Good Friday

 [1]

Good Friday

John 19:30

Christ crucified - for you!

Martini Lutheran Church

New Haven, IN

29 March 2024

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30

Collect for Psalm 32: Lord God, you desired to keep from us your wrath and so did not spare your only Son, who was wounded for our sins. We are your prodigal children, but we come back to you confessing our sins. Embrace us, that we may rejoice in your mercy.[2]

Lord Jesus, crucified for us; bless Thy Word, that we might trust in Thee.

Hanging on a cross. - Suspended between earth and heaven. - The Son of man suffers. – As no one has ever suffered. – Before or since.

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, see Him hanging on that tree. – He hangs there. –For you.

Here we see that blessed irony. That great exchange. Christ’s innocence replaces your shame and guilt. The Lord of life will trade His life for yours. He took on flesh to live your life. As your substitute. He takes to Himself your death. The death which is yours. As a wage for the sin you have committed. And the good you have not done.

Throughout your life. The LORD has promised to direct you. Just as the LORD directed the wanderings of His people in the Old Testament. So He directed His Son. Whose ultimate destiny was the cross on Calvary’s hill.

The God who dwelt with His people in the tabernacle in the wilderness. Who delivered them from bondage in Egypt. And brought them into the Promised Land. — He is the same God that assumed flesh and dwelt with us as the God-man Jesus Christ. 

He is the same One who delivered us from our bondage to sin; and will, on the Last Day, take us into our Promised Land. Eternal life with Him in heaven.

Even as an infant. The LORD directed His son Jesus. So also the LORD has promised to direct your life. You are not alone. The LORD is with you.

If you think you have nothing in life. Behold His cross. -  Where you will find the Father’s love for you. 

When life seems difficult. Turn to the Scriptures. They never change.

When you hurt and disappoint others. When you grieve over your own misdeeds, mistakes, and wrongdoings.

Whenever you experience pain or regret - Hear the Gospel - That Jesus forgives you. 

“Christ does not come for the sake of your virtues, but for the sake of your sin." (Bo Giertz)

And as the LORD pardons you He offers clemency. - Be they for petty offences. Misdemeanors. Or unspeakable acts. Hear and rejoice in these words: “The blood of Jesus covers all sin.” -1 John 1:7

This message of the cross contains the revelation of restoration and hope even during trouble and loss. Why did the Christ-child do all this? Forsake everything He had to come into a sad world? To suffer, and die?

Because He knew. From eternity. That in His resurrection. His Father would give Him the most amazing of gifts. Something far greater than anything He left behind:  you.

This is precisely what St. Paul taught: “While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man - though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were, yet sinners Christ died for us.” - Romans 6:7-8

At the cross on Calvary’s hill God and sinners are once and forever reconciled. The Cross of Christ sums up all the negative forces that depress humanity.

But this was no defeat. It was omnipotent love in action. Turning every negative into a positive. A supreme act. With a supreme outcome.

Jesus wept for the weeping. He became helpless for the helpless. Unwanted for the unwanted. And unclean for the unclean. He faced death for the dying. And horror for the terrified. 

He suffered injustice for all who were oppressed. And He surrendered His reputation for all the nobodies in the world. This selfless act of love He offers to you. Grace. Free and boundless.

No, you do not walk this road alone. Jesus is the God who came down from heaven. He was that man.

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed. – Isaiah 53:3-5

Behold, Christ’s cross. He did this by Himself suffering an unjust arrest, by Himself being killed most unfairly.

Jesus, the most righteous one–the only perfectly righteous one–He would be arrested and tried and put to death, when it was clear he was entirely not guilty.

On His cross, your sins became His. Your troubles His burdens. He died your death, only to rise again. Look to His cross for your every burden in life. While the world spins, the cross stands!

Tell others your pain; you won't receive the care you expect.

Tell Jesus, and you'll see He knows your sorrows better than you do.

Tell others your sins; they will litigate and judge you. Tell Jesus and see He how He has taken them all away.

He did this all for you, for you and for all the perplexed people of this world. Justice is done.

All the wrongs and the sins are paid for. By Jesus’ holy blood on the cross.

Now your fears and your worries have a place to go to find an answer. To the cross of Christ.

There is nothing for you to offer in exchange for your offenses. Instead, the Savior received your sins. So that now. He. The giver of all good things. Will offer you eternal life and salvation. [3]

Not guilty! A flood of relief sweeps over you. As tears of joy well up in your eyes. Not guilty! It’s as if a heavy weight has dropped from your shoulders! The bailiff unlocks your handcuffs. As you hear the judge declare. - “You are free to go.”

Life suddenly takes on new meaning. You are free from confinement. Free. From the constant pressure of the charges laid against you. Free from condemnation! Free to begin a new life. Because you have been released from those charges.

The old song sings: “Nothing in my hands I bring. Simply to Thy cross I cling. Naked come to Thee for dress. Helpless, look to Thee for grace. Foul I to Thy fountain fly. Wash me Savior or I die.” - LSB # 761

And this good news - frees you to be Christ’s ambassadors is this world. You are - the hands, the feet, the fingers, and toes of Jesus in this corner of Christ’s kingdom.

Now you are free to "bear one another’s burdens in love according to the law of Christ." – Galatians 6:2

No. You do not need punch a ticket. To fly and venture off to the four-corners of the world. To become a full-time missionary. The LORD has promised to use you right here where you are. 

To share that incredible story with family. Colleagues. Neighbors, and friends. Concerning that great exchange. - The Lord’s mercy and forgiveness. Purchased at the cost of His own Son.

“That God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting men’s trespasses against them, and has given us this message of reconciliation.” - 2 Corinthians 5:19

In the weeks to come. - Lend a listening ear and a few moments of your day - to that one person who needs to hear those three simple yet powerful words: “All is forgiven.” “It is well.” “Jesus loves you,” and, “so do I.” 

That. As the LORD who was with His people of Old. He continues to reign and rule in each believer’s heart. - Who call upon him in every trouble they continue to pray, praise, and give thanks. 

Invite that person to come hear the story of salvation here at this place. Martini Lutheran. Named after a man who championed the cause of Christ. Proclaiming a living and changeless Christ to a changing world. Live as an agent of mercy. Live grace filled lives. Gossip the Gospel.  Be a sermon in shoes.

Good Friday assures us of a Merry Christmas! The birth of a baby means the death of a man. – And that miserable death has saved you!

Wherefore come. - Come weary sinner. Come to the foot of the cross. For all things are now ready!

Words-1,525

Passive Sentences -5.6%

Readability –85%

Reading Level -3.3

[1] Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

[2] Collect for Psalm 32, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book for and By the Church © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY

[3] Excerpts from a Christmas homily   Pr. Tim Daub Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Hecla, South Dakota