Good Friday - The Crucifixion

Join us for this special devotional-style episode! We sing, pray and reflect on the readings of Holy Week in the gospel of John. On Good Friday, we hear the events, in real time, that take us to the cross as we recall the ministry of Jesus throughout the gospel of John. Jesus leads us the entire way, choosing to take each step along the way. 

Music:
Jesus, Remember Me
Text: Luke 23:42 Taize Community
Music: Jacques Berthier (1923-1994)
Text and music copyright 1981 Les Presses de Taize. Admin GIA Publications, Inc  (Used under One License # A-724822)

We Remember
Text and Music: Marty Haugen (b. 1950) copyright 1980 GIA Publications, Inc (Used under One License # A-724822)

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Scripture quotations from the COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE. © Copyright 2011 COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:06

Welcome to Good Friday, a day when we read from the Gospel of John for two chapters as we slow down and in real time walk through the story. The story that takes us from the soldiers and chief priests meeting Jesus in the garden all the way to Jesus' last breath and burial.

SPEAKER_00 0:28

Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdoms. Remember me when you come into your kingdoms. Remember me when you come into your kingdoms. Remember me when you come into your kingdom.

SPEAKER_02 1:13

I'm not going to read the entirety of the passion narrative here. It's a long story and it deserves to be taken slowly. So I encourage you to find time today to either read it on your own, read it aloud, or find a worshiping community near you where you can experience this story as we remember what Jesus chose to do for us, that Jesus chose to die for us. But because this story is so long and so important, I do think it warrants to slow it down even further and to look at a few of the key aspects of John's telling of the passion of Jesus Christ. To help us bring some focus into this brief reflection on a very long story. I think it's helpful to look at some of the characters that we see in this story. We, of course, see Jesus. We see Jesus stepping towards the chief priests and the soldiers and declaring who he is. And in fact, these are the last times that Jesus uses the great I am, the I am statements that are throughout the Gospel of John. Those are the words he says as the chief priests and the soldiers ask who he is. He just simply says, I am. The holy I am that God declares God's self to Moses, and the I am that Jesus carries throughout the Gospel of John. And in these last instances of Jesus declaring, I am, we hear the weight of every single I am up to this point. As Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life, I am the door, I am the good shepherd, I am. We hear all of this in this final I am of Jesus. And as you read through this story, you will notice the ways that Jesus over and over again has control over the whole situation. Jesus knows what is happening, and Jesus steps towards the next action. He hands himself over, he carries his own cross, and even at the death, he is the one who declares it is finished and breathes his last. We see Judas again. We see Judas standing with the chief priests and the soldiers in his judgment. But though he stands with them, him standing there is not the act of betrayal. When we hear of Judas betraying Jesus in this section of the gospel, it is in the past tense. Judas had already betrayed that relationship through disbelief, through removing himself from relationship with Jesus, through stepping outside of the flock, the fold of the Good Shepherd. And this leaves room for what causes Jesus' capture is not Judas, but Jesus himself. And after this moment we see Peter come into the story again as we go back and forth between the trials of Jesus and the trials of Peter, showing the mutuality and intimacy between Jesus and his disciples. We hear Peter denying. And I think it's important here to highlight that Peter's not denying Jesus. Peter is denying his own discipleship. Peter is denying his relationship with Christ in this moment. And then we get to the scene where Jesus is before the high priest, and we hear that statement. And of course, Pilate does not hear nor recognize Jesus' voice, completely missing the point as he asks Jesus, What is truth? When instead he should be asking, who is truth? Because as we know from a few chapters prior and during the farewell discourse, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life for John's gospel. And throughout this trial scene, we hear the voice of the Jewish leaders. And I think here is another point where we need to recognize the context into which this gospel is written, the context in which this gospel was first heard, as people who were new followers of the risen Christ were being rejected and ejected from their communities. And so these Jewish leaders in the Gospel of John become the caricature, the stereotype of those who have rejected the followers of Christ. It is in no way intended to be a condemnation on the Jewish community as a whole at the time of Jesus' death. It is in no way intended to be a statement about current Jewish faith. Because for as much as we hear the voice of the Jewish leaders in this scene, what sentences Jesus to death is empire and the Roman authorities. But even still, Jesus is the one maintaining control as he carries his own cross to the hill where he will die. And this leads us to the scene of the crucifixion, where we see Jesus' mother make another appearance. The last time we saw Jesus Mother was at the wedding at Cana in chapter two. And so Jesus Mother becomes an embodiment of what it means to abide, what it means to be there, to really be there, to show up, to abide and be in relationship, as she's there at the beginning of life and at the end of life for Jesus. And then as he is on the cross, Jesus says those famous words as he looks at his beloved disciple and looks at his mother and commends them to the care of each other. Even in his death, Jesus gives life and provides life. And finally, at the last, when Jesus says one last phrase, it is finished, there's always the question of what is the it that is finished. And perhaps what Jesus is referring to here, as he is hanging on the cross, is the incarnation, is Jesus' earthly ministry. For after he dies, after his body is placed in the tomb, he rises, and a whole new ministry is born as a whole new life, resurrected life begins. And in this we are reminded that we never preach Good Friday without Easter, and we never preach Easter without Good Friday. So again, I encourage you to find a faithful community where you can hear the story in its entirety. I encourage you to make time today to read this story in its entirety, and be open to the way that God is speaking to you in this text. Let us pray. Almighty God, look with loving mercy on your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given over to the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross, who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.