29

March

+ In the Name of Jesus +
John 18—19
Good Friday: Service of Darkness
March 29, 2024

  1. You have just heard the entire passion history as recorded by John. Who was in charge? Scholars tell us John’s “detachment of soldiers” was probably a Roman cohort—which could be up to 600 soldiers. Matthew, Mark and Luke all call the group a crowd. What were they expecting when they arrested Jesus? Were they expecting people from the Palm Sunday Hosanna crowd, surrounding Jesus to protect him? Or were they expecting Jesus to do something? …to perform some miracle to push them back or to escape? Jesus did indeed display that kind of power. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth” they replied. And then Jesus knocked them over with a word. “I am he.” I remember hearing this read when I was a child, thinking, “Jesus, you just knocked them over. Get out of there. Step over them all and run away.”  Instead, Jesus replays the scene. “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “If you are looking for me, let these men go.” Who is in charge here? The officials from the chief priests and Pharisees? The detachment of soldiers with torches, lanterns and weapons? No. Jesus is in charge. He is calm, commanding, and ready.
  2. Peter wants to be important. He thinks Jesus needs help, so he swings his sword and hits some poor man in the ear. What does Jesus do? He tells Peter to stop, put away the sword, and then Jesus heals the man’s ear with a touch. Who’s in charge? Who is coming to the rescue? It is Jesus—the one who is being arrested—the one who is being taken away.
  3. Then we go from one Jewish courtroom to another, and when Jesus speaks, it is with calm—with majesty.  “I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues or at the temple. I said nothing in secret.” Then he is handed over to Pontius Pilate—and here we see Jesus speaking royally, divinely. Pilate asks, ““Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” What does this mean? Pilate asks, “Don’t you know I have power over you?” and Jesus responds, “Don’t you know I have power over you? You are here because I want you to be here.” Who is really in charge here? – “Yet cheerful he to suffering goes / that he his foes from death might free.” “A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth.” Even on the cross he speaks as the king of heaven when he tell the thief, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
  4. Who’s in charge here? There is a Lutheran emphasis in theology called “The Theology of the Cross.” It’s the idea that when Christians suffer—when we bear the cross—God can still be carrying out his work for good. He’s still in charge, even when it doesn’t appear that way. And on Good Friday we see that at its height—the Son of God is suffering and dying. How can this be God’s plan? How can God be in charge when this happens? He was. This was the plan—for his Son to be the Lamb of God, redeeming the world through his suffering.
  5. So what is your frustration, your loss, the thing that makes you cry, worry, scream? God is in charge. When you pray “Deliver us from evil” he hears, and then uses the hardship for good, or uses the hardship to teach you—sometimes it’s a lesson in your own weakness. Sometimes it’s a lesson to you about how you need him. Sometimes it’s a lesson to teach you that you aren’t as smart as you thought—or that you’re lacking in one area—perhaps lacking in love, and that you really need to grow in it. Sometimes it’s a lesson that you aren’t a Messiah. You aren’t your own Savior or anyone else’s. You learn your own weakness, your own failure. Ouch! Who’s in charge here? God is. He always has been. He was on that Good Friday—and everything unfolded according to plan. Good Friday was followed by Easter. When the mission was accomplished, the power of Jesus that was hidden on the cross, burst the tomb open and shook the gates of hell. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves by about three days aren’t we.
  6. Jesus, truly divine and truly human, is in charge. He was in charge as he went to the cross. He is the Savior. And he willingly endured all this to save you. To call you his own. Whatever you’re going through now—he’s in charge. The cross you bear now—he bore a heavier one. He’ll bear yours with you. And when the mission is accomplished, he’ll lift it. He has already carried all your sin. He’ll carry you, too.

Amen.