Jesus And Shame

John 19

There is so much I could talk about on this Good Friday evening, so many angles at which to behold this most unique moment in all history. But tonight I want to talk about Jesus and shame.

We know that Jesus died to take away our sins, but I wonder have we thought also about how his death also deals with our shame?

On the cross we know that Jesus became sin for us 2 Cor 5:21

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

He endured the penalty that ought to have been yours and mine for our sinfulness Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But there is more to say - Jesus also endured shame at the cross (Heb 12:2); the soldiers mocked him, they twisted a crown of thorns and put it on his head, they put a purple robe on him and beat him, he was stripped naked and exposed before the crowd, he was ridiculed by them as he died.

his friends gave way in shaming abandonment; his reputation gave way in shaming mockery; his decency gave way in shaming nakedness; his comfort gave way in shaming torture. His glorious dignity gave way to the utterly undignified, degrading reflexes of grunting and groaning and screeching. - John Piper

Why did he endure such horrific shame at his death?

It is because at the cross, God in Christ is coming towards us in our shame, approaching us with love and kindness, identifying with humanity in its shame and suffering and inviting us to come out.

Shame is everywhere, and what it does is, it causes us to conceal things. Sometimes things we have done, othertimes things we want or need, and even sometimes who we are. Why? Because we fear exposure, because we fear ridicule, or because we fear judgement.

Story of me at Jim Stones House/Sock ball/Punch bag at Sunil’s

Shame is the voice that says ‘I’m fine’ when really you’re not. Shame can manifest in a lot of different ways but it always looks like concealment, it always looks like a mask of some variety. When we are living in shame, we are hiding something.

Adam and Eve in the garden - the very first thing they did after sinning was to cover themselves and hide. They moved to conceal themselves. This is what shame does. We hide ourselves. We even try to hide from God - which of course is impossible!

The opening address of morning and evening prayer in the Book of Common Prayer speaks to this very human temptation;

“Dearly beloved bretheren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness, and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father but confess them with a humble, lowly, penitent and obedient heart...”

Shame exists because sin exists. Every generation since Eden has looked for ways to hide, to conceal, for fear of exposure, or judgement or ridicule.

Some people try to hide their sin and brokeness, others deny they have any, while others wear them like a medal, all of these behaviours are rooted in shame.

The only way we can be free from shame is if we are set free from sin. And this is what Jesus came to do at the cross, this is what he has accomplished for all those who believe in Him.

But so that we might know also that we are also freed from the curse of shame - He reversed what happened in Eden.

Adam and Eve clothed themselves, yet Christ was stripped naked, Adam and Eve hid themselves, Christ was exposed before the eyes of the world, Adam and Eve attempted to run from judgement, Christ willingly took our judgement upon Himself.

Christ is a saviour from sin, He is also a saviour from shame.

When you are sat in a place of shame, concealing something, hiding it , it is like a prison. The only type of person who we can let into our shame is someone who is safe, someone who understands, someone who is compassionate, someone who can identify with us and say ‘it’s ok, I see it all and I understand, and I love you.’

Jesus is that person. He alone can fully identify with us and deliver us from sin and from shame, since He took both for you on the cross. Jesus is not only your God, not only your saviour, not only your Lord but He is your friend.

CS Lewis quote - FRIENDSHIP is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE."

So at the cross, Christ has come towards you in love, in kindness in compassion that you might be rid of your sin and be rid of your shame. There’s no need to dissemble or cloak yourself any more.

Matthew 11:27–30 ESV

27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”