Led (good friday)

From the great hymn, victory in Jesus to a song we sing regularly here at HCC that declares, “I’m gonna see a victory”, followers of Jesus, with good reason celebrate the victory in what God has done, and will continue to do in this world.

When we pray, our tendency can be to pray for victory in

the ending of a suffering,

The culmination of what we hope for

freedom from a plaguing issue.

Ugh - But Jesus never seems to lead them to the win…how can that be? 2

But the more I read the account of Jesus, the more I look at the story God has told from Genesis on, the more I read and observe church history, the more I see something powerful at work.

Victory for Jesus rarely looks like winning.

The people of Israel when prosperous, nearly always abandon God and begin to do great harm to the vulnerable…but in exile, they find new life in worship.

The church overcame the Roman empire not with a sword, but by willingly laying down their lives.

It’s like God was always pointing toward a different kind of victory than we expect.

So as we come near the close of our examination of the life of Jesus, it should not surprise us that when the Word of God took on flesh and lived among us, we would see that same pattern.

Winning by losing. We hear Jesus throughout the gospels drive the point home:

Matthew 20:27–28 CSB

and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 5:3–5 CSB

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:10–12 CSB

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 16:24 CSB

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

Tonight we remember that he didn’t just speak these things…the word was made flesh…God lived them out.

The day before he was nailed to the cross, he had a long discussion with his disciples.

After telling them he will only be with them a little longer, after warning them that they are all about to scatter, Peter denies it, and Jesus tells him that he’s about to deny he even knows him.

Then Jesus gives them these words and again, with his friends, defines himself, that they might know him and find hope.

Aha! - The way to the Father is to follow him. The way to the win…is to deny yourself…to take up your cross… 4

John 14:1–5 CSB

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.” “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

I’m going to the Father, I’m going to prepare a place for you, I’ll come back and take you to myself...

You know the way I am going...

Strange phrase on it’s own. He told Peter earlier, he couldn’t follow now, but would later… but they know the way.

Thomas says, we don’t know where you are going, how can you know the way?

Jesus told him. He is going to the Father’s house to prepare a welcome, a home, for them.

I think where Thomas is going is pretty logical though. We don’t understand what it means that you’re going. We are understanding that you are here for victory…Rome is supposed to fall. The corrupt priests that cling to comfort and control are supposed to fall. The self-righteous teachers and scribes are supposed to get humbled… Why would you leave when that is undone?

And Jesus gives them directions.

John 14:6 CSB

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

I’m the way to the Father. It’s not a road. It’s nothing a GPS can help you with. You get to the Father my way. The way I have described and acted out for these years with you.

That is the only way to come to the Father. The way of Jesus. The way of the cross.

Whee! - We see in Jesus’ death a pattern of self denial 10

Hold Jesus’ words in your heart as we skip ahead to the next night and the crucifixion of Jesus.

Watch what it means for him to win by losing.

First in the arrest...

John 18:1–11 CSB

After Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas took a company of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. Then he asked them again, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. “I told you I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the words he had said: “I have not lost one of those you have given me.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?”

A couple things to note.

First Jesus knows what is going to happen. He knows the mob that is approaching. He knows how mobs are indiscriminate. He knows his disciples are in as much danger as him.

And we see the smallest taste of Jesus using the power that is his in one of our bonus “I AM” moments.

He steps in front of the rest and asks who they are looking for. THey say they look for Jesus of Nazareth.

He says I AM. English bibles try to be helpful by adding the “he”…but the text simply reads that Jesus speaks: I AM.

And they fall to the ground in fear. And so he asks again.

Who was about to die? Jesus. Who was afraid? Not Jesus.

If you get to verse 9, you see why Jesus exhibits this power: To fulfill the scripture that he would not lose one of those that were his. In this moment, he does not defend himself…he defends his friends.

He is the way...

Then Peter grabs his sword and attacks the servant of the high priest. An ear is lost and Jesus rebukes peter. Luke tells us that Jesus heals the ear. This is too much for Peter. He knows how to win by fighting…He knows how to win by overcoming…he knows how to win an argument. He can’t grapple with this reality that Jesus will win…by losing.

He is the way...

John 19:6–12 CSB

When the chief priests and the temple servants saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate responded, “Take him and crucify him yourselves, since I find no grounds for charging him.” “We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus did not give him an answer. So Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?” “You would have no authority over me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” From that moment Pilate kept trying to release him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”

Again, Jesus is given the chance to defend, to press back against corruption, to argue, to use that “I AM” power again to knock them down. All he tells Pilate is that the authority isn’t his anyway.

How different to our way of lashing out on Social media, of cheering on those who blast the opposition with words and wit… The way of Jesus doesn’t look like me when I’m pressed… But...

He is the way to the Father. He is the one who is showing us not how we win, but how the kingdom wins.

John 19:16–17 CSB

Then he handed him over to be crucified. Then they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.

When offended, our greatest goal is to get the offender to carry the consequence of their offense. Often we act as if we want everyone to carry it until it has been carried to the full. Until the payment is greater than the hurt.

And Jesus…the way to the Father…carries the cross…carries the cost himself.

John 19:28–30 CSB

After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I’m thirsty.” A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it up to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.

Those who knew and loved Jesus…those who had seen the miracles…those waiting for him to bring VICTORY…at least those with the greatest faith in him, must have been watching this moment desperately waiting for God of Power and might, the Commander of angel armies to stop this nonsense and place Jesus on his throne in victory...

Instead, he takes the sour wine…One last taste of bitterness…and says, “It is finished”.

Defeat.

He can’t show them the way to the Father now.

it’s over.

Unless. Unless in this ultimate moment of giving up his spirit, he did what he said he would.

If in that moment, he was more “the way” than he had ever been. If somehow defeat was victory, That for the just to give up their life for the unjust, the offended to give up their power to the offenders…As Paul will say later:

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is the way, the truth and the life. This is the way to the father, this is the truth of how God created us to love one another, this is real life, not in fighting to keep it, not in the struggle to make sure us and ours have enough, but in giving up what we have the right to for another.

This is the way of the cross, this is what it means to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus. This is the call. Nothing less.

What changes? - In John 21 we see Jesus telling Peter how he will follow…what it will cost him. Are we willing? 2

If you read to the end of the story, you’ll see this is the call Jesus places on his disciples. It is the call that Paul, Peter, John, and every other writer of the new testament will give…and will live out.

Communion: Tonight, we will partake in the Lord’s supper. This is a practice that followers of Jesus have followed since his death.

If you are a follower of Jesus you are welcome to participate. If you are not, observe and prayerfully consider the moment.

We are going to do it differently tonight. The rest of this service will be in song. Take as much time as you need to reflect on the crucifixion.

Thank Jesus for losing his life that you might have yours.

Ask him to examine you and show you where you are still fighting to save your life rather than choosing to offer it all to him.

Where does fear still drown out love

Where do your defenses still prevent peace

Reflect where you are failing to follow the way and repent, choose this night to once more deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him.

And when you are ready, anytime in the next 4 or 5 songs, come forward and Caleb or I will hand you the elements and simply speak a reminder to you that this body he allowed to be hung on a cross was given for you. This blood he chose to shed, was for you.