The Call from Calvary’s Cross
The Gospels
Introduction:
The last words that a man or woman speaks before their death are important (sometimes).
The last words of well known people are often recorded in writing for history.
Some of these last words are:
The four last words of a blonde? “…Hey, ya’ll, watch ‘is!”
A Confederate General was watching a battle from the safety of a distant hill. His last words were “The Yankee guns can’t reach this fa…..
Circus Owner, P. T. Barnum, “How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden?”
John Barrymore, actor, “Die? I should say not, dear fellow. No Barrymore would allow such a conventional thing to happen to him.”
Writer Oscar Wilde, “Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.”
But there is one man in history whose last words not only tell us a great deal about him, but also tell us a great deal about how we should live our lives.
• 2000 years ago a man, Jesus hung on a cross for the sins of the whole world.
• Seven sayings were recorded by His followers for us to remember in 2006.
• These famous last words tell us about our Savior and about our own lives as His followers.
As we look at the last 7 things Jesus said from the cross we should remember that He was setting a pattern for what we should say to people we encounter today.
I. A Call for Forgiveness.
• Luke 23:34
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
• Forgiveness is NOT easy; it is just commanded for us to do!
II. A Call of Hope and Evangelism
• Luke 23:43
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
• With death coming fast, Jesus saw Hope in Eternity and shared this Good News.
III. A Call of the Care of Family
• John 19:26-27
When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
• Never forget that the Lord has placed you in a family unit that He commands you to honor and bless.
IV. A Call for Fellowship with God.
• Matthew 27:46
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
• The sin That Jesus carried on the cross caused a temporary break in His companionship with the Father.
• The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 24:3-4
Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart.
V. A Call for Humanity
• John 19:28
After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!”
• Jesus was a man with real needs and real pain.
• He communicated His need to those around Him
VI. A Call for Determination
• John 19:30
He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
• Jesus knew what He had to do to buy your salvation and mine.
• He did not quit before that job was done
• We need to have the same determination in our Ministry to Him.
VII. A Call for Surrender to the Will of God.
• Luke 23:46
And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.
• With His LAST breath, Jesus completed the surrendered of His life and will to the Father.
• This showed His total reliance on God the Father.
• Paul echoed the same surrender when he said “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Conclusion: To follow Christ and carry our Cross, we must hear the words He spoke from the cross and follow His Lead.
