The Cross - Where Justice and Love Intersect
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Today, the Christian world observes Good Friday. We are commemorating the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.
There are many ways that people remember Jesus’ death on the cross . There is the crucifix an image of Jesus still hanging on the cross. Many hang this image on necklaces around their necks.
We have to remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus with understanding. Why did Jesus have to die not just a quick death but also had to endure prolonged suffering.
You see on the cross, the justice and love of God intersect.
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
As Jesus, the Lamb of God struggled in those final moments on the cross, the four gospel writers recorded what would be called the seven last words of Jesus. These sayings were so short and we would understand why. He was beaten almost to death, he was dehydrated, He was tired and weak and He was in agonizing pain. His whole body wait was hanging on the two nails in His hands, and to breathe he had to push up against the spike on His feet, and in those brief moments He had to get enough breath into His diaphragm to say something.
In these short opportunities for Him to say some words, Jesus did not cry for help, Jesus did not shout in anger or judgement against His enemies who served Him this injustice, a torturous death that He did not deserve. But rather, He forgave His enemies, He forgave a thief, He ensured the welfare of His mother and he talked to the Father. The only time that he said something about His physical condition was when He said “I thirst”.
We see the tremendous love of Jesus. In the middle of tremendous suffering, He was saying all these divine words, and the very reason He suffered in the first place is that love for us!
Then He said when He was close to dying. It is finished!
In these words we see the justice of God.
In these words we see the justice of God.
The word in the Greek is Tetelestai. The word tetelestai was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to indicate that a bill had been paid in full.
Since God is a Holy God, He would not wink at our sins and look the other way. Our sins had to be punished and dealt with, they have to be paid for. So in pouring His wrath on the sins of the whole world on His Son Jesus. God’s justice was satisfied. The debt that we owe, that we can never pay has been paid in full.
There is no greater debt ever known to mankind that was paid by someone. In these times of economic crisis with the Coronavirus, the Government is working with banks to give borrowers some reprieve in their loan payments but these debts are not really forgiven they will still be paid after this crisis is over.
Such is the justice of God, that that the debt of our sins need to be paid, but at the same time such is the love of God that the debt has been forgiven, paid in full - Tetelestai by His Son Jesus. Hallelujah!
The gospel of Matthew tells us that when JEsus died the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom. That veil separated the Holy of Holies, where the Jews believed was the earthly dwelling place of God and the rest of the temple. That veil according to tradition was 4 inches thick. So when that veil was torn from top to bottom, signifying it was not done by human hands.. mankind can now have direct and free access to the throne room of God.
The love and Justice of God intersect at the cross of Jesus.
We saw God’s Justice now we see love displayed in the highest form at the cross.
We see the supreme love between Father and Son.
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
In that moment of separation, Jesus was separated from the Father, the Father had to look away as the sins of the whole world had been poured on Jesus. The degree of hurt by which You suffer through a separation from someone is directly proportional to the degree of the love that you share with that person. Imagine then the magnitude of the suffering of Jesus’ heart at that time.
Luke
The infinite bond of love between Father and Son.
But again we also see love of the Father to the world, that He chose to look away from His Son so that He can save the rest of us.
Jesus was separated from the Father. So that we will not be separated but rather joined with the Father.
The love of Jesus towards man was also in display.
“My God My God, Why have You forsaken Me”?
Jesus cried My God, My God why have You forsaken Me. This saying is not just a cry from Jesus’ heart.
Jesus could also be praying over scripture because this is the first verse of . You know the rest of talks about the very event that was happening that very moment.
verses 7-8 talk about Him being mocked.
6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
Verse 11-13 talk about his friends who abandoned Him and the enemies around Him.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
Psalm 22:11-
vv 14-15 Talk about his physical agony.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
verse 16 is the prophecy of the crucifixion itself, not yet invented when this Psalm was written and of the Roman soldiers gambling for his only piece of garment.
16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
Psalm 22:
Such is the suffering that Jesus took unto Himself because of His tremendous love for you and for Me.
- Jesus prayed through this Psalm.
It is only speculation, but if Jesus had enough air to take into His diagram. Maybe He would have recited this whole Psalm so everyone around Him would realize, what you are witnessing was written about Me! This is the fulfillment of prophecy of the Messiah suffering.
As a Jewish Rabbi, I am sure that Jesus had this whole sum memorized. And if his enemies who knew the Psalms were not so blinded in their sins, they would have known that Jesus was pointing them to this Psalm.
Could it be that even in agony, near death, Jesus was even reaching out to His enemies and pointing them to Himself as the fulfillment of prophecy.
Such is the love of Jesus.
In our times, as the world witnesses the scourge of the coronavirus, people suffering and dying from this virus. People struggling because of lost jobs and income for businesses. Medical workers, folks on the frontlines tirelessly working, emotionally, mentally and physically drained.
John 19:28
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”
The last thing that scoffers want to hear are the words: “God is in control. He is in charge.”
They ask how can a loving God if He truly exists, allow this crisis to happen? Why?
Then they ask: “How can God bear all this suffering in the world?”
The answer to that question is found in the question itself: “How can God bear all this suffering in the world?”
the answer is: He did. God did bear all the suffering of the world - on the cross of suffering of Jesus.
God’s Holy Justice was carried out when Jesus through His perfect atoning sacrifice paid the penalty for our sins. He took all the beatings, the insults, the torture, suffering for hours on the cross and a horrible death.
All because of the love of the Father and of the Son for all of mankind.
Jesus suffered the worst form of suffering so that we won’t have to.
And with all the suffering around COVID-19, Jesus WHo suffered for the forgiveness of our sins and our healing is a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.
Jesus’ is suffering with those Who are suffering.
Such is the love that we see on the cross.
There is a promise, if your sins are paid in full because you accept Jesus’ suffering and death as the only way that You can be joined to the Father. Someday you will be with the Father in glory, free from all the suffering in the world.
There is a promise, if your sins are paid in full because you accept Jesus’ suffering and death as the only way that You can be joined to the Father. Someday you will be with the Father in glory, free from all the suffering in the world.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
On the cross of Jesus, God’s love and God’s justice intersect.
If You have not given your life to Jesus. Now is the time to do so..
At this time, let’s thank Our God for His awesome love for us.
Father, thank You for Your great love in sending Your Son to die for us
