Darth Vader's Suit

Move1: Never judge a book by its cover.  One of the most intimidating figures is that of Darth Vader.  He’s about 6’ 5”, the mask, the black gloves, the cape all work together to create a very intimidating and powerful looking villain.  But on the inside he’s missing both legs, one arm and can’t breathe without a respirator.  Never judge a book by its cover.

Move2:  The same goes with Jesus, on the outside he is very meek, mild and weak.  He weeps over Lazarus, he has no fortune, he gets angry, he is beaten by the Roman guards, scourged, he’s arrested, he’s tried and ultimately he’s executed.  On the outside all these things create a very shameful and weak looking hero.  But on the Mount of Transfiguration, we see a brief glimpse of what lies on the inside, we see Jesus’ full divinity.  Radiant power, majesty, and heavenly Glory.  Never judge a book by its cover.

Move3: But don’t we all judge Jesus by his human weakness.  I mean 1 Corinthians gets its right, Jews demand signs, Greeks demand wisdom, but we Americans desire fortune and glory. 

Move4: Jesus’ weakness insults our sense of honor, his weakness cuts against the grain of our pride, his human weakness contradicts what human traits we know our heroes all possess.  Our heroes vanquish the enemy, they are not in themselves vanquished.  Our heroes fight against the forces of evil, they do not allow the forces of evil to fight against them.  Our heroes kill the bad guys, the bad guys don’t kill the hero.  And that is why for most Americans, the cross of Jesus Christ is a stumbling block, because the human weakness of Jesus offends their American sensibilities.

Move5: But what we have to remember is that Jesus hid his Godly power under his human weakness.  On the outside he might appear weak, but on the inside lies Godly majesty.  If he can put on his heavenly glory, he can hide his majesty under the guise of weakness, without losing any of it.  If Jesus’ divinity shines through on the mount of transfiguration, then we must remember that he was not dragged to the cross unwillingly by the forces of this world, he went to the cross of his own free will.  If it wasn’t that difficult for Jesus to adorn his body with the heavenly glory, do you think that it wasn’t all that difficult for Jesus to withstand the efforts to execute him.  If he could put on the heavenly Glory, then he could also put in invincibility.  So, Jesus reminds us that this morning, that lying hidden underneath the flesh of his humanity, lies the full awesome power of the Word of God. 

Move6:  So we shouldn’t be embarrassed or ashamed of his weakness, because what we think of as weakness is in fact the full power of God poured out for us.  We shouldn’t be offended by the cross as a place of failure, but we should be pleased by the cross as a place of victory.  We shouldn’t shrink back from the cross and its shame and humiliation, we should draw near to the cross as the place where the full power of God goes to work to save us.  We shouldn’t be offended by the cross, we should be grateful for the cross.

Move7:  Because if we cut ourselves off from his human weakness, we cut ourselves off from his divine power.  Because under his weakness is his power. 

Move8: My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us not be put off by the human weakness of Christ, but let us instead be drawn into his divine power.  Like Darth Vader, what lies inside is quite different from the outside.  Outside he might be weak, but inside is the full power of God.  He was subject to death because he wished to be.  He was crucifed not because they destroyed him, he was crucified because he offered himself.  He was weak not because he couldn’t defeat evil, he in fact defeated evil, because he chose to empty himself of power to be weak.  The Son became weak, so that we the weak, might be made sons.   So therefore let us learn not to be offended by his weakness, but instead let us learn to come to love the old rugged cross.  Amen and Thanks be to God.