You are not really prepared to live unless you are prepared to die. Death is inevitable. It is an appointment, and only God knows the hour. That is why it is wonderful to be a Christian. You can have confidence in life because you are ready for death.
In these verses, we learn how our Lord faced death.
1. Jesus faced death confidently.
How was he able to do so?
A. Because He had the Father’s presence.
Three times, Jesus addressed the Father:
1) “Father, forgive them.”
2) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
3) “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
The second cry was made at a time of broken fellowship with the father due to our sins being poured out upon our Lord. But, having paid the price for our sins, fellowship with the father was restored, and Jesus had the father’s presence with Him as he faced His death. So, at the beginning and at the end of his ordeal, Jesus had His Father’s presence.
It was His Father’s presence that sustained Him through-out His life and that strengthened Him in His death.
During his life time, the word "Father" was often on our Lord’s lips. When He was 12 years old, He said, "Don’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?" In the Ser¬mon on the Mount, He used the word "Father" more than 15 times. In the upper room discourse and in His high-priestly prayer (John 17) our Lord talked about the Father many times. He died confidently as He had lived, with His Father’s presence.
One of the wonderful promises that is made to everyone who gives their life to Christ is that God is with us, never to leave us.
“God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” - Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
“[God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]” - Hebrews 13:5 (Amplified)
It is no wonder that the angel told Mary that the child born to her would be called “Immanuel,” which means, “God with us!” For when one receives Christ as their Savior, they are blessed with the presence of the Father that will sustain them in life and in death.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer left his pastorate in London in 1935 to return to Germany as the head of the Confessing Church Seminary. When the Nazis rose to power, he returned to the United States in 1939, but the move was short-lived. He called it a "mis¬take."
Bonhoeffer returned to Germany once again and was soon imprisoned under the Nazi regime. Conditions in prison were horrible and the inmates were not allowed to speak. However, their code signifying "God With Us" was three taps on the wall.
On April 9, 1945, Dietrich was escorted to the gallows for hanging. As he was, the entire prison body responded with a thunderous "three taps" in rapid succession. God is with us.
Jesus faced death confidently because he had the Father’s presence, and . . .
B. Because He had the Father’s Promise.
Our Lord’s cry is a quote from Psalm 31:5, “Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.” - Psalm 31:5 (NIV)
Jesus claimed this promise in facing death, knowing that though He would succumb to death, He would, nevertheless, be vindicated as by being raised to life!
All three of the prayers from the cross are tied to Scripture. When Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34), He was fulfilling Isaiah 53:12: "He . . . made intercession for the transgressors." When He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me" (Matt. 27:46), He was quoting Psalm 22:1. When He said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46), He fulfilled Psalm 31:5.
Jesus lived by God’s Word and He died by God’s Word. We can do the same. You can rely on the promises of God!
Jesus faced death confidently because he had the Father’s presence, the father’s promise, and . . .
C. Because He had the Father’s Protection.
For many hours, Jesus had been in the hands of sinners. The hands of sinners took hold of Him and bound Him. The hands of sinners beat Him. The hands of sinners stripped him. The hands of sinners put a crown of thorns upon His head. The hands of sinners nailed him to a cross.
But at the conclusion of His work, Jesus was no longer in the hands of sinners; He was in His Father’s hands. We note again what was prophesied in Psalm 31:
“You kept me from the hands of my enemies, and you set me free. My life is in your hands.” - Psalm 31:8; 15 (CEV)
A pro-choice feminist and a pro-life conservative were debating the relative merits of the sanctity of life issue. Sensing victory in the debate, the feminist declared, "You don’t understand, we’ve won in the White House, and we’ve won in the court¬house. Face it, it’s over, the fat lady has already sung!" The pro-lifer calmly replied, "Wrong, it’s over until the trumpet sounds!"
You and I need to remember that. Sometimes, it seems as though our life is in the enemy’s hands. But as a child of God, I know that ultimately, and eternally, my life is in the Lord’s hands.
Sometimes, it fits God’s purpose for our lives to allow us to be in the enemy’s hands. Such was the case with Jesus. In this life, His life was temporarily placed in the hands of the enemy, but it was only to fulfill God’s purpose for his life, ultimately and eternally, his life was in the Father’s hands. What was true for our Lord will certainly be true for us at times, also.
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ’No servant is greater than his master.’ ” - John 15:18-20 (NIV)
Like Jesus, we as his followers are called to live with eternity in view. If, during the course of seeking to follow God’s will for our lives, we find ourselves in the enemy’s hands, remember, it is only temporary. God has a purpose for it, and once that purpose has been fulfilled, He will lead us to ultimate victory. Though we might, on occasion find ourselves in the enemy’s hands, we are ultimately and eternally in God’s hands.
“My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.” - John 10:27-29 (The Message)
2. Jesus faced death victoriously.
How was he able to do so?
A. Because He could look back on His earthly life with satisfaction.
He could declare, “It is finished!” Because Jesus had lived his life in obedience to the Father, He knew His life was lived to the full.
That is our Lord’s desire for us, as well.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” - John 10:10 (NIV)
Sometimes, we mistake this verse to be a promise that as a Christian, everything in my life will be joyful and happy. That is because we too often define real living in terms of having our way. But real living is found in my having my way, but in God having his way.
“True success in life is knowing God’s will and being in the center of it.” - George W. Truett
Because Jesus lived His life that way, he faced death, looking back upon His life with satisfaction. When you come to the end of your life, how will you look back upon it: with satisfaction or regret?
A very wealthy man lost his brother. The town considered it no great loss because both men were ruthless, perverse scoundrels. The rub came when the community pastor was asked to do the funeral. The surviving brother said he would give the necessary funds to build a new sanctuary if the pastor would perform the ceremony and refer to his brother as a saint in the eulogy. It was a tough call for this uncompromising minister but he did want that new church building so he agreed to the challenge. The service flowed rather smoothly and the minister maintained his integrity by pointing out the sinful lifestyle of the deceased. His wife was impressed that he had not compromised, but wondered how he could call the man a saint after all he was saying about him. The honest pastor took care of that worry when he closed by saying, "There is no question this man was a friend of Satan, but compared to his brother, he was a saint!"
Oh, to be sure, it is impossible for any of us to avoid regret completely, but to the degree we live surrendered to the will of God we will be able to come to the end of our life and have the satisfaction of knowing that our lives counted for eternity, and what we did do wrong or what mistakes we did make, by the grace of God and in the providence of God, He will make right. That, after all is what the message of the cross is all about! By the power of the cross, that which is wrong can be set right!
A man who had misspent his life lay critically ill. Turning to his pastor, he asked, "Do you think that a death bed repentance does away with a whole life of sin?" "No," answered the pastor quietly, "but Calvary does!"
By the power of the cross, our sins can be forgiven, our mistakes can be corrected, and our lives can count for eternity!
B. Because He could look forward to eternal life with joy.
“Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” - Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)
Jesus knew what awaited Him upon His entrance into heaven. He would be exalted and honored by the Father because He had fully submitted to the father’s plan for Him to pay the price for the sins of the world.
In much the same way, you and I can look forward to eternal life with the joy of knowing that we will be commended by the Father upon our entrance into heaven if we have sought to obey His will on earth.
“Every act of our lives strikes some chord that will vibrate in eternity.” - Rick Warren
“And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” - 1 John 2:28 (ESV)
The following inscription was found written on a tombstone: "Remember Friend, when passing by, as you are now, so once was I. As I am now, soon you will be, prepare for death and follow me. Someone added to the inscription: To follow you I’m not content, until I know which way you went.
We know where Jesus went. If we follow Him, we will live as He lived and we go where He is. And when that day comes, we will depart this life as He did - with confidence!
As we said at the beginning of today’s message, you are not really prepared to live unless you are prepared to die. Are you prepared?
