April 18, 2025 – Good Friday Tenebrae Texts: Psalm 103:1-4, John 5:21-24
Dear Friends in Christ,
Just like last night, tonight we have another ABC soap opera that was very popular in its heyday. It was broadcast from 1968-2012. It showed ethnically and socioeconomically diverse characters. It was a soap that had very strong male characters. It settled before going on the air to be titled, “One Life To Live.” The original proposed title though was: “Between Heaven and Hell.”
Isn’t that a great way of looking at Good Friday? As Jesus was on the cross, he was between heaven and hell. He was obedient in his calling from the Father in heaven, but he was suffering hell on behalf of us because of it. He would even traverse to hell after his death to declare victory over the forces of evil. He entered our world to save the world. He could accomplish this because he had . . .
“ONE LIFE TO LIVE”
This one life affects the life of every other human being. It moved King David to write, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, and heals all your diseases.”
We are diseased people, are we not? Suffering from justifying ourselves. Somebody eats a whole pizza but wants to tell you they will take a walk later. A friend buys a great piece of clothing but reminds you it was on sale. We lie to keep up the façade that we got everything under control. But do we?
This cannot be escaped. Yes, you use bad language, but you recycle. You cheated on your spouse, but you don’t smoke. You manipulated your neighbor, but you gave a contribution to “Citizens Saving the Salamander.” Everyone knows self-justification.
John writes, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” How did this promise come about? Jesus taught the resurrection before there was a resurrection. He had one live to live as this man who could have justified himself, but he chose not to. He went to trial.
He wasn’t here to change the political scene. He believed in paying taxes and not injuring others. He taught and healed and did so in a peaceful manner. Why is he even here? Because the hateful, evil people got their way. This is where mob mentality was born. “Crucify him, crucify him!” Their self-justification overwhelmed them.
A crime has been committed. A crime against God. Jesus was getting what was coming to him – one life to live. Jesus allowed this travesty to continue – one life to live. He is keeping his mouth shut in the face of accusations – one life to live. He doesn’t justify, he doesn’t lawyer up – he has one life to live – and he is taking that life to a hill on Golgatha, to be crucified between two convicted criminals.
One of the hallmarks of the soap opera is the close-up shot. Right in there close. Getting the emotion on the face. They love to do this right before they fade to black and go to a commercial. I want you to picture the close-up of the face of Jesus as he suffers and dies for you. What do you see? It is going to fade to black in the middle of the day, the earth will shake, the temple curtain will reveal God and man coming together. Self-justification fades away in the darkness of the moment. Don’t look away. This one life may suffer death but he is going to live. A character enters the scene sensing this same thing, “Surely he was the God.” Let’s update the script: “Surely he is the Son of God.”
Jesus suffered this one life to see you with Him forever. We leave here somber as we await the good news. The show is not over.
Join us Easter Sunday on this same station for . . . “Another World.”
Amen.
"But God demonstrated His love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
