DRAFT ONLY

      Good Friday is a rather strange title. I mean, what's good about it? Black Friday would seem to be a better name. As far as Australia is concerned, it's just another public Holiday, an extra day to run the Royal Easter Show and help balance the books. We may go to church, certainly get into the Hot Cross Buns, and possibly spend a moment to reflect on the death of Jesus, but for most it's just another holiday.
      Of course behind it all there lies the meaning of that tragic death. On the one hand the payment of a price, a ransom, a turning aside of the wrath of God. On the other hand a victory over the powers of darkness. Here lies the high theology of the cross, but underneath the majesty of such truths lies the example of the cross, the simple truth of cross-bearing. In the cross lies our example for discipleship, the way of suffering and sacrifice rather than self-satisfaction.
      "Wait!" I hear you say, "today is Easter day. Enough of this death stuff. Today we think about life." Of course, that's true, the gospel concerns an empty tomb rather than a wooden cross, but the trick about Easter is that it must follow Good Friday. The life of Easter is linked to the death of Good Friday. We believe in life through death. Indeed, a strange notion. So, consider death, and how that stone is rolled away.
      At the flesh and blood level of our lives, our psyche tells us to live for self-satisfaction. Let's be happy. Life is short, death is permanent, so eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. If we seek meaning at the flesh and blood level then we are bound to chase after ephemeral experience, and when we have experienced it then we wonder what the fuss was all about. Like a good wine, the thrill, the joy only lies in the first taste. Once the business man has tasted success, then what more is there? To earn another million, to make another killing? If we try to find meaning in our family, in our children, then when they grow up what are we left with? Are we to live our lives manipulating them, gathering them under the maternal wing, indecently struggling to possess them? If we seek meaning in romance, in love, what happens when marriage becomes a little predictable, do we then go about uncorking new bottles of wine to rediscover the taste of youth? Our flesh and blood tells us that meaning is found in romance, in a career, in learning, in home building, in family and friends, in recreation.......... yet none of these things can give meaning and we are fools to believe that they can.
      Jesus invites us to undertake a journey toward meaning, toward intimacy with the creator of this whole universe. The journey is undertaken along a rough and rock strewn road, it is a road via Calvary, a road of trouble and suffering, yet a road that leads to life. By ourselves we could never undertake it, but then Jesus has gone before and he will journey again with us if we ask him. The choice is ours. If we want to know God and be his friend for eternity, then Jesus will take us on that journey into the Father's divine presence. All this freely for the asking, yet the way is always life through death.
      Perfection is only found in Jesus, yet life with Jesus slowly shapes us toward that perfection. Life is a journey, if you like, from death to life. We set our eyes on the goal, the journey's end, and with Jesus beside us we head off on that narrow way. Jesus would always speak to his disciples of a perfection far beyond them. He would speak of the ultimate requirements, of complete obedience, of no compromise, "Leave all and follow me", "Take up your cross". His words were always hard and uncompromising. He lifted the eyes of his disciples toward the goal, toward ultimate perfection. The way is hard, and perfection seemingly unobtainable, yet "all things are possible for God". On one occasion when Jesus had spoken hard words, many of his followers left him and went their own way. A small group of his disciples remained and he said to them, "are you also going to leave me?" They answered. "To whom shall we go, you have the words of truth." We are on a journey, via Calvary, to an empty tomb. We carry our cross, we bear our load. Our lives are lived trying to give more for Jesus and less for ourselves, trying to be obedient, godly, holy. Our eyes are set on the journey's end and we know full well we have a long way to go. Our lives, in fact, are compromised. The difficulty of the journey leads us to take our ease. Like Jesus we at times ask that the cup be taken from us. Our flesh and blood yearns for fulfillment, it continually demands to live life to the full. Yet even though our lives are compromised, limited in commitment, weak and vacillating, continually disobedient; Jesus does not abandon us. He understands our weakness. Why, he even accepts our compromise. For you see, it is the journey that shapes holiness in our little lives, gives substance to the perfection that is already ours in Christ.
      The choice before us remains clear cut. We can choose service or self-satisfaction. Compromise will always be present in our lives, so that is not the issue. The issue is, are we willing to push on through the wilderness, or do we return to Egypt? The hand of Jesus is outstretched toward us and he beckons us ever onward. Do we go with him?
      So who will roll away the stone for us? Easter is about life, life eternal, life in all its fullness. Life is what we want, abundant and overflowing, satisfying our deepest desires for meaning, for substance. The world offers us life for the taking, promises us satisfaction. Jesus freely offers us life through death, an imperfect death of identification with his perfect sacrifice. In his power the stone is rolled aside and there is life out of death.