Today is the most unusual Sunday in the entire year. To begin with, it has two names. On the one hand, today is Palm Sunday, which is probably familiar to you. Palm Sunday remembers and celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem as King at the beginning of Holy Week.

Palm Sunday dominates the opening of today’s service. But the second name for today is Passion Sunday and it is to that that we now turn. Each year on Passion Sunday we read the account of Jesus’ passion and death in either Matthew, Mark of Luke.

This year is Luke. And the overall image that Luke presents of Jesus' passion is of a chess game. A chess game between God and Satan, with the winner taking all.

And you can see that chess match at play in the story of Jesus' last supper that begins the Passion of Our Lord according to Luke that we're about to hear.

As you listen, notice how Jesus is in complete control. He's where he wants to be, doing what he wants to be doing. He knows what's happening and what will be happening. He knows, for instance, that Judas will betray him that very night.

But he also knows this: Luke alone points out that Satan has demanded to test Jesus' disciples for faithfulness. “He has demanded to sift you like wheat,” he says.

Jesus knows that his disciples--including Peter--will fail. And so the chess game--the great contest between God and Satan--is on. The Last Supper.

Jesus may be in complete control, knowing what's about to happen to him and his role in it. But it's not as if what's about to happen is easy or without suffering!

We see that clearly in the way that Luke tells the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. As Jesus leaves dinner and goes out to pray, his prayer is so intense--so passionate and heartfelt--that, as Luke alone makes clear--Jesus' sweat is so heavy that it falls to the ground like great drops of blood. The game is on. But this is no “game”! Real suffering will occur.
Gethsemane.

Another fascinating detail only found in Luke: after Peter has denied Jesus three times, Luke says that the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.

Why do you think Jesus did that? I've usually assumed that it was to shame Peter. "You--who said you'd rather go to prison than deny me--you have just denied me? Shame on you!"

I’ve always assumed that because, if I had been Jesus, that's what I would have done it. But let me ask you: does that sound like Jesus to you? Is Jesus really about shaming someone?
I don't think so! But if that isn't why Jesus did it, why did he?

In the grand chess game being described, Jesus had said that Satan had demanded to sift the disciples, testing their faithfulness. He had said Simon Peter would deny him three times. But Jesus had also said, "once you have recovered [from your faithlessness, Peter], you in your turn must strengthen your brothers."

I think that's what Jesus is doing. He turns to look at Peter, not to shame him, but to remind him that, once this chess game is over, Peter must turn to strengthen his brothers.
Even now, Jesus thinks of others! Denied

Luke's depiction of Jesus' passion as a cosmic chess game between God and Satan helps explain this next section better than any other gospel, in my opinion. How could it be that someone whom both the Romans--represented by Pilate--and the Jews--represented by Herod--found completely innocent, could, nonetheless, be made to die?

In this chess game, it had to happen! And in doing so, Satan must assume he’s just won the game! But has he? Tried.

We now come to Jesus' crucifixion.

In this chess game, all the human characters--except Jesus--have been pawns, pushed and pulled by forces greater than themselves to do things they neither understood nor intended. No wonder Jesus, then, says to God: Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.

And maybe we don't know what we're doing now either. Maybe we don’t understand why it had to happen or why it had to happen in this way. Maybe, like Peter, we think that we will remain faithful. And maybe, today, Jesus is turning to look at us--right now--to say, “Once all this is over and you’ve recovered, strengthen the other.” And maybe he’s also saying, Father, forgive them; they do not know what they’re doing.”

It is for us he has done this. And it is for us that he lives now! Crucifixion.