Holy Thursday Reflection on the Cross

Homily

How is it that the crucifixion of a Jewish rabbi named Jesus of Nazareth nearly 2,000 years ago continues to inspire and challenge people globally, including those of us living in 21st century America?

The Romans crucified thousands of men, including Jewish men — rabbis and religious leaders — throughout the centuries. We know not their names nor their stories. We do not draw inspiration from their deaths. We do not reflect on what their suffering means for us, because their deaths mean nothing to us — they change nothing for us.

So why Jesus?

How is Jesus’s crucifixion and death different?

What happened on the cross of Christ that actually changes things for us today?

To answer this question, we need to go back even further — to the prophetic words of Isaiah, who wrote nearly 500 years before the birth of Jesus.

We read this passage earlier, but I want to focus and reflect on just two verses quickly tonight to help you see and understand why the cross of Jesus is not just an historical event. The cross of Jesus is a place of cosmic significance for you and for me.

Isaiah 53:5–6 (ESV) [on screens throughout homily / communion]

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

To understand the cross’s significance for you tonight, we need to see three things which we find in these verses:

1. Sin of Man

First we see that there is a problem of sin.

“Sin” = Missing the mark, as in archery — not hitting the bullseye.

The Bible describes mankind as having a “sin nature,” meaning that at the core of our being — in our hearts — we are sinful — we miss the mark of what it means to be human: worshiping God by obeying Him and reflecting His character with our lives.

So sin starts as a problem of the heart.

Second, we see that sin leads to law-breaking.

“Transgressions” = Breaking God’s moral law

Sins of commission = doing what you know you’re not supposed to do

Sins of omission = not doing what you know you’re supposed to do

Same idea as “trespasses”

Our sinful hearts prevent us from worshiping God by obeying Him and reflecting His character with our lives.

They then lead us to actively break the law of God as revealed in His Word, the Bible.

Third, our sinful behaviors make us guilty.

“Iniquity” = legal term, a sentence of guilt carried by someone who has broken the law and been charged guilty

In the divine courtroom, God sees our law-breaking, and calls us guilty as charged

So to summarize: Here in two verses, we see that we have sinful hearts that lead us to break God’s law and incur guilt.

We also see that, if the servant’s suffering brings “peace” then currently we can be described as being at war.

If the servant’s wounds bring “healing” then currently we are sick.

If “we are like sheep gone astray” then currently we are lost.

We see clearly the sin of man, which leads us to see, secondly, the justice of God.

2. Justice of God

Our sinful hearts lead to lawbreaking, which leads to guilt which requires punishment.

“Chastisement” = punishment as a result of guilt

There is divine punishment that is required. God must punish those who break his moral law, who fail to love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love their neighbor as themself.

Why?

God is holy.

God is morally spotless in character and action, upright, pure, and untainted with evil desires, motives, thoughts, words, or acts. God is holy, and as such is the source and standard of what is right. (Evangelical Dictionary of Theology)

God is just.

God is just, meaning he judges in accordance with His holy, righteous character.

It is impossible for God to look at a sinful act and call it “good” or sweep it under the rug.

This leads us into a problem, because in our sinfulness...

We have dishonored His holiness.

We have despised His righteousness.

We have rejected His sovereignty.

Because of our sin, we deserve God’s wrath — an eternity separated from Him in a place the Bible calls Hell.

You’re probably thinking, “Man, do my shortcomings really demand God’s wrath? It’s not like I’m Hitler or Putin!”

ILLUSTRATION:

Let me explain it this way:

If you punch a wall, you’re not guilty.

If you punch your neighbor, you’re guilty and you may be charged with assault.

If you punch the President, you’re guilty of a federal crime and you’re going to prison for a long time.

The same action - punching - vastly different consequences.

Why?

It’s not just the severity of your sin which determines the consequences of it — it’s also the significance of the person sinned against.

**If you sin against an infinitely Holy God, you are infinitely guilty.

So to summarize again: We all - you, me, your mom, everyone who has ever lived — have sinful hearts, which lead us to break God’s law, making us guilty at a cosmic level, such that we deserve God’s wrath as punishment.

This is a precarious situation to find yourself in.

3. Love of God

God is not only a God of justice. He is also a God of love.

Isaiah foretold a suffering servant who would come, and although He would be perfectly righteous, would suffer in the place of the guilty.

So Jesus became our substitute:

Accused of law-breaking, even though the wrongdoing was ours.

Charged as guilty, even though the guilt was ours.

Punished with the most extreme punishment available - crucifixion.

**And this is why Jesus’s crucifixion is different from any other in the history of the world.

When Jesus died on the cross, he took not his own guilt, but ours.

He suffered in our place, on our behalf.

More than that, he absorbed the wrath of God towards us and our sin in His body.

Why do you think, on that Thursday night 2,000 years ago, Jesus was sweating blood while praying in the Garden?

We hear of other martyrs through history who have gone to their deaths with much more valiance and courage, some singing as they were burned alive or praying forgiveness for their enemies as they were skinned alive.

Were they stronger in the face of persecution than Jesus?

No — the cross is not what made Jesus sweat blood. It was the wrath of God.

“Remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will be done, but yours.” Jesus prayed.

The cup - foretold by the prophets for generations - the cup of the wrath of God.

The cup which had continued to be filled to the brim because of humanity’s sin, past, present, and future.

Jesus, on the cross, in his death, drank it to the dregs.

If you want to see how much God hates sin, look at the cross.

Look at its brutality. Look at how much he suffered. Look at the effect of just the thought of the wrath of God affected Jesus emotionally and spiritually. Look at what our sin cost Him!

But if you want to see how much God loves sinners, look at the cross.

Look at Jesus, the Suffering Servant, willfully going to that place for us. On his own accord, going to suffer in our place, so that we would be free.

Isaiah 53:5–6 (ESV)

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

**Now, how does this practically change your life?

By faith in what Jesus did for you - recognizing that you cannot pay for your sins yourself — God charges your guilt to the cross. Christ pays it in full for you. You are free, you are forgiven! You are healed by his wounds. You are given peace. You can trust that when you confess to Him your sins, they are already forgiven.

Without faith in Jesus and His work on the cross, you are still under the weight of sin. Guilty. Sick. Lost.

Tonight, whether for the first time or the thousandth time, look at the cross. Bring him your sins, and take on His righteousness, and find peace.

Response: Communion, Cards on Nails

Set up Communion...

That Thursday night when Jesus was betrayed, he gathered with his disciples to celebrate Passover.

The Passover celebrated when God rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt. It harkened back to one of the first times a substitute stepped in, spilling its blood to save the people from the wrath of God.

A lamb was sacrificed in that time, and its blood was painted on the door posts of the people of Israel, so that God in His wrath would “pass over” them.

Jesus, on the where all Israel remembered this event, gathered his disciples for dinner.

There, he took bread, broke it, and said it was like His body that would be broken for them.

Then, he took the cup, blessed it, and said it would be like His blood, which would be poured out for the salvation of many.

A new exodus, freedom from slavery to sin and the Evil one, was coming.

Tonight, we gather to take communion - the bread and the cup - to look back on this new exodus — the salvation Jesus has earned for us through the cross.

As we remember what Jesus did for us on the cross through taking communion, we also have the opportunity to once again bring our sins to Him by taking the red cards you wrote on earlier and seeing them on the cross.

Instructions...

An usher will release one section at a time.

When you get to the station nearest you, you will see someone holding a nail. Place your card with your sins face down on the nail.

Then get the communion elements and take them back to your seat.

Pray or reflect silently, then I will return to lead us through taking communion.

Ushers — you can begin releasing sections.