Prince Of Peace Lutheran Church

“For this purpose…” (John 18: 37)[1]

  Our risen Lord spoke these words to Pilate on Good Friday.  His suffering was about to intensify to the extreme and culminate in His innocent suffering and death on the cross.  The King of the Jews, crucified – hung upon a cursed tree.  The Son of God and the Son of Mary’s very life flowed out of His body, the weight of every sin of the world on His shoulders, and then when it was finished the grain that is the Bread of Life fell into the earth.[2]  Why? For what purpose?

  The King of kings and Lord of lords was on the final hours, the final mile of His mission as the suffering servant of God who would save all mankind from the divine curse of eternal suffering and anguish as the full payment: for sin; for rebellion; and for lawlessness.  There was no alternative path, no option for Him if He were to be faithful and true to this salvific work He had received from His Father’s hand.  33 years of living a holy, righteous, merciful life, three years of preaching, teaching, healing, and delivering as the true Rabbi and Prophet and Priest was rushing in space and time for that purpose. 

  Yet, even then, Jesus was prepared for the divine and royal coronation that will commence with His removal from the cross and placement into the tomb by Joseph of Arimathea[3].  He would parade triumphantly into Sheol in power and majesty before His defeated foes and to the joy of the faithful who slept with their fathers.  Then, while mankind slept and His disciples hid, He arose and walked out of the tomb and would come to His disciples as the peace of God in resurrected flesh He had purchased for them, you and me.[4]  The King of kings then ascended to the right hand of God the Father Almighty where He reigns in power and majesty this day.  These things the Holy Spirit of the living God inspired the beloved disciple to write that we would believe and have true and eternal life in His Name.[5]

  Then on the last day He will come again in His unveiled glory with the holy angels and settle the accounts of every man, woman and child that has ever lived, receiving all the holy ones into eternal joy and peace and casting all the unholy ones into eternal wrath and torment.[6]  For this purpose He spoke the truth to Pilate and to you and to me and all mankind.

  We are approaching the last day of this 2021 Church Year.  We wait with joyful anticipation and jubilant expectation for our King who will come and take us to our heavenly Father’s home.  We believe, teach and confess that at the Father’s appointed hour He will come and in the twinkling of an eye all the corruptible will pass away and the incorruptible will appear and remain eternally.[7] 

  This was our purpose in 2021.  However, if it is the heavenly Father’s will for us to continue on His path of righteousness into 2022 we must faithfully and patiently look to the advent of our King who was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, who grew in wisdom and strength, who laid down His life so that His bride would live, and will lead us again into our Father’s vineyard to do His work according to His will with His appointed means, and with joyful anticipation and jubilant expectation look again for the last day  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne… [8]