Emails to my Church – Good Friday

Justice

The story of Jesus’ crucifixion is the biggest miscarriage of justice ever seen! There have been many misuses of power over humanity’s history. There have been many who have been executed, exiled, and put in prison for false reasons. But Jesus’ death, his crucifixion, which was the most excruciating execution designed by the Romans, has been debated, talked about, and preached for over two thousand years. Even today, it still challenges our concept of justice.

If Jesus was on trial now, I do not doubt that I would be on the streets protesting, defending and pleading for the release of an innocent man. Perhaps I would have joined the vigils and light candles, and indeed I would have marched the streets protesting and demanding fair justice.

Yet, justice as we know it is seldom fair. Look at the TV screens and watch for yourselves how a military regime can turn against its people.

However, if we look at Jesus’ execution-only as a miscarriage of justice, we have only seen it in part and could be missing the point. Jesus’ death on the cross was God’s judgment on humankind, and it was his way of pointing to what true justice is. By placing on Jesus, the whole weight of sin, you and I can now have an opportunity to experience true justice. This challenges logic and reason, and I, for one, am so glad that it does. Because this justice and the appropriation of righteousness is only gained by grace and accessed by faith, it is by grace alone, so much so that one of the criminals that were with Jesus became his follower. By faith, he declared, “remember me in your kingdom”. He called him King.

I want you to look at Jill’s picture and read Luke 23:33-49. Ask God to speak to you, and when you do, it would be great to ask God: Lord, what do you want me to see?

“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.”

(Luke 23:33–49 NIV11-GKE)

D.L.