Dear Christian friends:

A strange event here in our text. The Church condemns Jesus to die! It should have welcomed Him and worshipped Him! "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." (John 1:11)


Did the Church condemn Him? They condemned Him for things He had not done. "The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching." (Mark 11:18)

They decided beforehand that He must die. They then tried to find a law-breaking with which to condemn Him. They also used false witnesses. (Mark 14: 55-57) They condemned Him finally and chiefly for confessing the truth, that He was the Son of God.

"Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
“I am,” said 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.”
The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him. (Mark 14:61-65)

Well, we all quickly agree and blame the Jewish church leaders for condemning Jesus to die. But what abut us who live today? What about the Church today?

Does the Church today condemn Jesus? Yes, when we refuse to let Jesus correct our wrong doing. Remember, one reason why the Jewish Church condemned Jesus because He cleansed the temple and corrected their wrong ways.

Do we let Jesus' Word correct our wrongs? Or do we like the Jews become angry and stubborn and blame the pastor when he corrects us? Not confess our sins and stop sinning? Yes, the church today often condemns Jesus.

Yes, when we have doubts and unbelief. Remember the chief reason why the Jews condemned Jesus was because He said He was the Son of God, the promised Savior, and the Jewish Church did not believe Him.

We perhaps say, that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior. But remember talk is cheap! Anyone can say they believe in Jesus. Does our life and works prove it? Our support of the church? Our love for others? Jesus said of the Jews, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (Matthew 15:8) Again Jesus asks, "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46)

We, too, have condemned Jesus. Confess our sins He will forgive. God condemned Him too! Why? Because He had accepted our sins!

Amen.