Love That Cannot Be Silenced

The Cross and the Cost of Love  

Tonight, we stand at the foot of the cross, not as passive observers, but as those invited to see Jesus for who he truly is: not a sacrifice demanded by God, not a pawn in some divine transaction, but the fullest revelation of God’s love in the world. A love so unwavering, so radically open, that it threatened the very foundations of power. A love that led to his death, not because God willed it, but because those in power refused to relinquish control.

The Unraveling: Love in the Face of Betrayal 

Jesus’ journey to the cross did not begin at Golgotha. It began in the upper room, where he knelt before his friends, washing their feet, including the feet of Judas. It began with bread broken and a new covenant of love offered. John 13:21-27 tells us that Jesus, troubled in spirit, announced his betrayal even as he extended the hand of friendship.

And yet, Judas, enticed by power and influence, stepped into the darkness. The religious leaders had long sought to silence Jesus. His message of God’s all-embracing love challenged their systems of control. His refusal to conform to their narrow view of righteousness undermined their authority. Judas’ betrayal was merely the final push they needed.

The Garden: Love That Surrenders, Not Submits  

In Gethsemane, we see Jesus’ full humanity, his grief, his agony, his deep wrestling with what lay ahead. Luke 22:39-46 shows us a Savior who does not rush to the cross without hesitation but one who fully experiences fear and sorrow. Yet, even in his anguish, he remains relationally connected to God: “Not my will, but yours be done.”

Friends, this is not submission to a divine plan of suffering but a surrender to love, to trusting that love is worth the cost, even when it leads to pain. Here, we see the depth of Jesus’ faith. Even when faced with betrayal and violence, he chooses love over fear.

The Arrest and Trial: Love That Stands in Truth  

As the soldiers arrive, Jesus refuses to meet violence with violence. Luke 22:47-53 shows us that even as he is taken, he acknowledges the corruption of power at work: “This is your moment, when the power of darkness reigns.”

Before Pilate in John 18:28-38, Jesus does not beg for his life or attempt to justify himself. He simply speaks truth: “My kingdom is not from this world.” His kingdom, one built on love, justice, and mercy, was a direct threat to the empire’s rule of oppression. The religious leaders and Roman officials alike recognized this threat. And so, rather than let love transform them, they sought to destroy it.

The Cross: Love That Remains  

Even in his final moments, Jesus embodies God’s relentless love. John 19:25-27 shows us that, from the cross, he sees his mother and the beloved disciple, ensuring they are cared for. Love remains his priority, even in suffering.

And yet, we must acknowledge the weight of this moment. The cross, again, was not an act of divine wrath but a testament to human resistance to love. Jesus did not die because God demanded it—he died because the world could not tolerate a love so bold, so boundary-breaking, so radically open.

Where Love Meets Resistance Today 

This story is not just an ancient one. Even today, systems of power resist love and justice when they threaten the status quo. We see it in communities where the poor are ignored, where racial injustice persists, where voices calling for change are silenced. We see it in the ways love is dismissed when it disrupts comfort and convenience.

But the cross reminds us: love cannot be silenced. Jesus’ unwavering trust in God, his relentless commitment to love, and his refusal to retaliate with hatred reveal what true divine power looks like. And it invites us to embody that same love, even when it costs us something.

Lift High the Cross, Walk in the Garden 

Siblings of God, Good Friday is not the end of the story. The love that led Jesus to the cross is the same love that will rise again. As we listened to “Lift High the Cross,” we do so not in triumph over others but in defiance of the forces that try to extinguish love. And as we reflect on “In the Garden,” we remember that even in moments of deepest sorrow, Christ walks with us. Amen.