"The Greatest Love Act The World Will Ever Know"

April 14 2017 Good Friday.  What's so Good about Good Friday? 

What does the cross mean to you personally, is it a symbol of Compassion and love, of acceptance and forgiveness, a symbol of thanksgiving and gratitude, or is it a symbol of pain, suffering, the lamb being slaughtered for the sins of the world, that of a blood sacrifice or was it the greatest act of love the world will ever know?  Interesting isn’t it, the way we can look at things.   In the garden on that final evening Jesus was worrisome over what he had to face, his sweat was like drops of blood the scriptures says, Jesus new his death was unavoidable, but death was not the reason for his agony.  Jesus had spoken the truth to his disciples, “that which comes from the father must go back to the father”.    Jesus is not afraid to die, Jesus just like us, knows that his death is unavoidable it is part of being human, what has come from the father must go back to the father.    A truth that we all must face but we do not know when that time might come for us.   We must learn as Christ shows us how to accept death as part of the full life experience.   Jesus could have used his heavenly powers to escape death, but that was not an option because his job was to fulfill the promise, of life everlasting.    Jesus would be the first visible example of how we too will be raised from death to live in some form again.   Jesus also knows that we must learn how to die like him, not on a cross, not as a martyr for sin, but empty and free of all things that cause human suffering.  Now think about that for a moment folks because that means, dying without our negative emotions, our anger, resentment, pride, guilt, shame, and hurt, whatever you have in your life that has caused you and those close to you pain and suffering.    Jesus’ agony was not fear of death.  He knew he would have to look into the face of death alone as does any dying person.   He knew that his friends could not be there for him in death.    His real fear and testing was to die free of any anger, bitterness, resentments, or with any regrets.   His companions had abandoned him in his final hour, the crowd that had just cheered his entry into Jerusalem just hours before and then they began to shout “crucify him crucify him”.  Would he have the will, the courage, would he be able to show us purity from the cross?  Love unstained by thought, word, action or emotions.    Isn’t that our real fear also, that our impurity will remain stained forever?  We know too well that everyone dies someday and that we will be facing the moment of death all alone.  But, because of this great sacrifice of love for all of humanity, I will be able to die without the guilt, shame and the negative emotions I have acquired throughout my life.  Will I have what it takes to show purity in my death too?   This is an unspoken fear it is not?   We tell stories and make jokes about people who die with a smile on their face but we don’t often tell stories of persons who die without all their physical and emotional baggage that they have collected over the years, with their hurts, their pain,  anger, resentments, or regrets.   You see Jesus didn’t suffer and die because of anything we did nor did not do, it was part of God’s perfect plan, a way of purifying us.   He didn’t die for our sin, He died because of our sin and died to show us how to filter out worldly sin in our own lives before we die.  His purpose was love, a love that purifies all who accept it before you die and return to the father.  Folks we are not supposed to take these negative things with us into the next life because there is no room for them.  Why do you suppose we are taught by scripture to settle all our quarrels before we retire, do not go to sleep with the sins of the day heavy on your shoulders for you will not get your rest.    

 Jesus has already told his disciples that what has come from the father, shall return to the father and has plea, “come all ye who are heavy laden  I will give you eternal, rest was for us, that all humankind should come to him “before” death, to be purified, not after death as so many think they can.  

This mediator of a water filter can show us how it works.  We know that water is the source of all life on our planet, but it is subject to pollution.  The water enters the filter heavy laden, with all kinds of toxins, dirt, and impurities.  The water isn’t dead because it can be used for some things it just not pure enough to sustain life.   The filter removes and holds the impurities in itself and only allows the pure clean water to come out on the others side.  Jesus wants to act as our filter taking in all the anger, resentments, regrets, pain, hurts, all of the impurities of life, the baggage we picked up over time and exchanging it for the purity of love, compassion, and forgiveness.  That’s what Jesus was afraid of, not the death, but would he have the strength to accomplish this final work.  This would be his greats work, to show us the way home.  Verse 47 says “ a angle appeared to him and strengthened him.  In great anguish he prayed even more fervently, his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”  Could he do it, could he take all of it upon himself?

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus tries many times to show us the illustration of purity.  What it looks like before it get tainted by the impurities of living in the world. There was always a child close by for him to direct our attention. 

In this way he die for all of us.  And in doing so Jesus show us not only how to die but how to live with dignity and holiness, with compassion and love for one another without the baggage of life.  Jesus doesn’t discriminate by separating the good child from the bad, he doesn’t see people as we and them. He sees only God’s children, we all precious in his sight.  We must learn how to surrender and give it all to Jesus. So that we who have come from the father will go back to the father, pure and clean just as we came.    Let us give thanks for Jesus and what bearing our cross can do for us.   
                                         https://soundcloud.com/sim-rushtonuser-360084415/please-turn-to-me