6 April 2012

Good Friday

Psalm 22; Lam. 3:1-9, 19-33; 1 Pet. 1:10-20; John 13:36-42

Jeremiah’s lament is that the Lord has crushed him, made it impossible for him to escape the pain in his life.  He knows that the Lord cares, He cares primarily about His reputation, however, and that is what is truly at stake.  Israel is His chosen vessel to make Him known to the world and He has loved them dearly, even as they chased after other gods.  The discipline of the destruction of the city is the last resort to restore them to Himself, no half-measures would do.  They must drink in this pain to the last dregs in order to know the depth of their sin.  The covenant means, however, that He knows their pain and hears their cries and that ultimately love will win out.  We know that Jesus shares our experience of pain and separation from the Father by sin.  We know the depth of His love is such that He was willing to submit Himself to us, to take on this mortal body and death in order that we might take on His Spirit and life.

Peter believes he is willing to lay down his life for Jesus but we know how this turns out, the mind is willing but the flesh is weak, There will come a time when Peter will do exactly this, he will be the man he always wanted to be but now is not that time.  Peter becomes a new man, a man of courage and fearlessness, after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Now, Jesus must stand alone and face this trial by Himself, with none to take His case.  The path to Calvary is a lonely one indeed. 

Peter says that the blood of Christ is more precious than perishable things, “like silver and gold.”  Are there “perishable things” more dear to the world than silver and gold.  We value these as though they are imperishable, the world without Jesus sees these things as having ultimate and inherent value that stands apart from everything else on earth.  Peter rightly says that the blood of Christ is infinitely more valuable than these because it is proven to be imperishable.  The blood of Christ is poured out for us in a never-ending flow.  Our sins have been washed in that blood so that we are pure, an interesting paradox to say the least.  That being true, Peter also says that the effect on us is a call to holiness.  As Jesus has taken the punishment for our sins we are to pursue His holiness in our lives.  The Holy Spirit is given to assist us in that pursuit in multiple ways: knowledge of sin, discernment and wisdom concerning righteousness, a change of the will to desire holiness, comfort and strength in weakness and failure, etc.  We have all the help we need if we will only avail ourselves of Him.

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you will remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
    but you are the same, and your years have no end.