INTRODUCTION
Do you agree we live in an unfair world? It’s strange how quickly children are aware that life is not fair. Just listen into what children have to say and it’s not long before the words “It’s not fair!” can be heard. Someone has more sweets or a bigger present than another, having to go bed earlier than their older brothers or sister, their turn to wash up. Or especially if they can’t do something they want to do and of course “everybody else can!” Can we hear ourselves sometimes - saying to God, friends, ourselves and anyone else prepared to listen “It’s not fair!” And do you know, you are probably right! It isn’t. Ask Jesus – He knows.
AN UNFAIR WORLD?
He lived a perfect life, harmed no-one, healed countless, fed the hungry, preached good news to the poor, performed marvellous miracles - yet He was falsely arrested, on trumped up charges, and one gets the feeling the verdict had already been agreed before the evidence had even been put together. Yet He was innocent of any wrongdoing. Life seemed most unfair.
I don’t know about you, but I too have had to protest my innocence, been questioned or put on trial for things I haven’t done. It makes you feel unloved, persecuted, isolated, and alone. Life has seemed unfair.
JESUS MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING
Yet the Bible tells us Jesus was made perfect by His sufferings. Strange that, - Jesus so perfect, good, holy, true, could be made even more perfect thru suffering. But somehow Father God used all these awful unfair experiences in the life of His Son to bring even more perfection:
Hebrews 2:10 “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering”
Hebrews 5: 8 & 9 “Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him”
JESUS UNDERSTANDS OUR SUFFERING
Jesus can completely identify with those who are suffering injustice, pain, loneliness, hate and needless violence. Why - because unfairly it happened to Him.
Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are –yet was without sin”.
SO WHAT’S THE POINT?
God’s heart is always redemptive. God is able to bring the very best out of a bad situation. There is nothing that He allowed to happen to His son Jesus, or will allow to happen to you His child, which He is not able to use for His perfect purposes and plans. Remember everything that happens to you is God filtered. Yes, life is often very unfair. But God was able to transform even the awful suffering that His Son endured into such glory, praise and honour. For Jesus is now exalted, to the highest place, having suffered and endured all this world sadly had to give Him. He is seated at the right Hand of the Father.
Hebrews 2:9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
THE GOSPEL
Jesus opened a way for us to come to Him. Can you think of anything more unfair than Jesus taking the punishment for our sins? Yet His suffering opened up the only way for us to be reconciled to the Father. The prophet Isaiah tells us in Chapter 53 we all like sheep had gone astray but Jesus - unfairly:
“took up our infirmities”
“and carried our sorrows”
“was pierced for our transgressions
“and by His wounds we are healed.”
By God’s grace we can receive all that Jesus has done for us, for God promises in John 1:12 “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God”.
UNNECESSARILY CRUEL?
Reading through the account of Jesus’ trial the words “unfair” came clearly to mind but “cruel” was another. It strikes me that being ordered to undergo a cruel flogging, torture and mocking was absolutely unnecessary. When evil seems to reign events are often unnecessarily cruel. History confirms this, think of the atrocities committed under the Nazi – unnecessarily cruel and barbaric or indeed the evil crimes committed during the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda, Bosnia and so recently in Kosova.
Or, remember when the fiery furnace for Daniel’s friends was ordered to be six times hotter than usual? Sometimes in our own experiences or circumstances of those we love, things seem unnecessarily cruel. I believe, however, evil will not prevail. An alternative translation of Isaiah 59:19 promises “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will put him to flight”.
HOW DO WE COPE WITH UNFAIRNESS?
To be Silent?
What did Jesus do? – “He answered nothing” (Mark 15:3 KJV)!
Extract from Streams in the Desert devotional book:
The day when Jesus stood alone
And felt the hearts of men like stone,
And knew He came but to atone –
That day “He held His peace”
They witnessed falsely to His word,
They bound Him with a cruel cord,
And mockingly proclaimed Him Lord;
“But Jesus held His peace”
They spat upon Him in the face,
They dragged Him on from place to place,
They heaped upon Him all disgrace;
“But Jesus held His peace”
“There is no scene more majestic than Jesus remaining silent before the men who were reviling Him. With one quick burst of divine power, or one fiery word of rebuke He could have caused His accusers to be laid prostrate at His feet. Yet He answered not one word allowing them to say and do their very worst. He stood in the power of Stillness – God’s holy, silent Lamb.
There is a place of stillness that allows God the opportunity to work for us and gives us peace. It is a stillness that ceases our scheming, self-vindication and the search for a temporary means to an end through our own wisdom and judgement. Instead, it lets God provide an answer, through His unfailing and faithful love, to the cruel blow we have suffered. Oh, how often we thwart God’s intervention on our behalf by taking up our own cause or by striking a blow in our own defence! May God grant each of us this silent power and submissive spirit.”
To Answer?
Sometimes there is a time and place to answer. For example, Jesus always answered questions from anyone seeking the truth. He always confirmed that He was the Son of God, the Messiah, when asked. His silence was for those with hearts and minds already made up, hard as stone and intent on killing Him. They were not interested in finding the Truth – they wanted to eliminate Him.
Similarly, remember you never face being on trial alone, Jesus is always with you, He will either give you the right words, or the courage to remain silent. He promises never to leave or forsake you - He’s in the fiery furnace with you even when it’s six times hotter than usual!
STANDING ALONE
I wonder if Pilate thought it was fair he had to make this decision about Jesus? Did he really have any alternative? Well interestingly enough his wife did warn him! His conscience was telling him that this was an innocent man. He discerned that the authorities wanted to get rid of Jesus because they were envious of Him. At the end of the day Pilate was in the position of authority - the buck stopped with him.
Pilate tried to get out of a difficult situation the easy way but when sticking his neck out for Jesus meant putting himself in an awkward position (he could have been in trouble with the Roman authorities if anything went wrong) he gave in. He wanted to satisfy the crowd. I don’t think Pilate really managed to wash his hands of the whole affair – he was given the opportunity to meet Jesus, talk with Him and even question Him. Pilate may have saved his position with both the Jewish and Roman authorities but he missed his opportunity of knowing and finding the Truth – Jesus.
You know a crowd can stir up a lot of peer pressure, perhaps in the work place, or in the school for example, so that suddenly what is obviously the right thing to do or say easily gets outvoted. Sometimes like John the Baptist we have to be the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. True, authentic, radical Christianity often means the minority can be right. Don’t let the crowd sway you away from the Truth - Jesus. He will be there standing with you, holding your right hand and will never ever let you go.
CONCLUSION
Yes we live in an unfair world and as we have seen, Jesus understands - having been through everything this world unfairly and cruelly did to Him. Yet we can claim the promise given in Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” Our God is more than able to transform our sufferings into something good for us, for His kingdom, and for those we love. Lets pray.
