.  There will not be one winner but a multitude of winners.  So, whether you think you are in the lead or in the midst or at the end, Jesus will coax you on so that you too may receive the crown of eternal life.  Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis A. May