"You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."

(James 2:24)

"The subject matter itself shows that the works spoken of here follow faith and that such faith is not dead, but living and effective in the heart."

(Ap V 125)

''Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves death." (Matthew 26:65-66)''

Jesus is accused of blasphemy. But it's not Caiaphas' proclamation of blasphemy that hurts us. It's God's proclamation of blasphemy that hurts us. Jesus is crucified for blasphemy. But it's not His blasphemy. It's '''YOUR''' blasphemy. 

Jesus died for your blasphemy. Every time you've spoken against Jesus. Every time you've remained silent when you should speak up. Every time you bad-mouthed your fellow man. This is the blasphemy for which Jesus died.

Blasphemy that happens every day. There is not a day when we're not speaking against Jesus. Not a day when we're silent when we should speak up. Not a day when we're not bad-mouthing our neighbor. 

You are guilty of blasphemy against the First Commandment: "You shall have no other gods before Me." Your blasphemy makes yourself your god instead of the one true God. Your blasphemy tears down the people who were created in God's image. Your blasphemy sent Jesus to the cross.

But Jesus died on the cross to forgive you of your blasphemy. Believing in Christ, you have the forgiveness of all your sins. Including your blasphemy against Him. After all, His first word from the cross is, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Amen.

Liturgical Date: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 9B)

Calendar Date: July 4, 2021

Location: Our Savior, Milford, IL

Order of Service: Divine Service 1

Hymns:

#728, "How Firm a Foundation"

#583, "God Has Spoken by His Prophets"

#832, "Jesus Shall Reign"

#631, "Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face"

#617, "O Lord, We Praise Thee"

#830, "Spread the Reign of God the Lord"

Sermon Theme: No Honor

Sermon Text: Mark 6:1-13

Other Lectionary Readings: 

Ezekiel 2:1-5

Psalm 123

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

''And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:63-64).''

The question is asked. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Will Jesus declare His Godhood or not? Was this His time? Would He reveal His glory to the Jews now?

He doesn't reveal His glory outwardly. But He reveals everything verbally. Jesus attests to the truth of Caiaphas' statement. But Jesus continues to confess His glory.

"From now on." From this moment forward. "You will see the Son of Man seated." Jesus. The Son of Man. Seated on a throne. Seated in authority over the Sanhedrin. "Seated at the right hand of Power." Jesus has absolute judgment over life and death. Heaven and Hell. "And coming on the clouds of Heaven." Jesus would leave, but He would come back. He departs to Heaven and returns from Heaven to exercise His judgment.

Jesus is the Son of God. He is seated at the right hand of God's Power. He is coming back. And all will confess His glory on that Day. Amen.

"Good and upright is the LORD; 

therefore He instructs sinners in the Way.

He leads the humble in what is right,

and teaches the humble His way.

All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,

for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies."

(Psalm 25:8-10)

''And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." (Matthew 26:62-63).''

After hearing all the various charges, Caiaphas glares at Jesus who stands in silence. Befuddled by our Savior's silence, he demands that Jesus tell him whether He is the Messiah, the Son of God, or not.

Is Caiaphas thinking about Isaiah 53? The Suffering Servant's silence as a sheep before its shearers? Probably not. Caiaphas is typically seen in history as an opportunist. That's how he achieved the high priesthood. He was more of a politician than a theologian.

So he adjures Jesus. He solemnly charges him. On the pains of God's eternal wrath. Are you the Christ? The question that everyone wanted to ask Jesus. But many don't want to hear the answer. 

Jesus hadn't said anything in his trial. Would He answer the question this time? We'll find out next time. But I ask you. Is Jesus the Christ? Is He '''YOUR''' Messiah? Amen.

Xcel Energy Center

Minneapolis, MN

Brad Armstrong vs Bart Gunn

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Six-Man Tag Match: Jimmy Golden & PG-13 vs Eric Embry & Nightmares

Television Title Match: Brickhouse Brown (c) vs Dutch Mantell

Buzz Sawyer vs Iron Mike Sharpe

Lumberjack Match: Jesse James Armstrong vs Billy Gunn

World Heavyweight Title Match: Undertaker (c) vs Bobo Brazil

''At last two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.'" (Matthew 26:60-61).''

As the Jewish Sanhedrin tried to come up with some probable cause for Jesus to be executed. They needed proof. And they needed two or three witnesses to agree (Deuteronomy 17:6).

Finally two come together and remember Jesus saying His statement from John 2. He was standing in the Temple when He said it. And the threat of destruction of property is punishable by law. Especially when it comes to the Jerusalem Temple. It was the center point of the city of Jerusalem and the region of Judea. Everything that was inherently Jewish hinged on the Temple.

With this statement, and these two witnesses, they could bring Jesus before Pilate on charges of insurrection and treason.

But the Temple was destroyed. And Jesus rebuilt it on the third day. This Temple is Jesus' body. Just as you, as a believer in Christ, are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). With His resurrection, Jesus has promised to rebuild your temple as well on the Last Day. No matter what charges lie against you. Clothed in His righteousness, you live in His forgiveness. And your temple will be raised. Amen.

''Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward (Matthew 26:59-60).''

The chief priests called the entire Sanhedrin together so that they might deal with this misguided, itinerate rabbi Jesus. They knew that there wasn't anything based in truth that they could accuse Him of. They had tried it. The Pharisees wanted to tangle Jesus in His words about Church and State (Matthew 22:15-22). The Sadducees then came to call Him a blasphemer for His teaching on the resurrection of the dead (22:23-33). Then the Pharisees came back with the question about the greatest and most important commandment (22:34-40).

The entire Jewish aristocracy was in an uproar against this one man. Somehow Jesus had found Himself in the midst of the religious civil war between the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Somehow? Really? Like Jesus hadn't known exactly what He was doing. The two sides of the civil war had broken away from Jesus' Word in the Scriptures. In the civil war, it wasn't the Pharisees vs the Sadducees as the main event. The civil war was, is and will be until Jesus returns, sinners vs. the Savior. We sinfully seek to discredit Jesus because we think we can justify ourselves.

But the whole of Scriptures shows us that we cannot justify ourselves. That's the false testimony of the devil. The true testimony of Scripture shows our desperate need for Jesus as our Savior. The one perfect sacrifice for the sins of every man, woman and child who has ever lived and ever will live. The Savior in whom no false testimony could be found. Amen.

"If I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."

(1 Corinthians 13:2)

"If anyone should cast away love, even though he has great faith, he does not keep his faith."

(Ap V 98)