Good Friday April 14, 2006

“Jesus Was Forsaken in Our Place”

Mark 15:33-34

33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?” – which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

During the time of Napoleon a young father was drafted into the French army. Because of the young age of this man’s children, a friend volunteered to go in his stead. The substitution was made, and sometime later, the friend who volunteered to replace the young father was killed.

Through a clerical error, the young father was drafted a second time. The French army officers came to his home to whisk him away from his family and off to war. “You can’t take me” the young father said, “because my substitute has fulfilled my responsibility. He already died in battle in my place. Through my substitute, I have legally served my country and I am dead.” The officers argued that was impossible, since he was standing right before their very eyes.

The young father insisted they check the military records to find confirmation of his military service and death. And sure enough, when they checked, they found the young father’s name recorded among the deceased with the replacement’s name written beside his.

Think about how these two men switched places. The young father should have gone to war. The friend should have stayed home to eat potato chips during Monday Night Football. The young father should have struggled with sleeplessness in uncomfortable tents. The friend should have slept easily in the comforts of his own bedroom. The young father should have been walking through dangerous battlefields, where lives are lost dozens at a time. The friend should have been walking down the block to work, without any fear of losing his life. The young father should have had his young life cut short. The friend should have lived a long and happy life.

But they switched. The one who should have had a long, happy, peaceful life received dangerous days, sleepless nights, and an early death. The one who should have received dangerous days, sleepless nights and an early death received a long, happy and peaceful life.

This substitution of a friend fighting and dying in the place of a young father describes Jesus suffering and dying in our place on Good Friday. We should have been the one sweating drops of blood waiting in terror for God to crush us for our sins. Jesus should have been the one to enjoy peace of mind because his future was restful. We should have been the ones up there on the cross, suffering terribly for our sins. Jesus should have been reaping the heavenly reward of living a perfect life. We should have had God turn his back to us and forsake us. Jesus should have been the one who was welcomed into the Father’s loving arms.

But everything was switched on that cross, wasn’t it? Jesus sweated nervous drops of blood so that we could have peace of mind for our eternal future. Jesus let his bloody body hang on the cross so that we could reap the reward for his perfect life. Jesus was forsaken by God so that we could be welcomed into the Father’s loving arms.

Why would Jesus do such a thing? Well, think back to that French friend. Why would this friend do such a thing? There’s only one reason: he cared more about his friend than he did about himself. He went to war so that his young father friend could stay home. He gave up his own life in order to give his friend a long life. It was a gift that could never be properly repaid or reimbursed. But it was a gift that was real and it was a gift of love.

That is why Jesus was willing to trade places with us on the cross. Only because he loved us more than he loved himself. Only because he would rather experience crucifixion than watch us experience crucifixion. Jesus said, “I would rather let myself be forsaken by God than watch you be forsaken by God forever.” And so he gave up his very own breath. The gift Jesus gave to us is not a gift we can properly repay, tit for tat. We cannot give up our lives on the cross to pay for his sins.

When we watch Jesus say, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” it is a bittersweet moment. It is bitter because we feel bad making an innocent man die for our sins. I am certain that French young father did not rejoice when he found out that his replacement friend had died in battle. In the same way, a part of us is sad as we see Jesus on the cross because we know that should have been us hanging there.

But even though that moment is bitter, that moment is also sweet. It is sweet because we should have been forsaken but we will never be forsaken. We will always enjoy a peaceful union with God. Let me say that one more time because it is so important for us to know. God turned his back on Jesus so that he will never have to turn his back on us. God considered Jesus guilty so that he will call us not guilty.

Maybe the best part about this decision from God, that he considered Jesus guilty so that we will be not guilty, is that his decision is final.

After the French army officer checked the military records and he saw that the young father had legally died in battle, with the replacement’s name written in the record next to the young father’s name, the officer still was not satisfied. He continued to contest the case until it finally went before Emperor Napoleon himself. After examining the evidence, Napoleon decided, “Through a substitute, this man has fought and died in faithful service to his country. No man can die more than once. Therefore the law has no claim on him.” And the case was closed. There was no more contesting the decision. There were no more appeals. Who was going to overturn Emperor Napoleon?

Nobody would overturn Napoleon’s decision. It was final. Nobody will overturn God’s decision either. When God says, “Your sins are gone” who is going to argue? Who can appeal that? Who can overturn the verdict of God’s very own gavel? Nobody can. His decision is final. As we watch Christ twist and turn in agony; as we watch him writhe as God curses him and forsakes him – we are thankful. We are awestruck. We are left shaking our heads in amazement, because we simply cannot grasp the lengths to which God will go to give us the gift of eternal life. And the best part about this substitution of Christ’s life for our life is that it will never be overturned.

Here is a verse from a new hymn titled “What is this Bread?” It describes the substitutionary sacrifice Jesus made for us at Calvary.

So who am I? That I should live and he should die? Under the rod…my God, my God! Why have you not forsaken me? Oh, taste and see – the LORD is free.

That is the free and lasting Good Friday gospel message. Be thankful for it. Be amazed by it. Rejoice because of it. Jesus died in your place and you are free from sin. After all, no man can die twice. Amen.