We have come together again this evening to ponder Christ's passion. Some people think that just coming to God's house and going through the motions is good enough. Sit in the pew. Hear the words. Mouth the hymns and prayers. Go home and carry on with life. Some feel that is enough to fulfill their duty. They've done their good deed. God is happy with them.

Are you that person? Have you come into God's house this evening just to go through the motions? Or are you really here to ponder Jesus and what he has done for you. I pray that you are not here just going through the motions. I pray that you have come to God's house understanding that it is not so much what you are doing for God this evening, but really it is what God is doing for you.

And if you ponder the sufferings of the Savior, you may feel pity and sadness for Jesus. But don't stop at just sorrow for the Savior or you will miss out. We should be weeping and feeling grief for ourselves. For when we contemplate Christ's passion, we must recognize that we have caused Christ's suffering. After all, what crime did Jesus commit?

In the Scripture reading for this evening, Jesus stood before Pilate again. Pilate must have been really irked at this. He had come up with a plan. He sent Jesus to King Herod. Herod should have dealt with this Galilean named Jesus. But now Jesus willingly stood in the court of Pontius Pilate again and Pilate's frustration only grew.

Pilate shows us how spineless and weak he was again. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, the man who had the backing of Tiberias Caesar, asked the Jews if he should release Jesus to them. What was Pilate asking the Jews anything for? He was supposed to be in charge. He had already pronounced Jesus innocent. Why should he ask them?

And why especially would he ask them when he knew of their great envy of Jesus. They hated Jesus because he was right, he was popular, he was good, and he was powerful. They also hated Jesus because he often pointed out to people how wrong and sinful the Jewish leaders were.

Pilate knew Jesus was not guilty. He knew the Jews hated Jesus. He was scared of what the Jews might do if he set Jesus free. So what did Pontius Pilate do? He came up with plan B. Plan A was sending Jesus to Herod. Plan B was setting Jesus up side by side with the notorious murderer Barabbas. He gave the Jews an option. He could set Jesus free or he could set Barabbas free. He thought he now had the Jews between a rock and a hard place.

But in doing so he was making it seem like Jesus was guilty of something. He treated the Son of God as if he were just another heinous criminal like Barabbas. But what crime did Jesus commit? Let's review the three accusations the Jewish leaders levied against Jesus. They said that Jesus was subverting the nation - leading a rebellion. Pilate saw with his own eyes that this was false. The Jewish leaders also said that Jesus opposed paying taxes. This also was not true. In fact Jesus said to give to Caesar what is Caesar's. And finally they said that Jesus claimed to be the King of Jews. Pilate either did not understand that accusation or just did not believe it. Jesus was not guilty of any crimes. He was innocent!

But Pilate still would not carry out justice and asked the crowd again, "What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Why did Pilate ask them again?!? Was he a man or a mouse!?! He confirmed Jesus innocence and even put the accusations back on the crowd when he said, "the one YOU CALL the king of the Jews." Pilate showed his weakness to the angry mob and as a leader that was his downfall. You cannot negotiate with terrorists. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. And that is what happened.

"Crucify him!" they shouted. Pilate offered to let them take Jesus and do what they wanted with him. They could have taken Jesus and stoned him. But they felt more secure under the iron hand of Rome. What if they went out to stone Jesus and the angry mob couldn't stomach it? What if they became chicken and would not carry out the death sentence. The Roman authority would do it and the Jewish leaders would take no chances.

The blood thirsty crowd shouted just like the words of King David prophesied in Psalm 22, "Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me." Crucify him! Crucify him! How horrible those words are to ears!

It must have been horrible for Pontius Pilate to hear also for he asked, "Why? What crime has he committed?" But they did not care about crimes or guilt or justice. They just shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" Oh what a terrible scene this is! How could they do that Jesus? He was innocent!

Pilate allowed this. But why did God? It was because we are anything but innocent. We can listen to these passion accounts and feel pity for Jesus because he suffered so, but if you do not realize that Christ was found guilty of all our sins. We are the guilty ones, not Jesus.

We are the ones whose hearts have been or are filled with hatred like those Jews yelling, "Crucify him!" Right? Some of you are harboring resentment and anger toward others who are sitting in these pews right now. Will you not forgive your husband or your wife? Will you not take your neighbors words and actions in the kindest possible way? Are you trying to throw a wrench into the work of God's kingdom because of your bitter selfish?

Maybe you are not yelling, "Crucify Jesus," but make no mistake it is because of your sin that Christ was beaten up and whipped mercilessly. You crucified Jesus! Those nails pounded into the flesh of God's Son should have been pound into your hands. We all should be suffering the eternal torment of those wounds that Jesus suffered.

As you hear the Passion story, as you hear the crowds yell, "Crucify him," your heart should be filled with terror. Your conscience should be stricken. Pondering Jesus' Passion is so much more than just feeling sorry for Jesus because he suffered. It is first and foremost important to realize that he was crucified for your sins, my sins, and the sins of all mankind. We should have been suffering. We should have been hanging on the cross. We should be in torment in hell.

I hope you don't feel comfortable right now. This news should crush us. Ponder that. Only when we fully see that it was our sins that placed Christ on the cross can we fully comprehend the magnitude of his sacrifice. Then and only then can we pour on sins on him and free our consciences. By his wounds we are healed because he is the innocent lamb that was led to the slaughter. He is perfect. He died for us. He rose for us. He loves us so much he gives us eternal life.

So now don't just sit back and ponder Jesus passively. Don't just go through the motions. God's Word is active. The Holy Spirit applies it directly to you. Martin Luther did this active application in his Meditation on Christ's Passion. He wrote:
If pain or sickness afflicts you, consider how paltry this is in comparison with the thorny crown and the nails of Christ. If you are obliged to do or to refrain from doing things against your wishes, ponder how Christ was bound and captured and led hither and yon. If you are beset by pride, see how your Lord was mocked and ridiculed along with criminals. If unchastity and lust assail you, remember how ruthlessly Christ's tender flesh was scourged, pierced, and beaten. If hatred, envy, and vindictiveness beset you, recall that Christ, who indeed had more reason to avenge himself, interceded with tears and cries for you and for all his enemies. If sadness or any adversity, physical or spiritual, distresses you, strengthen your heart and say, "Well, why should I not be willing to bear a little grief, when agonies and fears caused my Lord to sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane?"

Martin Luther also added, "Christ's passion must be met with life and truth." Apply Christ's passion to your lives. He is innocent, and yet suffered our guilt on the cross. He is perfect, and yet he took our imperfection on himself. He is God, and yet he allowed himself to die to save you and me. What crime has Christ committed? None, but he paid for all our crimes. Ponder the passion of Christ. See his love for you and may your lives show love for God and one another. AMEN.