Tonight we're reading through what are called the seven last words of Christ, the seven recorded statements Jesus made while he was hanging on the cross.
As we slow down and we stand with Mary, Jesus' mother, and John, the disciple that Jesus loved, we get one more glimpse of our Lord who was and is and is to come.
Just hours before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed in sweat drops of blood in the garden of Gethsemane as his disciples slept.
At some point in the night, Judas came with a great crowd armed with swords and clubs to seize Jesus.
As they drew near, he asked them, Whom do you seek?
And they answered him, Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus said to them, I am he.
And immediately all those who had come to arrest him drew back and fell to the ground.
When they had finally taken hold of him, Peter, in an act of sheer desperation, took out his own sword and lunged at one of the men and struck off his ear.
And Jesus said to him, Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my father?
And he will at once send more than twelve legions of angels.
This is Jesus, the Son of God, Messiah, King of the Jews, who had in himself the power to stop what was about to happen, and who had at his disposal more than twelve legions of angels he could call to his aid.
Our Lord told his disciples, greater love is no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus was embarking on the greatest act of love that history has ever known on Good Friday.
He willingly went to the cross and laid down his life for his friends, for us.
But what do we see as Jesus hangs on the cross?
The same man that we have known throughout his ministry, one who serves, one who loves, one who forgives.
As the Roman soldiers are nailing him to the cross, he prays, Father, forgive them.
For they know not what they do.
You see, there is no distance between Jesus' teaching and his life.
In an age that longs for authenticity, Jesus stands alone.
We see him endure mockery and offer comfort to the two criminals crucified alongside him.
Here, not only do we get to see Jesus' compassion, but we also get to see one of the criminals express incredible faith.
In what way did he think that Jesus would usher in God's kingdom from the cross?
Here I hear echoes of Abraham's own faith when he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, the child of promise.
The author of the book of Hebrews tells us that Abraham must have believed that God was going to raise Isaac from the dead, because the Lord had not yet fulfilled his promise to make him into a great nation.
Somehow this criminal knew something about Jesus, enough about Jesus to believe that God would still bring his kingdom through Messiah, through this greater child of promise, even if it meant resurrection.
Beloved, the faith that honors God doesn't know how he will keep his promises, just that he will.
Mary was there with Jesus, watching her son die before her eyes.
In this moment, the words of Simeon the prophet were fulfilled.
Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed.
And a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
As Mary's soul is being pierced, Jesus is caring for her.
Jesus is providing for her.
Jesus is loving her.
And we see here Jesus' heart for all who suffer loss in this life.
He knows and meets us in our grief.
On the cross, Jesus shows us something astonishing.
Something to take note of today.
He shows us how to love and our losing.
There was never a point where Jesus failed to love.
And he loves us to the end.
And he shows us the way, the way to take up our cross and to follow him in love.
In the world that is still filled with so much evil and suffering, our Lord Jesus was not overcome with evil, but he overcame evil with good.
Finally, Jesus says, it is finished.
And he breathes his last.
He had accomplished all that he was sent to do.
Like a rag fully wrung dry, there was nothing left.
He was fully spent in love.
And then what happened?
A centurion, a Roman soldier, who had seen perhaps countless crucifixions.
After seeing Jesus' death on the cross, he says out loud, truly, this was the Son of God.
Even in his death, there is no denying who Jesus is.
Reflecting on Jesus' death, John Stott, the great theologian and pastor, said, What meaning can there be in a love which is not costly to the lover?
If love is self-giving, then it is inevitably vulnerable to pain, since it exposes itself to the possibility of rejection and insult.
Were God incapable of suffering, then he would also be incapable of love.
Whereas the one who is capable of love is also capable of suffering.
For he also opens himself to the suffering which is involved in love.
That is surely why Bonhoeffer wrote from prison to his friend, nine months before his execution, only the suffering God can help.
Beloved, tonight we worship the suffering God because he meets us in our suffering.
Contrary to what we often think, Good Friday is not meant to lead us into sadness, but rather to a profound sense of wonder and gratitude for a God who loves us enough to die.
And more than that, to rise for our blessing and benediction.
Beloved, may this Easter season be full of wonder and gratitude for all of us.
Amen.
Our Father and our God, we thank you.
We thank you for what you were willing to go through, for what you gave, and for what we have.
We love you.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.