Good Friday April 18, 2025
“Not Fair” Isaiah 53:7-9
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
(This homily was preached at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Centennial, Colorado, as a part of the TRE-ORE service)
This past Sunday, Palm Sunday, I had two duties. One was to be a pastor to my congregation. The second duty was to be a couch potato. I did fair in my first duty as pastor. But on my second responsibility of the day – the one on the couch – I did it perfectly. (I have a lot of practice!!)
This past Sunday wasn’t just any Sunday to be a couch potato. This past Sunday was the Masters Golf Tournament. It is one of the four majors in golf. It is like the Super Bowl, World Series and Stanley Cup all on one day. Rory McIlroy was winning the tournament and if he won that day he will have accomplished what only 5 other golfers have ever done – win the Grand Slam of golf. That is – winning the PGA, the Masters, the U.S. Open and the Open (aka The British Open).
He was winning but he made some poor shots and missed a few putts and ended up tied after regulation. Overtime!! An extra hole. He made the extra hole one shot better than the other golfer he faced. When he put the ball in the hole he sank to his knees and sobbed.
I was cheering for him. When he was four years old it was apparent that he had a talent in golf that was amazing. His parents sacrificed greatly to encourage that talent. They weren’t wealthy but they made sure he had the right coaches and got to the right tournaments. He works hard at his craft. And I believe he got what he deserved.
We live in a world where that which is right should be applauded. And we live in a world where evil should be punished. If someone turns into a thug, a person who terrifies others with their violence and coercion, who attacks the vulnerable and the weak, we want justice to take its course. Lock them up. Throw away the key.
We want things to be fair. Those who do what is right should be rewarded. Those who do what is wrong and evil and devilish should be reprimanded. And then you have Good Friday. Good Friday is not fair. Jesus was sinless. Yet Jesus was punished severely. Like Isaiah says, “Though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth”, he was still led like a lamb to the slaughter.” “He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.”
This wasn’t fair. This wasn’t right. Do you remember the great words of Peter in Matthew 16? Peter says to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He receives the praise of Jesus for such a confession. Jesus continues His conversation with Peter and His other disciples telling them that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and that he is going to be killed and on the third day rise again. Peter, when he hears of the suffering and the death, speaks strongly to Jesus, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (See Matthew 16:13-23)
Why is he so adamant? Because it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. The Christ was made for much more glorious things than rejection and brutality and murder.
This day isn’t fair, but it is good. For us. Do you know the verse in the New Testament that says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (II Corinthians 5:21) Fair? No. Merciful. Yes.
Can you imagine that you know a person who can’t handle money well? They spend more money than they should. They are foolish with what they have and even more foolish by buying things they don’t need and can’t afford. Pretty soon they have a debt of $100,000.00. They come to you because they know you have been wise with what you have. They are bold and ask you to pay their debt. What? Of course not!! But, you know, that is what we have asked of God. Our debt of anger and lust and desire and selfishness and pride is huge, unpayable, but Christ paid for them all. Fair? No!! Loving? I can’t even grasp how loving this day is. Peter writes of this, “When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (I Peter 2:23-24)
It was about 18 years ago I got to meet Pastor Howard Patton. (Howard died just this past month.) Howard had been the Kansas District President for many years and now was the Vacancy Pastor in Angel Fire, New Mexico where our youth were staying on a mission trip. I asked him how he was, and his answer stuck with me, Howard Patton said, “I am better than I deserve.” That is true for all of us. Why? Because of this day. Because of Good Friday. Because things that day weren’t fair but merciful and gracious.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
Fair? Just? No. Sacrificial. Gracious. Saving. Yes. Amen!!
