The Cry of the Guilty + Good Friday

This Good Friday sermon from Good Shepherd LCMS Boise explores the profound paradox of divine guilt and innocence through the lens of Christ's crucifixion. The preacher begins by tracing humanity's first act of blame—accusing God of being guilty for limiting Adam and Eve—revealing a recurring pattern: sinners always shift responsibility onto God, whether for their sins or for suffering. The sermon then turns to Calvary, where a world of sinners, despite Jesus' innocence, declares him guilty of being the Son of God and King, deserving death. Yet God the Father, in a deeper mystery, makes Jesus 'sin for us,' bearing the full weight of human guilt, shame, and wrath. On the cross, Jesus, forsaken by the Father, still prays, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' This prayer is not only an act of mercy but a declaration of salvation: through Christ’s substitutionary death, sinners are forgiven, released from sin’s captivity, and granted eternal life. The sermon culminates in the hope of resurrection, where death is conquered and every believer is made pure and holy in Christ.