Crucifixion

Isaiah 50: 4-9

Philippians 2: 5-11

Luke 23: 32-43

Crucifixion  

Crucifixion was a horrible, cruel way to die. Burning at the stake was equally horrible, and cruel. Both were intended to inflict maximum pain while making a spectacle of the one being executed.

They are two of the greatest love stories ever told. The one, at Camelot; the other, at Calvary. Two of the noblest kings ever to live. The one, King Arthur; the other, King of the Jews. The one is adorned with a jeweled crown; the other, with a crown of thorns.

The comparisons and contrasts between Camelot and Calvary are many, but we will look at two.  Prior to his appointment with destiny on the brow of that fateful hill, Jesus agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done".  Understand, on an emotional level, this is the very human pleading of a son to his father. But Jesus chose to accept the cross, because God had promised he would accept Jesus into his arms. Jesus had free will, and chose to die on that cross.

"Is there no other way?"  The Son is betrayed, arrested, deserted, denied, beaten, tried, mocked, and finally crucified. God allows the crucifixion. He allows the consequences of all the actions of all those who brought Jesus to the cross. And he allows Jesus his choice to die,

In a scene from Camelot, the adulterous relationship between Queen Guinevere and Arthur’s most trusted knight, Sir Lancelot, has divided the Round Table. When the scheming Mordred catches them in a clandestine encounter, Lancelot escapes. Guinevere is not so fortunate. She faces a trial. The jury finds her guilty and sentences her to the stake to be burned.

As the day of execution nears, people come from miles around with one question in their minds: Would King Arthur let her die? Mordred gleefully captures the complexity of Arthur’s predicament:  Arthur! What a magnificent dilemma! Let her die, your life is over. Let her live, your life’s a fraud. Which will it be, Arthur? Do you kill the queen or kill the law?

Tragically but resolutely, Arthur decides: "Treason has been committed! The jury has ruled! Let justice be done!" High from the castle window stands Arthur, as Guinevere enters the courtyard. She walks to her unlit stake, where the executioner stands with waiting torch. Arthur turns away, emotion brimming in his eyes.
A herald mounts the tower where Arthur has withdrawn: "The queen is at the stake, Your Majesty. Shall I signal the torch?"

But the king cannot answer yes. Arthur’s love for Guinevere spills from his broken heart: "I can’t! I can’t! I can’t let her die!"  He chooses to let her live.

Seeing Arthur crumble, Mordred relishes the moment: "Well, you’re human after all, aren’t you, Arthur? Human and helpless." Tragically, Arthur realizes the truth of Mordred’s remark. Being only human, he is indeed helpless, and cannot let her die, even though the law demands it.  

Jesus broke no laws, was found innocent by Pontius Pilate, but was put to death. Guinevere was certainly guilty, sentenced to death, but was allowed to live. Arthur loved her too much to let her die.

Then, as now, the world is separated from God who created it, loves it. Like Guinevere, then, as now, an unfaithful humanity stood guilty and in bondage, awaiting judgment’s torch. Should God turn his head from the demands of the law and simply excuse the world’s sin? If not, then could he turn his head from the world he loved? Which will it be, God? Do you kill your world or do you kill the law? God so loved the world—us—that Jesus died.

Because of Arthur’s love of Guinevere, she lived. The story ended. Because of God’s love for you, and me, and for each and every person on this earth, Jesus died. But here, the story doesn’t end.  Three days later Jesus arose.

The Gospels are the greatest love story ever told. But it is a story that goes on, and it is a story in which we are included. Today we come to the Communion table to remember that Jesus was crucified for each of us. But Christ lives, for each of us.