During this Lenten season we have ventured through a number of valleys: We have stood in the Valley of Impossibilities with Ezekiel looking over the valley of dry bones. Only by the Word of God could life be breathed into them. How often have we falsely believed that some things are too hard even for the Lord when really they are not?

We have been into the Valley of Deceit with Joseph and his brothers. Oh, how often we have been deceitful with the Lord. How often have we schemed to have things our way?

We have stood along side with Gideon in the Valley of the Hesitation? Oh, Lord I know Your Word and still I doubt, needing one more reassurance putting you to the test.

Then there was the Valley of Giants. We know the power of God, look how He miraculously delivered the children of Israel but we secretly sometimes doubt if this God can really give us victory in the midst of the Valley of New Age Thinking and these uncertain times in which we live.

There was the Valley of the Jordon – make straight paths, fill in those rough places and lower those mountains of pride and doubt. Repent, acknowledge your sins and turn from them.

Last night we went from the high point of the upper room and the Last Supper across the Kidron Valley and up to the Mount of Olives crossing beneath the shadow of the impending cross. At the Mount of Olives Jesus would be betrayed and abandoned by even His closest of followers.

Tonight we enter into the Valley of Death, not the valley of the shadow of Death but Death. This valley is carved out by the steep, craggy ravines of betrayal, brutality, denial, injustice, and suffering.

They came across the Kidron Valley for Jesus who was on the Mount of Olives in the valley of God’s plan of salvation. There in prayer He earnestly prayed for the strength to do what we could never do- deliver sinners from death, hell, and eternal separation from God. They came under the cover of darkness, for men love the cover of the darkness for their deeds are evil. He was betrayed by one He called friend, betrayed with a kiss. He was abandoned by those closest to Him, by even those who knew Him to be the Christ, they all fled. Roughly arrested and bound He was led back through the Kidron Valley, led under the shadow of the impending cross. How many times have we betrayed our Lord by our sinful thoughts and deeds betraying Him by failing to stand our ground in the face of even our family, peers, and others? How many times have we slunk away, run away or looked away?

He was led into the Valley of Injustice. Before the Sanhedrim He was mocked, ridiculed, and even lied about. There He was denied justice. Oh, how often have we been in the back of that crowd failing to speak up, and if not in that crowd how often might we have stood with Peter out in the courtyard failing to claim that we know Him in order to save ourselves? I tell you I don’t know the man and the cock crowed.

The Valley of Injustice is crossed by the jagged ravines of hate, manipulation, mockery and scourging. Taken before Pilot and Herod no charges worthy of death could be found, yet to satisfy sinful men Jesus was cruelly beaten, crowned with thorns, spat upon, and mocked. Then He who was without fault, without sin, was led away to die while Barabbas, a murderer and insurrectionist – a sinner- was set free. Truly, truly we are Barabbas each in I our own way for we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Jesus was led into the Valley of Death. He carried a cross that should have been ours. He staggered under the weight of our sins. The punishment that should have been ours was laid upon Him. Up out of the valley He came to a hill called the Place of the Skull, Golgotha. There they crucified Him. Many came to mock this One called King of the Jews, Prince of Peace, The Lion of Judah. Oh, how many times have we mocked His sacrifice claiming our sins are not this serious? Come now is all this death and dying really necessary? How many times have we claimed that we could somehow save ourselves, somehow make things right with God? And Jesus cried out, Forgive them Father they know not what they do. And forgiving us is what the cross is all about.

Jesus entered into the Valley of Death, not the Shadow of Death BUT Death itself. He experienced the full wrath of the Father against sin that we would not have to. The death and separation from God that should have been ours was upon His shoulders and when the time had fully come, when the full price for sin was paid He breathed His last, sighing “It is Finished”- the full measure for sins has been paid for. By His wounds we are forgiven! We are forgiven for our betrayals, deceptions, hesitations, doubts, idolatries, forgiven of these and all our sins! And when the full measure of His blood had been poured out, He gave up His Spirit entering into the Valley of Death for us.

That forgiveness is not the opinion of man but the declaration of God! Do you not know that it was not with perishable things such as silver and gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ the Lamb of God. (1st Peter 1.18-19) By his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53.5) That forgiveness comes to us by and through His Words, His declaration of Absolution, and His Sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Before sundown His body was laid to rest in the Valley of a Tomb, a grave that should have been ours. But the story does not end there. In three days we hear again that on the third day God raised him from the dead! That we would know He was and is the One who truly saves. He entered the Valley of Death that we need not. You see to all who would be brought to believe in His atoning sacrifice we will not have to enter the Valley of Death but we will only pass through the Valley of the Shadow of Death - we will pass from life to life. Death where is your victory? Oh, death where is your sting. The sting of death is sin, but because of Jesus’ journey on our behalf our sin has been taken from us, forgiven. Our victory comes to us through Jesus Christ!

Amen