Maundy Thursday Homily "He was Crushed" - Isaiah 53

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“I don’t like that topic” or “I don’t like you when we talk about that” are both responses when uncomfortable topics come up.



There are a great number of topics that make us uncomfortable as Christians. One of those uncomfortable topics is the anger and wrath of God towards Sin.



We get uncomfortable when we discuss the plagues that God sent to Pharaoh during the time of the exodus. We get uncomfortable when we discuss the exile of Israel from the promised land to Babylonian captivity. We get uncomfortable when a doubting world asks about the Canaanite conquest. We get uncomfortable when we read about a man who knew no sin, suffering, punished for crimes which he did not commit.



The innocent punished makes us uncomfortable. Typically we would call this abuse. When anger and punishment are applied to someone who has done nothing to provoke anger, nothing to deserve punishment.



In the death and loneliness of Jesus, we see the awesome, righteous, and overwhelming anger of God on full cosmic display, and yet it is not abuse. God’s righteous, holy anger was poured out on Jesus as he took on the full weight of our sin. God’s righteous, holy anger didn’t crush Jesus when he healed the sick, gave the blind their sight, restored the dead to life, or preached the kingdom come. God’s righteous, holy anger crushed Jesus when he accepted the full weight of his people’s sin.



There are times throughout our lives that we may be compelled, or even drawn into a better understanding of God's righteous anger, this week is one of those times. Though it may make us uncomfortable to meditate on the righteous anger of God, and though the evil one would seek to rob God of his glory by deceiving us. God is worthy of all glory and praise, including when we see God’s righteous anger on display against sin. God has revealed to us his anger towards sin. It is right for us to worship God for who he is, including his righteous anger against sin.



It was God’s righteous, holy, perfect nature that could not abide sin in the Garden.

It was God’s righteous, holy, perfect nature that could not allow violent sin to run amuck in the days of Noah.

It was God’s righteous, holy, perfect nature that could not tolerate the injustice of Pharaoh against God’s people.

It was God’s righteous, holy, perfect nature that provided instruction and means of governance at Sinai.

It was God’s righteous, holy, perfect nature that purged idolatry from the monarchy in Israel.

It was God’s righteous, holy, perfect nature that demands separation from sin.

It was God’s righteous, holy, perfect nature that crushed the Son of God while he was bearing the full and total weight of our sin.



When we are uncomfortable with God’s righteous, holy, perfect nature, we miss out on a part of our God. When we refuse to study God’s word regarding God’s attitude towards sin, we risk living in manners that God has expressly forbidden.



“God’s grace is not infinite. God is infinite, and God is gracious. We experience the grace of an infinite God, but grace is not infinite. God sets limits to His patience and forbearance. He warns us over and over again that someday the ax will fall and His judgment will be poured out.”

― R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God



The full righteous anger of God was brought to bear on Jesus on the cross. We could of course minimize the anger of God, minimize the suffering of Christ. Maybe the anger of God scares us, maybe it makes us uncomfortable. We could minimize, or even ignore the righteous anger of God. But this would also minimize, or even remove any need whatsoever for a savior. We often use the term “saved” to describe someone who has put their faith in Jesus. This is a term that references Christ’s death on the cross. The person who is saved, has been saved from the penalty of their sins through the atoning death of Jesus on the cross.



To minimize the wrath of God, would be to minimize the need for a savior. The hope that we have because of Christ's death would be false if the sin that he paid for wasn't deserved. If the punishment didn't fit the crime. God’s righteous anger, wouldn’t be righteous or just if the suffering of Christ was in any way exaggerated or abusive. God’s wrath wouldn’t need to be poured out on sin. We may go so far as to think that God can tolerate some sins, and wouldn’t mind it if we began dictating moral policy in the universe. Any hope that a savior would provide would be a false hope. Jesus would be a false savior, if God's wrath wasn't righteous. We wouldn’t need a savior to bear the crushing weight of God’s righteous anger towards sin, because sin wouldn’t be that big of a deal. Consequently, God’s righteousness, justice and holy nature wouldn’t be that big of a deal either.



God’s righteousness, his justice, and his holiness are a big deal. So are God’s grace and mercy. In the same act, when Jesus was stricken we were spared. Jesus was crushed, and we were commuted. He was reviled, and we were redeemed. He was afflicted, we were adopted.



To add to the quote from R. C. Sproul earlier....God’s Wrath is not infinite. God is infinite, and God is Righteous. He poured out the full weight and penalty for sin onto Jesus in his death. His atoning death led the apostle Paul to exclaim in Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There are no “leftovers” of God’s righteous anger poured out as punishment for the sins of his people.



As the hymn goes, “In my place condemned He stood, Sealed my pardon with His blood,

Hallelujah, what a Savior!”



There are no “leftovers” of God’s righteous anger poured out as punishment for the sins of his people.



God has revealed just how far he will go to eradicate sin.

God has revealed in his righteous anger, his fervent judgement against sin.

God has revealed just how much he loves his people, by saving us from sin and sparing us from his righteous anger. The death we deserved, was instead poured out on the innocent son of God.



Today, and this week is a time to Praise God for who he is. For his righteousness, his divine wrath, and his just judgement upon sin.



Today, and this week is a time to Praise God for what he has done. For sparing us the full crushing weight of our sin, and adopting us into his family through the death and resurrection of Jesus.



Today, and this week, is a time to Praise God for his righteous anger that may make us uncomfortable. In rendering to God the praise he is owed for his righteousness, we may greater and fuller sing and praise the lamb of God.



Seeing God’s wrath against sin on full display, we can weep as we sing that “It was my sin that held Him there, Until it was accomplished”



Knowing that he took our place. Knowing that “His dying breath has brought me life. I know that it is finished”.