Easter 2008
Good Friday

Today is the Friday Christians call Good. It is the day when He Who was without sin became sin; He became a curse for us [II Cor. 5:21; Gal 3:13]. Today He drank the cup of God’s wrath to the dregs. He was placarded on the Cross for all to see. But, as brother Musser is fond of saying, “Fridays here but Sunday’s coming.” On the third day, as He said, He was raised from the dead. The stone was rolled away, not for Him to escape the tomb, after all, we are told He could walk through walls in His glorified body. It was for the whole world to see that He was not there. His glorious resurrection conquered sin, death and Satan and this was the verification and certification of His sacrifice for the sin of the world. What He accomplished in His perfect life, death and resurrection is as misunderstood now as then.

We have been assaulted with the Black Liberation Theology [BLT] of Jeremiah Wright during the last week. It is not a new phenomenon. It is a cousin of the Ché Guevara theology of South America. And, it is no different than the health, welfare and prosperity gospel of white, middle class America. None of them are the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are what Paul calls “another gospel”. But, why are we surprised? We live in a time where religious pluralism [“there are many paths to God”]; cultural relativism [“what is true for you is dictated by your cultural context”]; therapy [“you need to learn how to cope with your situation”] and the death of reason [“it is how you feel and what you experience that counts”] reign.

So, why not a BLT for those who think they are the poor, oppressed and downtrodden? Those who are subjugated to the white dominated society? After all the Emancipation Proclamation, Civil War, Reconstruction, the flight to cities and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not eliminate racism in this country. So, why not Jesus as the Liberator from second class citizenship? Why not Jesus as a political force? Well…because that is not Who He is.

He is the suffering servant Who gave His live for His Church. He was not into politics. He was not a liberator in the human sense. Many of His erstwhile 1st century colleagues did not understand Who He was either. They wanted to be liberated from an earlier oppressor…the Romans. But, that was not His mission. His closest associates did not understand His plain teaching that He would die and be raised on the third day. That is why all but John disappeared on that Friday we call Good. He was the ultimate Liberator and Deliverer. He liberated His own from sin, death and Satan. His was not a policy, program or social reform. He came to make dead people live…to change individual lives.

I attended a Heroin Task Force meeting yesterday with Pastor Charles. I was amazed at the discussion. It was about programs, grants and drug treatments. Everyone wants to stop the heroin plague in the City of DuBois, but they are incapable of changing lives. Only God through Christ can do that. And, it is the same with racism, both black and white. It is an inside job. It will never be eliminated by politics, programs or policies. Last week in corporate worship our New Testament reading was Romans 6: 1-14. I had the congregation read twice verse 14: For sin will have no dominion over you, for you are not under law but grace. If you are united to Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection, you are a new creation under grace and He will through the Holy Spirit mortify the sin in you…including racism. That is how lives, families, communities, states, nations and the world will change…one life at a time.

As you contemplate this Friday we call Good, do not allow Jesus to be co-opted by some social or political agenda. That is not the “good news”. The Gospel is the life, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord and Savior so that salvation by grace through faith on account of His atoning sacrifice can be applied to those who believe. Read how Clearfield County’s greatest hymn writer, Philip Bliss, described Who He was and what He did:

Man of Sorrows, what a name for the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim:. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood
Sealed my pardon with His blood: Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless w; spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! Can it be? Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die, “It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in heav’n exalted high: Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King, all His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing: Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Soli deo Gloria!