THE CROSS AND THE WAY OF JESUS

The post below is my manuscript from the Good Friday Service on Friday March 29, 2024. The whole service can be viewed here.

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On Good Friday we commemorate and focus our attention on the cross of Jesus – when his body was broken for us and his blood was shed for us. We commemorate the day that Jesus died…  The day that Jesus — who claimed to be The Way, The Truth, and The Life — died. I wonder if we have thought enough about the connection between Jesus’ intentional journey towards crucifixion and his bold claim that he is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. 

When we think about the cross we think about the Truth that it really did happen. Any intellectually honest historian would affirm that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified the day before the Jewish Sabbath under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. It isn’t a debate. A man named Jesus of Nazareth lived and was crucified. 

And when we think about the cross we also think about the Life that it brings us. We believe that because of the death of Jesus, our sins are dealt with in full so that all who believe in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life. 

What I wonder about, though, is how much we think about the cross as the way of Jesus. We are Easter people. We are resurrection people. We prefer that our symbolic crosses be as empty as the tomb on that Sunday morning. Good Friday can feel like a chore—a necessary duty before the real event of Sunday. But the cross of Jesus was neither incidental or accidental; it was purposeful. The Cross isn’t just about the truth and the life – the cross is also about the way of Jesus.

In order to help us think this through – to think through The Cross and the Way of Jesus –  a bit more, I want to walk us through THREE NOES FROM TWO APOSTLES. We will look at Peter’s Three Noes, and Paul’s Three Noes.

PETER’S THREE NOES

To start, as we contemplate The Cross and the Way of Jesus, I want us to remember one of the iconic moments of the story of Jesus heading towards crucifixion — a moment that is retold every Easter season: Peter and his denial of Jesus. When we think about Peter’s Three Noes we think about him denying Jesus three times after he was arrested. Often when we think about this story we merely consider Peter’s lying and cowardice. The bold disciple who said he would do anything for Jesus, caved under the pressure of asking if he knew this Jesus. 

But as we think about The Cross and the Way of Jesus, and we think about Peter’s Three Noes of denying Jesus, I wonder if there is something else going on here that we haven’t considered enough. I picked up this insight from Mike Cosper’s book Land of My Sojourn: The Landscape of a Faith Lost and Found. In his book, Cosper makes the connection that Peter’s denying Jesus does not merely – or even mainly – stem from cowardice but rather from the disillusionment of his years-long commitment to Jesus the Messiah ending this way.

I think Cosper is on to something important here. In John 18 we have the scene of the arrest of Jesus: 

JOHN 18:3-18, 25-27:

 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” 12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus …  15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” 18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself…  25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

There is no doubt that Peter lies and denies. He clearly knows Jesus, he was one of his followers, and before the rooster began to crow Peter denied Jesus — just as Jesus predicted. But I’m not convinced that Peter’s reason for denying Jesus is merely – or even mainly – cowardice. I think there is another significant factor. I think Peter is disillusioned. Peter believed Jesus was Israel’s Messiah, destined to deliver the Jews out of Roman oppression. Jesus told Peter and the disciples multiple times that his ministry was going to culminate in his death; but Peter wasn’t picking up on what Jesus was saying. Peter believed Jesus was the Messiah, but he probably believed that he would be the kind of Messiah that he was expecting. Which is why Peter was wearing a sword. He probably fantasized about the moment this miracle-working Messiah would start his campaign to overthrow the Romans; so the zealous Peter began acting like the Zealots who oppose Rome with violence. He takes his sword and swings. But instead of seeing Jesus and the rest of the group respond with force against Rome, Jesus responds forcefully to Peter and says: “We aren’t doing things that way!” And Jesus goes without a fight. 

Is it possible that for Peter he was not just a coward, but he was disillusioned? Is it possible that for Peter when he said, “I don’t know that man?!”, there was actually some truth to it? Maybe Peter felt in a deep way the loss of a dream. If Jesus wasn’t going to overthrow Rome the way the Jews expected, did Peter even really know Jesus at all? Maybe Peter wondered to himself, standing by that fire, under fire from onlooking questioners: “I thought he was the Messiah. But I don’t know that man.” 

As we consider The Cross and the Way of Jesus through the Three Noes of Peter, we should consider that the ways of Jesus were disillusioning to Peter. Things did not go the way that the sword wielding Peter expected. I wonder if sometimes we are like Peter in this way. 

When our lives don’t go as expected we may say to ourselves: “Maybe I don’t know that God.” When we expect finances to give us freedom to do what we want, but are overwhelmed by debt, we may wonder “If this is happening, maybe I don’t know that God?” When we deal with chronic illness that drains our energy; or we thought our relationships would flourish but they are fractured; or we anticipated getting that job, or making that team, or having those friends and instead we find ourselves on the outside looking in we may wonder “If this is happening, maybe I don’t know that God”

PAUL’S THREE NOES

This leads us to consider the next Apostle’s Three Noes as we continue to contemplate The Cross and the Way of Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul writes this: 

2 CORINTHIANS 12:7b-10

… in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

In this case it was not Paul who said three noes — like Peter — but rather Paul heard three noes. Paul had a thorn in his flesh, an ongoing pain and struggle that would not leave him. Paul pleaded with the Lord but he heard No, after No, after No. When we are faced with unending struggle and ongoing pain we are tempted to think: This is not of God, he would want this struggle and pain gone. And yet, what does the Lord tell Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That word for made perfect is teleo which is getting after this idea of “purpose” or “goal.” In other words, Jesus tells Paul, that God’s power is achieving its purpose in the thorns. There is purpose to the thorns in life.  

I’m not convinced we believe that. I’m not convinced that I believe that. How is it that God’s power can achieve it’s purpose in the midst of struggle and pain? We might not ever know, but I think I have – by God’s kindness – a glimpse of this. 

A few years ago during a Good Friday service I was serving as a Scripture reader with a few friends. We sat on the stage in the dark and sang along with the songs, and then took centre stage under the lights when it was our turn. There were multiple services, and this particular day I barely had any voice. I was fighting one of the many cold bugs going through a house with two young children at the time. I prayed the Lord would make my voice strong for the ministry ahead as I read Scripture for what would be thousands of people over multiple services. To save my voice, I joked with my friend sitting next to me that she would need to sing the songs for me. I would mouth the words to look spiritual, though. I also knew that she just walked through one of the most painful things someone could go through. We went through the services. I popped throat lozenges over and over again, said my lines through my cracking and croaking voice and then returned to my chair to listen to my friend sing the songs beautifully as I mouthed the words. Until the last service, I knew what verse was coming up. I had this incredibly strong prompting to sing as loud as I could when that verse started. So I did:

When darkness seems to hide His face \\ I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale \\ My anchor holds within the veil \\My anchor holds within the veil

Clear and strong, the words came out. My voice returned for a few seconds. My friend's voice for that verse went silent and she cried. It was a holy moment. The Lord’s power accomplished a goal in my weakness at that moment. For the rest of the service and day my voice returned to cracky and croaky. The thousands of people hearing me read scripture didn’t need a clear and strong voice as much as my friend did for that one verse. God’s power made perfect in weakness. 

I know there are bigger problems in my life than having no voice for one day. I know there are bigger problems and thorns we all face. But that encounter reminded me that if God is big enough, strong enough, and good enough to take away all thorns from our life (which he will do one day!) then he must be big enough, strong enough, and good enough to leave them for a time, too. 

JESUS’ THREE NOES

Good Friday is The Way Jesus chose to accomplish his goals, thorns and all. We need to see afresh

that for Jesus, the ends never justify the ways that aren’t his ways. That’s why he told Paul “My grace is sufficient” and he told Peter “Put away your sword.”  In fact, in his book The Jesus Way, Eugene Peterson makes the point that for Jesus the ends never justify the means if the means aren’t the ways of Jesus. For Jesus, even good and helpful things for his ministry, if done the wrong way,  are wrong. 

After his baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days and nights, and when he was there the enemy tempted him. Like Peter and Paul, Jesus also has Three Noes. Jesus is the eternal son of God, he has armies of angels at his command, he is the rightful King of the cosmos, and he has control over all that he created. The enemy knew this – so he tempted Jesus in the wilderness to accomplish the ends or the goals but to do them in the ways the devil chose. 

“You’re hungry, Jesus. Turn these rocks into bread and eat. Bread is good and you’re a miracle worker – so eat!” To which Jesus said: “No, that is not my way.” 

The devil brought Jesus from the desert to the Temple and told Jesus to jump off into the crowd below, and beckon the angels to carry him to safety. “Wouldn’t that be a fantastic demonstration of power? Wouldn’t the crowds be amazed that the angels listen to you as their commander? Won’t that help your ministry?” To which Jesus said: “No, that is not my way.” 

Finally, the devil told Jesus, “You came to be King. Here, take it from me and become King, and thank me for my generosity while you’re at it.” And Jesus said: “No, that is not my way.” 

Providing food, demonstrating power, and reigning as king are all things Jesus would do – but in his way. 

So, what is The Way of the miracle-working, angel commanding, and cosmos-reigning-King?  Crucifixion.

Roman crucifixion was the way to kill criminals, rebels, insurrectionists, and religious zealots who opposed Rome. Jesus of Nazareth was none of those things, and yet – as the historic creed says – he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 

Sunday is coming. But we cannot rush to Sunday because Friday is purposeful.

For Jesus, the way to demonstrate his Kingship was not by taking a crown from the enemy but by wearing a crown of thorns. 

Instead of calling the angels to catch him from the Temple, or to rescue him from the cross, he commanded them to stay back until the job was done. 

And instead of making bread to eat, he broke his body like bread to be received by those hungry for righteousness. 

For Jesus…  it’s never just about the ends…  The ways matter, too. 

Good Friday tells us that the way of Jesus, is the way of meekness… The way of weakness.

And as we heard, God’s power is made perfect in weakness.

This is a good word for us in North American Christianity. The Jesus Way, and the Jesus movement, is not one of prestige, positions, platforms, plaudits, and power. The Jesus movement – the Jesus Way – is one of meekness and weakness. For Jesus, the ends never justify the means. For Jesus, it’s never just about the ends. The ways matter too.

Today is the day that Jesus — the Way, the Truth, and the Life — died. We cannot rush to the resurrection life of Sunday morning, because we don’t get to rush to the resurrection of New Creation, either.

Today is Friday. Friday is not incidental or accidental. Jesus was purposeful in choosing Friday as his way. 

As Jesus breathed his last breath, he said It is Finished. That word, finished (teleo), is the same word Paul used when he described how God’s power is made perfect (teleo) in weakness. In other words, it is on the cross that the way of Jesus was ultimately and climactically on display. 

On Friday the enemy thought he won, but Jesus was the Victor.

On Friday the power of sin was defeated.

On Friday the penalty of sin was dealt with in full.

 On Friday, while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. On Friday Jesus died for our sin, in our place. 

Sunday is coming. Resurrection life awaits.  But today is not that day. 

Today is Friday. We live on Friday. 

The day where tears flow. The day where we ask “How Long, O Lord?”. The day where we ask “Why have you forsaken us?” The day that is disillusioning and things don’t go the way we expect. The day we plead for thorns to be removed and they aren’t. The day of sorrow and darkness. 

And it’s the day of salvation. It’s the day where Jesus says of his ways – It is finished.

Sunday is coming. Resurrection life awaits. But today is not that day. Today is Friday. And we live on Friday. 

But, Friday is still Good. Because even on that Friday, Jesus of Nazareth remained The Way, The Truth, and The Life.

Yes, Friday is still Good. Because even on this Friday, Jesus of Nazareth remains The Way, The Truth, and The Life.