Nail-Pierced Hands.

 

Sermon for Good Friday, April 2, 2021

Peace to all of you who are in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Luke 23:32-34  ³²Two other men, who were criminals, were led away with Jesus to be executed.  ³³When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and the other on his left.  ³⁴Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (EHV)

Nail-Pierced Hands.

Dear sinners called to be saints,

            Wherever you look, you will likely find some people who expect you to do something for them.  Maybe it is someone who legitimately expects your help, such as your boss, your spouse, or your children.  They all look to you for your service because the relationship requires it.  On the other hand are those who want you to do something for them for their profit: a car salesman wants you to sign on the bottom line, a telemarketer tries to trick you into giving up your money, or the utility companies expect to be paid for their services.

There is One, however, who asked nothing of you before He committed everything for your benefit.  To see this One who truly loves you above any material thing, look to the Nail-Pierced Hands.

One could debate, I suppose, about which celebration is the highlight of the Church year.  Some would pick Christmas.  Many would say Easter is the highlight because that is the day Jesus rose from the dead.  Yet, while Easter shows the extant of Jesus’ power, and without that, we could not be saved, on this day, Good Friday, we see the greatness of Jesus’ love for the unworthy.

The night before, Jesus’ disciples had argued with Him when He told them they would all soon betray Him.  All of them refused to believe they could be so unfaithful even when Jesus said, “I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘He was counted with lawless ones.’  Indeed, what is written about me is going to have its fulfillment.” (Luke 22:37)  Within mere hours, everything Jesus had said came true.  The world saw Jesus counted as a criminal, the centerpiece of a trio sentenced to die for unspeakable crimes.  God’s Son, Jesus, was made to be sin for the world (2 Cor. 5:21), shamed before men, abused by those who hated Him, abandoned by those who said they loved and trusted Him, and even God the Father turned away from the Son He loved, all because He loves us.

No one would be surprised if Jesus had cursed everyone who had hurt Him.  That would likely by the reaction of most men—especially men of power, but Jesus is not most men.  Jesus was committed to love, committed to deal with the wickedness of the world on His own terms.  Therefore, we don’t see Jesus respond in anger, hopelessness, helplessness, nor even fear.  Instead, Jesus displays the boundless, self-sacrificing mercy of our God and Father, as Jesus willingly bore our sins and our punishment as He allowed His feet and hands to be nailed to the cross until He was dead.

For the soldiers who had whipped and abused Him, and were now nailing Jesus to the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

For Israelite leaders who had judged Jesus blasphemous, called Him a liar, and falsely accused Him of countless other crimes, and for the governor who failed to free Him, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

For disciples who abandoned Him the moment He gave Himself into the hands of His enemies, Jesus kept on praying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Two days ago, I read an article about a college in Texas where a student group had scattered around campus 250 plastic Easter eggs containing Bible verses intended to encourage their fellow students.  This is now being considered a hostile, triggering event that is offensive to those who don’t believe in Jesus, but for both sides of that incident, both for the students who were doing something for good, and those who reacted with vile hatred and threats, Jesus was praying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

For you and me who have desired to do what is right, but like St. Paul must continually admit, “I fail to do the good I want to do.  Instead, the evil I do not want to do, that is what I keep doing,” (Romans 7:19) Jesus kept on praying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

You see, dear friends, there as Jesus hung on that cross suffering all the wrath the whole world deserved for sin, even suffering the unimaginable agony of separation from the Father who is love, Jesus kept on praying for sinners, because that is the kind of people Jesus came to save.  Jesus didn’t come for the righteous, if any could be found.  Jesus came to rescue those who without His intercession would have to spend eternity separated from God in the prison designed to hold Satan and his angels.  Therefore, Jesus prayed for the Father to forgive the sins of the world.

When all His work was accomplished, even a last sip of sour wine, and His final prayers had been spoken, Jesus declared with a surprisingly loud voice, “‘It is finished!’  Then, bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30)  A few days earlier, Jesus had told His disciples, “No one has greater love than this: that someone lays down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you continue to do the things I instruct you.” (John 15:13-14)  Alone, lifted up before the world, Jesus, with Nail-Pierced Hands, showed the greatest extent of love the world has ever known.

Dear friends of Jesus, listen to Him as He invites you to come to Him with all your troubles and especially with all your sins and weaknesses, for He has paid the full price to bring you into His kingdom, and we know this is true, because on the third day after He died and was buried, Jesus met His disciples in an upper room to announce to them and to the world, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19)  The wounds in His hands, feet, and side were the evidence that this truly was Jesus who had suffered and died, but was now raised, and Jesus’ Nail-Pierced Hands became the trophies showing the world His resounding victory over the devil, sin, and death.

From now on, Jesus’ Nail-Pierced Hands show us that matter what happens in this world, we have peace with God and a sure Advocate at the Father’s side working all things for our everlasting good.  Those Nail-Pierced Hands are visible proof that the Savior lived and died to redeem us, and they convince us that Jesus will never stop interceding with His Father for you.  Amen.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless in the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time, now, and to all eternity.  Amen.