Judgment and Mercy
The Bible has four accounts of Jesus’s crucifixion. I’ve been studying Luke’s perspective. I see that Jesus Christ is still working on several levels. He is accomplishing his most important action, dying on a cross for the sins of the world, yet in his last hours he is still talking about judgment and still showing mercy. . Jesus encounters the judgment of others’ condemnation. “He saved others. Let him save himself.” He is condemned by one of the other crucified men because he won’t save the crucified men. On this last day Jesus is still warning those who will listen that a judgment is coming that will make people cry out for mountains to fall on them and cover them.
Jesus is also focused on forgiveness as he is crucified. He offers forgiveness for those standing by and for those who had nailed him to a cross: “Father, forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing.” A second man being crucified with Jesus expresses a tiny faith that Jesus has a kingdom. Jesus offers forgiveness and eternal life by saying to him “today you will be with me in paradise.”
Are you judgmental? I often remind myself that I am not the judge of the people of this world but that I am an ambassador of Jesus Christ reminding people that there is forgiveness through the cross. In Matthew 7 Jesus tells us to be careful about judgment: “judge not yet let so that you won’t be judged.” Also in Matthew 7 Jesus tells us how we ought to judge each other. We have to clean out our own eyes before we make judgments about each other. When it comes to matters of value and eternity you and I are to appeal to people about how the grace of God covers the sin of man. It’s not just that the the person in front of you is a sinner, but that we are sinners too–even those of us who are in Christ are still battling an old sinful nature. We all need mercy. We all need the mercy Jesus poured out his blood on the cross.
Rich Ellis, Morgan County Clergy Association
