Good Friday 18th April – A Suffering Love – Pastor Adrian Kitson

This is a love that knows suffering – the only kind of love that is real really.

This is not a fake love or a greedy love or a possessive love. This is a giving love to the point of dying love.

He gave all he had for us. It took all he could give to give us this life of hope and unflinching acceptance.

Luke is giving us the facts as he has researched them. He began his telling of Jesus with a goal

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eye witnesses and servants of the word. ³ With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4).

Whether Theophilus is a real person or a name for us all (it means ‘lover of God’), Luke wans everyone to know that this happened. This is not a mistake. This crucial last moment is as true as all the rest and you can trust this Jesus.

Luke is saying that everything God intended to do to change the game, change lives, alter the trajectory of this broken world has been fulfilled in this Jesus of Nazareth.

And so, he tells of the last minute. The last breath of God for the life of the world.

The world seemed to have taken note. Natural forces dominated this great shift. There is this unusual darkness. Many have wondered about this. Was it an eclipse? Was it Hayley’s Comment or some other celestial event? Who knows? But Luke is saying it happened. It got dark.

This is the moment of darkness. Jesus willingly entered this darkness at night in that Garden of Gethsemane near the city. He says to those arresting him by force,

“… this is your hour – when darkness reigns.’

As the moment of seeming final defeat over this Jesus, who said he was the light of the world comes., darkness descends, and those there knew it and saw it.

Then that one line that changes the whole shape of how we humans can live; how we can relate to a holy God of light and love forever…

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 

Like a breach in the hull of a submarine that allows the water to flood in; like a word of forgiveness from a friend after a horrible conflict now resolved in a flood offorgivness; like Victory Day with men and women dancing in the streets at the joy of the end of the war, the thing that has always separated human being from their Creator God is breached, removed. The massive curtain hanging in the city temple that separates everyone from God’s presence now opened up – now open access of sinners to a holy God by tat God’s holy grace in this Son of God.

All those rules about performing the right things at the right times in the right way are dismissed, removed. No barrier between a person and God who has always been their heavenly Father, their Abba.

Open access without having to perform, impress, be good or be bad – just be with our God.

Here’s what happened according to the writer to the Hebrews:

¹² He [Jesus] did not enter [the Holy Place] by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, so obtaining everlasting redemption. 

¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance – now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Freedom achieved. Access not denied. Best seats in the house for the living of life.

Holy and pleasing in God’s sight not because you did enough or avoided enough to get through that curtain to his heart, his holy heart. It was this dying man who did this. He did this for us. He already has life beyond that curtain. He left it to come out of his high and glorious heaven to this earthy dirty broken place.

He went to the bottom of the heap the full depth of the pain and loss.

And Luke wants you to know that he was innocent and the people around him were stand up straight people – those many women who had been part of his cohort, watching at a distance, weeping.

The others close to Jesus, heading away from the cross in huge shock and sadness at this seeming defeat of good and hope.

Joseph from Arimathea, a member of the Council that condemn Jesus who never really bought in to their decision and now backs up his faith – not carrying Jesus’ cross like unsuspecting Simon from Cyrene but carrying Jesus dead body to his own family tomb that had as yet never been used.

‘Surely this was a righteous man.’

And probably most powerfully – a Roman centurion no less – saying that surely Jesus was an innocent and straight and true man of God. Surely a Roman military leader would not be one who would be prone to being tricked by a trickster?

You can believe these things happened. You can believe thee eyewitnesses. You can trust this Jesus as who he said he is – Saviour, Messiah.

He lived this human life in a way I certainly couldn’t – the love, the patience, the power, the calling, the sacrifice, the weariness, the long-suffering, the joy of his Father’s love.

He dies this death that none of us could die – with 100 obedience and heart of love for us.

Why did Jesus die. Because someone had to pay – pay for all the darkness, death, wrong, shame, death, injustice and hatred in the world and we could not pay. So, now, in this moment, the whole lot is paid for in one hit – No ‘After Pay’ offered or needed. No instalments to keep our life and future. He pays it all – once and for all.

‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’^[a] When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Where is your heart at this moment. Weeping at a distance for the sadness of this loss?

Indifferent to it all and going about your business, like soldiers tidying p after another crucifixion and moving on to the next task of the day.

Fixated on getting ready for the family festival of Passover which takes heaps more of your heart and mind that this man in this moment?

Follower of Jesus angry at the world and at what is happening and asking why does this stuff keep on happening – especially to innocent people?

Wishing that curtain was still in place to that you could keep working at making life work the way you see fit and hoping it is enough.

Or on the edge of full-blown faith and following like that Centurion

“…..seeing what had happened, praised God and said, ‘Surely this was a righteous man.’

Seeing and hearing again what happened and sensing goodness, rightness, love, healing, hope?

This is a love that knows suffering – the only kind of love that is real really.

This is not a fake love or a greedy love or a possessive love. This is a giving love to the point of dying love.

LATEST BULLETIN

LIVE STREAMS

PASTOR’S SERMONS

WORSHIP TIMES