April 15, 2022 – Good Friday Text: John 19:25-37
Dear Friends in Christ,
Are you a fan of the color red? Some of you are. Many of you know I am not. Go through my closet. No red ties. Go through my drawers. One torn up red t-shirt. Even a remnant from my ISU days is a white sweatshirt with a splash of red. Why? Two reasons. A certain pro team that plays baseball in a neighboring state and a certain university in a neighboring state that had a maniacal coach when I was growing up. This is going to sound crazy, but I wasn’t too excited to come to Illinois State with their red. They had the best TV broadcasting school in the state and the rest is history.
Tonight, I appreciate the red we are about to witness. I pray you do too.
“ARE YOU A FAN OF RED?”
Why do we need the red of Jesus? Because we never measure up to his standards. We fail so miserably. We project sin on others. Blame the husband. Blame the wife. Blame the kids. Blame the parents. Blame the teachers. Blame the government.
If not blaming, we are rationalizing. “I only hurt myself.” “It was just this once.” If that doesn’t work then let’s compare. “Think I’m bad, you should see my creepy boss.” “My sister has a lot more problems than me.”
Another way is to be so busy with distractions that you collapse in bed at night and have no time to haunt your mind with your sin. If you must think about it then pop a pill, smoke a joint, get liquored up and maybe the thoughts will go away. None of it works. You cannot escape the reason for this night. Yea, that’s right. Your sin. My sin.
The only solution? Stand under Christ’s cross with John. “He who saw it has borne witness – his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth – that you also may believe.” (v. 35). John was there at the cross. John saw it all happen. Christ’s blood alone washes away sin. And the color of blood is . . .
Before getting to the cross the blood was all over the Savior. A crown of thorns on his head – blood. Flogged by the Romans – blood. Whipped with spikes – blood. Deep lacerations. In our day he would be stitched up. Not this day. The blood would keep pouring out. Clot up and tore open again.
He gets to the cross and the nails bring bleeding from hands and feet. His bones and muscles burn as he tries to push up so he can breathe. This lasts for six hours. He is exhausted. He went into respiratory acidosis – which leads to an irregular heartbeat. He knew death was near. He died of cardiac arrest.
“One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness – his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth – that you also may believe.” Peter Paul Rubens, a 17th century artist, depicts these events in John’s Gospel. Rubens’ masterpiece is called The Descent From The Cross.”
Black clouds are in the back. Jesus is in the foreground. Christ head dangles to one side and the body is limp. Mary, the sister of Lazarus is there, with Jesus’s foot resting on her shoulder. She once sat at Christ’s feet. Another woman is there with tears. Mary Magdalene. She is crushed. So much so that on Easter morning, she runs frantically, searching for Jesus. We will learn more about that and her, on Easter. Joseph of Arimathea is on a ladder. Joseph looks at a man in black. It is Nicodemus who came to Jesus at night. Then we get to the color of the night. Are you ready? Don’t be afraid.
The person under Nicodemus is dressed in red. Red. I said it. It’s John, the Gospel writer. It’s John, the beloved disciple. It’s John, who has instructions from Jesus to take care of his mother. But why is John dressed in red? That is what Rubens wants us to ask. Why is John dressed in red? St. Louis Cardinal fan? Indiana University fanatic? Supporter of Illinois State? None of it. It is a bloody answer. As the blood drips from Christ’s head, and hands and side it continues downward until it pours directly on John
John is dressed in red because he is covered in blood. He is saturated. John is washed in Christ’s blood. And John says that same blood is for you. Are you a fan of red?
At the bottom right corner of the paper is a piece of paper with the Latin inscription INRI with a rock on top of it. These letters stand for Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum – Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Next to the inscription and rock lies an offering plate that holds the crown of thorns and more blood. Blood is in the offering plate. Why? It is Christ’s offering. It’s Christ’s gift for you. More cleansing blood.
Peter Paul Rubens invites us to stand at the cross, like John. To hold on to Jesus, like John. To allow the Savior’s blood to wash us, like John. Why? Because Christ’s blood is the only solution for our sin.
So we stand at the foot of the cross, like John, clothed in red, yes red, forever forgiven.
Amen.