Good Friday B Gospel
My parents were missionaries and we moved from America to Russia when I was just two years old. This was back in the day of VHS tapes and one of the tapes that we brought with us to Russia was the Jesus Film.
I remember someone came to visit us in our apartment and we were watching the Jesus Film. It was getting to the part where Christ hung on the cross. The person visiting us said something like, “oh, this is where Jesus dies on the cross, but don’t worry he comes back to life.” I was so amazed that our guest knew the story! I said, “have you seen this movie?!” He responded with, “I’ve read the book.” I was absolutely in awe of our guest and his knowledge of the story of Jesus.
Looking back on that interaction I can’t help but think of how quickly our guest tacked on the statement: “but don’t worry, he comes back to life.” So often the reality of Good Friday causes some to want to skip right over it. I remember hearing someone say, “I don’t like Good Friday services, I just want to get to Easter.”
Easter is full of joy, hope, excitement. In one church where I served, the pastor actually gave balloons to everyone in attendance, had them blow them up, and bounce them all around the sanctuary at the end of the service. It was a party!
Good Friday is not a party. Good Friday is uncomfortable. It is a reminder that there are dark and difficult places that still remain in this world. Yes, Christ did conquer sin and death, but the earth has still not been fully reconciled to God. Wesleyans often talk about living in the tension of the “already” and the “not yet.” The “already” is that Christ has come, lived, died, and rose again. He gives the gift of grace and all we have to do is respond. This is the “already:” that we can be in relationship with Christ and filled with the Spirit here and now. The “not yet” is the fact that the world is still a broken place in need of love, grace, healing, and restoration. The brokenness is uncomfortable; just like Good Friday is uncomfortable.
John 18:1-19:42 is the story of Good Friday. It begins with Jesus and the disciples gathering in a garden on the other side of the Kidron Valley. It ends with Christ being laid in the tomb. These two chapters do not have a happy ending. There is a sense of unfinished business, confusion, and deep sorrow. That is what took place on the first Good Friday. Christ suffered and died. By all appearances, sin had won and Christ was no more.
As a young teenager I had the privilege of visiting Jerusalem and going to the places that are talked about in these two chapters of John. As our group of missionary and missionary kids walked into the Garden of Gethsemane (at least what we were told could have been the location for the garden) there was a sense of awe and wonder. I could not help myself, but I looked around for a really big rock where Jesus could have prayed on the night he was betrayed. It was surreal. From there we journeyed to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Our tour guide made a joke that if something is thought to be holy in Jerusalem then a church was build on that site. So, there we were, at one of the possible sites of the crucifixion and burial of Christ. It took my breath away. I found myself sad and thankful all that the same time.
I found myself remorseful that sin and death are a part of this world and that I am one who has “sinned and fall[en] short of God’s glory.” (Romans 3:23 CEB) I wished that Christ didn’t have to suffer and die and yet at the same time was overwhelmingly thankful that he did. Good Friday is uncomfortable.
Halfway through these chapters in John 19:15 a line jumped out to me in a way it never had before. Pilate asks, “Do you want me to crucify your king?” and the chief priests respond with, “we have no king except the emperor.” (CEB)
I have read this passage many times before, but when I read, “we have no king except the emperor.” I said, “woah” right out loud. This is incredible that they chief priests would make such a statement and submit themselves to the Roman Empire and not to God.
Earlier, in John 18:31 Pilate and the Jewish leaders are talking and it is evident that Pilate does not want anything to do with this situation. He tries to turn over Jesus to the Jewish leaders, but they respond by saying, “The Law doesn’t allow us to kill anyone.” (CEB)
The Jewish Leaders wanted Jesus dead, but by the Law they were not allowed to kill anyone. So, they relied on the Romans to do their dirty work for them. They were uncomfortable with Christ and did not want any part of the new kingdom he declared. So, they found a loophole to have him killed and not have to break any of their Laws.
Good Friday is uncomfortable.
It’s uncomfortable because it reminds us that we are tempted to find loopholes in life just like the chief priests.
It is uncomfortable because it reminds us that we were dead in our sin and only because of Christ can we live.
It is uncomfortable because it reminds us that this world is still full of darkness, sin, death, suffering, anger, hurt, sorrow, and the list goes on.
It is uncomfortable to sit in unresolved day that is Good Friday, but is necessary. It is a reminder that we need and in that way it is “Good.”
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