21 March 2021 Devotion for the Fifth Sunday of Lent – Judica
Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for the week, following the fifth Sunday of Lent, is taken from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 20 verse 28, “The Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many,” (Amplified Bible). Jesus came down from heaven and emptied himself of his glory. He served humanity with miracles of feeding and healing, ultimately, giving his life in exchange for the lives of the lost world. The exchange that has taken place between the “life of Christ”, given in death for us, has given us “new life”: in, with and under Christ; this is resurrection life and life everlasting.
The name of this Sunday, Judica, is taken from the Introit of this Sunday taken from Psalm 43 verse 1, “Judge and vindicate me, O God; plead and defend my cause against an ungodly nation,” (Amplified Bible). The Latin translation reads, “Iudica me Deus.” As we are moving closer to Holy Week our attention is focussed on the road of Christ, and his work on the Cross. On the Cross, as the earth was trembling and darkness fell, God vindicated his Son, as He died for the world that He loved unto death.
The watchword for this Sunday is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 48 verse 13, “My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread the heavens; when I summon them, they stand at attention” (NRSVB). In the biblical language of the Old Testament scholars teach us that the notion of the right hand would be seen as the hand that carries the spear; or the hand that will act and fight. The left hand would be seen as the hand that carries the shield, or the hand that will defend. The prophet Isaiah uses this image of God, the God who creates the heavens to defend God’s rule, the whole array of the canopy above the earth, and all that it contains stand at attention to act as God calls. What an amazing comfort to us, that God calls on his creation in all its power to defend humans and plead their righteous cause. When Jesus died the heavens proclaimed his innocence and his mighty work accomplished on the Cross for us. They trembled and grew dark as their Creator, Jesus, Son of God, died to save the world. Jesus’ work on the Cross is finished, a completed act, so that all can be raised to life everlasting. As God vindicated his Son, so the Son, will not accuse us before the Father, but vindicate us and plead on our behalf.
The Gospel application or doctrinal verse for this Sunday is taken from the Gospel of John, Chapter One verses 1 to 3, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him and without him not one thing came into being,” (NSRVB). Jesus is the Enfleshed Word of God, who came down from earth to create new life for all through his death, the death that allowed the grain to fall into the earth and after three days yielded the harvest. One of the results of Jesus’ death and his resurrection was the formation of the Christian Church on earth. We are part of this living body of Christ that serves the world and her people. We are the living stones that sing to the Lord, Hallelujah, you are the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus has given us his example and gift, the gift to serve and not to be served. This gift needs to be broken and given: bread to the hungry and water to the thirsty, this gift brings words of hope and redemption; it is a spiritual and earthly gift. We are both flesh and Spirit, and were with Christ, in the beginning and will be with him until the end of all the ages to come.
Father, we thank you that you have vindicated us and given us life through Jesus, Amen.
