By his hands, for our sake: A Good Friday Meditation

A sermon I preached at the Community Good Friday Service based upon Isaiah 52 and 53

Hands – hands with opposing thumbs set us apart from other mammals. Our hands receive a newborn baby or hold a crying child. Our hands show affection to a hurting friend and reach out to help an elderly person stand firmly on the ground. Our hands build homes in places where wind and water, mud and fire destroy a place of memories and safety. We can mold a lump of clay into beautiful bowls and plates or weave exquisite patterns with reeds or cloth. With our hands we can paint a masterpiece or build the Cathedral of Notre Dame for all the ages. Our hands fix an automobile, prepare a meal, program a computer, and throw a ball. Our hands with opposing thumbs are beautiful and creative, durable and empowering, a work of art that only one as divine as our Creator could imagine and create. By our hands and for the sake of God and one another, we can boast of the creative and loving things our hands have done. 

"See my servant shall be exalted and lifted up on high…” (Is. 52:13) What could this mean? “Many were astonished…because so marred was the appearance… of my servant”, “…marred beyond the form of a mortal…” (Is. 52:14) What could this mean? “There is nothing in his appearance that we should desire him…” (Is. 53:2) What can this mean? Who could this be? This servant is “…despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with grief and suffering…” (Is. 53:3) What can this mean? Who could this be? This servant is “…despised and is of no account…”  (Is. 53:3). By our hands and for our sake?

 

Hands – hands with opposing thumbs set us apart from other mammals. Our hands can make a fist and knock some unconscious. Our hands can pull a trigger, releasing rounds of death bullets or wield knives that maim or even kill.  Our hands with opposing thumbs can write venomous and violent letters that are filled with lies and sarcasm, and words of hatred and ignorance. Our hands can start forest fires, toss empty plastic bottles into the sea, or bludgeon endangered animals and birds to satisfy our selfish wants and attempt to satisfy our unquenchable desire more.  Our hands are able to throw stones and grenades, execute innocent people and bully the one who is odd, or strange, or different. Our hands, with opposing thumbs, can break windows, destroy property or become the preferred instruments to torture and abuse.  By our hands we can destroy life. 

This week has been a week of hands that love and hands that hate. With his hands he broke the bread and poured the wine. With his hands, Judas betrayed Jesus and with his hands threw the money in the courtyard. With his hands, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and folded his hands in prayer. With hands, the disciples wielded a sword, cutting off the ear of soldier and with his hand he healed the ear of the soldier. With a whip in his hand, he sent the merchants and moneychangers out of the temple and with whip in hand they beat the back of our savior. With water, Pilate washed his hands, released Barabbas, and turned Jesus over to his accusers. They were the hands of Simon of Cyrene that carried the cross when Jesus could carry it no longer.  The hands of soldiers rolled dice to win the robe of Jesus and strong and mighty hands nailed the hands of Jesus to the cross and thrust the spear into his side. They were the hands of Christ who welcomed the criminal into paradise and reaches out to a sinner such as me with hands of love and grace. 

“Surely he knows our weakness” and by his hands and for our sake reaches out in love. He was “… wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and punished for the mistakes I have made.” For our sake, “…he was oppressed and afflicted….” Our hands “… crushed him with pain, his life an offering for my sin…” By our hands and for our sake he died that we might have life. 

Our hands have the power to give life and to take it. Whose hands betrayed our Savior? Whose hands wielded the whip that scarred our Savior’s flesh? Whose hands stripped our Savior of all dignity, tossed die to win his clothing, thrust the crown of thorns upon his head, and drove the nails into his hands and feet? Could it be? Or perhaps it was the centurion? Will we wash our hands, as Pilate washed his? Will we wield the hammer of sin and disgrace? Could it be us – or maybe it was someone else. What do you believe?