April 27
Judg 7:1-8:17 | PS 97:1-98:9 | Prov 14:7-8 | Luke 23:13-43
The docket for the courtroom was full that day. The Judge being God, and the prosecuting attorney being Satan, the first case is brought before the Judge. The first defendant claimed to be an atheist. Satan immediately launches a multitude of accusations, some real, some lies about the man. The defendant looks straight at both of them and states, "I don't believe that either of you are real". Having nothing else to say, the Judge with tears in His eyes, bangs the gavel, and pronounces a judgment, "Guilty". He is immediately taken away and you can hear the screams of agony, as he is cast into hell. The next defendant, having lived a "good" life chose to represent himself. Once again, Satan launched his accusations, some true, some false. The man stood his ground proudly. He looked straight at the Judge and defended himself, highlighting all of his "goodness". He told the judge, how he was a good and faithful husband and father. He went on to state how he was a model employee. Feeling he was swaying the Judge, he went on to bring up his best defense by stating that he regularly attended church, tithed, and gave to many charities. The Judge asked how he was going to pay for all the sins and accusations launched at him by Satan. At which the man proudly stated my good works outweigh my sins. Sadly, with tears in His eyes, the gavel drops and the guilty verdict is pronounced. The next defendant enters and will not so much as raise His eyes at the Judge, seeing the disparity of the Judge's Holiness and his own sinful nature. Satan proceeds to launch his accusations, but the man just stands there and weeps, knowing the truth of these accusations. Then the Judge states, that it says here that you accepted a defense attorney for your case. In walks Jesus, His Defense Attorney. He calmly states that during the defendant's life he repented of his sins and accepted Jesus to pay for His sins. The Judge looked at the man, but all He could see was His Son standing in front of Him and covering Him completely. The Judge banged His gavel, and declared the man innocent, not seeing any of the accusations launched, only the Sinless Lamb before Him. With that, the Defense Attorney, took the defendant by the hand, and personally escorted him into heaven.
As we approach the end of the gospel accounts, we come to the pinnacle of why Jesus came to earth. The sinless Lamb of God, choosing not to defend Himself before His accusers takes the sins of humanity: past, present, and future upon Himself and carries them to the cross. Though He staggers from the pain and the weight of the cross, He continues His path to Calvary with determination. The accusations do not cease and are deafening, the pain is excruciating (this word means "of the cross"), but His focus is unwavering. Those near the cross get a glimpse of exactly what He is doing. After the first criminal hung by his side in Luke 23:39, joins the blasphemous comments shouted by the crowd, the other criminal acknowledges the weight of his own sins, then casts his hope on the Sinless Son of God hanging beside him, in 23:42, "Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." We hear the reply in 23:43, "And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." " Notice no rituals, no specific prayer was necessary. Simply repentance and acceptance of Him, the same message Jesus began His ministry with in Matthew 4:17, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." On the Cross, Jesus said seven things, one of which we read in John 19:30, "It is finished!" This term also reads "Paid in full!" That is exactly what He did at that moment, paid for our sins in full.
There are many terms which are used among Christians, one of which is Justification. This term means the act of God whereby He declares a sinner righteous by faith on the merit of Christ's sacrifice. Notice this declaration is not at all based on our good deeds. This act of grace, which is the unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor of God offered to us, was offered to any who are willing to repent and accept it. Grace, again is our getting something that we don't deserve. If we add the word "and" to grace it is no longer grace. One of the clearest verses of what Jesus accomplished on our behalf is written in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." We will all one day be the defendant in the courtroom above. When we stand before the judge, how will we defend ourselves? You can choose not to believe like the first defendant. But this does not change the reality of the situation. You can also choose not to believe in gravity, but take a step off a skyscraper and you will soon also realize you were wrong as gravity pulls you and accelerates you toward the pavement. You can be like the second defendant and trust in your own goodness. Just realize even one sin, which is not paid for by the blood of Christ will need to be answered for, or the verdict will be guilty. Or you can take the only option which offers a verdict of innocent. We can repent of our sins, and cast all of our hope on the One who went before us, and paid the price which we were not able to. Thank you, Jesus. May none of us ever take for granted what You did for us, purely out of love for us.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: