What kind of will is that? A Good Friday Sermon

Good Friday 

                Have you ever watched a movie for the second or third time hoping it will end differently?  Hoping that the good guy will actually survive or win only to see the movie end the same way every time?  This is kind of like how I feel on Good Friday.  When I remember these events that took place some two thousand years ago in Jerusalem, a part of me hopes for a different ending.  Maybe Jesus doesn’t have to die. 

Maybe Judas will have a change of heart.  Won’t Judas change his mind and decide not to betray Jesus?  But that doesn’t happen.  Judas brings a detachment of soldiers with the police, chief priests, and Pharisees.  They came with lanterns and torches and weapons.  They came to take Jesus away and sentence him to death.  Judas betrays the trust of Jesus and his friends.

Maybe Peter will remember Jesus’ prediction of the cock crowing three times and change his mind.  Won’t Peter wise up and boldly proclaim Christ as Lord as he did so passionate before?  But that doesn’t happen.  Peter denies Christ three times.  Peter thinks only of himself.

Maybe Pilate will show mercy and compassion.  Doesn’t Pilate see that the Jews have a weak case against Jesus?  But that doesn’t happen either.  Pilate washes his hands clean of any responsibility and hands Jesus over to death.  Pilate surrenders his integrity for popularity’s sake.     

But wait, maybe the angry mob will realize that they are out of control.  Won’t they see that Barabbas is the person who is really deserving of death?  But that doesn’t happen.  They shout even louder—Crucify him!  Crucify him!  The crowd wants a good show; they came to Jerusalem to be entertained.

Jesus is betrayed, denied, flogged, mocked, sentenced to death, and hung on a cross to die.  Jesus’ mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary wife of Clopas, and Jesus’ beloved disciple grieve at the foot of the cross.  Surely these people hoped the ending wouldn’t happen this way either.  But it happens the same way every time.  Jesus dies on the cross.  It is finished.  All these things took place in order to fulfill scripture.  Jesus said, “Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”  Jesus’ death on the hard wood of the cross is God’s will in order that all may come within the reach of his saving embrace.  What kind of will is that? 

I recently read about an old movie called Stars in My Crown.  The story takes place immediately after the Civil War.  The movie revolves around a preacher named Josiah who tries to tame an unruly town who is learning how to live in an era when African Americans could own land.  The plot thickens when some white business owners try to buy some land in order to expand their mining industry. 

In order to reach their goal, they need to convince a free slave named Uncle Famous Prill to sell his property.  Uncle Famous tells them no, that he has nowhere else to go.  The town threatens Uncle Famous until finally they give him an ultimatum—sell the land or else.  This newly freed slave doesn’t budge.  Pastor Josiah knows things will get ugly.  He knows something has to be done, but he swears not to resort to violence.  Later that evening, Josiah and his sons go to Uncle’s house.  When the lynch mob arrives armed and ready to kill Uncle Famous, Josiah says, “before you do anything I am going to read Uncle Famous’ last will and testament.” 

Josiah stands on the front porch and reads Uncle Famous’ last will and testament.  Each person in the mob hears their name read aloud:  to one Uncle’s fishing rod, to another Uncle’s rifle, and finally to another Uncle’s land.  Slowly all the men walk away.  They realize their transgressions and their hearts are changed due to this act of charity.  One of Josiah’s sons looks at the blank sheet of paper and asks, “What kind of will is that?”  The preacher man replies, “It is the will of God.”

On the cross, Jesus looks at Judas and Peter and Pilate and the Crowd.  Jesus looks at you and me and grants us life in his death.  On the cross, Jesus empties himself out of everything he has so that we might live in the household of God forever.  To put things plainly, the crucified Jesus grants life to his crucifiers.  When we see and understand all that has taken place, do we not see that we are all complicit in the death of Jesus?  And do our hearts not change? 

When we see and understand what God is doing in Jesus, how can we not become more loving, more generous, more compassionate, and more forgiving?   On the cross, God’s only Son Jesus Christ gives us the power to become children of God and as children of God we have the power to change the world through acts of compassion, generosity, charity, and mercy.   When see and understand the good news of God in Christ, how can we not respond like the centurion? — and say, truly this man was God’s son. 

When we accept that the story has to end this way, only then can our hearts change.  Jesus had to die in order for us to realize our need for Christ.  If Jesus didn’t die, I am not sure we would have the grace to acknowledge our fault.  I believe we would continue betray the very one who wishes to give us life, we would continue to make excuses for our actions and shift the blame to someone else, we would continue to thank God that we aren’t like all those other sinners, we would continue to be blind and live only for ourselves. 

When we look at the cross, the need to repent is made clear in the wounds of our crucified Lord.  When we look at the cross, only then do we realize that the will of God in Christ is the only thing that has the power to change us and make us whole again.  Jesus takes on the ending that belongs to us which is death and gives us the ending that belongs to him which life.  What kind of will is that?  It is the will of God.  Amen.