Sermon - Good Friday, 2023 - St. Martin's In the Desert

Sermon – Good Friday, 2023

All Years (Done in year A)
April 7, 2023

First Reading, Old Testament: Isaiah 52:1-13-53:12
Psalm 22
Second Reading Epistle: Hebrews 10:16-25
Gospel: John 18:1-19:42

The Collect

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen

I Give You My Heart

Do you celebrate a certain date each year, maybe your birthday, your anniversary, or the birth of your first child? Some people might celebrate something even bigger than that. 

More than 5000 cardiac transplants occur each year around the world, and there are estimated to be 50,000 on the waiting list. 

This critical organ saves lives and gives someone a chance to have a new life. 

The storage of organ donations, causes health care providers to strictly evaluate who should receive a heart transplant. Today we come together to remember when Jesus donated his heart to us, he did not discriminate or evaluate his people…we were all candidates. 

Good Friday, I like or prefer to call it… Holy Friday, good meaning, Holy at one time.  Holy Friday, leads us to the Resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death and sin and the celebration of Easter.

Every year we are here again to remember the day Jesus died, the day that he was betrayed by Judas, and handed over to the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police. 

To be judged, spat upon, flogged, denied three times by Peter, condemned to die, wearing a crown of thorns he carried his own cross, falling and humiliated.

Here is Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy, but first he suffered pain, and entered not unto glory before he was crucified, and suffered… an agonizing painful death.

But it is difficult every year to read how Judas betrayed him, we want to say…

” No, you cannot” Not Jesus, the one who loves you! 

And Peter, how could you, Peter? 

Then Pilate, he did not want to do this…but he just will not stand up to the people and say, 

“No, this is wrong!!” And I am not sentencing him to die.

He keeps questioning Jesus…What have you done? Jesus answered, 

“My kingdom is not from this world”

Here is this great man who went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 

He feed multitudes and he baptized multitudes.

Multitudes followed him to the sea of Galilee to the sermon on the mount. 

Along with the three Mary’s , including his mother, his disciples, I imagine multitudes of people witnessing his death. 

On Palm Sunday last week, they shouted hail to the king of the Jews! as he had his triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  

And today, it’s crucified him!

A Promise of Hope

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope. (Psalm 130:5)

We all are faced with dark days and there are moments when we are about to lose hope, when the darkness about…. seems to overwhelm us.

We might be dealing with old age or illness, or the death of a loved one, a friend or companion.

Our trust in God, the God of hope always gets us through. The Holy Scriptures teach us patients, endurance, and faith.

Our underlying trust in God encourages us and teaches us, just how to deal with our own problems and how to encourage those who come to us. We do not give up on them and God does not give up on us.

One of the reasons we as Christians can endure the difficulties in life, is for centuries we come back again and again to the sufferings of Christ on the Cross. Christ’s suffering encourages us and give us hope, because we know that the story ends well on Easter. And we know he did it for our sake.

Having your hope anchored in Jesus, means that you trust Him and His promises and having Jesus-Hope is having confidence that whatever it is you are hoping for… will come to pass.

Today when you leave, remember that Jesus gave his heart to you today and it’s my prayer that this humble, sacrificial love will renew your desire to reach out and give your heart to someone in need. 

Amen
The Reverend Lola Culbreath