Good Friday

“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”

I speak with you as one guilty and in need of the God who forgives all. Amen!

This sermon was a lot harder to write then yesterday’s Maundy Thursday sermon. I guess I’m much more comfortable with Christ’s new commandment to love one another. I guess that I’m more comfortable preaching about how we should go and do. I’m more comfortable preaching how we should all love as Christ’s loves us all.

But today is opposite!

Today we aren’t to go and do, but rather sit and reflect.

We just heard yet again the passion story, and there is a lot of debate about who exactly kills Jesus in the story. Was it the Jewish leadership? Was it Rome?

Well here’s the answer: in today’s story—in every day’s story—I kill Jesus. In today’s story—in every day’s story—you kill Jesus.

See, it goes like this. God is love. Jesus is God incarnate, the love that is God made flesh and living in the world. Today, we remember the crucifixion; we remember the rejection of that love. Every time we reject the love of God, we crucify Christ. Every time we do not respect God’s creation as a gracious act of love, we crucify Christ. Every time we treat anyone as less then Christ himself, we crucify Christ. Every time we rule our nation in ways that oppress other people, we crucify Christ. Every time we fail to heal the sick, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, or free the captives, we crucify Christ. Simply put, every time we fail to Love God, our neighbors, or ourselves, we crucify Christ.

If this were any other day, this is the point in the sermon where I would talk about Jesus’ saving grace and forgiveness, the love that covers all our sins. But not today! Our Gospel stops with the crucifixion because today we are left with nothing but the cross. Today we are called to sit and remember yet again the ways we crucify Christ. Today is Friday and we can only hope that Sunday is coming!