Love's Servant Sacrificed

Good Friday

Today's Word:
Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 (Fourth Song of the Servant: "It was OUR infirmities that he bore, OUR sufferings that he endured...by his stripes WE are healed")
Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-17, 25 (Into your hands I commend my spirit)
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 (The Son of God 'learned' obedience from what he suffered)
John 18:1 - 19:42 (The Passion according to John: ("Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me")


"And you passersby, look at me! Have you ever seen anything like this?
Ever seen pain like my pain, seen what he did to me, what God did to me in his rage?"
(Lamentations 1:12; "The Message")

Why is it "Good?"

Jesus was ultimately seen as a criminal in the eyes of those of that day who put him to death. Not only does John's account of the events cast serious aspersions on the criminal justice system (now as well as then), but it literally begs the question of God's justice. Why would Divinity put part of Himself, His very nature, through trial and such torture?

We have no comprehension, not one semblance of an idea of the stuff and substance of the torture inflicted on the man Jesus. I certainly don't. I won't even try to get graphic about it, because the mere thought of having to describe it is more than a little unsettling. But if we can try to look at it by getting into Jesus' head for a moment, such as it were, we can walk away with another glimpse of just how important this singular event was.

Yes, there was physical pain of excruciating intensity. And it went on for six long hours. But there was psychological pain of similar intensity taking place as well. And Jesus is the Son of God! In his divinity he knew this was going to happen; and yet in his humanity he prayed that it might not. While replaying the events of his life in his own mind, he cried out aloud in his anguish the words of Psalm 22: "My God, why did you dump me miles from nowhere? Why have you abandoned me??"

Yet God was with him. God was in him. He is God personified!

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble...

Jesus' disciples, the Apostles, the Church fathers, hundreds of theologians, and other writers from every corner of the world have tried to wrap our heads around this for centuries - that God took such a drastic step because anything less would not have been believed, could not have held up after all this time. Remember nearly two weeks ago? The gospel passage included John 3:16; the part about God loving us so much that He sent His Son. He wanted to live among us, not apart from us.

Adam and Eve fell because they succumbed to temptation, wanting to be more like God. Humanity experiences a growing realization of their ability to create: not just the technological and scientific advances, but creating life itself! We cannot become God, but God is with us and in us, and has become one like us!

And we call this day "Good" because not even death can separate us from God's divine love! This instrument of our demise is the gateway, the only gateway, to what awaits us!

For rebirth or resurrection to happen, death has to take place. For a phoenix to rise, it must die and burn to ashes in fire.

CHRIST IS MY PHOENIX!! He calls me and beckons me to follow him. He stretches out his hand to me when I fall, as he stretched his hand to one repentant man hanging with him; saying to him, "This day you will join me in paradise." It matters not what my rational mind has thought, or what ill-thought actions came about. He continues to call to me, and if I let him remain part of my life any and all things are possible!

Sometimes the night was beautiful
Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close
You could touch it but your heart would break
Sometimes the morning came too soon
Sometimes the day could be so hot
There was so much work left to do
But so much You'd already done

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
And I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
(Sometimes the night . . .)
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
(. . . Was beautiful)
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
(So beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
(Oh God, you are my God)
And I will follow You all of my days

--Sometimes by Step (1996)
Rich Mullins (1955-1997)