Mr. Zero Tolerance

Nicknamed "Mr. Zero Tolerance", Judge Mark Ciavarella was a big supporter of harsh sentences…for kids. Ciavarella sent thousands of children to a local detention center during his tenure in Luzerne County, PA. Think the kids deserved it? Listen to this: Ciavarella sent an 11-year-old to juvenile detention for almost two years after the kid took his mom's car for a ride down the block. He also sent a 15-year-old to the same detention facility for mocking her assistant principal on MySpace and gave a 17-year-old five months for helping steal DVDs…he also got kickbacks from the facility where he sent those kids. No wonder the hearings often lasted only two minutes; Ciavarella got up to a million dollars for putting hundreds of innocent children behind bars. (Source: nbc.news)

Have you ever been in a courtroom at the time of sentencing? It’s tense. If the hearing is between two parties, more than likely, one party will be happy with the verdict; one party will not.

Back in the late 80’s I would find myself in a courtroom with my husband. A local business had taken us to Small Claims Court. I was on pins and needles. I knew we were in the right, but would the judge see it that way? The owner of the business spoke and then his manager spoke. Then we spoke and then the judge spoke. I waited, no doubt holding my breath, for the outcome. And then, the judge ruled, in our favor. That is a great feeling!

Two years later a landlady and her son would accuse us of causing damage to the home we had moved out of. Once again I found myself in front of a mediator. We all presented our side of the story. I, complete with detailed lists, receipts, and pictures; they, with made up, exaggerated accusations. I knew they were not telling the truth about us, but would the judge believe it? He did and ruled in our favor. That was such a relief!

In both cases, we had a very fair, and I believe very honest judge. Both men were intelligent enough to know they were being lied to. But justice isn’t always met with fairness. There are many people that stand in many courts of law that do not see a favorable outcome. There are also many more people who have never seen the inside of a courtroom.

We are told of a judgement coming that none of us will be able to escape. Every single person that was born, and lived to the age of accountability, will be brought before the judge.

On top of that, there is “technology” that exists that is better than a lie detector test. This technology can see in real time and in living color, every moment of your life, even things done in secret.

How is the judge going to rule if He sees everything you have done, hears everything you have ever said, knows every consideration you have, every thought entertained? It does not look good.

What’s the charge against you? “Sinner”.

Why is that an issue? Because sinners cannot occupy heaven. Sin cannot exist in the presence of a perfect Being. That’s going to be a problem for us!

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NKJV

Many, many people don’t look at this as sin. They look at it as freedom and choice and free-will, and fun and it is all of those things, for a while. But it will end badly for those who choose that path.

Ephesians 5:5 says, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” ESV

Paul wrote about the evident works of the flesh:

“sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 ESV

You pop into a club or a bar on a late Saturday night, and you will find much of what Paul was warning about.

Revelation 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

I attended a funeral many years ago where the officiant ‘preached’ the deceased right into heaven. The only problem with that, is this: the deceased did not love God and had led a very hard life. There was much of what was described above.

Not everyone is going to heaven; that’s the cold, hard truth. And there is a judgement coming.

Luke wrote of it in Acts 17:31 “…He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” NKJV

There is a judgement coming. Let’s peek into that scene.

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it…And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” Revelation 20:11-12 NKJV

This is the courtroom scene to end all courtroom scenes. After this judgment has been handed down, there will never be a courtroom setting again.

Now picture this.

You are seated in that courtroom. You are the defendant. Your attorney is Jesus. At the table to your right sits Satan; he is the plaintiff, and he is the one bringing the charges against you.

He rises and begins to speak. He tells in great detail of the time you shoplifted; the time you lied; the time you coveted; the time you cheated. He tells of all the times you have come to God with a repentant heart, just to return to your old ways. He argues that you are his and by your very actions you prove it.

Jesus then rises and begins to speak. As our advocate, He tells in great detail of the time He and His father planned for the eventuality of sin. He tells of the time He left heaven and was born a fragile infant to a very young mother. He tells of the time He hung on the cross and thought of you; His sins covering yours. The time He rose from the grave, conquering death, and how He returned to His Father and to His rightful place at His side.

When both parties have pleaded their cases something amazing happens.

Jesus stands up from the defendant's table and walks toward the bench. But instead of asking for permission to approach, He walks behind the bench, takes the couple of steps up to the bench, puts on the robe of the judge and then rules on your behalf!

It is amazing to think about. The very one defending us in court is the very one that will rule on our behalf, but we have to want it. We have to want Him.

An advocate, in earthly terms, is a person who helps in court; speaks for us if needed; perhaps pleads our case for us. They offer support.

The Bible tells us in 1 John that Jesus is our advocate:

“…these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1 NKJV

God’s wish is that we do not sin, but if we do, and when we do, we have an advocate in Jesus.

I will leave with this today. “Another aspect that makes Jesus a compassionate Advocate is the fact that He has experienced life in this world, too. He has been tempted, rejected, overlooked, misunderstood, and abused. He does not represent us theoretically; He represents us experientially. He lived the life we live, yet He did so without succumbing to the evils that befall us. He successfully refused to give in to temptation and can be our High Priest because He perfectly fulfilled God’s law…

“Our Advocate can plead our case from personal experience, something like this: “Father, this young woman has violated our righteous command, but she loves you and wants to serve you. I remember what it was like to be tempted like that, and my heart goes out to her. She has confessed this sin and desires to turn away from it. Because of my sacrifice, you can forgive this sin and purify her heart once more. Let’s teach her how to let the Holy Spirit comfort her and strengthen her to resist the next time.” (Source: gotquestions.org)

by Jeanette Stark – Tuesday, March 28, 2023