Good Friday

How Deep the Father's Love For Us

How Vast Beyond All Measure

That He should give His Son For us

To Ransom us His treasure

Some may recognize those words are from a song. It was Good Friday yesterday and a Holiday for all in New Zealand. The grocery stores were closed. Most restaurants and cafes were closed. The gas stations were open and busy with boats filling up and heading out to enjoy the beautiful Fall weather. We went to a 10 o'clock service and reflected on this Holiday that for many Americans is just another work day unless you are Catholic. Some of you may know Good Friday is the calendar day that some Christians reflect on Jesus' crucifixion and death. I think many may remember seeing a Passion Play or the Mel Gibson movie The Passion and feel uncomfortable seeing the torture and crucifixion scenes. The English word "excruciating" comes from the Latin root words "like the cross". "Good" Friday is a somber holiday. In yesterday's service I was struck by a few scriptures that I wanted to share.

Luke writes and tells us the night before Jesus died he ate with his 12 closest friends and followers and said," I have EAGERLY DESIRED to eat this Passover (Jewish Holiday) meal with you before I suffer." He knew what was "excruciating" and yet was eager and desired it. John tells us he earlier had said, " I lay down my life only to take it up again. No one takes it from me but I lay it down OF MY OWN ACCORD." He chose of his own will.

After doing an artwork representing the cross during the kid's church, later last night Anna asked me who killed Jesus and why did they do it? One of the older kids who had been in the main service told her, "Jesus killed himself!" I had to ponder the suicide comment but straighten out a bit that he allowed it, even eagerly desired it, and "no one took his life from him". In His authority He took His own life by "laying it down" of His "own accord". I can't blame the Romans although they executed Him. I can't blame the Jews even though many did not recognize Him or understand Him so sentenced Him to death for blasphemy. Scripture teaches He Himself decided. Even at the point of death while on the cross he said in Luke, " 'Father Into your hands I commit my spirit.' When He had said this he breathed His last. "

Why did he do it? Our pastor yesterday was struck by the friendship Jesus offers. Jesus' words are "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends...I have called you friends." Jesus told parables about hidden treasure in a field and someone going to sell all they had to buy the field meaning that we are a treasure and he gave His all, His very life for us, to buy us.

Ok so I can answer Anna that He chose to die out of love for people but it's the why did he have to die part that is a little harder. The bible describes a mystery I don't fully understand. I have learned through experience that mankind is imperfect. I can see that I certainly am not perfect. Many I know can appreciate that there is or at least maybe a God who is Holy and perfect. The Christian faith is based on belief that something miraculous and mysterious happened on that Friday. Some how spiritually God himself took on our imperfections and paid the penalty of death for it in our place. Not that we won't die physically, obviously we still do, but spiritually we can live on with Him in heaven. The bible describes this miracle in many terms: Jesus taking on our imperfection(our sin), paying the price of death for it, taking our place in a sense, paying the ransom for us as if we were stolen or kidnapped by our sin, redeaming us back to Him as if our imperfection seperates us from God's holiness, atoning/satisfying a just law that we couldn't follow or satisfy no matter how nice a person we are.

When I was 18 I had an epiphany that I could not be good enough, perform enough, do nice things enough to gain God. I had spent a lot of effort trying to and had made a lot of mistakes along the way. Religions all over the world through out history have been filled with people trying to appease God in some way. Humanity has made statues to honor gods, festivals for them, dances and parades too. I remember many years ago standing at a Mayan ruin in Mexico. At the site Mayans had made human sacrifices in a large pit in order to gain favor from their gods. I recently saw a documentary on Hinduism where still today ellaborate parade floats are made to various gods in various cities. The idea of Christianity is different in that Jesus did the appeasing and was the sacrifice that satisifies any wrath from God over mankind's action. Through belief in Jesus we gain that forgiveness not because we are good but because He is good. It is what we refer to as "Grace" or God's favor and goodness to people even though people aren't perfect.

Many I know reject Christianity because they think it is a religion with a judgemental code of do this and don't do that. There is the misperceived idea that you better pray and not have fun or a mean God will come down on you. They get this idea from Christians who pray, don't seem to have fun, are mean and come down on other people. Many people in history have claimed the faith and then done some pretty horrible things. It makes me sad because I know that I don't always reflect the true message of God's love for something He treasures but instead pray then turn around and come down on someone who doesn't do what I think they should. In truth Christianity is a love that lead to a sacrifice on His part on our behalf for a reason that is hard to fully grasp.

The forgiveness because of the cross is extended to the whole world, all peoples, every tribe, every nation, every tongue but it must be accepted by an individual. Each man works out what he believes in. The bible teaches even if he has even a little faith (as much as a tiny mustard seed) in Christ he is forgiven.

Many Christians I know can pin point a moment in time when they started believing while others remember a process of wondering about it for years. However faith develops it always has moments of doubts about something. Faith in Christ leads to a freedom from do this and do that. "He forgave us all our sins having cancelled the written code with it's regulations that stood against us. He took it away and nailed it to the cross" is the message in Colossians. This frees us to just BE with God in a relationship of friendship because of mutual love.

Christian life is not attending a Christian church or being born in a family or a particular nation. It is realizing personally your not perfect and Who is? Becoming a Christian is having a tiny bit of faith that God forgives our imperfection because of Jesus' death on the cross somehow in some way. It is a response to the forgiveness and love God has shown me personally. Christian life is as simple as the verse "To love your God with all your heart, mind soul, and strength and to love your neighbors as yourself." We can't even fully live up to that one but there remains his grace and forgiveness as we try to pursue a relationship with our friend God and a love for other imperfect people who annoy us.