Cries From The Cross - The Cry Of Submission Series

Reading: Luke chapter 23 verse 36.

“Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last”.

In this series of studies:

• We are considering the seven statements of Jesus from the cross:

• These statements are very important to us:

• Not only because of the Person who spoke them;

• But, also because of the place where they were said.

• Remember the context that these great words were spoken in;

• It was when our Jesus was doing His greatest work on earth,

Quote:

“These seven last words from the cross are windows that enable us to look into eternity and see the heart of God.”

• This morning we are looking at the sixth statement that Jesus made on the cross;

• “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

• These are the last words which Jesus spoke from the cross:

• In all he spoke seven times,

To both Jewish people (and of cause to anyone who studies the Bible);

• Seven is a number which has special significance.

• It was associated with perfection or completion.

Seven was also to Jewish people a number which signified rest:

• It was associated with the seventh day of creation, when God rested,

• And of course with the Sabbath day.

• In creation the sixth day was the day on which God finished his work.

• We noted last W&W on the cross the sixth cry was the triumphant cry, 'Finished'.

Now this seventh cry is a cry of rest;

• After his ordeal in accomplishing the amazing feat of the world's redemption.

• Jesus commended himself into the arms of his Father, that he might rest there;

4 THINGS TO NOTE CONCERNING THIS LAST STATEMENT OF JESUS:

(1). He Died Actually.

• First of all, He died actually.

• His death was not an illusion; He actually died.

• When we studied his cry; “I thirst”.

• We looked at the fact Jesus had a real human body,

• That he experienced all that it means to be human;

• He had a complete human nature (although he was sinless).

• He knew what it was to grow up; He knew what it was to eat, drink and sleep.

• And He knew what it was to die - He died actually.

(1). The Roman view:

• John in his gospel records important information;

• Regarding how that the officials checked very carefully to be sure that Jesus had died.

• He was a high profile celebrity figure;

• They would make sure he got extra attention, that nothing would go unmissed.

Quote: John chapter 19 verse 32-33:

“So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. 33But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was dead already, so they didn't break his legs”

• These Roman soldiers were experienced executioners;

• They knew a dead victim when they saw one.

• From the statement of the soldiers we can say;

• The official evidence of the Roman Empire was that Jesus actually had died.

(2). The gospel writers:

The evidence of the gospel writers is that He actually died.

• He did not swoon on the cross and then,

• When he was put into the cool tomb, revive and pretend it was a resurrection.

• That kind of foolish religious thinking went out a long time ago.

• The Lord Jesus Christ died actually; He tasted death for every person.

• In the Bible the word "death" is applied to believers very infrequently.

• Normally it is called "sleep."

• e.g. Lazarus “has fallen asleep”

• e.g. Christians who die are those who "sleep in Jesus" (I Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 14).

But notice when Jesus died:

• It is not referred to as sleep - it was referred to as death!

• He tasted the full experience of death.

(3). The medical record.

John chapter 19 verses 32-34:

32”So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. 33When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs. 34One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.

• This ‘blood and water’ must have collected in one of the body cavities of Jesus:

• Medical experts tell us that the blood of animals and humans;

• Which are tortured to death does not clot.

• This is due to circulating anti-clotting chemicals called ‘fibrinolysins’).

• When blood is left to stand,

• It separates into the red cells which drop to the bottom, leaving the clear plasma above.