About 2000 years ago a man named Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Israel. His birth is considered the most sacred moment and marked as a turning point in the history. Jesus life, mission, death and resurrection were foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament and revealed to us by the writers of the New Testament. From humble birth to glorious Resurrection— Christ was, and is, a miracle. Jesus Christ was fully God and yet fully human. God had allowed himself to be born as a man so that he could live and suffer among us, to serve as the perfect atonement for our sin, and to offer forgiveness and salvation to anyone who believes. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Christ preached and performed miracles for three-and-a-half years until he was crucified. He died on a wooden cross and was buried in a tomb. God incarnate suffered and died on the cross as a propitiation for the sins of all mankind.
Two thousand years have passed since the Crucifixion Day, yet the Bible account enables us to visualize the day and event with a great deal of accuracy. It was a turbulent Day in Israel. An execution was taking place, a surging crowd stood by. It was the eve of a great annual festival that had brought thousands to Jerusalem. The earth had been rocked by an earthquake. The sky was darkened by a supernatural eclipse. There were three crosses on Golgotha. On the right and on the left were two robbers crucified for rebellion and murder. On the centre cross hung a sinless Sufferer! The world knew not that Jesus was dying for the sins of the world. However there is one man in history whose last words not only tells us a great deal about Him, but also tells us a great deal about how we should live our lives.
Jesus spoke seven times during the closing moments on the Cross. The words which Jesus uttered on the Cross are worthy of special consideration because of who uttered them, where they were uttered, why they were spoken, and what they mean. They are precious because they are deep expressions of the Eternal son of God in His time of terrible agony in those moments when He actually paid the price of our redemption. From these Seven Words of Jesus we can draw strength and courage for our own walk on this earth as we follow His call to be His disciples. He suffered the extreme penalty of death that we may live eternally.
1. THE WORD OF FORGIVENESS and RECONCILIATION
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Luke's gospel presents the sufficiency of Christ to save sinners (19:10). It makes sense that the first word of Jesus from the cross is a word of forgiveness and reconciliation. That’s the point of the cross, after all. Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy that He would make “intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus is dying so that we might be forgiven for our sins, so that we might be reconciled to God for eternity. The wonder of this Word from the Cross is that there is forgiveness. Forgiveness for the disciples who forsook Jesus and fled in the night, Forgiveness for the evil ones who drove Him to the Cross, Forgiveness for the soldiers who nailed him to the tree, Forgiveness for the bitter hearts of his religious enemies, the priests and teachers, Forgiveness for every person who has ever sinned or made a mistake and Forgiveness for you and for me. Bible says “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). Because Christ died on the cross for us, we are cleansed from all wickedness, from every last sin. We are united with God the Father as his beloved children. Forgiveness has always been the hallmark of Christ followers, following the great example of its founder. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, showed this spirit when he was being stoned to death, "Lord," he prayed, "do not hold this sin against them."
2. THE WORD OF ASSURANCE and EVERLASTING GLORY
Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
If the First Word embraced all mankind within the scope of the dreadful act of crucifying Jesus and the potential of forgiveness through his prayer, then the Second Word narrows its focus to one single needy sinner. God not only sees the whole world but he sees it made up of individuals. On that fateful day in the history of the world, it happened that there were two thieves who were crucified alongside Jesus. Both had reviled Him (Matthew 27:40-44); but later, when one blasphemed Christ again, the other had a remarkable change of heart and responded, “Do you not even fear God?” (Luke 23:40). Even more extraordinary, he expressed faith that Christ would rule over God’s coming Kingdom.
After speaking up for Jesus, he cried out, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. This word from the cross teaches some wonderful truths. It illustrates that the way of salvation is remarkably simple. No man is beyond hope of redemption in whose soul still lingers some fear of God. And as he spoke, faith rose in his soul and he blurted out his appeal, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." It was a plea that did not fall on deaf ears. The response was immediate, "Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." The word "Paradise" is a Persian word meaning "a walled garden".
Adam sinned against God, and was cast from the paradise of God. The story of the Bible is how God took mankind from paradise lost to paradise regained. Mankind sinned and lost the paradise. Through Christ, God restores the eternal Glory of mankind, and offers the paradise of heaven. When Jesus said, "Today you will be with me in Paradise," He was saying, "I have completed the work the Father gave Me to do. I have redeemed a people who will enjoy the glories of eternity with God." Jesus’ reply proved the truth of Hebrews 7:25: “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” This word from the cross illustrates that the way of salvation is wondrously simple and there’s salvation in the Cross.
3. THE WORD OF LOVE and COMFORT
When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Dear woman, here is your son." And he said to this disciple, "Here is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” (John 19:26-27) The Second Word from the Cross ministered salvation to the penitent sinner, but the Third Word introduces us to the wider implications of this great salvation. It illuminates a new relationships as seen through the cross of Jesus, especially that of love. A psychologist once said, "there are two things that men want: power and love." At the very heart of all our wanting is the love that Jesus gave us on the cross. "Greater love has no one than this that one lays down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). The death of Christ on the cross has the power to forgive our sins and grant us salvation. By the stripes of Jesus we are healed from our sicknesses and diseases. Through His death on the cross we are delivered from the scourge of curses and receive the blessings of God. We receive comfort in all our sorrows because He carried our sorrows and grief on the cross."
Mary had seen more than her share of sorrow in her life with Jesus. Now, seeing her grown Son hated by people and forsaken by friends, she “stood by the cross of Jesus” (John 19: 25). This Third Word from the Cross reveals the relationship of Jesus with his disciple John, the one who had been closest to him. It didn’t require a long explanation for John to know what was meant. We read that from that hour John took Mary into his own home. Likewise, while our spiritual relationship with God is our most important commitment in life, we must never ignore the responsibilities we carry in our physical relationships. “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” is the second great commandment (Matthew 22:39).
4. THE WORD OF DESOLATION AND DESPERATION
“About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? -Which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:45-46). When we come to the 4th saying on the cross, we have reached the pinnacle of our Saviour’s suffering. His first three sayings focused on the needs of others: on behalf of His murderers, He prayed: "Father, forgive them." To the repentant thief, He offered hope: "Today you will be with Me." To Mary and John, He spoke words of compassion and care: "Behold thy son...mother." in His fourth saying, Jesus speaks of Himself. And what does He say? " My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Preachers and writers have described this fourth saying in a variety of ways. It's been called "The Cry of Desolation," "The Cry of Desertion," "The Cry of Deriliction," "The Cry of Despair," and "The Cry of Desperation."
The bottom line is this. Jesus was alone on the cross. He faced loneliness like no other person. God the Father turned His back on His Son that day on the cross. This Word from the Cross points us to the cost of the atonement made. Thank God, there’s atonement for sin at the Cross by the Lord Jesus. It’s something we must never lose sight of. Sin isolates man from God. Sin cut off Adam from God in the garden. Sin cut off Jesus from the Father. Not His sin. Our sin, Sin pierced the heart of the Incarnate God; if our sin put Jesus through such agony, how can we be so casual about it? If we really love God, we will hate sin. When Jesus said, "Why have you forsaken me," He was inviting all those who beheld Him on the cross to consider why He was there. Why was the Father separated from the Son? It’s because the Son was taking our sin; He was taking our place. Jesus was forsaken of the Father for our behalf and our benefit.
God’s law says “The soul who sins, he shall die.” That means because we have sinned we are destined to be forsaken of God forever. But you see, Jesus offered to pay that penalty on the Cross, for the Scriptures say, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed........” (Isaiah 53:4-6) What really happened during those dreadful, dark hours on the cross? Jesus faced the pain of being alone so that we might never be alone again. Jesus was bearing the wages of our sins, and therefore He had to be actually forsaken of God so that we need not be forsaken of God forever in the eternal regions of the lost. “the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6)—and God would not intervene to ease anything associated with the penalty of sin. Sin causes suffering, and Christ bore its full weight, including the emotional trauma of comprehending how sin distances us from God.
5. THE WORD OF SUFFERING and FULFILLMENT
THE FIFTH WORD: "I thirst" John 19:28
Now, we come to His fifth statement. "After this, Jesus says, I thirst." Jesus had been on the cross nearly 6 hours. The 3 hours of thick darkness were nearly over. The hours of torture on the Cross took a tremendous toll on the body of Jesus. Execution by crucifixion was not a sudden death like being shot by a firing squad. It was a long drawn out, lingering death carried out under the Eastern sun. His wounded hands and feet would be quickly inflamed, resulting in a fever of thirst and His body would soon be dehydrated. The prophetic 22nd Psalm which anticipated our Lord’s passion speaks graphically of his condition, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth" (Psalm 22: 14, 15). Yes, our Savior's sufferings were real.
Although Jesus was divine he was also uniquely man and felt all the emotions and pain as we feel them. He said. "I thirst." Why did He say that? Jesus said, "I thirst," because He knew that all things were now accomplished. Because of what the Old Testament predicted In Psalm 69:21 “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst." Psalm 69 prophecies that the Messiah will be humiliated, so does Psalm 22. The Old Testament predicted that He would be a Suffering Messiah. When Jesus suffered, He fulfilled prophecy. His death was no accident, and certainly no afterthought. It was the very plan of God. And it was revealed in the Word of God, hundreds of years ahead of time! Jesus uttered these words in order to fulfill prophecy and He also felt physical and spiritual pain. Jesus sees our brokenness. He knows us. He loves us. He suffered for us. He thirsts for lost men. And He bids us thirst for lost men, too. This Fifth Word from the Cross serves to tell us that there is suffering in the Cross.
6. THE WORD OF TRIUMPH and VICTORY
This Sixth Word from the Cross consists of one single word in the Greek - "It is finished"(John 19:30) or accomplished." It is a simple text but profound. Its implications are far reaching and enduring. This text tells us that Jesus had a task to fulfil. Jesus did not say, "I am finished," for that would imply that he died defeated and exhausted. Rather, he cried out "It is finished." Do you know what happened on the cross? There on the cross, Jesus finished what we started. "The Day He Finished What We Started" He finished the horrible problem that entered the world when our first forefather, Adam, sinned and brought the curse of God upon us. Jesus won the victory at the cross. We learn from Jesus' own lips what really happened on the cross. The prayer he prayed for Pardon, the paradise he offered to the sinners, the pattern of love and care he demonstrated for his loved ones, the punishment and the pain he suffered for us and the purpose he accomplished. Ponder on it. The endless hours of suffering were about over. The Saviour was about to die. It was for this cause that Jesus came into the world, and now He raises His voice in a triumphant shout: “it is finished!”
Jesus lived only half the normal span of life. During that time He was criticized and despised and rejected. He was captured in a Garden, led to the Judgment Hall, and condemned to die. Now His suffering was finished. Furthermore, all that was prophesied and prefigured in the Old Testament concerning His death was fulfilled. And finally, the work of redemption was completed. Jesus Christ had tasted the death of which we deserved – and now the great transaction was done! These words specify not the end of Jesus’ life, but the completion of His task. The verb tense is perfect. “It is finished!” The purpose of His hour has been completed, and the consequences of His work are enduring.” Notice carefully that Jesus did NOT say, "I am finished." He said, "IT is finished." What did He mean? First, He meant He had finished the work of redemption. Jesus' redemption work is complete, and sufficient. We need not add anything to it. "If Jesus won the victory over sin, Satan, and death, why do we still struggle? The problem is not with Jesus' provision. The problem is with us. We need to learn to live in light of what Jesus finished.
7. THE WORD OF COMMITTAL and COMPLETION
Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit": (Luke 23:46)
For six hours Jesus had been hanging on the Cross, and now we get a last look at His suffering face. His whole body is drooping and shivering with the last chill. His breath is growing feebler and feebler – until He gives one long, deep and marvellous affirmation again –" Father into Thy hands I commend my spirit." We can learn that our Lord had two aims in mind when He spoke His final words from the cross. First it will generate contentment in our lives. Second Jesus calls our attention to His Plan and revealed His power over death. He died when He chose to die! "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit." Jesus died unlike any other person. His life was not taken. He gave it up. Just like He said in John 10:18, "No man takes My life from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have POWER to lay it down, and I have POWER to take it again."
This speaks of his confidence in God, his Father. He found security in his Father’s hands and in so doing pointed the way to all who die believing. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, left this life with the same security. "Lord Jesus" he said, "receives my spirit." They have been used by countless believers in Christ ever since. This is the security that comes from knowing "him whom we have believed and are persuaded that he is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him." Yes, there is eternal security in the Cross of Christ.
Friends, know this. Our Savoir showed us not only how to live. He showed us how to die. We can face death knowing there is a future beyond the grave! When we know Christ, death is not the end. Only then can we experience contentment and rest in life. Contentment is available to us, at the cross. The last word of Jesus is from the Gospel of Luke, and is directed to the Father in heaven, just before He dies. These last words of Jesus corresponded to the prayer that the Jewish mothers taught their children to say before going to sleep. This prayer is an expression of total trust in God. By dying, Jesus threw himself into the arms of the Father, because he knew that God had prepared wonderful things for him. Here Jesus closes with the words of Psalm 31:5, speaking to the Father. We see his complete trust in the Father. Jesus entered death in the same way he lived each day of his life, offering up his life as the perfect sacrifice and placing himself in God's hands. Actually, Jesus knew that after he suffered, the Father would raise him from the dead and would lift him up above all else. When Jesus mentioned his sufferings to come to his disciples, he always mentioned the glory that would follow them. It is this hope of Glory to come that gave Jesus the strength to suffer and to persevere to the very end.
When we embrace Jesus in our heart, we discover the most authentic responses to the suffering of others. Jesus Christ, who is the first-born of all creation, in whom all things were created in heaven and on earth” - stands before us stripped of all power and dignity, exposed to the world - completely vulnerable. Here is the greatest mystery of all time: God chooses to reveal God's divine glory in humiliation and poverty - where all beauty is gone; all eloquence is silenced; all admiration is withdrawn - it is here that God chooses to manifest His unconditional love for us through His son Jesus. He's done nothing wrong. He's committed no sin. The excruciating pain in his body, the abandonment of his friends, and even of his Heavenly Father, are all gift - freely given so that death may not have the last word. Jesus life did not end in death. He was resurrected.
Jesus said "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest." Jesus came down to us and lived like us. He is our prime example of life- ministry. While He was on Earth He healed the sick and restored the broken. He sat with sinners and listened to the outcasts and the religious elite alike. He ate and drank quite a bit with all of those folks too (Luke 7:34). He was doing all of that to show us what a perfect sinless life was like. Jesus was always submitting Himself to God, and when He died, He died just as He had lived. We too are told to “Commit our way unto the Lord; trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.”
Allow these magnificent Words of Jesus from the Cross to speak to you - feed on them in your hearts by faith:
"Father, forgive them" - There’s FORGIVENESS and RECONCILIATION for you at the Cross.
"Today, you will be with me" - there’s ASSURANCE and SALVATION for you at the Cross .
"Woman, here is your son" - there’s LOVE and COMFORT for you at the Cross.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" - there’s atonement for you at the Cross.
"I thirst" - Jesus suffered for you at the Cross.
"It is finished" - Jesus was the victor over sin for you at the Cross.
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" - there’s eternal security for you at the Cross.
