Jesus' 7 Last Words on the Cross

Jesus' 7 Last Words on the Cross

       Today is Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross. He died for our redemption, to pay the penalty for our sins. As eternally vital as that is, there's even more to be learned from how He died and what He said even in those last hours

       His death not only saved us and gave us eternal life, but it teaches us how to live now on this earth. Those lessons cluster around Jesus' last words or sayings on the cross. Jesus spoke 7 times from the cross and each time there was a lesson for us to apply to our own lives. Those words reveal His character and His attitude and since we are to have “the mind of Christ,” they teach us how to live.

1) Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Jesus died forgiving those who sinned against Him and underlying His prayer for forgiveness is an understanding of the desperate condition of the human heart: “they know not what they do.”

John MacArthur describes it this way: as Jesus hangs on the cross the victim of “animosity, bitterness, vengeance, and vile wickedness of a world of men and a host of demons, what is His response?” Does He call for vengeance? No, He prays for their forgiveness.

The application to our lives: have we, have you ever had anything done to you so horrible as all of that?! Surely you are to forgive –as Jesus forgave you. That is the criteria: “even as” Ephesians 4:32 “. . .forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

This is to be your way of life: you should live with a heart of forgiveness toward those who wrong you, being more concerned that they be forgiven than that you get vengeance.

2) Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Jesus died bringing the truth of the gospel, the truth of eternal life to the thief on the cross.

“Remember me,” he said to Jesus–he is pleading for forgiveness and he obviously understands that Jesus can indeed save him. He’s already admitted his guilt, now he’s pleading for mercy. And in the midst of Jesus’ agony, He was more concerned with the salvation of one individual person, a condemned criminal.

And by that attitude, He shows us how to live.

3) John 19:26-27 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

As Jesus was dying, His mother was on His heart; He wanted her cared for by one of the disciples He loved so much. (It seems obvious that her husband Joseph had died by this time and Jesus as the eldest son had the responsibility to care for His mother.)

4) Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

This was by far the greatest agony of the cross, the separation from God the Father in His death.

Sin separated us from God–but once we know Jesus as Savior, we also have the Father and the Holy Spirit–and we will never have to experience what Jesus did in order to atone for our sins.

“Forsaken” is one of the most tragic words in the English language–and when said, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me”–and “Me” was the perfect Son of God! I don’t know how long of a period of time–but it was sheer agony to Jesus.

Why was this necessary? Because He was bearing our sin and sin separates from God. “God is too holy to look on sin, too pure to behold iniquity,” the prophet Habakkuk wrote. Sin alienates from God.

Nothing we ever experience can come even close to the pain of this separation.

What lesson does this teach us for our lives? How terrible sin is! Much worse than we generally consider it. Sin sent Jesus to the cross–because of His great love for us. And sin separated the eternal Father from the eternal Son–temporarily, yes, but nevertheless, it did separate. It did something that devils and demons couldn’t do, but sin did.

5) John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

Jesus was experiencing some of the results of being a man, a human being–with all the weaknesses of our humanity. And what does it teach us? It shows the frailties of our humanity and our dependence on God. He needed a drink of water and He couldn’t get it for Himself and He needed someone to get it for Him. He knew what human need is and that’s why He is a sympathetic and faithful high priest. He was fully man as well as being fully God.

6) John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

“It is finished!” Redemption is accomplished. He died completing the work God gave Him to do.

The apostle Paul said the same thing–and he, too, completed the work. Acts 20:24. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

2 Tim. 4:6. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,

7) John records that Jesus “gave up the ghost.” Luke records more detail Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Jesus died entrusting Himself to the care of God. We must live the same way: “Casting all your care on Him for He careth for you.”

In other words, you live with confidence in God–confident trust that He who promised will also perform what He promises. He can be counted on to bring you through the worst trials and will be with you in the Valley of the Shadow. “I will fear no evil for though art with me.”

IV. So this brings me to my second and much briefer, major point: how the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings enable us to endure victoriously what God calls on us to suffer.

A. We have the lessons from His cross:

1. forgiving spirit

2. concern for sharing the gospel to the lost

3. selfless love more concerned for others than your own suffering

4. seriousness of sin and great desire for holiness

5. realization of your own weakness and frailties–and limits

6. desire to finish your course with joy and the ministry that God has given you to do–moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful

7. entrust yourself to the care of Him who loves you enough to die for you on that cruel cross.

B. Now there’s one more great truth to relate His sufferings to ours:

Hebrews 12:2-3 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

1. Fixing your eyes on Jesus because the word translated “looking” means to fix your attention on Christ.

Focus on Him and not the problems.

Focus on Him and not yourself.

Focus on Him and not all the things that could possibly go wrong.

Looking away from everything else that might distract.

2. You focus on Christ and ponder what He endured.

1. The next time someone ridicules you and mocks you, think of Jesus “silent before His accusers”

2. The next time someone reviles you and says all manner of evil against you falsely, think of Jesus and how when he was reviled, reviled not again, but committed Himself to the Father. Do ye the same.

3. The next time someone spits in your face, think of Jesus and how the soldiers spit at him.

4. The next time someone says something unkind to you or rude, don’t get angry but instead think of the lies they told about Jesus.

5. The next time someone does something unfair to you, consider this the world’s greatest injustice: the perfect Son of God–who never–literally never sinned, not a sin of attitude, a sin of commission, or a sin of omission–He was absolutely perfect, and think of what they did to Him.

6. Have you ever heard of an injustice like this one where the Judge said publicly, “I find no fault in Him”–but kill Him anyway!

7. The next time you are in excruciating pain, compare your pain to what Jesus endured on the cross.

8. The next time you think you can’t endure the particular trial you are going through, look at Jesus and know that God the Holy Spirit who gave Him the endurance in His humanity to endure will give you the endurance to “take” whatever He allows or sends your way. Remember His absolute promise: God will never allow you to be tested beyond your endurance but will with the testing provide a way of escape that you may be able to bear it.

“Consider Him” by comparison to your “light affliction which is but for a moment.”

3. And that familiar scripture really puts the whole thing into perspective:

2 Cor. 4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”

Just as God accomplished so much by the death of Christ–eternal redemption for all who repent and trust in Him as Savior and Lord.

So also He is accomplishing something–many things by your suffering or affliction. It’s “working for us”.–an exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

4. He’s making us more like Christ–we are being changed by the Holy Spirit as we obey and as we look at and look to Christ.

5. He is burning out the dross so that we will come through the fire as pure gold.

1 Peter 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: [7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

6. We learn obedience to God’s will “by the things which we suffer.” Heb. 5:8

7. We learn what is really valuable in life–that which continues into eternity and does not simply end up on the ash heap. 2 Cor. 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

What continues into eternity? Our relationship with the Lord; our relationship with others; the truth of the Word of God. Holiness and the character qualities produced by the Holy Spirit. Serving, ministering, glorifying God, worshiping God will continue throughout eternity.

Consider Christ

1. Consider the afflictions of Christ–so much greater than yours

2. Consider the grace given to Christ to endure the sufferings–and surely God will give you the grace to endure yours: “My grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

3. Consider the presence of Christ–He is never absent from you, even when you don’t sense His Presence, He is still there. He who never failed you in yesterday’s afflictions is still present for today’s strength. He is our ever-present help in time of need.

4. Consider the patience and perseverance, the endurance of Christ. He lives in you and you can endure through Him. “Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. . . .”

5. Consider the prayers of Christ. He ever-liveth to make intercession for us.

6. Consider the purposes of Christ–and we’ve already discussed several of them.

7. Consider the glory that is yet to come. The suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed in us.

Strong's Ref. # 3049 Romanized logizomai Pronounced log-id'-zom-ahee

middle voice from GSN3056; to take an inventory, i.e. estimate (literally or figuratively):

8. How did Jesus endure? Scripture tells us: “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross” He knew what He was accomplishing and what His atonement would mean to all of us, millions of us for all eternity. And that brought Him joy because He loves us.

1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

John 15:11-15

11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith. He endured and He will enable us to endure and make us more than conquerors through Him who loved us.