god

What’s the Point? John 12:20-33 

/ Scott Russ / Leave a comment

(Jesus Talks About What His Death Will Accomplish)

Just recently, last Sunday, I had one of those moments where life itself flashed before my eyes. I was in my dining room, and suddenly, some pretty extreme movements caught my eye coming from the backyard. I ran to the back room to get a better view of what had just happened. I have a giant Maple tree in my backyard that provides a lot of shade during the Summer. It also provides plenty of activity for squirrels and birds to nest and play. Well, if you recall, we were in the midst of quite a windstorm last Sunday. As a result of the extreme nature of the wind, it somehow managed to dislodge a huge chunk of my tree. It was much more than a branch, but it wasn’t the trunk. And here is the deal: the log landed right by the garden box that Shelly and Ben love to do gardening. It struck me that had either one of them been out there, this could have been a freak accident that could have caused their deaths. It humbled me and made me grateful for their lives. It also reminded me of the brevity of life. At a moment’s notice, anyone’s life can change forever. 

         While a big part of my tree was apparently dead and broke off, the part that’s left now has even more life. You can see the red haze from all the tips of the branches beginning to bud. And as the new leaves mature, they also produce what I call helicopters! You know what I mean. Those little twirly things that are fun to throw up in the air just to see them make the circular patterns as they flutter down to the ground again. 

         We are in that season right now where some of you are already into the game of mulching your yard. The schools have their mulch sales, and there are all kinds of opportunities to get mulch at just about every store you go to. Getting gas? There are bags of mulch right there! Buying flowers or plants for your yard? Don’t forget your mulch! There is red mulch, brown mulch, and black mulch. Everybody is about to get into the mulch season right now. But not this guy! Why, you ask? Because the helicopters haven’t fallen yet! We have made the mistake of mulching before the flight of the whirly-gigs. When you do that, then those stinking little helicopters all fall into your mulch, and after a week or two, guess what happens? New little saplings all over my new mulch! Then the never-ending job of weeding begins! If I had my way, I would make one huge brick patio out of my entire yard, front and back. No more weeds. No more mowing. A done deal! But alas, that will not happen. We wait patiently for the helicopters to drop off the tree so we can use the blower to get them out of the flower beds and then get our mulch down.

         You see, in order for the tree to reproduce itself, a part of it must die. The helicopters contain a seed within them that detaches from the tree, falls to the ground, always embeds itself in my new mulch, and then out comes the start of new life! A seed is just a seed until it is buried. Then what seemed to be dead brings forth new life. In the same way, Jesus tries to prepare his disciples for what is about to happen to him. And Jesus uses this word picture of a seed. He states, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

         I don’t know about you, but there have been times throughout my faith journey where I had to ask the question of, why did Jesus have to die? And believe me, over the last two thousand years after his death and resurrection, there have been many smart people who have wrestled with this very question. What makes this complex is that many good people have come up with many different answers to this question. And it is not that one is right and all the others are heresy. Each answer has biblical support, along with strengths and weaknesses for each view. Let’s go to seminary just for about five minutes. I want to present to you the seven major views of why Jesus had to be crucified. Then we will come back to what Jesus himself said in the last section of our Scripture for today.

         So, what this is called is atonement theory. There are many different theories of why Jesus died on the cross and what exactly it accomplished. Seven theories have been presented over the past two thousand years. 

         On this slide, you can see the seven major theories at a glance, along with the time period in which they evolved, the core problem, and the solution to the question of why Jesus had to die. 

         Highlighting each theory, we will first look at Christus Victor. The core idea of this one is that the cross IS the cosmic battle. Jesus invades enemy territory, absorbs sin and death at their worst, and shatters their power through resurrection. Humanity is liberated from bondage – not merely pardoned. The key verse that supports this view comes from Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

         The second theory is called the Ransom Theory. The core idea here is that humanity was held captive by Satan. Jesus’s life was offered as a ransom price to free them. In some versions, Satan accepted – but was “tricked” when he could not hold Jesus through the resurrection. The key verse here comes from Mark 10:45: The Son of Man came … to give his life as a ransom for many.

         The third theory is called the Satisfaction Theory. The core idea here is that sin infinitely dishonors God’s majesty. Human beings cannot make adequate satisfaction. Only one who is both fully human (to represent us) and fully divine (to offer infinite worth) can restore the honor owed. The key verse here is Romans 3:25, which states that God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement … to demonstrate his righteousness.

         Next is the Moral Influence Theory. The core idea is that the cross is NOT a transaction – instead, it is a demonstration. Witnessing the depth of God’s self-giving love melts hard hearts and moves sinners to repentance and transformation. The change happens in us, not in God. The key verse is Romans 5:8, which states, God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

         The fifth, which became popular during the Reformation, is called Penal Substitution. The core idea is that God’s justice requires that the penalty for sin be paid. Jesus takes the legal punishment humanity deserves – divine wrath falls on him so that sinners can be declared righteous (justified). The key verse comes from 2 Corinthians 5:21, which states, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

         The sixth is called the Governmental Theory. The core idea is that God is the moral governor of the universe – not a strict judge bound by ledger logic. He can waive strict punishment. Christ’s suffering demonstrates the gravity of sin and upholds moral order, allowing God to forgive freely. The key verse in this argument comes from Romans 3:26, stating that He is the one who is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

         And then the final one is called the Scapegoat Theory. The core idea is that a human community bonds by scapegoating an innocent victim. Jesus voluntarily enters this mechanism. The resurrection vindicates the victim, exposes the lie of sacred violence, and breaks the cycle permanently. The key verse here is from Isaiah 53:3-4, which states, He was despised and rejected… Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering.

         This final slide helps us see how these seven theories fall into three categories, attempting to answer what humanity’s fundamental problem is. Some theories see it as bondage and liberation. Others see it as guilt and justice. While others see it as ignorance and violence. But notice what is at the bottom of this slide. It states that most theologians today see the cross as large enough to encompass all three of these simultaneously. So, instead of one theory being the correct one and all the others being heresy, all these theories have something to teach us as we study each angle here. Personally, I lean into Christus Victor and Penal Substitution theories. But that is not to say that those two are without criticism, or that there is nothing we can learn from the other views. 

         With all that said, I want to turn to what Jesus himself said about why he had to go to the cross. Jesus gives us three points about the purpose of his death. He states, “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

         The first point about the cross is that it will judge the world. In the devotional The Unvarnished Jesus, author Brian Zahnd states, “The cross exposes the principalities and the powers as neither wise or just, but simply greedy for wealth and power. The cross judges the system of the world as capable of unimaginable crimes.” The love displayed on the cross is in stark contrast to the evil we see in the world. 

         The second reason that Jesus makes is that the cross will cast out the ruler of the world. If you recall, when Jesus was tempted after fasting for 40 days in the desert, the devil did everything in his power to get Jesus to avoid the cross. He offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he would just bow down and worship him. But this was a shortcut that Jesus was unwilling to take. Jesus knew that the defeat of satan would occur through the cross. The cross was the ultimate victory over the grip that the devil had on the world. 

         The third reason that Jesus makes is that the cross will draw the whole world to him. Brian Zahnd states that “When we see Jesus lifted up on the cross, perfectly displaying the love of God by forgiving the sins of the world, we find the place where human society is reorganized. Instead of a world organized around an axis of power enforced by violence, we discover a world organized around an axis of love expressed in forgiveness. As we gaze long upon the sacred mystery of Christ crucified, we find ourselves being drawn into the saving orbit of love and forgiveness.” You see, Jesus offers the world a new way of doing life: dying to ourselves and now living into the fullness of his love and forgiveness. 

         Author N. T. Wright sees the cross as the pinnacle turning point in history, as the day the revolution began. Wright states that “The cross itself, in short, stands as the center of the Christian message, the Christian story, and the Christian life and mission… The crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was a one-off event, the one on behalf of the many, the one moment in history on behalf of all others through which sins would be forgiven, the powers robbed of their power, and humans redeemed to take their place as worshippers and stewards, celebrating the powerful victory of God in his Messiah and so gaining the Spirit’s power to make his kingdom effective in the world.” Wright saw the crucifixion as the point at which Christ’s kingdom was established once and for all, with the resurrection being the first sign of new life and restoration. When I was growing up, I always thought that the devil was responsible for Jesus’s death, but then the resurrection was a shock and a surprise to the forces of evil. But remember that in the temptation of Christ, it was the cross that the devil wanted Jesus to avoid because he knew his reign on earth would be over, and Jesus would be victorious.

         The last point I would like to make here is to emphasize what Jesus told his audience as he knew he was heading to the cross. He stated, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” Jesus is inviting all of us to let go of the ways of the world, to die to ourselves, and to live our new life through Him. He is calling us to follow him! The statement I want to focus on is this: “Where I am, my servant will also be.” This is our job: to find where Jesus already is and then join him in his work. It is one thing for us to gather as a congregation or a small group to learn about Jesus, but it cannot stop there. We must go out into the world and find where kingdom work of love, forgiveness, restoration, and renewal is happening, and join in. We cannot hide the light of Christ within us when we leave church or go to work on Monday morning. If we are living into the fullness of our faith, I would propose that we would also be able to see the powers of this world for what they are, dying ways of trying to maintain power and control, that we would understand that the devil was ultimately defeated at the cross, and to be the kind of Christ-follower that literally attracts people to the faith through our deeds of service, kindness, love, and compassion. If you are struggling with how to do this, then please, please, please sign up for any number of opportunities to serve with other people at our church. All of you should be getting a Monday email that goes out every week showing you the most recent opportunities to serve. The most recent opportunities would be with Mountain Top Ministry in Goshen on Friday, March 27; serving those in need at the Loveland Care Center on Wednesday, April 1; and serving breakfast to the homeless in downtown Cincinnati at Prince of Peace on Easter Sunday, April 5. These are awesome opportunities to serve and show the love of Christ to those in need. If you can’t make any of these, there are even more opportunities coming up. Find where the work of Jesus is already going on, loving people, caring for people, restoring people’s lives, standing up for people, and then get involved. It will radically change your faith. 

Amen. 

Do Unto Others: Do Not Be Anxious

/ Scott Russ / Leave a comment

Welcome everybody! Today we wrap up our sermon series called “Do Unto Others.” In week one, I talked about the Golden Rule and what it means to be kind to each other, especially during this political season. In week 2, Jen spoke about how we can learn to disagree with one another with kindness. Last week, Mark talked to us about the Kindness Challenge by looking at the parable of the good Samaritan. Today, I want to recognize the reality that many of us are feeling anxious during this political season, and it is a challenge to lead with our faith.

         Recently, I went to get a haircut at Great Clips in Loveland. Whenever I get a haircut, I typically allow the person cutting my hair to lead with whether or not they would like to have a conversation. I can be friendly and have a conversation with my hair stylist, but I don’t want to impose myself and force them to listen to me ramble. Sometimes, I get a talkative person and we have a pleasant conversation. Other times, not much is said as she concentrates on doing her job, and I respect that. Now, I have different feelings about a dentist who wants to talk to me while their hands are in my mouth, but that’s for another story. Recently, I was getting my haircut, and I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation going on with another customer just behind me. It was an older gentleman. During the majority of the time he was getting his hair cut, he was really going off about his view of the state of our country. He was so tense and full of anxiety as he talked about how our country is a mess. He expressed worry for his grandchildren about what kind of country they are inheriting. I genuinely felt sorry for the guy. My thoughts went to the fact that this gentleman probably only had a decade or two of life yet, and I wanted so much to help direct his attention to investing in his grandchildren rather than getting so caught up in politics that he verbally vomited an angry word salad over this poor lady cutting his hair. He was so absorbed in his political views that he was missing the most important thing right in front of him: passing on his love to his grandchildren. The world is changing at a rapid pace. There is very little we can do to slow down or stop cultural trends. We can’t let ourselves get so knotted up inside about things out there that we miss out on those right in front of us.

         Another observation that concerns me is what was described by Russell Moore in the book “The After Party” which I am doing a small group book study on that just finished up this past Wednesday. Russell Moore was a prominent leader in the Southern Baptist denomination. He would be sought after for advice and counsel from many other pastors. He started to see a trend in which several pastors were coming to him about their congregation. These pastors were preaching from the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus tells his audience to love one another, including our enemies. Jesus also says that we are to pray for those who persecute us and turn the other cheek when it comes to those who attack us. Congregation members were coming to these pastors asking where they got those woke, liberal talking points. The pastor would tell them that they were reading the literal words of Jesus from the Gospels. Then, the pastors were told by these members that that doesn’t work anymore. This, my friends, is scary when we not only choose to ignore the words of Jesus Christ but also go so far as to disagree with Him. That begins to put us on shaky ground. That is when faith no longer becomes our primary identity and instead becomes a token of our life that we can compartmentalize from all the other areas of our lives. We then justify our hate and anger towards those we disagree with outside of the church. 

          So, today I want to give you a list of things to consider as we are in this political season. It is times like this that help to sharpen or dull our faith. These are opportunities to wrestle with what you really put your hope and faith in. These times reveal more about us than we might want to admit. We would rather argue against those we disagree with than to look deep down inside of ourselves and see where we might be wrong or lacking in our faith.

         So here we go! This list comes from two sources. The first is from one of the authors of “The After Party”, Curtis Chang. I supplemented this list with another source by pastor Brian Zahnd. The first and most important thing that I want you to remember from today is that Jesus is First! Jesus is not saving the world or this country through a political party. He is saving it through the work of the Holy Spirit and through his church. God’s saving work in the world has very little to do with which political party is in power. We are citizens of God’s kingdom first. That is our highest allegiance. Everything else in this world falls under that. We cannot simply abandon the Sermon on the Mount for our politics. We must live into the teachings of Christ the best we can. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” As the old hymn teaches us, our faith is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and his righteousness! That must be primary!

         Second, we need to have a healthy understanding that politics won’t save us. It is an imperfect system run by imperfect people. What concerns me is when more and more Americans are becoming unchurched, they are still looking for a savior. And our politicians are becoming more of a Christological figure to some. Our preferred politician is going to save us and vanquish our enemies. This is very dangerous thinking. These are imperfect people who need Jesus just as much as we do. They need to be in our prayers that God’s grace will guide and direct them.

         Third, focus on the “how” over the “what.” The “WHAT” focuses on political debates and policies that each party is promoting. But what is so much more important is in “HOW” we treat others. The bottom line for politics is power. But the bottom line in Christianity is LOVE. Therein lies the rub. I know for me, it is easy to judge a person I don’t know by the signs or flags in their yards. Especially some of those who just don’t have a sign in their front yard for their preferred political candidate but have built a literal shrine to their favorite candidate. This shows misplaced hope in an imperfect person. If they win, we think they will fix everything. If they lose, we despair and think it is the end of the world.

         Fourth, politics isn’t about purity. What I mean by this is that we cannot just associate with people who only think just like us. As I pointed out in my previous sermon, Jesus made friends with tax collectors and zealots. He was known for hanging out with sinners and accused of being a glutton and a drunkard with the people he sought out. It is more vital for you to be filled with love for everybody than for your political party to win everything. To isolate ourselves from people who only think just like us is unhealthy. It is through the diversity of thoughts and opinions that we are able to consider other people’s points of view that might differ from ours. Don’t give into a “US vs. THEM” mentality. We are all made in the image of God and are loved by God, from the least to the greatest. 

         Fifth, guess what? We are all going to be groaning on November 6th. Half of our country will not be happy with the election results. Since some have made politics into the new religion of our country, some may even resort to violence if it doesn’t go their way like we saw last time. But look at what Paul says in Romans 8:22-24. He states, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved.” We are all in a state of groaning with the anticipation of Jesus finally renewing all of creation, including ourselves. This state of groaning will never be satisfied by who sits in the White House. We will always find imperfections and faults with whoever holds power in our country or any others. It is the hope that we have in Christ that He will finally make all things right.

         Sixth, the relational stakes are higher than the political ones. Our relationships with each other, our families, and our neighbors are by far more important than whether our political team wins an election. Friendships, families, and churches should not be splitting up over political differences. If we keep Christ at the center, everything else should fall in as a distant second to that. Every election cycle I have lived through has always been ramped up as the most important election ever! If we don’t get this election right, then it is the end of America as we know it! Let me tell you something. There is a great podcast called “Presidential.” I have listened to every episode. Each episode focuses on a president, beginning with George Washington and ending with Barack Obama. The podcast was leading up to the 2016 election. One thing I learned by listening to this podcast is that we have had some heroic presidents, and we have had some real scoundrels. Yet, through God’s grace, we have weathered through all of them for over two centuries. Now, I am convinced that some of our past presidents would have never been able to survive the 24-hour cable news cycle or social media in our present age. But that is the reality of what we have to deal with today. We need to be aware of what is influencing us, and make sure it is not causing us to love less or feel hopeless. I know this is cliché, but it is true, with fewer and fewer people going to church or having faith, you might be the only representation of Jesus to those around you. Are you showing love, grace, and hope to others? Are you building up your relationships rather than dividing them? And as we get closer to election day, let’s remember what Paul says in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” There will be all kinds of feelings about the results of the election on the day after. Depending on who you are with, it may be an opportunity to rejoice or mourn. But it is not appropriate to show pride or contempt towards others. It is an occasion to be sympathetic to their feelings and help point them to Jesus, who is the true Savior of the World.

         Seventh, anxiety can lead us astray. There are so many things that are ramping up everybody’s anxiety. As I’ve mentioned, we have 24-hour cable news sources that have realized that to drive up ratings, they need to play on people’s fears, anxieties, and anger. This is poisoning the minds of many, many Americans. It is not healthy to walk around in a constant state of anger and anxiety. I am here to tell you that no party is perfect, no candidate is perfect, they are all flawed. They will let you down. Once again, our ultimate hope is in Jesus, and from that springs up joy within us. We have a tsunami of anxiety and anger directed at us on our televisions, on our phones, on our social media. For some of us we need to make hard choices about who and what exactly are discipling us. Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to change us and transform us to be more like Jesus, or are we allowing the media we consume to put us in a state of anxiety and anger against those we disagree with? This is a dangerous path that many have gone down recently. Paul reminds us in the letter to the Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So, let’s make it a practice to take our anxiousness to God in prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to flood our souls with His peace. Remember, God’s peace transcends our own finite understanding, and it will guard our hearts from the troubles of this world.

Eight, we need to remember that institutions do matter such as the church, the government, the schools, and others. It is up to us to get involved and help create institutions that encourage a thriving life for all. We can’t take on a fatalistic or nihilistic approach to our institutions. We must do what we can to help, whether it’s becoming a teacher, a school board member, a parent volunteer, or an administrator. We can volunteer at our local election site or serve at a church using the gifts that God has blessed us with. There are so many institutions that we need to be actively involved with so that we can help make a difference in this world. Don’t isolate yourself and become anti-institutional. Instead, find a way to plug in and make a difference in your community. The fate of the kingdom of God does not rise or fall on our political contests. But we are called to be salt and light in the world. The only way we can do that is by becoming active and getting involved in our area of influence.

Ninth, cancel culture is not Biblical. What I mean by this is that we can’t just cancel people out of our lives simply because we disagree with them. If it is the radio, TV, or your phone that is bothering you, then yes, turn it off or change the channel. But when it comes to our neighbor, the Bible calls us to radical hospitality. The Christian response to disagreement is love, not exclusion. So, if your political passion is making it hard for you to love your neighbor as yourself, then you need to dial it down a bit. Look at your priorities and make sure you are keeping Jesus as the center of your life.  

And then, finally, we cannot forget to sing together! When the disciples were with Jesus on the night of his arrest before his crucifixion, they were all feeling the anxiety and tension in the room. The Gospels tell us that they participated in the Last Supper and then sang together. When we sing together, we connect in a powerful way that transcends our differences. This is one of the reasons we gather together for worship. Where else do people from so many different ways of life come together all around the world and sing songs, lifting up our voices in recognition of God’s love and hope for us? So, let’s invite the band to come up and lead us out with a song that will inspire us toward love and good deeds.

Benediction

Go out into the world being light in the darkness by showing God’s love to a fallen and imperfect world. Go out and vote, if you haven’t already, but let’s give our anxiety over to God, trusting that He is continuing to build his kingdom through us even despite all the empires around the world.

Kingdom over empire.

Hope over fear.

Love over hate.

May you go in peace and be the peace of Christ. Amen.