Easter Courtroom by Angela E. White (Copyright 1999)

Narrator:          At the Passover meal, Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread and said, “This is my body given for you;” (Luke 22:19) and in the same way, after the supper he took the cup, said, “This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20)  Shortly after that Passover, a so-called trial was held in Jerusalem -- a trial which made a mockery of justice -- and the world’s only innocent man was condemned to die on a cross.  Today we present a trial in Heaven (Prosecutor leads/shoves defendant to table), where Satan stands as mankind’s accuser and evidence is weighed by God the Father.  Some defendants proclaim their own merit.  Others know the Truth and are represented by Jesus Christ, before the judgment seat of God the Father. He who has ears, let him hear (Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9).  The Lord takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people (Isaiah 3:13).

(All are standing as Judge enters; Jesus is already standing in the rear near defendant.)

JUDGE:           Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together (Isaiah 43:26a).  (Judge & Defendant sit; prosecutor, stands at podium.)

Prosecutor:       (Snidely accusing)  Before you is one who claims to be blameless, yet I have gathered the evidence of this one’s sin.  (Shakes papers)  Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4).  There is no one righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10).

JUDGE:           State the case for your innocence.  (Isaiah 43:26b)

Defendant:       I am not alone.  Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.  (Galations 3:22)

JUDGE:           Yet you have disobeyed my commandments.  I bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.   (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

Prosecutor:       (opens folder) These sins are hidden no more.  (Holds Bible)  This is the book of the Law and it remains as a witness against you (Deuteronomy 31:26).  (To the judge) Give her to me so she may be punished.

Defendant:       But I tried to be a good person....and not do any “real” evil, especially in comparison to the sins of the world around me.

Prosecutor:       But Scripture says, “... whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”    (James 2:10)

JUDGE:           (Cautions) All man’s ways seem innocent to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.  (Proverbs 16:2)

Prosecutor:       So you see punishment is deserved!  Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2).  (Demanding) Give this one to me!

JUDGE:           (Rebuking) It is mine to avenge; I will repay (Deuteronomy 32:35).  (Gently)  I am compassionate and gracious... slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and I do forgive wickedness, rebellion and sin.  Yet I do not leave guilt unpunished (Exodus 34:6-7).  There must be atonement for sin. 

Prosecutor:       The look on her face testifies against her.  She has paraded her sin and does not hide it.  Woe to those who have brought disaster upon themselves by rejecting the law of the Lord and spurning the word of the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 5:24). 

Defendant:       (acknowledging guilt)  It is true I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.  Yet... everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).  I did the best I could; is that not enough?

JUDGE:           Who speaks for this sinner? (PAUSE FOR SILENCE   Looks around, then resigned, speaks with a sigh) For justice to be done, the scales must be balanced.  The sin must be reconciled.  Although it grieves my heart, you may take this one. 

Prosecutor:       (Judgmental; to defendant) You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting (Daniel 5:27).

Narrator:          And the Lord will carry out his sentence…with speed and finality (Romans 9:28).  (Defendant hangs head in shame.) Thus concludes this trial...but let us examine a vastly different outcome.

Defendant:       (Pleading) ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13)  Out of the depths I cry to you.  O Lord, hear my voice.  Hear my cry for mercy. (Psalms 130).   I acknowledge my sin to you and will not cover up my iniquity.  I confess my transgressions to you, Lord.  Have you not forgiven the guilt of my sin?  (Psalms 32:5)

Prosecutor:       How could he have possibly forgiven this sin?!?

JUDGE:           I have provided a way...through the atonement of blood.

Prosecutor:       With all due respect, it’s a little late to sacrifice a goat or a calf.

JESUS:             I am here.  I, Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life -- am here to intercede.  (Romans 8:34)

(Prosecutor tosses down papers in disgust. Jesus takes a seat beside the defendant and places a hand on the shoulder of defendant.  Defendant looks relieved..)

Narrator:          For Christ did not enter a manmade sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. (Hebrews 9:24)  He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.  (Hebrews 9:12)

JUDGE:           This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17)  Whoever believes in him receives forgiveness and everlasting life. (John 3:16)  (Jesus nods his head in acknowledgement of this praise.)

JESUS:                         I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6)  I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  (To defendant) Do you believe this?  (John 11:25-26)

Defendant:       Yes, I do believe.  (To Jesus; grateful for being saved.)  You reached down from on high and took hold of me; you drew me out of deep waters.  You rescued me from a powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.  (2 Samuel 17-18)

Narrator:          The Lord redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him (Psalms 34:22).   For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10a).  For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  (Ephesians 1:4)

JUDGE:           (To defendant) So now you have been reconciled by Christ’s physical body through death to present yourself holy in my sight -- without blemish and free from accusation.  (Colossians 1:22)

Prosecutor:       (Angry) I object!  This is not justice!  The laws were broken and the debt of sin must be paid!

JESUS:                         I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.  (Matthew 5:17)   Let me cite a case in Rome...when a debtor was imprisoned for his debts, a certificate of debt was nailed to the door to remain until the sentence was carried out and the debt was paid.  Then “paid in full” or “it is finished” was written across the certificate.  The prisoner kept this certificate as proof so he would never be punished for that crime again.  When I received the drink on the cross, I said, “Tetelestai; It is finished,” and I gave up my spirit. (John 19:30)   I canceled the written code against all who believed in me, I took away the sin of the world and nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:14) with my body and my blood.

Prosecutor:       (In sarcastic disbelief) And this satisfies all the sin of the entire world?  Everyone hung on a tree is cursed!  (Deuteronomy 21:23)

JESUS:                         I redeemed sinners from the curse of the law by becoming such a curse (Galatians 3:13).  With this one’s confession and belief in me, the sinner’s debt has been paid in full -- completely, finally, once and for all.  It is indeed finished.

JUDGE:           (to defendant) There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.  (Romans 8:1-2)

JESUS:             (to defendant) You know the truth...and the truth has set you free.  Although you are not your own; you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20).  In me you have redemption through my blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on you with all wisdom and understanding.  (Ephesians 1:7-8)

JUDGE:           And I am the one who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers your sin no more.  (Isaiah 43:25)

Prosecutor:       (Still sarcastic)  What kind of judge are you who pardons and forgives sin?

JUDGE:           (Forceful)  I am a righteous God!  (Ezekiel 9:15)  I do not stay angry forever, but delight to show mercy (Micah 7:18).  (To defendant) I have compassion for you  (Isaiah 54:10.  My Son has tread your sins underfoot and I have hurled all of your iniquities into the depths of the sea  (Micah 7:19).  This is my verdict (John 3:19): though your sins were like scarlet, you are now white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18)

(Defendant is incredibly relieved; shows weary gratitude.)

(Explains gently.)  I do not give as the world gives.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is my love for you; as far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions.  (Psalms 103:11-12)

JESUS:             (Takes hand of defendant and exits) Come, let us share the bread and the wine and rejoice in the grace of the Father.  My peace I give to you.

(Jesus leads defendant by the hand past Judge, who holds out his arm in welcome invitation; defendant is eagerly in awe; prosecutor shakes head in disbelief.)

Narrator:          For he himself is our peace, who has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.  He reconciled mankind to God through the cross, by which he put to death all hostility (Ephesians 2:14).  Having disarmed the powers and authorities of Satan, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15).  Instead of the sinner, the prince of the world now stands condemned (John 16:11).  (Prosecutor hangs his head in defeat.)

(To audience) What will you do on the day of reckoning?  To whom will you run for help?  (Isaiah 10:3)  This defender, known as Jesus Christ offers eternal life, and those he defends shall never perish; praise God for no one can snatch those who believe out of his hand.  (John 10:28)