Good Friday....

The ground began to shake, buildings crumbled, and--within four short minutes--over 25,000 people were dead, many others were severely disabled and more than a half-million were left homeless. The place was Gujarat, and the date was Jan 26, 2001--the day when a massive earthquake almost wiped out the state of Gujarat from the map of India.
In the midst of the chaos and confusion, a frightened father ran to the school where his young son had gone earlier that morning. When he arrived, all he found was a pile of rubble. But he remembered the promise that he had made to his son so many times: "No matter what happens, Amol, I will always be there."
And so he began to dig--with his bare hands. He pulled up bricks and plaster and wood and metal, while other people watched in disbelief. They said, "Forget it, mister. Don't waste your time. They're all dead." He said to them, "You can stand there and grumble, or you can help me carry these heavy bricks." A few did pitch in to help, but most of them gave up once their muscles began to tire.
But the man didn't. He couldn't stop thinking of his son--and his promise--and so he continued to dig: for 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours. Finally, after 38 hours of hard labor, he heard a muffled groan from down below. He picked up one final piece of wallboard and he called out, "Amol!" Out of the darkness he heard a quivering voice, "Papa!" Then he heard other voices--14 in all. Of the 200 students who had gone into the school that morning, incredibly 14 were still alive.

When they were all safely out of the demolished building, Amol turned to his friends and proudly declared, "See, I told you my father wouldn't forget us!" And this is what Christians all around the world on this day pointing to the Cross of Jesus will be saying to one another “See didn’t I tell you, My Father would never leave us.”

John 3:16  for God so loved the World so much that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

“Greater love has no man that this than to lay down his life for a friend.” Whenever I look at the cross of Jesus, I can’t help asking myself this question. Why did have to suffer? Why such a brutal death?

My question leads me to reflect what must be going on in God’s mind. I can’t help but picture God sitting some where there up in heaven on the clouds with Jesus on one side and the Holy Spirit on the other, looking down on earth and saying to themselves, “what more do I need to do to make these people know that I Love them.” And as he was discussing this he looks at Jesus and realizes what going on in his mind, and instantly say NO. And Jesus turns to the Father and says, “Yes I can do it trust me” and God the Father say “No, I can’t let you do this. You don’t know what these children of mine will do to you”. But Jesus convinces the Father and says, “Just give me one chance and I will go down and tell my people that there is a Father who loves them who cares for them.” God the father agrees and bingo it’s Christmas.

Soon 33 years pass by with Jesus travelling the length and breadth of the Israel telling the people that there is a God who believes in them who loves them. Few believed in Him, others called him a mad man, a drunkard and a friend of tax collectors and sinners. They felt it’s better to do away with Him before he corrupts the whole community. And hand Him over to be killed. They gave him the worst treatment that could be ever given to a man at that time. They Crucified him in between two thieves.

But Jesus did not forget his mission. He did not forget his reason for coming into the world. That even though he was humiliated, that even though he was kicked and spitted at, with a crown of thorns on his head, and a heavy cross on his shoulder, and the painful piercing nails in his hand and feet, yet before he died, he makes his final petitation to his Father. “Father forgive them for they do not know what they do.”

The cross, which was a stumbling block, a symbol of defeat, shame, guilt, to many, has now been transformed into a sign of hope, because it was on the cross that Christ gained victory for us. As St Paul say, “By the wood of the cross have we all been saved.”

This evening my dear brothers and sisters, I would like to draw your attention on the three crosses that stood tall on mount Calvary. Yet keeping my main focus on that old rugged cross the emblem of suffering and shame for the Scribes and Pharisees, which when on to become a symbol of Hope for many down the centuries.

The Gospels tells us that on a hill not far away, a place called Golgotha, stood 3 crosses. In centre was a Jesus, whom Pilate called “the King of the Jews” and on either side were two criminals, who too were being crucified for their crimes. I would like to names these crosses as:
1. The Cross of Rejection
2. The Cross of Reception &
3. In the center the Cross of Redemption.
Let’s take a brief look at all these three crosses.

1. The Cross of Rejection:
On the left of Jesus as we have just heard in the passion hung a criminal, who out rightly rejected Jesus. Luke 23:39  “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us as well."

Why did I call this cross a cross of Rejection, for two simple reasons? We see in this person a :
a. Lack of Guilt
b. The Lack of Humility.

Lack of guilt  we see that he had no interest in admitting his guilt, he was mad because he was caught for his wrong doing and was being crucified. He had no sorrow in him that he had offended God and sinned against him. No! he was mad because he was caught. “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us as well he said.” And isn’t this what the world is teaching us today, the 11th Commandment, “do whatever you want but don’t get caught.”
Story of the boy caught stealing pencils in school…

The Lack of Humility  Instead of being humble and looking for mercy, we are told this thief "railed" on Jesus in Luke 23:39  “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us as well." The word "railed" means to scoff; to make fun or to ridicule, to make fun off. Isn’t this what happens most of the time when you try to be a good witness to someone, or a good Catholic?

This thief still had some pride in him to act this way towards the only one who could save him. And the bible tells us the Pride leads to death. So on the first cross hung the un-repented sinner, the cross of rejection, who rejected Jesus out rightly.
He had no guilt or shame for what he did.
He had no belief in the Son of God.
He had no humility for the mess he was.

What about us: Think of the number of time
 I had no guilt for the sins I have committed.
 I did not believe that God could save me of my sinfulness, the mess I am in.
 Refused to humble myself before God.
Have mercy on my O Lord.

2. The Cross of Reception [ read Lk 23: 40 – 41]
On the right of Jesus hung another criminal who was also given the same treatment as the first. But in comparison to the first he accepted his faults. As I reflect on this 2nd cross I notice something very important and that’s why I have name it the cross of reception.

a. He feared God: In Luke 23:40, we read this thief said to the thief that hung on the Cross of Rejection, "have u no fear of God". The Bible says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom".
 He knew that God controlled his destiny.
 He knew that God was the judge of things.

b. He realized that he too was condemned like Jesus

c. He acknowledges his sin
V 41¨
The Bible tells us that "all have sin and come short of the glory of God."

Acknowledgment of ones sin is the first step of getting saved. A person must first acknowledge they are a sinner. If a person does not see themselves as sinner then there is no need to be save. This is why the Pharisees during the time of Jesus did not repentant and submit to the baptism of repentance under the ministry of John the Baptist. They were self-righteous, trusting in being the physical seed of Abraham to save them. Nothing has changed much the religion of the Pharisees is still around today. Today, most folks are trusting in something else other than the shed blood of Jesus Christ to save them.
d. The thief on the cross of reception acknowledged he deserved his sentence - verse 41, "we receive the due reward of our deeds".
He knew clearly that he reaped what he had sown. In other words, he said "I am guilty for what I have done and deserve to be in the predicament that I am in."
 He acknowledged that he deserved his death sentence.
 He was sorry for his sin, not that he got caught but because he sinned

e. Finally: this thief acknowledged that Jesus did not deserve the death sentence - verse 41 "but this man hath done nothing amiss."
He realized and acknowledged the sinlessness of the man next to him.

There was only one last thing that this man did: He turned to the center cross, the third cross, The Cross of Redemption and uttered these words - verse 42 " Lord remember me in your kingdom."
Unlike the other thief on the Cross of Rejection, the thief on The Cross of Reception had no doubt who Jesus was. He came to Jesus humbly, admitting his sin, accepting his sentence of death, and crying out to God for his mercy. This thief believed that Jesus Christ could save him. John 1:12 "But to those who accepted him, he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.”


3. The Cross of Redemption
Finally, we want to notice the third cross, The Cross of Redemption.

And what was Jesus’ response to the 2nd thief on the Cross of Reception - verse 43 "Amen, I say to you, Today you shale be in paradise with me."

Show me one religion on this planet that promised paradise to us. Show me one religion in this big wide world, that will tell you for sure, "You are going to paradise ( heaven) and all you had do was ask to go there through trusting in the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the atonement of your sins. The bottom line is there isn’t any. Only Bible can and makes that promise, because it is based on the man on that third cross, The Cross of Redemption.

That’s the Good news for us today. That there is a
 A God who cares for us
 A God that believes in us, who is so madly in loves with us, that He send his only son to die for us, to redeem us and promise us paradise, a place where He is, so that we too may be with him, provide we put out trust in him.

That’s why today is called Good Friday, because today we remind ourselves that we have a Good God who cares for us.

“By the wood of the Cross we have been saved.” Amen.