April 14, 2017
“Deliver us from evil, For thine is the Kingdom” – “Jesus Christ went to the Cross to deliver us from evil into the Kingdom!”
“Deliver us from evil, For thine is the Kingdom” – “Jesus Christ went to the Cross to deliver us from evil into the Kingdom!”
Last night we could imagine the joyful banter of the
disciples gathered around a table celebrating the Passover with Jesus Christ. Jesus then instituted the life giving Holy
Meal of His Body and Blood. Later the
disciples fell asleep when asked to watch and pray with Jesus. And finally, Jesus was betrayed with a
kiss. Since then, Jesus has endured not
only the torture of the Jews and their leaders, the humiliation, beatings and
scourging of the Romans, but only hours later, felt the stabbing pain as
echoing in His ears the hammer purposely drove the nails that hold Him to a
Cross, with a Crown of Thorns on His head.
Jesus endured all of this with a sole purpose in mind. And the Seventh Petition of the Lord’s Prayer
recounts the reason when we pray “Deliver
us from evil”. For Jesus in His
willingness to endure the Cross of Calvary does “Deliver us from evil” out of His great love for us and all of
mankind. God clearly offers us the
greatest gift that could ever be given. “Jesus Christ went to the Cross to deliver
us from evil into the Kingdom!” And
in delivering us from evil, pays for and by His death removes the curse of sin from
each and every one of us that began in the Garden of Eden with our first
parents, Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit.
For Jesus does “Deliver
us from evil” and we lay claim to that with our praying the prayer Jesus
taught. Yet, the story does not end with
three nails, for it is only by Jesus willingness to “Deliver us from evil” that gives us the greatest gift. It is a gift which comes in the beginning of
the Conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer.
Jesus not only does “Deliver us
from evil”, by offering us a ‘blessed end’ to our lives, Jesus Christ
offers us a greater gift with our praying, “For thine is the Kingdom”. For
it is God’s Kingdom and God, Father, Holy Spirit and especially God’s Son, Jesus
Christ as He taught this prayer not only is owner of the Kingdom, but offers the
Kingdom unto us out of His great love for us.
For it is very clear and certain that “Jesus Christ went to the Cross to deliver us from evil into the Kingdom!”
Tonight we will leave here having heard the disciples are
scattered and in hiding, fearful for their lives. The last thing we hear will be the clear and
emphatic sound of the tomb being closed symbolized by the slamming of the door,
the extinguishing of the Christ Candle and the darkness that surrounds us! But we depart with the knowledge that “Jesus Christ went to the Cross to deliver
us from evil into the Kingdom!” And
with a firmness in the faith that not only did Jesus die on the Cross for our
sins and the sin of all mankind, but when we pray the Lord’s Prayer we do so
knowing a promise is made to us from Jesus Christ Himself. For Jesus Christ promise to us is in order
that by the spilling of His innocent Blood, Jesus Christ as we pray as He
taught us, Jesus Christ will “Deliver us
from evil” and lovingly forgive us and offer us entrance into eternity with
Him when we pray “For thine is the
Kingdom”. AMEN.
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