Good Friday

Is 52:13—53:12
Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Jn 18:1—19:42

Jesus is arrested and led away. His captors are determined to have him executed, but they cannot. They need the ruling authority to execute Jesus, so Jesus winds up in front of Pontius Pilate. Pilate probably didn’t really care one way or the other about having this man Jesus crucified. He would do what ever was expedient. But he was curious, why were these religious leaders so determined to kill this man. So he spoke to Jesus, wanting to know who he was, what he wanted, Pilate wanted to understand why this man had to die. Jesus finally tells Pilate that he has come to testify to the truth. Pilate asks the question, the big question, what is truth? Poets, philosophers and theologians have been working on that answer for millennia. What is truth, is truth the same for you as it is for me? Is truth always the same everywhere for everyone? There are those who would argue that truth is relative, it depends on who you are, where you are, the time and place of your life. There is a truth, however, that transcends all of those factors. It is a truth that applies always and everywhere to everyone. It is the truth that Jesus testifies to. I’m certainly not a genius, but I believe I know what this universal truth is. God is love. Jesus came to show us this ultimate truth. How do I know this? There are signs all around us showing us God’s love. First we’re here, we have life, the gift of a loving God. The sun rises each day, making life possible. These are two of the signs of God’s love. Today we see the ultimate sign that God is love, and that God shares that love with us. That sign stands on a hill, stark against the sky. We were in need of salvation and God’s Son came, to bring that ultimate gift to us. The greatest gift, the greatest sacrifice, the ultimate sign of God’s love, the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Deacon John
Good Friday
April 6, 2007