MIDWEEK
LENT 4
March
10, 2021
Pastor
Timothy J. Spaude
Text:
Mark 14:55-65
“HANDS OF
HYPOCRISY!”
Our Lenten services this year have
focused on the hands of the passion to help us grow in our appreciation of what
our Lord Jesus did for us. Today we are looking at Hands of Hypocrisy. And
fortunately for you I can show you exactly what hands of hypocrisy look like.
Here. Can you see what my hands are doing? They are holding a mask. That
literally is what a hypocrite is, a mask wearer. Someone who pretends to be
what they are not like me pretending to be Mr. Walker when obviously, I am not.
The word comes from Greek theater where actors would hold or wear masks so they
could pretend to be what they are not.
Who would come to your mind as the
biggest hypocrite in the Passion of our Lord Jesus? Maybe you think of Judas
pretending to be a friend when he betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Maybe you think
of Peter pretending to be the unbreakable rock but who broke down after he
denied even knowing Jesus. Maybe you think of Pontius Pilate pretending to be a
fair governor as he washed his hands of Jesus’ death. But when you look at all
of them you see at least some signs of struggle or remorse. Judas gave the
money back. Peter wept bitterly. Pilate tried every trick he knew to manipulate
the will of the people.
There is one pure hypocrite, a total
pretender whose hands were filled with hypocrisy. Caiaphas. The High Priest. As
High Priest it was his job, his privilege, his honor to represent the people to
God in the Old Testament Covenant set up. His hands were to be busy praying for
the people pleading for God to do what was best for them. He also represented
God to the people. “This is what God says. This is His will.” His hands were to
be busy pointing to the coming Messiah. “This is how these sacrifices point to
the coming Messiah. Wait for Him. Look for Him. God has given us the signs.”
Instead they were busy with hypocrisy.
“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony
against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they did not find any. 56Many
testified falsely against him, but their testimonies did not agree. 57Some
stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58“We heard him
say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will
build another made without hands.’” 59Yet even on this point, their
testimony did not agree.” This whole trial was hypocritical. The High
Priest was to be the Law upholder but this trial was held illegally in the
middle of the night. A trial should try to find the truth but this one’s goal
was to find some way to put Jesus to death. The High Priest was supposed to
make sure a trial was fair but this High Priest allowed false testimony. Even
then it didn’t stick.
So Caiaphas went into action. You
wonder if he was thinking to himself, “You bumbling idiots! If you want
something done right…” The high priest stepped forward and questioned Jesus,
“Have you no answer? What is this they are testifying against you?” 61But
Jesus was silent and did not answer anything.” I’m sure Caiaphas was one of
those guys who thinks he’s the smartest man in the room. When his first attempt
didn’t work, he continued. “Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the
Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” Smartest man in the room had a super
smart question. If Jesus says nothing or “No,” they could discredit him. If He
says “Yes,” then they could convict him. “I am,” Jesus said. “And you will
see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the
clouds of heaven.” 63The high priest tore his robes and said, “Why
do we need any more witnesses? 64You have heard the blasphemy! What
do you think?” They all condemned him as being worthy of death.” The hands
of hypocrisy went into action. Caiaphas tore his clothes in feigned horror. His
plan had worked. Jesus was guilty of death. And then for a moment the
hypocrites dropped their masks and showed their true colors. “Then some
began to spit on him. They covered his face and struck him with their fists,
saying, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat him.” Spitting is
someone’s face, Beating someone who can’t defend himself who can’t even dodge
the blows because he is blindfolded? What kind of people do that to another?
And this was the highest religious gathering for the Jewish people. It would be
like our Elders doing this or our Synod’s Conference of Presidents. Why? They
were hypocrites. The pretended they cared about what God said. They pretended
they cared for the people. But what they really cared about was power and honor
for themselves. All led by Caiaphas, the High Priest, and his hands of
hypocrisy.
Now what can we learn from this? Have
you ever heard someone say something like this? “I’d never join a church.
Churches are filled with hypocrites.” Why do they say that? It’s because their
understanding of a hypocrites is someone who says one thing and does another. And
with that definition they are right. This is a church full of hypocrites. We
all acknowledge that what God says is right. Everyone should obey his
commandments. We say that. But do we always do that? No. Even if we’ve gotten
pretty good and cleaning ourselves up on the outside, no obvious sins,
controlling our mouths, we haven’t cleaned up the inside. Sinners one and all.
Hypocrites by America’s definition.
But not by God’s. Remember a hypocrite
is really a pretender, someone who wears a mask. Someone who pretends to be a
believer but is not. That’s not you. That’s not me. We do believe in Jesus. We
are happy to know He’s our Savior. We look at this account from the passion of
Jesus and we see not one, but two High Priests present. There is the faker, the
pretender, the hypocrite, Caiaphas. But then our eyes rest on Jesus. He is the
true High Priest. He has no hands of hypocrisy. His hands aren’t thrown in the
air in mock horror. They don’t tear his robes if faked holy anger. They stay
stretched wide nailed to the cross as He went through the horror of Hell. They
stayed there unused as soldiers gambled for His robe. Why? Because as the true
High Priest Jesus represented people to God. He was on the cross as the
substitute for all people. He became the world’s one and only sinner. He
continues to plead with the Father for our good. And He faithfully tells us
what God wants us to hear. Through word and sacrament, through pastors and
teachers, through faithful Christian parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles
and friends He says, “God loves you. God has forgiven you. Heaven is your home.
Come to the Father through me, your great High Priest.”
Friends let the world call us
hypocrites for being what we know we are sinners who can’t save ourselves.
Sinners who despite our best intention to follow Jesus faithfully still stumble
and fall. But may we never be true hypocrites who pretend to follow Jesus but
don’t really at all. For us it won’t be Hands of Hypocrisy, but Hands off
Hypocrisy. For the glory of Jesus. Amen.
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