Good Friday 2019

+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.

Text: John 19:15
Theme: “Crucify Him!”

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

Crucifixions were repulsive. All victims were stripped of their dignity. Such scenes were not unfamiliar to Roman citizens. They were meant to deter lawlessness. They were meant to break the will of anyone opposed to Caesar’s rule. In this regard, they were effective. The crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was different. But who knew that at the time? Hindsight gives us the benefit of thoroughly considered reflection. Most importantly, we have the insight of the Holy Spirit. God was not simply there at the scene; He was on the cross!

To human eyes He seemed so be a pretty weak and puny God. There He was, hanging helplessly, derelict on the tree- defeated. The culture of the day honoured Mars, the mythological Roman god of war. He showed no weakness or pity. He exercised brutality over his enemies. He would never be put to public shame or suffer humiliation. But here now is Jesus, an itinerant prophet and worker of miracles who seems to have run out of luck. Had He used up His bag of tricks? The large crowds that had previously thronged about Him and praised His name, mostly turned against Him now. Expectations had been crushed. Hopes were dashed.

Yet there were clues that this was no ordinary crucifixion. An earthquake rattled the sight, the sun was eclipsed, the centurion on guard made an exceptional confession, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”1The universe convulsed. Its Creator was condemned to destruction. The death of God’s Son was real, and the victory of darkness seemed evident. For the followers of Jesus, the crucifixion seemed too horrifying to be true, an utter tragedy. For the minions of Satan, it seemed too good to be true, a dream that the ancient rebellion could still gain supremacy. If the Son of God failed, the Fall would be legitimized. Its permanence would be established. The exile of Adam and Eve from the garden paradise would be a preview of Satan’s ultimate victory. Paradise would never be restored. But on the third day the verdict was rendered. Death could not prevail.

Still, the time between His crucifixion and Easter morning must have seemed like an eternity to Jesus’ followers. If you tell a small child to wait three more days until something stressful or painful ends; or until something they are really looking forward to arrives, it means little to them. They can’t get easily past the moment. They can’t see beyond the here and now. Three days could seem like three minutes, or three years.
Spiritually we often suffer from the same myopic perspective. We can’t see God’s fulfilment. It’s not evident to us. We can’t bear His freedom to contravene time- either collapsing it or extending it. Even less easily do we tolerate His right to intervene in our affairs. So, we try to confine His actions to our parameters. We might concede to Him the role of a cosmic superintendent, but we expect that He will spare us from most traumas.

We presume He won’t let the good die young, or let bad things happen to those we consider to be innocent people. When they do, we question His justice and/or omnipotence. We struggle to trust unconditionally that He has our welfare in mind. So, we set about managing things our way; a way that safeguards our own interests first, a way that seems more practical to us. What do you think the disciples were planning to do on the evening of Good Friday? When our way comes into conflict with God’s commands and His will, our faith is put to the test.

The crucifixion obliterates the idea that we can domesticate God. And it gets us past the fallacy that we can contribute anything to our reconciliation with the Father. The crucifixion also intends to move us beyond the ‘suspended animation’ of being stuck here and now. We are future-orientated people. The crucifixion is the turning point of spiritual maturity for the believer according to what St. Paul says, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”2 The crucified Jesus is the Man in whom we mature. Hence the Scripture, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”3

He died, and so we are spared the penalty of eternal death. Still, our protestations are not easily laid to rest. Like Philip, we can’t easily see the Father in Jesus. Therefore, we fear putting all of our eggs into one basket. Ultimately, we fear crossing the threshold to the next life. Here the strong words of Jesus should ring so clearly in our ears that they penetrate our hearts. “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”4 That thought should be in your mind when you receive His body and blood.

Dear friends, you may know of a believer, or two, who died in the past couple of years? You may know one who will be celebrating their next Holy Week in heaven. It could be any of us, at any time. Good Friday reminds us that sin no longer separates the believer from God. The portal to eternity is opened. His life-giving sacrifice gives us complete confidence that God’s favour rests upon us. Even our deepest, darkest transgressions, along with the guilt and shame that attends them, have been washed away. Though we may feel like we have everything to hide, we can be transparent before Him. We can put all the cards on the table. There’s no need for bluffing. There’s nothing to be achieved by gambling with any spiritual currency we believe we possess. The Scripture says, “If while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.”5 It says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”6

When Christ said, “It is finished,”7 He meant the payment for your sins. He declared that though you are guilty, you are now presumed innocent. Divine presumption is as certain as the existence of the universe. When Jesus’ corpse is entombed, the guilt for our sins is laid to rest. It’s an image we should have clearly fixed in our minds. Sin does not have the power to condemn us. We have the Spirit. We are justified by grace, through faith, for Christ’s sake. Divine presumption is as certain as God Himself. All crucifixions were dehumanizing. Only this one redeemed humanity. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +

Good Friday
19 April 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Mark 15:39
2 1 Corinthians 13:11
3 Romans 6:3-4
4 Matthew 25:34
5 Romans 5:10
6 Romans 5:8
7 John 19:30