Homily for Good Friday (2020)

Judgment, War Time, and Victory
John 18-19

Listen here.

“Is this God’s judgment?” I’ve heard that question several times as we battle this current pandemic. “Is God trying to tell us something?” some ask. And if so, what is He trying to get through our thick skulls? Could this Coronavirus and COVID-19 be God’s judgment? The short, brief answer is, “Absolutely!” Just as terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Just as tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes in their seasons. Just as world wars and lesser wars. Just as other plagues through history. Just as that seasonal cold or flu you get every so often.

So what is God trying to tell us? That would be the trickier question. I remember the Flood of ’93. Some local preacher claimed it was God’s judgment for—get this—the gambling boats coming into vogue back then. Possible? Who knows? What is God trying to tell us with a never-before-seen virus that’s so contagious? What is He trying to tell us when government and medical officials lock us down to slow down the spread? What is He trying to tell us in the countless media reports driving us to constant fear and panic? Unfortunately, our God does not specifically tell us in His Word, at least on these details.

We are also told that we as a nation are now on a war footing. We speak of doing battle against this “invisible enemy.” The military is even involved in erecting and staffing hospitals in the hot spots. Closer to home for most of us, we too are doing battle—making sacrifices to our lifestyles and liberties; standing in lines—six-feet apart, of course—just to buy food and other necessities; and, yes, doing battle against the loneliness and the mental, emotional anguish of uncertainty.

In this time of judgment and war against an “invisible enemy,” we are frantically searching for victory, some victory, any victory. What will that be? Flattening the curve? More COVID-positive patients leaving the hospital than coming in? Getting back to work and a more normal life? Some speak of victory by means of a vaccine. Some speak of defeating this virus. Is it possible to defeat a virus? After all, we routinely battle the flu virus every year. But when will such victories come? How will we know? And who will be our saviors—the president? the governor? the doctors and medical professionals? the government money? you and I with our mitigation efforts? These may be gifts from God, but saviors for victory?

We know from Scripture that, yes, God uses times like this for judgment. Consider it an urgent wake up call, an authoritative knock on the door, a time when God Himself says, “Hey, I’m still here. This is still My world. You still belong to Me. Stop ignoring Me.” We know “the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope” (Rom. 8:20). And what hope does God Himself have in subjecting His creation to futility and a time such as this? “That the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21).

We know from Scripture that, yes, we are on a war footing. We always have been, always are, and ever will be until the Last Day. “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). The critical battle is not really against a virus. It’s not against any other human being, even the politician you may dislike, whichever side of the aisle. The battle is against sin, death, and the devil. Oh, and Satan loves times like this! If he can get you to fear, panic and despair, he dances with glee. If he can get you to place your hope for rescue in officials, vaccines, money,  or your own sacrifices, then he can claim, “Job done!” After all, he does not want you looking to God at all.

And we know from Scripture that the victory has already been won. You just heard the story—the military log of the historic, cosmic, life-changing final battle. The victim became the victor. By dying, the suffering servant achieved the ultimate conquest. “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Is. 53:5). “For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).

Is this God’s judgment? Yes! God judged His own Son guilty of your sin and death, even your sins of fear, anxiety, and panic. He also judged you forgiven and innocent, healed and whole. Is this God’s war time? Absolutely! With a blood-soaked cross your God has fought and won the victory over all sin, all curses of the Fall, and all schemes that the devil uses to lead you away from Him. This is God’s victory! “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31-32).

The second century pastor Melito of Sardis (On Pascha, 100-105, pp. 65-67) proclaimed it poetically this way:

The Lord clothed himself with humanity,
and with suffering on behalf of the suffering one,
and bound on behalf of the one constrained,
and judged on behalf of the one convicted,
and buried on behalf of the one entombed,
rose from the dead and cried out aloud:

“Who takes issue with me? Let him stand before me.
I set free the condemned.
I gave life to the dead.
I raise up the entombed.
Who will contradict me?”

“It is I,” says the Christ,
“I am he who destroys death,
and triumphs over the enemy,
and crushes Hades,
and binds the strong man,
and bears humanity off to the heavenly heights.”
“It is I,” says the Christ.

“So come all families of people,
adulterated with sin,
and receive forgiveness of sins.
For I am your freedom.
I am the Passover of salvation,
I am the lamb slaughtered for you,
I am your ransom,
I am your life,
I am your light,
I am your salvation,
I am your resurrection,
I am your King.
I shall raise you up by my right hand,
I will lead you to the heights of heaven,
there shall I show you the everlasting [Father].”

He it is who made the heaven and the earth,
and formed humanity in the beginning,
who was proclaimed through the law and the prophets,
who took flesh from a virgin,
who was hung on a tree,
who was buried in earth,
who was raised from the dead,
and ascended to the heights of heaven,
who sits at the right hand of the [Father],
who has the power to save all things,
through whom the [Father] acted from the beginning and for ever.

This is the alpha and omega,
this is the beginning and the end,
the ineffable beginning and the incomprehensible end.
This is the Christ,
this is the King,
this is Jesus,
this is the commander,
this is the Lord,
this is he who rose from the dead,
this is he who sits at the right hand of the [Father],
he bears the [Father] and is borne by him.
To him be the glory and the might fore ever.

Amen.