The Sayings of Christ

The Seven Saying of Christ

This morning my Brothers and Sister I challenge you to allow your mind to drift back in time to the event that changed the world. Today is the first of a three part sermon that will start with yours truly and the next two Sundays will be offered by Minister Winston and Pastor Carter. The seven last words or saying of Jesus will be our focus

I have been there when love ones have closed their eyes and said their final words. Gran Pa Vaughn was on his death bed and he looked up with his eyes all in a glaze, and he looked to heaven and raised his arm upward and said is the room for one more. There is something about a persons last words that means something.One example of such courage and bravery is seen in the life and death of Polycarp, a man who lived in the second century A.D. He was arrested and brought into the great amphitheater in Smyrna (in Asia Minor). Thousands of people were there to watch what would take place. The ruler reminded Polycarp of his great age and he urged him to deny his Christian faith: "Revile Christ, and I will release you." But Polycarp answered, "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has never done me wrong; How can I blaspheme Him, my King, who has saved me? I am a Christian." The ruler then cried out to the crowd, "Polycarp has confessed himself to be a Christian." The crowds yelled, "Let him be burned!" Wood was collected and made into a pile. Polycarp asked not to be fastened to the stake.

"Leave me thus," he said, "He who strengthens me to endure the flames will also enable me to stand firm at the stake without being fastened with nails." As the woodpile was lighted Polycarp bravely lifted up a final prayer to his God and finally the flames consumed him. He died in 156 A.D.

Before we start feeling too sorry for people such as Polycarp we need to remember that the fires that this man went through only lasted for a brief moment. When the people threatened to burn Polycarp at the stake unless he would deny Christ, one of his enemies said, "I will have you consumed with fire unless you change your mind." Polycarp replied, "You threaten fire which burns for an hour and is soon quenched; for you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment reserved for the wicked"

Another man who died in these early years of the church was named JUSTIN. He was scourged (whipped) and beheaded in Rome about 165 A.D. His last words were these: "we desire nothing more than to suffer for our Lord Jesus Christ." Because he was so willing to die the death of a Christian martyr he has been known as JUSTIN MARTYR ever since.

It is something about the last words. Jesus spoke seven last word  and of the seven sayings of the savior on Calvery’s cross, three were addressed to God the father and four were addressed to men. The three saying addressed to God were prayers (first, fourth, and seventh sayings). Three of these seven saying are recorded in Luke and three in John. Matthew and Mark records only one of these seven sayings, and they both record the same saying (fourth). The sayings in Luke are unique to Luke and the sayings in John are unique to John.

Forgiveness

32Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”b And they cast lots to divide his garments. Luke 23:32-34

I. Forgiveness

When we look at this text, we must ask who is Jesus praying for? Was it Pilate the one that sentence him to the cross or was it the chief priest and the scribes. No, he was praying for the solders that nailed him to the cross the ones that had his garment lying at the foot of the cross. Just like those of us that hang Jesus to the cross when

A,  Jesus had no reason to ask for forgiveness he was innocent

B. They knew they were crucifying a man but the did not know they were crucifying God

Matthew 5:44 English Standard Version (ESV)

44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

John 17:9 English Standard Version (ESV)

9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for thosewhom you have given me, for they are yours.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rom 12:14

Salvation

39One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,d saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-42

Our Lord was hung between two Criminals both men were not just found guilty but they were Guilty. All of us sitting here are guilty of something my grandfather use to say some people Smoke some people dip snuff and some people chew tobacco we all do something. It is at the foot of the cross that forgiveness and Salvation may be found.

Two men with two different effects

 Heart was harden                                             Heart was soften

One spoke out of anger                           One spoke out of acknowledgement

One mocked Jesus                                            One marveled Jesus

One of the thieves was hardened to the last. No troubles of themselves will change a wicked heart. The other was softened at the last: he was snatched as a brand out of the burning fire, and made a monument of Divine mercy. This gives no encouragement to any to put off repentance to their death-beds, or to hope that they shall then find mercy. It is certain that true repentance is never too late; but it is as certain that late repentance is seldom true. None can be sure they shall have time to repent at death, but every man may be sure he cannot have the advantages this penitent thief had.

The thief had confidence in Jesus

The thief was in the presence of Jesus

The thief translated the marker correctly (Jesus King of the Jews)

The thief was blind. Know he sees

 The crucified King "cannot see these two criminals, cannot change direction with out the pain shooting though out his entire body. But that he forgets, and turns with an impulse of joy as well as he can to the soul that speaks to him,  making the nails more firm." With those solemn words, "Verily I say unto thee," with which he had so often in old days begun his sacred sayings, he replied to one of the suffering thief by his side.  Remember him, who could call on him with such reverent faith at the moment of his deepest humiliation! Remember him! yes; but not tomorrow, but on that very day, before the sun then scorching their tortured bodies; he would not be remembered by him only, but would be in closest companionship with him, not, as he prayed, in some future time, but in the midst of the awful mayhem of the bloody and fiery dawn of the judgment advent, but almost directly in the fair garden, the quiet home of the blessed, the object of all Jewish hopes. There would he be remembered, and there, in company with his Lord, would the tortured condemned find himself in a few short hours.

Affection

26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Mary the mother of Jesus was not exempt from the agonies of this life. She also had to suffer with the lost of love ones even though she was highly favored.  28The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

In the text you will find the second time in scripture that Jesus called Mary “woman” there is no were in scripture that he calls her mother only woman the first Was John 2:4

1On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.2Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

This was not a saying of disrespect