The 7 Last Sayings of Jesus

Intro

When we come to the end of our lives, things suddenly come into focus

The things that we spent so much time on, become moments of great joy or great regret

Did we neglect our family to follow the corporate ladder, or did we set aside gains to pour into our family, faith, and people in our lives

So when Jesus gives us his final 7 sayings before his death, we should listen, to what they tell us about Jesus and perhaps what we need to notice about ourselves

So today as we go through Good Friday, we will look at the 7 last sayings of Jesus, and then have a response song to continue to think upon the horror of our sin, and the grace of our God who bore our sin on that cross, which we will remember tonight by culminating with communion

Father Forgive Them for They Know Not What They Do!

The very first saying comes from Luke 23:34 “34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.”

When we think of the crucifixion, we must remember that the Romans were not nice guys, they were professional killers, and crucifixion was not common, it was reserved only for the worst crimes

So what was Jesus’ crime? He was charged with treason against Rome, it’s why Pilot put the sign ‘King of the Jews’ above his hand

These men knew what they did, they were experts at this excruciating execution method

Jesus would of already been whipped with a lash that was covered in glass and sharp bones to rip his flesh off, and this was done to the whole body, front back, and sides

Some quick things to consider, that pain you feel when you hit your funny bone is the median nerve in your arm, which was destroyed when a 7 inch nail went through each hand

Then a nail is driven into your feet, and your weight is put on them, and in order to breathe you must push up on your impaled feet, against a splintered cross with your raw back, just to take a breath

Yet, that is not all, when they raised you up into the small hole for the cross post, the shock of your weight and impaled hands would dislocate both shoulders causing you to gain several inches in your shoulders, and then having to push up on your feet, just to breathe

In the midst of some of the most horrendous pain imaginable, and having such evil done to him, Jesus asks for forgiveness to those Roman soldiers

Why would Jesus do that?

They didn’t deserve it!

They certainly didn’t! They were killing the King of the Universe, the one who helped knit them together in their mother’s wombs, who gave them their very ability to live or even breathe!

But you might want to get off your high horse!

This forgiveness is simply a foreshadowing and precursor of what this cross represents

You and I might as well of been the ones to be nailing him to the cross, after all it was our sin that drove Jesus to the cross!

On this good Friday we must wrestle with the incredible suffering of the cross, and the fact that it was our very actions that led Jesus there

And to sit there, in that uncomfortable moment to help us realize that sin is not cute, harmless, a preference, it is the very thing that brought about the torture and death of the Jesus we love so much

Today You Will Be With Me in Paradise

And as time ticks away, with each moment on the cross we are reminded that Jesus was not the sole sufferer that day

He was crucified with two other men, although these men were guilty, as they are called criminals and robbers

When we are introduced to these men we are shown that both of them mock Jesus and deride him with the same chants of the crowds, they want Jesus to come down to save himself (and I would think hopefully themselves too!)

Yet Luke 23:43 “43 And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.””

It seems that in the process of dying, and watching and seeing how Jesus died did a change of heart to this man!

He went from mocker, to a believer, and so what he did was throw himself upon who he perceived Jesus to be

This is the interesting thing, and has often been noted, the thief on the cross messes with a lot of our theology, he didn’t fully understand who God was, he was not baptized, he did not live a good life, but all that it comes down to is God’s grace

So today when we look upon the cross for Good Friday, you must reckon with Jesus

It doesn’t matter if you have every part of your life together (although honoring God by living rightly is good!)

It doesn’t matter if all your views of God are right (although we should strive to grow our knowledge of God)

It doesn’t matter if you attend church regularly (although that is important)

What it comes down to, what it always comes down to is humbling yourself before Jesus!

And then when you accept him, you will see him in Paradise

It is by Jesus’ blood that we enter into the promised eternal life, and whether we are a death row convict, or a world renown surgeon, the need and entrance remain the same: the blood of Jesus

Behold Your Son, Behold Your Mother

John 19:26–27 “26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.”

It is so like our Savior to care in his darkest hour still about people, particularly his Mother

Certainly many Christians have over emphasized Mary, but we as Protestants have really undersold her role

Even here in his final moments, Jesus is making sure his mother is taken care of by the disciple he loves the most: John

Jesus knows that he will soon be leaving this earth in death, and in ascension, but wants to make sure that Mary is taken care of

It is relationships that are currency that God works in, and it is the basis for his judgment against many: from the church in Ephesus in Revelation from departing of their love for God, to the critique of the Pharisees for putting the letters of the law and their traditions over the people that were affected

So Jesus makes sure that his mother is honored and taken care of before his death, in light of the 5th commandment, and showing even in this that Jesus keeps God’s law, and shows us how it helps foster right relationships with people when used as God intended

In a real sense this is a call for us to care for our parents, particularly if we know life is going to be ending soon for us, before them, but more broadly it is a call to prioritize relationships

No one on their death bed wishes they spent more time at work, more time away from their family, it is the regrets of not keeping family and friends important that led

So use this time to reorient your life on the relationships that matter:

First your relationship with God, the one who will take care of you even if your family leaves and abandons you

Then on those in your life who are family: parents, friends, kids

Are you honoring relationships in your life just as Jesus did?

My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

Matthew 27:46 “46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?””

These might be the most famous words of Jesus, and some of the most painful to hear

Jesus had incredible intimacy with God the Father, and they are incredibly close

Yet, Jesus came to this, knowing that it was to bear God’s cup of wrath for our behalf

Jesus is quoting Ps. 22, which was a prophetic psalm of David, that we will sing through in a moment

It was that Jesus was confronted on the cross with all of the justice, wrath and anger and severity of God

Galatians 3:13 “13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

Christ is crying out on a cursed tree, in order to give us certain deliverance from the wrath of God we so deserved

Jesus who knew no sin, was treated as a sinner by God

2 Corinthians 5:21 “21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Yet, because Jesus himself was not a sinner, his condemnation did not last forever, and it is why we celebrate Easter Sunday

Let that sink in for a moment, the Son of God, of the triune God, was made sin for us and punished for every white lie, to every genocide and war crime was poured out upon Christ, all for our deliverance

It took the perfect blood of God to deal with our infernal pervasive sin issue, and it culminates in the Son of God, forsaken by His Father for our deliverance

Wonder and marvel at this incredible statement!

Salvation comes from the abandoned son, to solve the sin plight of humanity

I Thirst

It is easy for us to over emphasize the deity of Christ at the expense of his humanity

Jesus’ words here don’t allow us to do that, thirst is a purely human emotion

John 19:28 “28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I’m thirsty.””

It is a direct callback to another Psalm, Psalm 69:21 “21 Instead, they gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”

Jesus in his most vulnerable is shown some compassion, given the cheap wine to drink that was given to the soldier to satiate thirst

Jesus’ is showing all the fulfillment of Ps. 22, and 69, and getting ready to die

He has been up all night going from trial to trial, after praying in the Garden

Then he is beaten to within an inch of his life with the whips, then walks through Jerusalem carrying the cross-beam of the his crucifixion tool

Once he reaches Golgotha, he is nailed to the cross, and hangs there for up to 9 hours

So dehydrated, beaten, weary, on the verge of death, he asks for vinegar all to set up his next statements

Psalm 22:15 “15 My strength is dried up like baked clay; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You put me into the dust of death.”

It Is Finished & Father Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

Summoning the rest of his strength into his being he calls out

John 19:30 “30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.”

Luke 23:46 “46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” Saying this, he breathed his last.”

Two incredible statements that point to Triumph and Reunion

Triumph in that in the death of the son of God, it brings redemption of humanity

Reunion in that Christ being forsaken has ended, and he is restored to the Father when he breathes his last

The chains of sin that have tied down to the garden are broken,

The son of Eve has crushed the head of the serpent, while he himself was bit in the heel, Genesis 3 has been realized, and now humanity has a way to be restored back to God

When Christ says it is finished, it literally means, “It is Paid in full”, the blood debt that humanity had was paid in full and wiped away by the blood of Christ on that cross

It would start the church of God in a few weeks, and would begin a new front of warfare against Satan

No longer afraid and at his whims, but of an army of soldiers for Christ, taking down the strongholds of Satan one by one, by the blood of the lamb

We will overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony!

When we submit to God, Satan must flee, not a question of if’s, ands or buts!

So as we rejoice in our finished salvation, we see that Jesus commits his spirit to God

This is a point of our salvation too, we also trust our spirits into God’s hand at salvation, rather than placing them into the hands of Satan and this world

We trust that Jesus will bring us the everlasting life!

Yet most pointedly, this is a quote that would put Ps. 31:1-5

Psalm 31:1–5 CSB

1 Lord, I seek refuge in you; let me never be disgraced. Save me by your righteousness. 2 Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly. Be a rock of refuge for me, a mountain fortress to save me. 3 For you are my rock and my fortress; you lead and guide me for your name’s sake. 4 You will free me from the net that is secretly set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hand I entrust my spirit; you have redeemed me, Lord, God of truth.

After all the suffering and wickedness placed upon Jesus, he again shows the greatness of His Father, whom he has always sought to bring honor to!

So as we get ready to close our time together tonight, we are going to close with communion, the final meal that Jesus ate before his death is the basis of what we call communion

At our church, this is only for those that are professing believers, those that accept the sacrifice on the cross for their sins, and those that have been baptized

If you are not a follower of Jesus, why not come and taste the freedom that Jesus offers, freedom from Satan, the Devil, this world? Come and experience the life unending that Christ purchased with his blood!

Take the time during this next song to search your heart, and throw yourselves into the mercy of Christ for the forgiveness of your sins whether you have been a Christian for decades or days!

Take this time to simply throw yourself on the blood of Christ if you’ve never done so before, seek forgiveness by his sacrifice on the cross, we can’t earn it like the thief, and we don’t deserve it either, but that is why it is mercy and grace for the basis of our salvation

Please prepare your hearts through this next song for the Lord’s Supper

Post Communion

We have one final song, that I think just encapsulates the Biblical Story, and Good Friday so well: The Son of Suffering

As we listen and sing and ponder the words, just allow Christ’s sacrifice to move you to live for him!

One final thing is that as we finish after this song, I would like the sanctuary to be a place of contemplative stillness upon the Cross

So please exit quietly and you are welcome to go to the Fellowship Hall for talking!

But for those that wish to, please take as much time as you need to commune with your Savior through prayer, or meditation, etc

If you need to, please come and talk to myself or Pastor Joseph if God has placed anything on your heart!

You are dismissed when the song is finished, and please remember to do it quietly!