''And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear (Matthew 26:51).''

One of the disciples, whom John identifies as Simon Peter (18:10), takes his sword and wildly swings it. It finds Malchus' ear and severs it. Jesus' Messianic revolution was finally beginning. Peter smiled widely with bloodlust as he saw visions of himself charging into Jerusalem. Slashing down the elders and chief priests. Placing Jesus on David's throne, with his own throne nearby.

He could see himself being lifted high as the great warrior-priest of the house of Israel. Another Samson. A great and strong redeemer judge of Israel. 

But Jesus doesn't have these revolutionary ideas. His revolutionary ideas involve His death and sacrifice. Ideas that no one wants to hear. Peter and the others want a political revolution. Jesus seeks a revolution of the heart. A bloodless revolution. A revolution of repentance. No swordplay in His revolution.

Jesus heals the ear and chastises Peter, as we'll hear next time. Jesus willingly goes with the mob to be crucified. To be stricken, smitten and afflicted for you. Amen.

''Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you came to do" (Matthew 26:50).''

Even when Judas comes to betray Jesus, Jesus still calls him friend. This word "friend" has a twofold aspect of forgiveness.

First, Jesus gives Judas the possibility of forgiveness of his sin of betrayal. Yes, Judas had turned his back against Jesus, but Jesus stood ready to forgive him. Judas' betrayal was necessary for Jesus' death to align with the Passover. So Jesus could die at the proper time. According to the Father's plan.

Judas was not fulfilling God's will by this sin. Nor was he receiving a "Get Out of Hell Free" card. Judas stands condemned before God for betraying Jesus. But Jesus offers him forgiveness. But as we remember the story, Judas refuses Jesus' forgiveness.

Secondly, Jesus encourages the other disciples to forgive Judas. And they do forgive him. Each of the disciples has to ask themselves the question, "Am I any better?" And they have to answer, "No. I have betrayed Jesus too."

We are all Judases. We have all betrayed Jesus. But Jesus still calls us "friend" and extends His forgiving hand to us. Amen.

''Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; seize him." And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" And he kissed him (Matthew 26:48-49).''

Judas gave the sign of whom he kissed to be arrested. As he leads the crowd to hand Jesus over to the chief priests, he walks straight up to Jesus and kisses him. Making a mockery of Psalm 2: "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him" (v12).

Judas didn't trust in Jesus. He was the disciples' treasurer and a thief (John 12:6). He traded the Savior's life for thirty measly pieces of silver. His betrayal stole the confidence from the other disciples. Sure, Jesus predicted His betrayal by one of the disicples. Yes, the disciples all swore that it wouldn't be them. Yep, they all promised they'd rather die than run away. But that was all theory. When it came to fruition, when it was practical, their confidence fell.

But Jesus was betrayed and put to death so He could forgive fallen confidence. To restore the fallen, like you, into a glorious position standing before Him in Paradise. Kiss the Son, but kiss him with the "holy kiss" of greeting from a Christian to his or her Savior (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 Peter 5:14). Amen.

American Tag Team Titles Tournament

(Must be a winner in every match!)

First Round:

Chris Candido & Rick Rude vs Billy Gunn & Jimmy Golden

Jesse James Armstrong & Eric Embry vs Christopher Daniels & Steve Corino

Curt Hennig & Austin Idol vs Eddie Gilbert & Raven

Sawyer Brothers vs PG-13

Savannah Jack vs Ready

Semifinals

Honky Tonk Man vs Terry Funk

American Tag Team Titles Match

World Tag Team Titles vs Television Title Match:

Iceman King Parsons & Brickhouse Brown (World Tag Team champions)

vs

David von Erich & Dutch Mantell (Television champion)

(Mantell's Television Title is on the line for the first 15 minutes of the 60 minute time limit!)

''While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people (Matthew 26:47).''

Jesus was a political threat to the Jewish people and the Roman Empire. Such a threat that the soldiers needed to come out in full riot gear to apprehend Him. It was an all-out manhunt to apprehend one man.

But Jesus was more than a political threat. He was a serious religious threat. In "God's country", the religious scene is the most important aspect of life. Jesus came to turn the world upside down. The chief priests and elders didn't want their lives turned upside down. They had worked hard to ensure their spots at the top of the religious totem pole. Now Jesus threatened to put them on the bottom.

I'm sure many in the crowd wanted Jesus to resist arrest. They wanted an excuse to use the swords and clubs to take care of Jesus. That would alleviate their problem with Pontius Pilate. They come heavily armed so that they might get rid of the Son of God. And He overcomes them with only His Word as a weapon. Amen.

Liturgical Date: Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 6B)

Calendar Date: June 13, 2021

Location: Our Savior, Milford, IL

Order of Service: Service of Prayer & Preaching

Hymns:

#804, "O Worship the King"

#500, "Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid"

#577, "Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast"

#790, "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"

Sermon Theme: A Tender Twig

Sermon Text: Ezekiel 17:22-24

Other Lectionary Readings: 

Psalm 1

2 Corinthians 5:1-17

Mark 4:26-34

''While [Jesus] was still speaking, Judas came, one of the Twelve (Matthew 26:47).''

How many times have you been betrayed by someone close to you? If you've been through junior high and high school, you've had it happen plenty. You sink under the darkness wondering, "Why didn't I see this coming? Why is she being so mean to me? Why would he hurt me like that?"

But Jesus didn't ask these questions. These questions are laced with the sin of selfishness. And Jesus didn't sin. But He is constantly sinned against.

You and I are Judas. Jesus was not just betrayed once in the Garden of Gethsemane. He's betrayed over and over again every day. Judases surround Him as He proclaimed on the cross: "Dogs encompass Me; a company of evildoers encircles Me. They have pierced My hands and feet ... They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots" (Psalm 22:16-18).

Jesus is betrayed by every sin. Judas' sin. Your sin. My sin. But we must ground everything in our life with Jesus' first word from the cross: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). And Jesus forgives each and every betrayal against Him. Offering you everlasting life with Him. Amen.

''Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:40-41)''

Three times Jesus prayed. Three times He came back to find the disciples sleeping. Their spirits were willing, but their flesh was weak.

The spirit is willing because it is being willed by the Holy Spirit. We want to worship God. We remember His words to the Samaritan woman: "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).

The spirit is always willing to worship. But religion seems such a fleshly thing. Therefore we have many in our lives today who are "spiritual, but not religious." And that cannot be.

Religion is the expression of the Spirit. Especially as the Spirit is revealed in the proclamation of God's holy Word. The Word that is the basis for religion. The revealed religion of the Son of God who gave Himself for your sin. Amen.

Psalm 22 brings us to the agony, darkness, despair and hope of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

This episode ends with the chanting of Psalm 22 from this year's Maundy Thursday service at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Milford, IL.

''He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39)''

Jesus' prayer is simple. "If there is another way for salvation, let me do that.. Not what I want to do, but what You have planned for Me to do."

Jesus is extremely sorrowful. The distress of His upcoming Passion weighed heavily on His heart. Jesus must have felt like Atlas, holding up the world on His shoulders. And He was. The sins of the world were on His shoulders.

The weight of your sins were piled up on Him. He bore them so that you might be relieved of them. In your Baptism and when you receive Holy Absolution, the weight of your sins is removed from you. They are placed on His cross. Buried with Him in the tomb. Left behind because the cup would not pass from Him.

There was no other way for salvation. A life had to be given in exchange for yours. And Jesus willingly suffered for your sins. So that you might joyfully live for Him. Amen.