Good Friday - April 10, 2020

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 Matthew 27: 32-43The men hanging on each side of Jesus were criminals, condemned to death because that is what the law required. As we look at them hanging there, part of us thinks that these felons got what they deserved…they were not up to par and broke the basic rules for living…but Jesus, Jesus is different…he was being executed for being above par for setting new rules for living…it is dangerous to be freed from the bindings of society that tell us who is good enough, who is wealthy enough, who is powerful enough…it is dangerous to be freed to love God and love each other and love ourselves…we pause beneath

these crosses and ponder the consequences of following this man…

Although the three crosses all looked the same, the men on each cross turned them into three different instruments upon which to die.

Look at the man on the right…the one who just said, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” He had no remorse and was selfish to the end. He spent his last hours alive hurling his anger and bitterness and blame onto anyone around, even Jesus. His anger blinded him to the hope that was hanging next to him and closed his heart to the mercy of Jesus and bound him more tightly to his cross of rebellion.
As we pause beneath his cross, we ponder the way we get tangled up in our anger, our resentments, our rebellion, our hate …what has our anger kept us from experiencing? Have we been too stubborn to let the grace of God free us? Are we too bound up in our sins to receive the mercy of Jesus?

Jesus has such a deep reverence for our freedom, our free will that he will not force his mercy upon us. Let those places in your heart that are in need of mercy be freed so that you recognize that Jesus’ words, “Father, forgive them…” include you…


Look, now, at the man on the left…the one who just shot back at the man on Jesus’ right, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
As he speaks, can you hear his change of heart? As Jesus said, “Father, forgive them...” he realized Jesus was speaking to him…and even though he was at death’s door, it was life-changing! He turned to Jesus with a broken and contrite heart and begged... “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he was freed even as he died because he turned his cross into a cross of repentance and Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

As you pause beneath his cross, lay bare the places in your hearts where you are truly remorseful for your words and actions that have been hurtful, for the sins you knowingly committed, as well as the sins you had no idea hurt anyone. Open up the places in your heart that are in need of mercy so that you realize that Jesus really meant the words “Father, forgive them…” for you…

Now let us turn to the cross in the center. This is the cross of the redeemer, the one who offers forgiveness and new life to each of us. His cross is the cross of redemption. Jesus said, “Father forgive them.” This plea was for those who were persecuting him, those who had abused him, those who ignored him, those who denied him, and those who left him to die alone. His words were for everyone, no matter what part they played in his story. He didn’t demand a debt to be paid. He simply pleaded for their forgiveness., “Father, forgive them…” Listen to these words…let them sink in…Father, forgive them, Father, forgive me…Father, forgive her. Father forgive him. Father forgive them and let those words free you…be freed & be found by God who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger & abounding in steadfast love.

As we pause beneath the central cross, we realize we do not confess or repent in order to be punished or forgiven, but we because we can see hanging before us how deeply we have been forgiven…and we realize that Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and salvation is available to us, right now…immediately…Tonight, we are each invited to kneel before the Cross of Jesus & cry, Jesus Remember me…and then hear Jesus say to each one of us, “Truly I tell you today you will be with me in Paradise.”