sermon: April 7, 2023, Good Friday.

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 “Whom are you looking for?”

Jesus knew the Jewish guards and Roman soldiers were coming to get him, yet he asked them this question. Why?

If the police set out to arrest someone, they would have in mind the name of the person and the crime.

Jay the murderer. Joe the thief. Jake the robber.

So, whom were they looking for when they went to arrest Jesus?

Jesus the Nazorean.

There was no crime to His name. They went to arrest Jesus like a criminal, but He is not. They arrested Jesus because He is the Son of God.

The Jews expected Jesus to be a political hero, but He is not. They rejected Jesus because He is the lamb of God.

Jesus was not who they were all expecting. They could not see who He really is, they could not accept Him because He was not what they wanted.

What about you?

You come to church, you pray, you worship, you even sacrifice your time and money – what are you expecting? Whom are you looking for?

Is He Jesus, the slave who will answer all your requests? Or the servant who will meet all your needs? Or the miracle worker who will turn all your problems around, undo all your mistakes, erase all your wrongs?

Is this whom you are looking for?

When the guards and soldiers came to get him, Jesus knew it was an unjust persecution, an unreasonable arrest, but He did not escape from them; he told them the truth, “I AM”.

He was not what they were looking for, but He is who He is, and He will complete what He is sent to accomplish.

He is sent to save us from the condemnation of our sins. He is sent to die so that we may live. He does not judge us based on our successes or failures, our good looks or great achievements, our wealth or brokenness. He cares about our faith, our soul, our eternal happiness.

He is Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Redeemer of our sins. He is Jesus, our master, our teacher, our friend.

But look at Him now. He is betrayed, abandoned, beaten, disfigured, mocked, nailed to the cross and dies a criminal’s death.

Is He whom you are looking for?

Is He whom you will follow?


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