Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
I was watching a special on TV last week about the Coronavirus and the presenter said – let’s get the world through this pandemic and as soon as we’ve beaten it we’ll find out who is responsible and make them pay for it.
Is that really the attitude we want to have?
When we are through this all I want to give thanks to God and keep praying for those who are affected by it still. The sick, the unemployed, the financially crippled, the grieving.
I’ve heard all the conspiracy theories about how it started.
I’ve heard all the rumours about how and where it started.
I’ve seen the videos of the racial abuse because people want to blame someone.
We recently had Psalm 130 in our worship which included the verse:
If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness;
Jesus death is all about forgiveness and not blame.
What amazing words that come from our Lord to his heavenly Father – forgive them.
Jesus could have asked his Father to take revenge and to punish those who put him to death.
But he doesn’t.
The nature of God is to forgive – love keeps no record of wrongs.
And the very nature of God is described many times in the Old Testament – slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Let us also example God’s nature with one another and forgive as we have been forgiven.
Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
We are told that the restrictions we are facing could go on for 6 months.
No one knows.
We’ve shown signs that we are doing the right things but no one is suggesting that we cut short the isolation and shutdowns we are facing.
We are all worried about the future.
Will we recover – will we ever get back to normal or will there be a new normal we will all have to adjust to?
And what is concerning is that we haven’t even entered the normal flu season which affects thousands and thousands of people.
We don’t know what the future holds.
But for a thief on the cross he didn’t have to worry about the future because Jesus said to him “TODAY” you will be with me in paradise.
How could Jesus make that promise?
Does he know what sort of life that thief had lived?
Doesn’t he have to be punished for all the crimes he has committed?
Jesus’ death today means that Jesus can assure him that TODAY he has the assurance of living in paradise.
And so too, TODAY, you have the assurance of living in paradise with God.
There is no exam at the end – there is no balancing of the books
Jesus death means that all our sins have been paid in full.
So the promise of paradise can be made today.
And that means we can enjoy living the blessings today – not tomorrow – not in 6 months time.
Times are not easy at present but St Paul reminds us that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that awaits us in heaven.
And that joy can be experienced today because our future home in heaven is assured today.
And only Jesus can give you that comfort today even if everything around us is crumbling.
Woman behold your son. Then he said to the disciple – behold your mother.
Even as he was about to die, Jesus is concerned about his family – both his biological family and also his Godly family – his disciples.
In this time of social isolation our families have also been our lifeblood.
Our families with whom we have been isolated and who we have been able to speak to either by phone or other technology.
But also our Christian brothers and sisters.
As I have rung you I have been overwhelmed by those who have told me that someone else from the congregation has also spoken to them.
I have had people contact me asking if I know anyone who needs any shopping done – who needs their garden looked after.
This is family – especially the family of God.
We are all aching because we cannot gather together to worship our heavenly Father but until that day we continue to be the family of God to one another.
And through this love connection we will get through.
The book of Hebrews says – let us not stop meeting together as some are in the habit of doing.
That is not what we are doing –
We are still meeting together and we thank God that the technology that has often frustrated us with mobile phones going off during church or our faces glued to screens – has now been used by God for his purposes.
You are family of God – let us be the family of God to each other.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Need I say more?
Isn’t this on the tips of many people’s tongues.
Isn’t it strange to hear those words come out of Jesus’ mouth?
What Jesus is here showing is the difference between reality and feelings.
It feels like God has abandoned him.
He is experiencing the full extent of the pain of sin.
He is experiencing hell – the absence of God.
A pain that cannot be compared to anything we experience in this life time – the separation from God.
But that’s not the reality.
The reality is that God abandons no one.
God promised in our baptism through Jesus – I am with you always till the end of the age.
Maybe it feels like God has abandoned the world – abandoned us – abandoned YOU.
But that is not the reality.
God is with you and he shares your pain which he did, fully on the Cross.
And as Jesus will experience on the Third Day when he rises from the dead – the sting of death is gone.
The victory is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When Christ, who is your glory appears then you also shall appear with him in Glory.
Until then our Glory is hidden – but real.
God has NOT abandoned you and never will.
I thirst.
Just as Jesus thirst on the cross, so too we are thirsting for his body and blood.
Jesus promised the Samaritan woman at the well that he can give to us Living Water so that we shall never thirst again.
Jesus promised in the beatitudes – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled”
It may be a while before we can gather together again around the Table of our Lord and have our thirst quenched, but let us be assured that Jesus knows our thirst and what a celebration it will be when we can gather again.
It will be like the woman who lost a coin and when she found it gathered all her neighbours to come and celebrate with her.
I hope and pray that when that day comes that our churches will be overflowing with members, friends and those who have not been to church for a long time will come and celebrate with the angels, archangels and all the company of heaven to have our thirst quenched by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is finished
“It is finished” is often misunderstood as a sign of defeat.
That Jesus cannot take any more and has given up.
But that cannot be further from the truth.
It is a cry of victory.
The battle is over – I have won.
Satan tried his best to direct Jesus away from this end.
He tempted him 4 times – the last one his greatest – come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God.
But he didn’t.
Despite the pain, despite the abandonment, despite the betrayal, despite the denials – Jesus remained on the cross for you and finished his mission of defeating Satan and death.
It is finished.
Father into your hands I commit my spirit.
When all is said and done what more comforting place can we find that in our loving Father’s hands.
With all the pain and hardships happening all around us today where can we find more comfort than in the loving hands of our Father in Heaven.
When the prodigal had nowhere else to turn he returns to his Father because he knows that despite all that he has done wrong, he is still his Father.
When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
But it is his father who when he sees his son returning rushes out to him and throws him arm around him as the prodigal son places himself into his Fathers hands.
Despite what is happening all around us – the statistics – the warnings – the predictions – the fallout – the uncertainty – let us, like Jesus today, commit ourselves into our Father’s hands.
10 April 2020 - Year A - Good Friday
Text: John 18:1-19:42
18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”[a]
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Peter’s First Denial
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”
18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter’s Second and Third Denials
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Jesus Before Pilate
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified
19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”
So this is what the soldiers did.
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
The Death of Jesus
28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
The Burial of Jesus
38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
New International Version - for other versions see BibleGateway.com
Sermon - Year A – Good Friday – The 7 last words of Jesus
Pastor Peter Ghalayini