What's so good about Good Friday?
Commentary
Object:
One of my favorite movies of all time is the 1956 classic titled Twelve Angry Men featuring an all-star cast including Henry Fonda, E.G. Marshall, and Lee J. Cobb. The entire movie takes place in a jury room where the twelve jurors try to arrive at a verdict in a murder case (hence the title of the movie).
When the first ballot is taken, the vote is 11 to 1 to convict. The lone holdout (Henry Fonda) refuses to accept the prosecutor's case at face value because of inconsistencies he detected in the prosecution's case. As he discusses his concerns other jurors become less sure of the accused's guilt. Complicating the dynamics between those certain of the accused's guilt and those less certain is the stifling summertime heat in the non-air-conditioned jury room.
In the deliberations the anger becomes intense, tempers flare, and short fuses become quick triggers. All of the anger, threats, and intimidations are directed primarily to the one juror who would not go along with the majority over, what is for most, an inconsequential matter. Slowly, the motivations of those favoring a guilty verdict come to the surface, suggesting that the search for truth begins with a search of the self. Fonda stands by his convictions and one by one the jurors are forced to face their own prejudices and inner conflicts until at last the vote is unanimous -- 12-0 to acquit.
There are many interesting (and I think important) layers to this movie, but certainly among the most interesting is the Fonda character's unwillingness to let the opinions of others or even his own unpopularity dissuade him from doing what he thought was right. And that's what's good about this movie -- in the midst of confusion and doubt and fear and uncertainty it offers the hope that one person, standing by what they believe to be right, can make a difference.
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
The first lesson text reminds us that the Servant passage of today's lesson had a life before its use in helping to define the person and work of Jesus.
The gospel writers are called upon in this and other passages within the Hebrew scriptures to describe the meaning of the cross event. In spite of Jesus' attempts to prepare his followers for what would happen, the idea of a crucified Messiah was totally beyond their frame of reference. When the crucifixion did occur, the disciples were left to make sense of what had happened and one source to which they naturally turned was their scriptures. If, as they believed, Jesus were the Messiah of God then surely the scriptures, which were given by God, would provide a clue to understanding this unexpected turn of events. As the early disciples looked more carefully at their sacred text, they began to see references that matched their experiences of Jesus. They used these references in their teaching and proclamation to assist others in understanding the life and ministry of Jesus.
Hebrews 10:16-25
The letter to the Hebrews could probably more accurately be described as the sermon to the Hebrews, since as many commentators have noted, it has fewer characteristics of written correspondence and more characteristics of an oration. The letter/sermon was written to Jewish believers in Jesus at a time when to be a follower of Jesus was dangerous business. Persecutions and harassment seemed to be the order of the day for those who were followers of the way. Consequently, some converts, old and new, were downplaying their belief in Jesus, while others were abandoning the faith altogether and returning to Judaism. This sermon/letter was delivered in an attempt to encourage the persecuted believers to remain faithful to Christ and to the confession of faith they had embraced. The form this encouragement took was to pile example upon example to demonstrate the superior nature of Christ.
In today's lesson the author is laying a foundation upon which he wants to construct his argument. That foundation is the once and for all forgiveness of sins offered through Jesus Christ. The Jewish Christians were familiar with the sacrificial ritual in the temple where every day as part of the daily liturgy the priestly representative would offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. The preacher will argue that this repeated act is ineffective as atonement for sin because of its repeatable nature. Something that has to be done every day, so the argument goes, cannot be nearly as effective as something that by its very nature does not need to be repeated. In contrast to the daily, repeated sin sacrifices offered by the priests, Jesus has offered himself as a once and for all sin sacrifice the results of which are a full and complete forgiveness.
With the reality and permanence of that forgiveness as a foundation, the author moves on to the "So what?" question. Therefore, because one is forgiven, there need be no hesitancy in approaching the presence of God. There is no "Off Limits" section in Christ's sanctuary. There is no longer a curtain separating the seeker of God from God's holy presence. The one with true intentions of the heart and with deeply felt needs can confidently approach the presence of God because of the priestly function of cleansing performed within the individual by Christ.
Because one is forgiven one should lay hold of one's confession of faith with an unrelenting tenacity. There will no doubt be many situations to arise that will severely test one's faith, but the believer's faithfulness should be as unwavering as the one in whom the believer's hope resides.
Because one is forgiven one should take advantage of the opportunity to turn attention away from oneself and toward that brother or sister in the faith whose steadfastness is also undergoing a challenge. Rather than stoking one another's fears, each should provoke the other toward a confident love. Rather than the paralysis brought on by anxiety, one should encourage the other to acts of goodness. Rather than shunning the gathered community of Christ so as to preserve one's deniability, one should welcome the opportunity to worship with and encourage one another.
Because one is forgiven one can face whatever life throws at him/her because one knows that no matter what forces of darkness rule the moment, God rules tomorrow. The day of the Lord is approaching when forgiveness will be complete, when hope will be fulfilled and when the enemies of Christ will be made a footstool for his feet (10:13).
John 18:1--19:42
In the last third of the first century, the gospel writers put pen to parchment in order to preserve a record of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We should not be surprised that one remembered different facts than the others or that they remembered the same fact differently -- that's the nature of memory and perspective. Nor should we hasten to make one version out of four. Each of the gospel writers used the facts that were available to them, added to the facts their own recollections and produced an account that primarily served the purposes and needs of their particular audience. I believe, therefore, that we are better served by allowing each of the gospel writers their own voice, rather than trying to synthesize their voices and memories into a seamless whole.
The purpose, then, of what follows is to help us understand the cross event from John's perspective. To do that I will attempt to point out John's unique contributions to the Jesus story. One of the first things to notice is that for John, Jesus is in control throughout the ordeal. Jesus is depicted controlling the conversation and the events surrounding the arrest (18:1-11); engaged in an in-your-face dialogue with Annas (18:19-23); turning Pilate's questions back on Pilate (18:33-38); carrying his own cross all the way to the place of execution (19:17); giving instructions for the care of his mother even as he is hanging on the cross (19:26-27); and finally relinquishing his spirit himself (19:30). All of this accords well with John's focus elsewhere (10:18) that no one takes Jesus' life from him, rather Jesus lays down his life of his own will. Therefore, there is no question but that John understands the cross event as a completely self-giving act on the part of Jesus.
Another thing to notice is the detail John provides to significant events. If indeed he is the unnamed disciple throughout this gospel, then not only did he have a front row seat to many of the events (notice the use of "another disciple" and "the disciple whom he loved"), but he had political connections as well (18:15) that gave him entrance not available to other disciples. The specifics added to the story of Peter's denial (18:15-27), of the indecisiveness of Pilate (18:28--19:16), and of the rationale for the actions taken after Jesus' death (19:31-42), add a background to the tapestry not found in the other gospel accounts. This does not mean that John's account is more reliable -- after all John seems to use facts in a random order to suit his gospel purpose -- but it does personalize the story in a way that is not done elsewhere.
Perhaps the most important thing to notice about John's version of the cross event is the timing of the crucifixion. The synoptic gospel writers clearly identify the Last Supper as a Passover meal. John places the meal before Passover and for a very important reason -- he wants to present the crucifixion of Jesus as taking place during the same time period in which the Passover animal would have been sacrificed. What this does for John is to unambiguously identify Jesus as a Passover sacrifice. Note that Pilate offers to release a Jewish prisoner in honor of Passover (18:39), presumably before the festival begins. Pilate brings Jesus out for one last attempt at releasing him and John provides us with a time reference, about noon on the day of preparation for Passover (19:14). The significance of this reference would seem to be that the ensuing events occurred between noon on Passover eve and the beginning of Passover (19:31, 42), or as the Passover animals were being prepared for the evening celebration. This theological arrangement is, again, very much in keeping with John's style throughout his gospel.
As a final matter, it is interesting to note that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus use a garden tomb near the execution site more out of expediency than plan. Passover was quickly approaching and they needed a temporary place to secure the body -- they just didn't know how temporary.
Application
What makes Good Friday good? This was the question posed by one of my children several years ago as they watched me struggling to put together an Easter Sunday sermon. It was one of those out-of-the-mouth-of-babes moments. What does make Good Friday good? For that matter what makes anything good? Is something good simply because of its personal benefits or is there a deeper, more objective quality to goodness? What makes Good Friday good?
The most reflexive answer to that question is that Good Friday is good because of the eternal and universal consequences of Jesus' sacrifice. That is a true answer and an important answer, but it is also an answer we can give without much thought or reflection. It is, in a sense, the easy answer. If we thought about the question for more than half a second, might there be additional answers we could offer?
I would like to make a contribution to the answer pool and it is this: Good Friday is good because it gives us reason to hope that the world can be different. Hope will continue to flicker as long as there are persons among us like the Servant of Isaiah 52-53. In a world that celebrates the ideal, the beautiful, the near perfect, the Servant offers hope that the rest of us -- the mere mortals, the uncomely, the flawed -- are not overlooked or abandoned by God. In a world that lives by the sword and that is quick to retaliate against suspected offenders, the Servant offers hope that by choosing a different path, a path of suffering reconciliation, the righteousness of God might be revealed. In a world in which each person seeks one's own self-interest to the neglect and oppression of the other, the Servant offers hope that through selflessness and concern for the other the righteousness of one will lead to the righteousness of many.
Hope will continue to flicker as long as there are persons among us like the preacher of Hebrews. Each of us experience moments when life seems to overwhelm us, when faith no longer makes sense, when we cannot muster the energy it takes to continue on, when the forces set in opposition to us flex their muscle and our 98-pound frame quivers in their shadow. At such times we need the hope provided by one like the preacher to the Hebrews. A hope that reminds us that through forgiveness we are welcomed into the very presence of God. A hope that keeps before us our confession of faith. A hope that is fed and nourished by a community for whom we truly matter. When life hands us lemons, we need one like the preacher to teach us how to make lemonade.
Hope will continue to flicker as long as the presence of Jesus resides among us. In Jesus we find one who controls events and is not controlled by them. In Jesus we find one who, in spite of our denials and faithlessness, continues to count us among his own. In Jesus we find one who is willing to lay down his life for us so that those enemies of mortality, sin and death, might not hold sway over us.
Good Friday is good because hope still lives. Hope lives in the one willing to be a Servant and in the one who calls us to faithfulness. But more than these, hope lives in the presence of Christ within us. And that is what makes Good Friday good.
Alternative Applications Isaiah 52:13--53:12. The prophet reminds us of a truth that the apostle Paul will echo in his letter to the Corinthian Christians, namely that God doesn't go to GQ or Cosmopolitan for his models of faithfulness. God does not limit his pool of useful servants to the beautiful people. What that tells us is if we want to see God at work in our world, we might pay closer attention to the despised and rejected, to the ordinary folks and to the no-accounts, to those bruised by life and to those crushed by oppression.
Additionally, the preacher cannot walk away from this text without giving much reflective thought to verses 4-6. Whether or not these verses are used for a sermonic offering, preachers would do well to sit before this text as they prepare to lead their congregations through a Good Friday service in preparation for Resurrection Sunday.
Hebrews 10:16-25. The author of Hebrews attempts to build a case for faithfulness upon the foundation of forgiveness. On this Good Friday, when minds are focused on the forgiveness offered by God through Christ, the preacher might consider with the congregation the implications of forgiveness in contemporary society. Has forgiveness gone out of style? What does forgiveness look like these days? Why should we bother with forgiveness in the first place? If one does decide to forgive, what's in it for the forgiver? Is that even an appropriate calculation? For the preacher of Hebrews, forgiveness of sins was the linchpin for the work of Jesus. What does forgiveness mean to us?
John 18:1--19:42. John's account of Peter's denial is one that we can identify with all too well. Peter's failure is also our failure. The only difference is that his failure is recorded for all the ages to see and we can quietly walk away from ours. At its core Peter's denial of Christ was a capitulation to peer pressure. In the presence of Jesus, Peter was bold. In the community of the disciples, Peter was a rock. Left on his own among an unsympathetic audience, Peter's courage melted away. Isn't that the way it is with us as well? At the office, in the market, at school, or chatting with a neighbor when we are asked about our faith, isn't our first reaction to try and change the conversation, to deny in some way that faith is much of an issue with us? A sermon exploring our propensity to deny an intimate connection with Christ might help our hearers to see themselves in that courtyard standing around the charcoal fire.
Preaching the Psalm
Psalm 22
by Schuyler Rhodes
A God who does not answer...
How hard it is to have faith! To actually set down the reservations and the doubt and release the need for control and to simply trust. This is no mean feat. Trusting God is difficult in any season. However, when enemies attack and adversaries let loose, this trust is harder than usual. And when the cry goes up to God for help and it goes unanswered, then it seems that trust must be broken. In this Psalm it is not so.
Out of utter agony the question comes. "Why are you so far from helping me?" "I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but find no rest...." For most people, the lack of response in a time of terror would cut the cord. The monologue goes something like this. "You want me to trust in you, God? To have faith? Well, then try being trustworthy!" As it turns out, though, the psalmist does not lose trust so easily.
Even as dark forces surround, the whispered utterance comes. "Yet you are holy."
Abandoned, alone, suffering terribly and still faith survives. It begs the question of how long we would hold out in the same situation. Battered, bruised, and beaten with our prayers for aid continually unanswered, how long would it take for us to fold?
The eager and the misty-eyed will quickly step up and swear that they will never lose faith. "No matter what, Lord, I will never lose my faith in you!" The truth, though, is that it takes stern stuff to hang in with this God. It takes courage that we never thought we had and persistence that we never tried to exercise.
Maybe it's for this reason that we practice the discipline of God's presence. Perhaps this is why we enter always into prayer and meditation and seek the company of those who will strive with us to strengthen and live out this faith.
Indeed, faith is difficult. It takes courage and strength; boldness and patience. Yet through it all, this God is worthy. Through it all, our faith is never misplaced. Through all this God remains the God of hope, the God of salvation.
When the first ballot is taken, the vote is 11 to 1 to convict. The lone holdout (Henry Fonda) refuses to accept the prosecutor's case at face value because of inconsistencies he detected in the prosecution's case. As he discusses his concerns other jurors become less sure of the accused's guilt. Complicating the dynamics between those certain of the accused's guilt and those less certain is the stifling summertime heat in the non-air-conditioned jury room.
In the deliberations the anger becomes intense, tempers flare, and short fuses become quick triggers. All of the anger, threats, and intimidations are directed primarily to the one juror who would not go along with the majority over, what is for most, an inconsequential matter. Slowly, the motivations of those favoring a guilty verdict come to the surface, suggesting that the search for truth begins with a search of the self. Fonda stands by his convictions and one by one the jurors are forced to face their own prejudices and inner conflicts until at last the vote is unanimous -- 12-0 to acquit.
There are many interesting (and I think important) layers to this movie, but certainly among the most interesting is the Fonda character's unwillingness to let the opinions of others or even his own unpopularity dissuade him from doing what he thought was right. And that's what's good about this movie -- in the midst of confusion and doubt and fear and uncertainty it offers the hope that one person, standing by what they believe to be right, can make a difference.
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
The first lesson text reminds us that the Servant passage of today's lesson had a life before its use in helping to define the person and work of Jesus.
The gospel writers are called upon in this and other passages within the Hebrew scriptures to describe the meaning of the cross event. In spite of Jesus' attempts to prepare his followers for what would happen, the idea of a crucified Messiah was totally beyond their frame of reference. When the crucifixion did occur, the disciples were left to make sense of what had happened and one source to which they naturally turned was their scriptures. If, as they believed, Jesus were the Messiah of God then surely the scriptures, which were given by God, would provide a clue to understanding this unexpected turn of events. As the early disciples looked more carefully at their sacred text, they began to see references that matched their experiences of Jesus. They used these references in their teaching and proclamation to assist others in understanding the life and ministry of Jesus.
Hebrews 10:16-25
The letter to the Hebrews could probably more accurately be described as the sermon to the Hebrews, since as many commentators have noted, it has fewer characteristics of written correspondence and more characteristics of an oration. The letter/sermon was written to Jewish believers in Jesus at a time when to be a follower of Jesus was dangerous business. Persecutions and harassment seemed to be the order of the day for those who were followers of the way. Consequently, some converts, old and new, were downplaying their belief in Jesus, while others were abandoning the faith altogether and returning to Judaism. This sermon/letter was delivered in an attempt to encourage the persecuted believers to remain faithful to Christ and to the confession of faith they had embraced. The form this encouragement took was to pile example upon example to demonstrate the superior nature of Christ.
In today's lesson the author is laying a foundation upon which he wants to construct his argument. That foundation is the once and for all forgiveness of sins offered through Jesus Christ. The Jewish Christians were familiar with the sacrificial ritual in the temple where every day as part of the daily liturgy the priestly representative would offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. The preacher will argue that this repeated act is ineffective as atonement for sin because of its repeatable nature. Something that has to be done every day, so the argument goes, cannot be nearly as effective as something that by its very nature does not need to be repeated. In contrast to the daily, repeated sin sacrifices offered by the priests, Jesus has offered himself as a once and for all sin sacrifice the results of which are a full and complete forgiveness.
With the reality and permanence of that forgiveness as a foundation, the author moves on to the "So what?" question. Therefore, because one is forgiven, there need be no hesitancy in approaching the presence of God. There is no "Off Limits" section in Christ's sanctuary. There is no longer a curtain separating the seeker of God from God's holy presence. The one with true intentions of the heart and with deeply felt needs can confidently approach the presence of God because of the priestly function of cleansing performed within the individual by Christ.
Because one is forgiven one should lay hold of one's confession of faith with an unrelenting tenacity. There will no doubt be many situations to arise that will severely test one's faith, but the believer's faithfulness should be as unwavering as the one in whom the believer's hope resides.
Because one is forgiven one should take advantage of the opportunity to turn attention away from oneself and toward that brother or sister in the faith whose steadfastness is also undergoing a challenge. Rather than stoking one another's fears, each should provoke the other toward a confident love. Rather than the paralysis brought on by anxiety, one should encourage the other to acts of goodness. Rather than shunning the gathered community of Christ so as to preserve one's deniability, one should welcome the opportunity to worship with and encourage one another.
Because one is forgiven one can face whatever life throws at him/her because one knows that no matter what forces of darkness rule the moment, God rules tomorrow. The day of the Lord is approaching when forgiveness will be complete, when hope will be fulfilled and when the enemies of Christ will be made a footstool for his feet (10:13).
John 18:1--19:42
In the last third of the first century, the gospel writers put pen to parchment in order to preserve a record of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We should not be surprised that one remembered different facts than the others or that they remembered the same fact differently -- that's the nature of memory and perspective. Nor should we hasten to make one version out of four. Each of the gospel writers used the facts that were available to them, added to the facts their own recollections and produced an account that primarily served the purposes and needs of their particular audience. I believe, therefore, that we are better served by allowing each of the gospel writers their own voice, rather than trying to synthesize their voices and memories into a seamless whole.
The purpose, then, of what follows is to help us understand the cross event from John's perspective. To do that I will attempt to point out John's unique contributions to the Jesus story. One of the first things to notice is that for John, Jesus is in control throughout the ordeal. Jesus is depicted controlling the conversation and the events surrounding the arrest (18:1-11); engaged in an in-your-face dialogue with Annas (18:19-23); turning Pilate's questions back on Pilate (18:33-38); carrying his own cross all the way to the place of execution (19:17); giving instructions for the care of his mother even as he is hanging on the cross (19:26-27); and finally relinquishing his spirit himself (19:30). All of this accords well with John's focus elsewhere (10:18) that no one takes Jesus' life from him, rather Jesus lays down his life of his own will. Therefore, there is no question but that John understands the cross event as a completely self-giving act on the part of Jesus.
Another thing to notice is the detail John provides to significant events. If indeed he is the unnamed disciple throughout this gospel, then not only did he have a front row seat to many of the events (notice the use of "another disciple" and "the disciple whom he loved"), but he had political connections as well (18:15) that gave him entrance not available to other disciples. The specifics added to the story of Peter's denial (18:15-27), of the indecisiveness of Pilate (18:28--19:16), and of the rationale for the actions taken after Jesus' death (19:31-42), add a background to the tapestry not found in the other gospel accounts. This does not mean that John's account is more reliable -- after all John seems to use facts in a random order to suit his gospel purpose -- but it does personalize the story in a way that is not done elsewhere.
Perhaps the most important thing to notice about John's version of the cross event is the timing of the crucifixion. The synoptic gospel writers clearly identify the Last Supper as a Passover meal. John places the meal before Passover and for a very important reason -- he wants to present the crucifixion of Jesus as taking place during the same time period in which the Passover animal would have been sacrificed. What this does for John is to unambiguously identify Jesus as a Passover sacrifice. Note that Pilate offers to release a Jewish prisoner in honor of Passover (18:39), presumably before the festival begins. Pilate brings Jesus out for one last attempt at releasing him and John provides us with a time reference, about noon on the day of preparation for Passover (19:14). The significance of this reference would seem to be that the ensuing events occurred between noon on Passover eve and the beginning of Passover (19:31, 42), or as the Passover animals were being prepared for the evening celebration. This theological arrangement is, again, very much in keeping with John's style throughout his gospel.
As a final matter, it is interesting to note that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus use a garden tomb near the execution site more out of expediency than plan. Passover was quickly approaching and they needed a temporary place to secure the body -- they just didn't know how temporary.
Application
What makes Good Friday good? This was the question posed by one of my children several years ago as they watched me struggling to put together an Easter Sunday sermon. It was one of those out-of-the-mouth-of-babes moments. What does make Good Friday good? For that matter what makes anything good? Is something good simply because of its personal benefits or is there a deeper, more objective quality to goodness? What makes Good Friday good?
The most reflexive answer to that question is that Good Friday is good because of the eternal and universal consequences of Jesus' sacrifice. That is a true answer and an important answer, but it is also an answer we can give without much thought or reflection. It is, in a sense, the easy answer. If we thought about the question for more than half a second, might there be additional answers we could offer?
I would like to make a contribution to the answer pool and it is this: Good Friday is good because it gives us reason to hope that the world can be different. Hope will continue to flicker as long as there are persons among us like the Servant of Isaiah 52-53. In a world that celebrates the ideal, the beautiful, the near perfect, the Servant offers hope that the rest of us -- the mere mortals, the uncomely, the flawed -- are not overlooked or abandoned by God. In a world that lives by the sword and that is quick to retaliate against suspected offenders, the Servant offers hope that by choosing a different path, a path of suffering reconciliation, the righteousness of God might be revealed. In a world in which each person seeks one's own self-interest to the neglect and oppression of the other, the Servant offers hope that through selflessness and concern for the other the righteousness of one will lead to the righteousness of many.
Hope will continue to flicker as long as there are persons among us like the preacher of Hebrews. Each of us experience moments when life seems to overwhelm us, when faith no longer makes sense, when we cannot muster the energy it takes to continue on, when the forces set in opposition to us flex their muscle and our 98-pound frame quivers in their shadow. At such times we need the hope provided by one like the preacher to the Hebrews. A hope that reminds us that through forgiveness we are welcomed into the very presence of God. A hope that keeps before us our confession of faith. A hope that is fed and nourished by a community for whom we truly matter. When life hands us lemons, we need one like the preacher to teach us how to make lemonade.
Hope will continue to flicker as long as the presence of Jesus resides among us. In Jesus we find one who controls events and is not controlled by them. In Jesus we find one who, in spite of our denials and faithlessness, continues to count us among his own. In Jesus we find one who is willing to lay down his life for us so that those enemies of mortality, sin and death, might not hold sway over us.
Good Friday is good because hope still lives. Hope lives in the one willing to be a Servant and in the one who calls us to faithfulness. But more than these, hope lives in the presence of Christ within us. And that is what makes Good Friday good.
Alternative Applications Isaiah 52:13--53:12. The prophet reminds us of a truth that the apostle Paul will echo in his letter to the Corinthian Christians, namely that God doesn't go to GQ or Cosmopolitan for his models of faithfulness. God does not limit his pool of useful servants to the beautiful people. What that tells us is if we want to see God at work in our world, we might pay closer attention to the despised and rejected, to the ordinary folks and to the no-accounts, to those bruised by life and to those crushed by oppression.
Additionally, the preacher cannot walk away from this text without giving much reflective thought to verses 4-6. Whether or not these verses are used for a sermonic offering, preachers would do well to sit before this text as they prepare to lead their congregations through a Good Friday service in preparation for Resurrection Sunday.
Hebrews 10:16-25. The author of Hebrews attempts to build a case for faithfulness upon the foundation of forgiveness. On this Good Friday, when minds are focused on the forgiveness offered by God through Christ, the preacher might consider with the congregation the implications of forgiveness in contemporary society. Has forgiveness gone out of style? What does forgiveness look like these days? Why should we bother with forgiveness in the first place? If one does decide to forgive, what's in it for the forgiver? Is that even an appropriate calculation? For the preacher of Hebrews, forgiveness of sins was the linchpin for the work of Jesus. What does forgiveness mean to us?
John 18:1--19:42. John's account of Peter's denial is one that we can identify with all too well. Peter's failure is also our failure. The only difference is that his failure is recorded for all the ages to see and we can quietly walk away from ours. At its core Peter's denial of Christ was a capitulation to peer pressure. In the presence of Jesus, Peter was bold. In the community of the disciples, Peter was a rock. Left on his own among an unsympathetic audience, Peter's courage melted away. Isn't that the way it is with us as well? At the office, in the market, at school, or chatting with a neighbor when we are asked about our faith, isn't our first reaction to try and change the conversation, to deny in some way that faith is much of an issue with us? A sermon exploring our propensity to deny an intimate connection with Christ might help our hearers to see themselves in that courtyard standing around the charcoal fire.
Preaching the Psalm
Psalm 22
by Schuyler Rhodes
A God who does not answer...
How hard it is to have faith! To actually set down the reservations and the doubt and release the need for control and to simply trust. This is no mean feat. Trusting God is difficult in any season. However, when enemies attack and adversaries let loose, this trust is harder than usual. And when the cry goes up to God for help and it goes unanswered, then it seems that trust must be broken. In this Psalm it is not so.
Out of utter agony the question comes. "Why are you so far from helping me?" "I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but find no rest...." For most people, the lack of response in a time of terror would cut the cord. The monologue goes something like this. "You want me to trust in you, God? To have faith? Well, then try being trustworthy!" As it turns out, though, the psalmist does not lose trust so easily.
Even as dark forces surround, the whispered utterance comes. "Yet you are holy."
Abandoned, alone, suffering terribly and still faith survives. It begs the question of how long we would hold out in the same situation. Battered, bruised, and beaten with our prayers for aid continually unanswered, how long would it take for us to fold?
The eager and the misty-eyed will quickly step up and swear that they will never lose faith. "No matter what, Lord, I will never lose my faith in you!" The truth, though, is that it takes stern stuff to hang in with this God. It takes courage that we never thought we had and persistence that we never tried to exercise.
Maybe it's for this reason that we practice the discipline of God's presence. Perhaps this is why we enter always into prayer and meditation and seek the company of those who will strive with us to strengthen and live out this faith.
Indeed, faith is difficult. It takes courage and strength; boldness and patience. Yet through it all, this God is worthy. Through it all, our faith is never misplaced. Through all this God remains the God of hope, the God of salvation.
