This Ash Wednesday, we introduce our Lent sermon series, which is based on the ancient hymn “O Love, How Deep” (LSB 544). This hymn, written in the fifteenth century, contemplates the love

of God in becoming man, taking on our life, dying our death, and rising again, all for us. But for us to understand and appreciate this love, we must first examine ourselves and our lives to see how

we have failed in thought, word, and deed. While we may try to get credit for our so-called good works, we all still die with nothing to show for them. But God’s love is not like our love. Our love is self-centered and fickle. God’s love is steady, deep, and beyond all understanding (Ephesians 3:14–19). This love of God will have no end.

Why did Jesus have to come among us as a human being? Why didn’t He come as an angel or

some other kind of being that is stronger and more powerful than us? While angels may be a source

of endless fascination to the Christian and to the world, they have no power to save us. In this

week’s sermon, we will hear why taking on the “robe of [our] human frame” was not only a good

idea but also necessary for our salvation. Angels are wonderful, but they are not Jesus. He came as

one of us so that He could redeem us as His own.

God’s character, His nature, is self-giving love. Everything Jesus does, He does “for us.” This

phrase will be introduced this week in the series hymn. Pro nobis, or “for us,” appears again and

again in the series hymn. Jesus is baptized, fasts, is tempted, overcomes temptation, and, in doing

so, begins His work of undoing the power of the devil (Mark 1:9–13). It is especially worth noting that because Jesus suffered when tempted, He can “help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews

2:18). He not only helps us in our weakness, but His love for us extends all the way into the grave.

Jesus talks all about seeking us in our texts this week. He does not wait passively until we get

up the gumption to ask Him for help. Nor does He act out of selfish gain, like our health-care

system seems to do so often today. Praying, teaching, working. In all these things, Jesus seeks us

out and looks for ways to help us. This work is often overlooked because it is so ordinary. Water,

bread and wine, the folly of preaching. In all these ordinary works, Jesus continues His ministry

among us. This ministry of forgiveness means that Jesus continues to strengthen and help us.

We talked about angels during Midweek of Lent 1. Tonight, we will talk about the darker side

of the story—that is, demons. Demons are fallen angels who rebelled against God and His giving

of Himself to us. Demons, with Satan chief among them, seek to undermine everything God is and

does, even today. In our sermon tonight, we will hear how Jesus heals a man with a demon (Mark

5:1–13) and how that work of healing continues today.

Jesus foretells His own betrayal, death, and resurrection in today’s text (Mark 8:31–9:1). This

shows us that the way of salvation only comes through the path of suffering (Hebrews 2:10). Jesus’

suffering, His Passion, does not simply mean that He sympathizes with us. Rather, it means that

He participates in our suffering, and we in His. His betrayal, the crown of thorns, the shameful

cross—all of these lead to how Jesus “gave His dying breath,” as we sing in the series hymn. In

the Passion reading, we will also hear how He dies (Mark 15:33–47) and what that means for us

today.

We have been reflecting a great deal on the phrase “for us.” Tonight, though, we will hear about

the phrase “for many” as Jesus gives His own body and blood for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew

26:26–28). Jesus and the disciples are celebrating the Passover, but Jesus does something new. We

hear echoes of how Moses and the elders saw God (Exodus 24:3–11), recognizing that the

sacrifices of old will not satisfy (Hebrews 9:11–22). When Jesus says the phrase “for many,” He is

clearly pointing the disciples to the fact that His death was not only for them alone, but for the sins

of the world. Because you are a part of the many, “for us” still holds true.

Jesus is betrayed into the hands of sinners. He is mocked while wearing a purple robe and a

crown of thorns. He must carry His own cross to Golgotha, the Place of a Skull. All of this happens until the last, when “for us He gave His dying breath” (LSB 544:5). It is completed. Salvation has

been won for us. It is finished; He has loved us to the end.

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! This simple, incontrovertible fact changes everything. He

was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised up for our justification (Romans 4:25). This

night, as we hear the sweeping story of God’s salvation throughout history, all of it will come into

sharp focus as we learn how we are now justified by faith through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Satan is defeated, sin is forgiven, and death is overthrown on this wondrous, glorious night. It is

all done for us, His children, His Bride, His church, His everything.

Sin brings separation and death. That sin separates us from God and divides us from one

another. But in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we are united to God once again. As we hear in

Jeremiah, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued My faithfulness

to you” (31:3). Nothing will separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord

(Romans 8:39). Thanks be to God for the victory in Jesus Christ!