Good Friday Sermon

It Must Have Been a Long Night…
Good Friday
March 21, 2008
Sermon preached by The Rev’d Robert Picken
Church of the Ascension, Greenpoint


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It must have been a long night for Judas. Despite his intention to betray Jesus – an intention that we heard last night, Jesus knew of – despite this, Jesus washed his feet, an act of humble service, an act of love. Jesus, knowing what was to happen, sent Judas on his way. And, the story we have just re-lived, began.

I imagine things spiraled out of control more quickly than Judas would have imagined. Judas thought that once he turned Jesus over, Jesus would take over. That is, Jesus would “show them,” show the authorities who was really “in charge.” Instead, Jesus did the only thing He could, and that was bear His cross and die.

It must have been a long night for Judas. The friend who loved him enough to wash his feet; the friend who broke bread with him; taught him, was going to be crucified – because of his actions, because he wanted a Messiah that was never to be.

It must have been a long night for Judas. He looked back on the years they were friends. He looked back on what he learned and what Jesus did: healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the deaf to hear, welcomed the outcast, and gave hope to those in despair.

It must have been a long night for Judas. “Love one another, as I have loved you,” Jesus said. What had Judas done?

I tried to imagine what it was like for those disciples. What went through their minds as they watched their Lord mocked, tortured and killed by the hands of an oppressive government? What went through their minds as they fled from Jesus, pretending not to know Him? What went through their minds as they stood at the foot of the cross and watched him breath his last breathes?


I believe we understand the crucifixion better than we think we know it. Turn on the news, read the paper, walk out your door. Go to the office, to school… even to church. Betrayal, violence, mocking, oppression, hatred, fear… is all over, everywhere we turn.

Those of us who don’t turn the other cheek when people utter insults, turn the cheek to those in need. We turn the other cheek on oppression, injustice, violence, hatred. We turn the other cheek when we see people being bullied. And, each time we do, we take our part in fleeing from Jesus, we take our part in betraying Him, our part in crucifying Him.

It must have been a long night for those disciples. It must have been a long night for Mary, Jesus’ mother. What was going to happen to them? Where were they to turn? All the memories, all the hopes, all the joy – it was turned to despair and fear. Gone was the Jesus they loved. Gone was the Jesus who loved them. It must have been a long night.

They did not know the end that night. They did not know the end of this story resulted in an empty tomb. They did not know that Jesus conquered death and rose from the grave giving us new life, a new creation. They did not know that Jesus, who lived without sin, died for our sins, took our sins upon Him, so that the power of sin and death may never conquer us. All they knew what that Jesus was dead. It must have been a long night.

But the Good News of this Good Friday is best expressed in the words of the Psalm-writer: “Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Evil and death may have their day but the Word of God always has the last word. And it’s a Word of light, of life, of power, of strength, and ultimate triumph.

We know that Good Friday is the end of the Passion of Christ, but it can never be the end of the Life of Christ, because that Life goes on. Through accusations, lies, beatings, torture, even physical death, the Life goes on. It goes on in the Risen One. It goes on in the lives of the Saints. It goes on in the hearts of Christian believers all over the world. And it goes on in you and in me.

It goes on because when all is said and done, God is still God, and God is still forgiving us, still creating new possibilities, still calling us to action for the transformation and healing of this world. AMEN.