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.
