Good Friday Meditation

We’ve heard from the women, the soldiers and the disciples as they walked passed the cross. As they witnessed something profound wretched - the death, the crucifixion of the only perfect and good man to have lived. This man - Jesus Christ is God. And he came to take away the sins of the world.

And he endured much. We heard the women’s cries. He felt the sting and rip of the whip upon his back as the crowd jeered and shouted. The soldiers mocked him, the high priests called God-in-Flesh a blasphemer. And he was hung on the cross between two criminals - the only innocent man to ever live, perfect, filled with the Spirit. Pierced, struck, bled, and killed.

We call today Good Friday - and it is. But for those who lived that day, those who were around the cross - it was terrible and shocking, and still unbelievable magnificent and good.

For Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures.

And that is good news!

Christ was not surprised that he was to die. He was telling his followers from early on in his ministry that this was going to happen.

But it was shocking to those around him. They envisioned salvation meaning a physical salvation - routing of the Romans. And Christ as our King.

Jesus instead introduced himself as the suffering servant in Isaiah 53: a lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.

You see Jesus didn’t come to rescue them from the Romans - but from evil. From sin. He came to redeem us and to welcome us back into his presence.

You see the oppression humans were under didn’t begin with Rome. Nor was it the Greeks, or the Assyrians, or Persians, or Babylonians - not ultimately. The offense happened way back in the beginning.

God made all of creation, and put Adam and Eve as his representatives, his image bearers in the Garden. Garden was almost like a temple - a place where God met with Adam and Eve. - and they were to tend to the Garden, then to subdue the earth, fill the earth and multiply. They were to spread the Garden - the place where the presence of God touched earth to the whole earth.

They were able to work WITH GOD - and they were sustained by the trees and the presence and wisdom of God. But instead of listening to God - they rebelled, listening to the serpent, eating from a forbidden tree. Sin entered the world - and they were subject to death, and kicked out of the garden and the presence of God.

God is infinitely good, pure, holy, righteous. In him is life and light - and humanity decided to forsake that life and light in order to play God themselves - and sin and calamity followed. Isolation came. And iniquity was upon them.

That made humanity guilty - and due to sin children under wrath.

We don’t like talking about the wrath of God. We love justice against our enemies - but not justice against our own wrongdoings.

And we can be good at coming up with excuses - trying every which way to work around our guilt and sin. But sin’s stain has run deep. Making our hearts stone.

Some of us in our sin turn to shame - hiding our faces. some of us turn to anger. Others grief. Some others work to try and make something great of themselves - as if they could just offer enough, perhaps that would atone for our wrong doing.

So it’s no wonder that people didn’t know what to do with Christ as he died. It was defeating certain expectations some had. It was deeply upsetting to others - who didn’t feel they needed a savior. IT was just confusing to others.

But the signs that accompanied his crucifixion… this wasn’t just an unfortunate punishment of an innocent man. This was a willing sacrifice of God on behalf of those he loves. The sun darkened, the earth shook, creation groaned as it sensed that the price for sin has been paid.

Jesus cried out to the father, for those who were slaying him: “Forgive them lord they know not what they do.”

What great love is this? That while enduring excruciating pain, Jesus Christ would pray for forgiveness?

You see we focus so much on our own reaction to the cross - and that’s of some benefit. We ought to reflect on our sin, and repent, and we ought to consider and worship this God who would not leave us in the pit.

But It’s important to remember, that the romans didn’t kill Jesus. It wasn’t that the disciples abandoned him that made it so Jesus had to die.

It wasn’t that Jesus was powerless after being scourged and whipped. He wasn’t held on the cross by his nails - as if nails could hold the wisdom of God on a cross!

He remained because of his love for us - and for his glory.

His plan since the beginning, was to reconcile us to himself, redeem us, and give us his Holy Spirit, so that we can partner with him to preach reconciliation to the world.

He was able to forgive the soldiers who pierced him, because he loved them. He wasn’t surprised by their sin.

This day is good, its not to induce shame. It’s a reminder of the great great love of Christ - and to wake us up to his presence and love.

Because it also can’t be nothing. Sometimes we grow desensitized to the great love and sacrifice of God. So we take this day to stare at the cross, remembering the great love of God that he poured out for us.

All who call on the name of the Lord can be saved.

For we were once children under wrath - but God who is RICH in mercy BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE that he had for us - made us alive with Christ, even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace.

Some of us have listened to the lies of the enemy in the crucifixion narrative, and we have come to believe that Christ went to the cross for us begrudgingly. That God really despises us, and if it weren’t for Christ’s death, he would be glad to smite us.

Consider the apostle Peter. Peter the bold, and the leader of the 12. who when Judas and the temple guards came to arrest Jesus drew a sword to defend Christ. He wanted to prove how serious his affection and allegiance was to Christ.

And yet, Jesus had told PEter that before morning, he would deny Jesus three times before morning came, before the rooster crowed.

Peter was indignant.

And yet as the night went on - and Jesus was in trouble - and the disciples scattered, Peter got nervous. What if he was next for the cross? What if they found out that he was one of the followers?

He’s asked by a servant if he knows Jesus - and he denies the lord.

He’s asked a second time if he’s a follower of Christ - and he denies knowing the Lord.

The temperature increases, the trial of Christ progresses, and he’s asked a third time. and he said as recorded in the book of Luke

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” and immediately while he was sitll speaking, a rooster crowed. Then the lord turned and looked at Peter.

Pause there. Jesus had called it right - Peter was going to reject him thrice on the night he was betrayed. Peter denied it - and his fickle heart compromised. CAn you imagine the shame? The guilt? And he looks up and him and Jesus, the man he has spent years traveling with, and worshipping - and they make eye contact.

What do you think Christ’s face looked like to Peter? Was he angry at Peter?

For you - in our lives - we go about our days, and we sin in all sorts of ways. Some of us carry addictions, or repeated offenses and sins. And we are covered in shame. And Satan lies to us that God is just appalled at your behavior. That he really despises you. And so we hide from God, we don’t want to feel his condemnation.

Friend - that’s not Jesus face. I don’t think Jesus was looking at Peter with dissapointment but with great compassion. Jesus came to die for Peter’s faithlessness, and as they are friends - I’m sure Jesus just wanted to run over and embrace Peter and tell him that it was going to be okay. That he’s forgiven. That God will pass over his sin and he will absorb the cross.

Like the famous blessing in Numbers 6:

“May the Lord bless you and protect you, may the lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.

God’s face towards us to compassion. It wasn’t the nails that held Christ there. It was his love and compassion.

Now Peter had no concept for this at the time - he runs out and weeps. And later would be restored.

He was expecting condemnation and shame. And found that there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

That while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

It’s his kindness that leads us to repentance.

Friend - do you know his grace? Do you know his love?

Do you know his forgiveness?

Tonight we remember that Christ offered himself as a sacrificial lamb to die in our place. For our sins according to the scripture.

Because his face is compassionate to us.

Do you know him?

What do you need to do to receive this grace? Believe on him. Call out to Christ to forgive and to save. We are saved by grace - a free gift of God - by faith - our trust in him.

Put your trust in him.

No more shame. No more condemnation. Christ forgive us. Have mercy on us.

And show us your love.

That is what this cross is.

So we invite you this evening to reflect on sin - but on how Christ defeated our sin.

And that as we walk by the cross - as we pass by - it’s no longer is shame, or condemnation, or guilt - but by faith - we pass by forgiven, and loved - and are welcomed to the table of the Lord.

*give instructions for communion.*