Christ Calls to Calvary 1

Christ Calls to Calvary…

That’s the title of the series of sermons for midweek Lenten services. The various weekly themes finish that statement:

…the Faithful, Luke 18:31-33

…the Fallen, Matthew 26:50

…the Erring, Luke 22:61

…the Worldly, John 18:34-37

…the Ignorant, Luke 23:34

The series finishes in Holy Week

(Maundy Thursday)…the Penitent, Matthew 26:17–30

(Good Friday)…the Confessing, Matthew 27:27–61

Call to…the Faithful

The focus is not just the Law that identifies and condemns our sins, but more importantly the Gospel that shows Jesus as the one who suffered and died for our sins. His resurrection confirms his defeat of even death itself.

 This is the third passion prediction in Luke’s Gospel.

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.”

But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said. (Luke 18:31-34. NAS)

The text for tonight reminds us that Jesus calls each person, including the faithful. Those who are faithful have been saved by grace. They have heard, believed, and continue in the faith. The saving message of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection is not only for those who are outside the church. The faithful in the church need to hear the message again, and again.

The reality is that we don’t grasp all that God reveals in his Word. And even if we “know” the core doctrine of justification by grace through faith in Christ, we face temptations, subtle manipulation, and outright attacks on this core of our faith.

The call to Calvary for the faithful tonight is a reminder that we can never outgrow, move beyond, improve upon what Christ has done. Our life of faithfulness is not measured by what we achieve, but what Christ has already achieved for us. The call to the faithful is a call to confess sins, a call to receive forgiveness, a call to remain faithful.

So if you have heard that your sins are forgiven a thousand times, come tonight and receive that wonderful news for the one thousand and one times. It is a life-saving message. You need it, I need it, all the faithful need it.