It Just Doesnt Seem Fair

It Just Doesn't Seem Fair

Theme:         It Just Isn't Fair

Goal:            That the hearer may be filled with thanks and praise and be moved to tell the Good News about Jesus.

Bonnie and I just can’t wait for our Firstborn grandchild to learn to talk. She is at the jabber stage right now, and I think she will be quite a talker. There are three words that firstborn infants usually learn first, (though, not necessarily in any particular order): Mom, Dad, and Mine! Those born after the first child learn Mom, Dad, and No fair! Our second son was absolutely right that it wasn't fair that his older brother got to do everything first, from using the chain saw to driving a car. It wasn't fair, but it's the way life works.

It is not fair that the God of the universe should become one of his own creatures. It is not fair that he should suffer in any way, let alone undeservedly. It is not the way life works! Everything we know about the way life works flies in the face of God's amazing love, grace, and mercy. Thank God.

1.       The inequities of Jesus' life begin with his birth and are only compounded through the events leading up to his death.

A.                           Open your hymnals to hymn 105. We want to examine stanzas 3, 6 & 7. Here, biblical doctrine is put into verse that sings the amazing exchange in the incarnation of Jesus. What is this exchange?

Verse 3: Divine power is veiled in the flesh and form of a servant. Indeed, the very Creator of heaven and Earth takes his place with his own creatures. God comes down to human flesh to raise human flesh up to its God.

Verse 6: The wondrous change he makes is what he brings to all sinful humanity, even though concealed. To make the sinful man righteous he exchanges His majesty for the lowly.

Verse 7: He does this for no other reason that you and I might be lord. The exchange is actually a restoration to the status Adam and Eve enjoyed before the fall into sin.

These wonderful words of biblical doctrine and grace would mean nothing at all if it did not emanate from the Creator God Himself. This is the beauty and value of good hymnody. But there are some who still like the more contemporary “Praise types of Christian Song.” God be praised, that we should honor him with songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. Instead, we give him what is only humanly possible.

B. During his life on earth, Jesus is described as experiencing fatigue, hunger, thirst, physical pain, emotional grief, and all the things he does not experience in the rest of eternity. This is what we contribute to him. Only the most crass sanctimonious ass would think they have anything better to offer to God from their own flesh and blood. It just doesn’t seem fair, does it? It just doesn’t seem fair that we cannot add some element of good to God. But, consider how utterly arrogant such thinking is to the Righteous One.

C.       At the time of his trial, Jesus' obedience to death includes being subject to a barrage of false charges, innuendo, belittlement, vilifi­cation, mockery, physical savagery, and the humiliation of being stripped naked. That’s what we give him. That’s all we have.

Oh sure, we all sing our hosannas, without even realizing that the word that means “Save Now” is a word given for our benefit, not his. It just doesn’t seem fair that there is nothing at all that we can bring to him that is not tainted in blood and death. But, that’s all we have to give. And for this reason God became flesh and dwelt among us.

D. That God should die at the hands of sinners is incomprehensible. That he should die undeservedly is inexcus­able. That he should die in an accursed manner is indefensible. Yet, it is all according to God’s own predetermined plan to save sinners. Listen to the curse stated in Deuteronomy 21:22-23: 22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. Now, listen very carefully to Galatians 3:13: 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

          You see, the obedience Jesus renders to the heavenly Father is so much more than simply doing what one is told. His obedience literally brings the divine under His own judgment for sins he did not commit, to free sinners from their slavery to sin and death. Romans 8:3-4 says it this way: 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us…. It just doesn’t seem fair, does it? Thank God.

2.       When God exalted Jesus at his resurrection, He vindi­cated him! And, He gave us a most precious gift.

A.       In the resurrection the Father shows that Jesus was righteous and just. By his active and passive obedience, Jesus kept the Law of God perfectly, every jot and tittle of it. Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17. Now who do you suppose benefits from that fulfillment? Is it God, or man? Please say that it is man, even the sinner, who benefits. Please believe it.

B.       Now is the day of grace upon grace. Now is the day to thank God for what He has done and is still doing, for us sinners. Now is the time to learn of Him. Now is the time to trust.  And why is now the time?

C.       God has already made it true that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. That means, it will happen, either before we die or after. It will happen before Christ comes again or when he does, but it will happen. And when it does, some will bow in respect, honor, love, praise, and trust, others in dire fear. Although God wants no one to be outside of his love, mercy, and forgiveness, although He wants no one to bow only in terror, many will. And that only because they refuse to believe the truth.

Conclusion:  Every bit of Jesus' life, His birth, suffering, and death confronts our sense of fair play, right, and justice. It just isn't fair! At the same time, none of that is as mind-boggling as why he did it. The most difficult and yet most important thing to comprehend is the intimate connection between these two phrases: “It just isn't fair" and "He did it all for me."

It just isn't fair that an innocent Jesus should be found guilty. It just isn't fair that he should be punished like a common criminal. It just isn't fair that he should be ridiculed, tortured, and mocked. It just isn't fair that he should die cursed. No, it wasn't fair that he should have given up all his divine rights, possessions, and powers to become a human being in the first place. It isn't fair that it all happened to him instead of to you and me. But Lord, God Almighty, I thank you!

Now, “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”