7 Last Words of Christ on the Cross
7 LAST WORDS OF CHIRST ON THE CROSS!
LAST WORDS OF JESUS
FATHER FORGIVE
Luke 23:33,34
Joy Free Church 4/15/84. GOOD FRIDAY April 14, 1995
The final words uttered by a person before his death are often of great significance.
Those surroundings them lean in to catch even the faintest of their expressions.
On the day that, KARL MARX
died, March 14, 1883 his housekeeper came to him & said, "Tell me your last words, & I'll write them down."
Marx replied, "Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven't said enough!"
Last words can be very revealing. P.T. BARNUM of the Barnum & Baily Circus, said, as he was dying ,"WHAT WERE
TODAY'S RECEIPTS?"
NAPOLEON said, "CHIEF OF THE ARMY!"
The great Baptist preacher, CHARLES SPURGEON, said as his last words, "JESUS DIED FOR ME." And
JOHN WESLEY, the founder of Methodist said "THE BEST OF ALL IS, GOD IS WITH US."
This evening we are going to look at the last statements that our Lord made from the cross.
These statements are very important to us, not only because of the Person who spoke them but also because of the place were they were said. When our Lord was doing His greatest work on earth, He was uttering some of His greatest words. These words are windows that enable us to look into eternity & see the heart of God.
SATURDAY Our Lord entry into Jerusalem as a RIDING on the colt of a donkey as King.
As King Jesus he received the worship & homage & adoration of the People.
But this worship did not last long. Less than a week later the same crowd demanded his crucifixion.
SUNDAY WALKED into Jerusalem as PRIEST
He went directly to the temple and began to clean the temple. As The HIGH PRIEST cast out the money changers, the deceivers. He cleansed the temple and then began to heal the blind & lame He did the work of a Priest.
MONDAY he walked into Jerusalem as PROPHET and went to the temple.
There He began to teach as a Prophet. The Authorities questioned Him as to what authority
He had to teach & to preach.
The people rejected Him because He did not do what they expected Him to do.
If we examine our own hearts we find we are NO different than the people then we will Honor Him as King on one day of the year but the rest of the week we live like the world.
We like what He does if He will heal us or feed us or provide for us but we question his authority when he tells us what to do & how to live, & what to say. Even his disciples had turned their backs on him.
BUT OUR LORD'S MOST IMPORTANT WORK & WORDS WERE DONE UPON THE CROSS.
I want to look at the first of the 7 Last words of Christ on the Cross.
1ST. THE ADDRESS THE FIRST OF THE STATEMENTS IS FOUND IN LUKE 23:33,34
One of the most difficult things for us to do is to forgive others.
It is easy to harbor an unforgiving spirit. Someone hurts us, some-one says something against us & in our hearts we cannot forgive that person. Listen to this prayer, "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO." V34
If we grasp the wonders of this statement, it will enable us to forgive & to experience the joy that comes when we forgive.
We live in a culture that says and practice, Do not forgive, Get even.
Do not forgive, sue. Do not forgive make them pay.
Jesus forgave those whom He knew deliberately put him to death.
They wanted Him crucified because of the awful torture that went with the death;
Crucifixion was one of the most painful ways to die. They wanted Him crucified because the object was to make an example by displaying the dead man's body slowly falling to pieces.
Through out the Roman Empire men were being crucified & left to rot on the cross. For this reason it was customary to set the crosses at some distance from the city because of the odor created. Jesus knew what their intentions were & yet He forgave them.
Crucifixion was the only death by which a person could remain alive long enough to bear the sins of the world. All other forms of execution are fairly swift.
STONING -after a few seconds the person is unconscious.
DECAPITATION -the person dies instantly
BURNING -the person dies in a few minutes after losing consciousness.
HANGING -the person dies in a few seconds, after their neck breaks.
CRUCIFIXION -is the only method by which our Lord could bear our sins & suffer in agony for 3 hours and chose when to die. All the other methods the executioner sets the time of death. But with crucifixion Our Lord set the time of His own death.
Jesus said "NO MAN TAKETH (MY LIFE) FROM ME, I LAY IT DOWN OF MYSELF". John10:18
Phil. 2:8 "HE HUMBLED HIMSELF & BECAME OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH".
Our Lord chose the form of death by which he could suffer the full weight of the wrath of God. That is why just as He died He cried out in triumph "TETELESTAI PAID IN FULL
The debt of our sins has been marked in bold letter PAID IN FULL.
WE ARE HUMBLED IN DEATH: HE HUMBLED HIMSELF.
WE ARE SUBJECT TO DEATH; HE BECAME SUBJECT TO DEATH.
WE ARE OFFERED IN DEATH; HE OFFERED HIMSELF.
WE SURRENDER TO DEATH; HE EMBRACED DEATH.
WE RELINQUISH OUR SPIRIT; HE DISMISSED HIS SPIRIT
OUR DEATH IS PASSIVE; HIS DEATH WAS ACTIVE.
WE CAN ONLY SHORTEN OUR LIVES; HIS LIFE WAS POTENTIALLY ENDLESS AND COULD NEVER BE SHORTED.
OUR DEATH IS THE FINAL TRIUMPH OF FLESH OVER SPIRIT;
HIS DEATH WAS THE TRIUMPH OF SPIRIT OVER FLESH.
WE ARE DEFEATED BY DEATH; HE CONQUERED DEATH.
HE DIED ON THE CROSS BUT NOT BECAUSE OF IT.
HE MAY POSSIBLY HAVE DIED WITH A BROKEN HEART BUT NOT BECAUSE OF IT.
HE DISENGAGED SPIRIT & BODY IN HIS DEATH & RE-ENGAGED THEM IN HIS RESURRECTION.
HIS LIFE BY HIS OWN WILL WAS CUT OFF NOT CUT SHORT.
THE ADDRESS First, there is the wonder of the address- " FATHER " v34
Our Lord addresses God three times when He was upon the cross.
Statement was "FATHER FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO" and then the: Statement was "MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME? " Matt. 27:46 and then that final statement "FATHER INTO THEY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT." Luke 23:46
When our Lord entered into His suffering, & when our Lord was enduring suffering, and our Lord emerged victoriously from His suffering, He spoke to His Father in Heaven. Some Christian's will say "I can't talk to God! I can't pray! I don't believe anymore-after the way people have treated me!" But look at the way they treated the Lord Jesus! His nation sinned against Him. His own disciples failed Him & fled. The Father was willing for the Son to suffer. Yet Jesus was able to look up and say, " FATHER " He lived in fellowship with His Father. When He began His ministry the Father said, "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON." Matt. 3:17. They enjoyed a fellowship of love.
Perhaps you are hurting now. You are saying. "I wonder if God really loves me." He does & He always will, & He is working out His purpose for you. When you can pray " FATHER " then you too can receive from God the power, grace & help the father has for you when you are suffering. It is not easy to suffer. Pain hurts. A broken heart hurts even worse than a broken arm. But when you say " FATHER " then you are able to look up to heaven & know that God is watching over you.
If you want to be able to forgive others, here is the place to start-make sure you have a right relationship with your Father in Heaven.
During the civil war a soldier in the southern army was selected by the General & sent to spy on the Northern army. As you know armies have no mercy on spies if they are caught. This man was caught tried by court-marshal & ordered shot. While he was in the guardhouse awaiting the day of execution he would call Abraham Lincoln by ever vile name that he could think of. On day while he was in prison, a Northern officer came into his cell. The prisoner, full of rage, thought his time was come to be shot. The officer, when he opened the door, handed him a free pardon, signed by ABRAHAM LINCOLN. He was given liberty & could go to his wife & children.
The man who had before been so full of bitterness & malice & rage suddenly quieted down, & said "What! has Abraham Lincoln pardoned me?" I have never said a good word about him." The officer replied: If you got what you deserved, you would be shot. But someone interceded for you at Washington & obtained your pardon. You are now at liberty.,'
II THE APPEAL
2ND. is the wonder of the appeal- "FATHER FORGIVE THEM " Luke 23:34 The Greek N.T. indicates that our Lord repeated this prayer.
He said several times, FATHER FORGIVE THEM as they laid Him on the cross on the ground,
He said, FATHER, FORGIVE THEM as they nailed His hands & His feet to that cross,
He prayed again FATHER, FORGIVE THEM as they lifted that cross and placed it in the hole in the ground,
He prayed, FATHER FORGIVE THEM As He was hanging there between heaven & earth He was repeatedly praying FATHER FORGIVE THEM." Why did He pray this prayer? For one thing, He was fulfilling the Word of God. In Isa 53:12
the great Calvary Chapter of the Old Testament we read these words:
"THEREFORE WILL I DIVIDE HIM A PORTION WITH THE GREAT, AND HE SHALL DIVIDE THE SPOIL WITH THE STRONG:
BECAUSE HE HATH POURED OUT HIS SOUL UNTO DEATH: AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS : AND HE BARE THE OF MANY & MADE INTERCESSION FOR THE TRANGRESSORS
Our Lord prayed for those who were sinning because He was fulfilling the Word of God.
, He was practicing the very message that He preached.
He preached forgiveness.
He told people in His messages, " NOW, IF YOU DON'T FORGIVE FROM YOUR HEAT, GOD CANNOT FORGIVE YOU.
" This does not mean that forgiveness is based upon our own good works.
No, but it does mean that if my heart is unwilling to forgive you it is in no condition to come and ask God for forgiveness for myself.
You must remember that all of this happened during the reign of Caesar during the time of the Roman Empire.
Did you know that the Romans worshiped revenge?
Revenge was on of their gods,
Our Lord did not worship revenge, nor should we.
Many say today don't forgive= get even.
Many say don't forgive= sue. Take them to court.
Our Lord prayed, FATHER FORGIVE THEM;
In Christianity Today, psychiatrist Robert Coles told an amazing story of a girl who had learned to pray for those who were hostile to her. Coles was in New Orleans in 1960 when a federal judge ruled that the city schools must be integrated. A 6-year- old girl, RUBY BRIDGES , was the only black child to attend the William T. Frantz School. Every day for weeks as she entered and left the building, a mob would be standing outside to scream at her and threaten her. They shook their fists, shouted obscenities, and threatened to kill her. One day her teacher saw her lips moving as she walked through the crowd, flanked by burly federal marshals. When the teacher told Coles about it, he asked Ruby if she was talking to the people. "I wasn't talking to them," she replied. " I WAS JUST SAYING A PRAYER FOR THEM." Coles asked her, "Why do you do that?" " BECAUSE THEY NEED PRAYING FOR," CAME HER REPLY.
Coles later said that if he had been in that situation, he would have found it difficult to pray for those people. This little first-grader gave us a stirring example of the fact that it is possible to pray for our enemies. Like Ruby Bridges, we can learn to pray for those who persecute us. Our Lord Jesus came to the cross because God does forgive sinners. That's the message of the gospel. You & I don't have to go around with the weight & the burden of sin. We don't have to carry the guilt of sin. We can be forgiven!
The forgiveness of sins is not only the central message of the Christian church. It is the church's cardinal characteristic. The Christian comm-unity essentially lives by the forgiveness of sins. A Christian lady was visiting a soldier who had been mortally wounded. She had just finished praying when a nurse entered and said to him. "You have no need to worry over your sins; anyone who willingly gives his life for his country is all right." The soldier smiled faintly, but he shook his head and said, "Ah, that is a mistake! When I lay out there on the battlefield, I knew I had given my all. I hadn't failed my country. But that didn't help me to face God. I wasn't fit to die, and I knew it, and it has troubled me every day since. But just now, as I heard this lady's prayer, I realized that the Lord Jesus was punished for all my sins, and a great peace has come into my soul. How wonderful of Him to die for me! I'm not afraid to die now, because He has forgiven me." Although that nurse meant well, she spoke in tragic ignorance. But the soldier had grasped the very foundation of the gospel--that Jesus died for our sins.
Psalm 32 is one of the great psalms quoted by Paul in the book of Rom.
"BLESSED IS HE WHOSE TRANSGRESSION IS FORGIVEN, WHOSE SIN IS COVERED. BLESSED IS THE MAN TO WHOM THE LORD IMPUTES NO INIQUITY AND IN WHOSE SPIRIT THERE IS NO DECEIT.
WHEN I DECLARED NOT MY SIN, MY BODY WASTED AWAY THROUGH MY GROANING ALL DAY LONG. FOR DAY & NIGHT THEY HAND WAS HEAVY UPON ME; MY STRENGTH WAS DRIED UP AS BY THE HEAT OF SUMMER. I ACKNOWLEDGED MY SIN TO THEE AND I DID NOT HIDE MY INIQUITY; I SAID, "I WILL CONFESS MY TRANSGRESSIONS TO THE LORD "; THEN THOU DIDS'T FORGIVE THE GUILT OF MY SIN. THEREFORE LET EVERY ONE WHO IS GODLY OFFER PRAYER TO THEE.
In Luke 5:20 our Lord said to the paralytic "THY SINS BE FORGIVEN THEE." He said to the woman caught in the act of adultery & brought to him "THY SINS ARE FORGIVEN...GO IN PEACE LUKE 7:48,50 FORGIVENESS IS WHAT THE CROSS IS ALL ABOUT; and of course forgiveness is not cheap it is very expensive. It cost Jesus Christ His life.
You and I will have no problem forgiving others if we are right in our relationship with our Father and if we will obey the Word of God, remembering that we have been forgiven.
Those who do not forgive others tear down the bridge on which they have to walk themselves. But you may argue you have no idea how other people have treated me.
All I can say is I have some idea of how they treated the Lord, & yet he was able to say FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO. 23:34
Those who have been forgiven the most are most likely to forgive. I say it as a shame to Christian's. Some Christian's are the most critical & unforgiving people. They are quick to find fault and slow to forgive. Instead we are to be quick to forgive and slow to find fault.
Our Lord ask that you be forgiven before you ever ask. What kind of person are you quick to forgive. Or quick to find fault.
III THE ARGUMENT
3RD. IS THE WONDER OF THE ARGUMENT FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO ."
Luke 23:34 Our Lord not only prayed for forgiveness for his enemies but our Lord argued on
their behalf! It is as though He stood as a LAWYER & said to His Father, LET ME GIVE YOU A REASON WHY YOU SHOULD FORGIVE THEM." This statement has been greatly misunderstood. This statement does not mean that everybody is automatically forgiven. Nor does it mean that ignorance brings forgiveness.
Ignorance is no excuse in the sight of the law.
If you pull up to a stop light & turn right on red after stopping & the police officer stops you and says the sign says no right turns on red. It doesn't do any good to say but I didn't see it. He will say Ignorance is no excuse in the sight of the law.
2ND. THEY WERE IGNORANT OF HIS PERSON
What was our Lord saying? Of what were they ignorant?
They were ignorant of His person.
They mocked Him as a PROPHET They said, PROPHESY, TELL US WHO STRUCK YOU ." Lk. 22:64 They mocked him as the -they put a robe on Him, gave Him a scepter and a crown of thorns. They laughed at His claim that he was the Son of God, the Christ.
IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS, they challenged Him.
They were ignorant of His person. We know who Jesus is. We have a complete N.T. we have 2000 years of church history. We know who Jesus is the very son of God Himself.
3RD. THEY WERE IGNORANT OF THEIR OWN ACTIONS.
They didn't realize that what they were doing was a fulfillment of the word of God. "THEY PARTED HIS GARMENTS " Lk. 23:34 and that fulfilled Ps. 22:18.
They gave Him vinegar to drink Lk 23:36 and that fulfilled Ps 69:21. He was crucified with the transgressors Lk 23:33 & that fulfilled Isa. 53:12
4TH. THEY WERE IGNORANT OF THEIR OWN SINS Most of all, they were ignorant of the enormity of their own sins. They did not realize what great sinners they were. In the Old Testament the Jewish Law made provision for sins of ignorance. The sin offering described in Lev. 4. was for sins of ignorance that had been discovered.
Jesus was saying.
"FATHER, MY PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND: THEY ARE IGNORANT . I am dying for them. They know not what they do; I know what I'm doing- I'm dying in their behalf.
NOW, FORGIVE THEM ." The wonder of the argument.
IV. THE ANSWER What did this prayer bring about as far as God's will was concerned? Look at the wonder of the answer. What was God's answer? Judgment did not fall. God still sent His message of salvation to the Jews. In Acts 3:17 the Apostle Peter said to the Jewish leaders, " I WOT (KNOW) THAT THROUGH IGNORANCE YE DID IT." The apostle Paul himself in I Tim. 1:13 said " I DID IT IGNORANTLY IN UNBELIEF."
God was patient with Israel, and God was patient with Saul. Many people in Jerusalem did come to know Christ as Saviour; and of course, Saul was saved & became the great apostle Paul. You see, God does not judge sin immediately. God in is mercy postpones His judgment because His Son prayed, " FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO" . Lk 23:34
You & I are living in a day of grace, not a day of judgment-a day when God is seeking to reconcile lost sinners to Himself. Yes, this is a wonderful prayer. And God answered that prayer. He can forgive you today if you will trust Christ.
Charles Wesley wrote in one of his hymns; Five bleeding wounds He bears, Received on Calvary; They pour effectual prayers, They strongly plead for me, Forgive him, O forgive," They cry Nor let that ransomed sinner die." FATHER FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO." The greatest theme of the Easter season is: You can be forgiven- Jesus Christ died in your place He bore your punishment upon the cross.
He prayed that you might be forgiven if you will receive the pardon He offers.
Over & over Christ told his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem to die.
- He rode into Jerusalem as your sacrifice & mine.
- He offers us forgiveness.
But the distinguishing mark of his disciple is they forgive even as their master forgave them.
We sing the chorus that says, "Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love." Is that true? How about forgiveness? Genteelness?
COMMUNION:
FATHER FORGIVE THEM 4/15/84/ 4/14/95
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Luke 23:
WITH ME IN PARADISE
JESUS LAST WORD #2
LUKE 23:35-43
Whenever a person trust Jesus Christ & is converted, it is an amazing experience.
It is amazing because a miracle takes place.
The spiritually dead sinner is reaised to eternal life. He is brought from darkness to light.
He expereinces a new birth, he receives the divine nature within. This is the expereince of every converted sinner who truns to J.C. & trusts Him as Saviour.
But the circumstances that surround some conversions are much more marvelous than others. Some of trusted Christ as Saviour. We did not go forward in chruch or some Evangelistic meeting but we simply opened our heart to Christ & were saved.
These circumstances were quite different from the conversion of the Apostle Paul (acts 9:1-8). He saw a light! He heard a voice! He saw the Lord Jesus! Each conversion is amazing but the circumstances of some conversions are more amazing than others. When you consider the conversion of the thief on the cross, you have to admit that it really was amazing.
READ LUKE 23:35-43
This was our Lord's 2nd statement from the cross. The first statement was "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" v34 Our Lord first prayed for His enemies. In His second statement He turned to a repentant sinner and gave him the assurance that he was going to heaven. Consider the amazing aspects of this man's conversion.
I AMAZING SITUATION 1st of all, you cannot help but notice the amazing situation at calvary. When they crucified our Lord Jesus, they put Him between two thieves. They could have put the two theieves together. In fact, that would have been the natural thing to do.
We get the impression tha these two theives were partners in crime, and certainly it would habe been a good thing for the soldiers to put these two friends together. Instead, they put the Lord Jesus between the two theives. This was an amazing situation.
A. FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY
To begin with, it was the fulfillment of prophecy. In Isaiah 53:12 we find "He was numbered with the transgressors:""And with him they crucify two theive; the one on his right hand and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, wich saith, and he was numbered with the transgressors. Mark 15:27,28
Remember that at calvary not only was the hand of man at wrok but also the hand of God.
Man was fulfilling the plan of God, doing it freely, responsibly, but fulfilling O.T. prophecy.
The Lord Jesus was numbered with the transgressors. He was born for the transgressors:"Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21) He LIVED for the transgressors; "Even as the son of man came not to be misitered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many 20:28 He died WITH THEM, and He died for them. So that amazing situation began with the fulfillment of prophecy.
B. GOD'S GRACIOUS PROVIDENCE
But there is something else about that amazing situation. Our Lord Jesus was between the theives because God was working out His gracious providence. The word "providence" means "foreknowl edge" or "seeing beforehand." God does see beforehand. There were no accidents in the life of the Lord Jesus- only appointments. It was not accidental that the Lord Jesus was between these two theives. This was the working of the gracious providence of God. You see, both of the theives could hear Him pray "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO . LK. 23:34
The Holy Spirit of God could take that prayer & speak to their hearts; "HERE IS ONE WHO FORGIVES AND WHO PRAYS THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE FORGIVEN.
Because those theives were on either side of the Lord Jesus, they could see the title that was on the cross. When you study the harmony of the Gospels, you find that this title read; "THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS, It was written in 3 languages, & the theives probably knew at least 2 of those languages. That title was written by Pilate. It was perhaps the 1st gospel tract ever written, and it hung over the head of the Lord Jesus.
Those 2 thieves, as they looked at each other, had to look at the Lord Jesus! As they looked at the Lord Jesus, they had to see that title- and that title told them who He is. He is Jesus, which means "SAVIOUR." He is Jesus of Nazareth. He came from a despised & rejected place, identified with the outcasts. He is the KING of the Jews- He is a SAVIOUR who has a KINGDOM!
and so in reading this title they could get the message of thje gospel.
He is the Saviour- He is the Saviour of lost sinners. He has a kingdom, & he is the KING of the Jews.
Also both theives could hear the crowd as it railed upon Him. The soldiers mocked Him; "IF THOU BE THE KING OF THE JEWS, SAVE THYSELF" V 37 And the people and the rulers = religious rulers mocked Him. Liten to what they said: HE SAVED OTHERS V35
That must have been good news! I can imagine one theif, at least, saying to himself, "If HE SAVED OTHERS, THEN HE CAN SAVE ME." Pilate put that superscription on the cross to quiet his own conscience, but that superscription was used of God to win a lost soul. The soldiers and the rulers mocked the Lord Jesus, but God used their mockery to win a lost soul. How amazing is the wroking of the gracious providence of God!
Each of the theives had access to the Lord Jesus. It wasn't as though they had to go far away- He was there between them. Because they were crudivied together, the theives called back & forth to each other, and as they did, they had to look at Jesus. AS they looked upon Him, they saw something differeint about Him, and they had access to Him.
God still works in his providence to set up situations for people to be saved. No one is ever saved by accident. This is the way God works. God sets up the situation to give you an op;portunity to trust J.C. and to believe & be saved. THE LORD IS...NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH"II PET. 3:9 GOD..WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED" I TIM. 2:3,4, One of the great tragedies today is the tragedy of people missing their opportunities to trust the Saviour. The amazing situation - Jesus in the midst. II AMAZING SUPPLICATION
Notice the amazing supplication. The prayer that the one theif prayed is truly one of the amazing prayers in the Bible. Look at what he had to confess when he prayed this prayer. He admitted that he feared God- He was not an aganostic, he was not an atheist, hew as not irreligious. He admitted his guilt. WE ARE HERE JUSTLY" LUKE 23:41 He admitted that J.C. was innocent, and he admitted that there was a life after death. That's an amazing confession from theis theif on the cross.
Do you believe that there is a life after death? Are you prepared for it? If you were to die now, where would you go? Do you beleive that J.C. is the Lord of Paradise? Do you believe that you deserve judgment, that you are a guilty sinner? Do you believe there is a God & that you are going to have to answer to Him? It is amazing the courage this man showed when he spoke to the Lord Jesus. Nobody else was asking Jesus for salvation! The priest & the rulers were mocking Christ, & yet this thief dared to beleive on Jesus. The crowd was opposing Him, the soldiers were laughing at Hi, this theif's own friend & partener in crime was mocking the Lord Jeus. Some people don't woant to trust the Lord Jesus becuse they are afraid of people. Here was a man who had courage. He dared to defy the rulers and the preista dn the soldiers and his own friend when he trusted the Lord Jesus!
Just stop to think of how little this man really understoood about Jesus. Let me list the facts.
JESUS =MEANS SAVIOUR. Jesus had a kingdom. Jesus was innocent. Jesus came from Nazareth, & He save others.
You may say "I'd like to be save, but I want to understand more about it." My friend, this thief didn't understand a great deal. But what he did understand led him to the Saviour. He saw the Lord Jesus rejected, abused, dying weak. Would you trust someone in the condition? I could see him trusting the Lord Jesus if Christ had doen a miracle. But Jesus didn't do a miracle. Jesus was forsaken, mocked, lughed at, and yet this theif dared to trust Him.
We invite you to trust a Saviour who is risen & glorified, who is seated upon the throne of the universe. There is no problem trusting that kind of a Saviour! The Thjief didn't have a gread deal of knowledge, did he? He didn't see a beautifly sight as he looked at the Lord Jesus; and yet the thief believed & was saved.
This man's faith must rank very high in the Word of GOD. We have a completed Bible. We have the Holy Spirit of God witnessing to people. We have the Chruch bearing witness in this dark world. And yet many people still will not trust the Saviour.
This many's salvation certainly should speak to our own heart today; the amazing situation, the amazing supplication.
III AMAZING SALVATION
There is a 3rd aspect of his coversion that is amazing-not only tha amazing situation & the amazing supplication but also the amazing salvation.
The Lord Jesus Christ came"TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST" LK 19:10 You cannot save people who don't know that they are lost. One of the problems today is that people will not admit that they are lost. People are lost sheep, & they don't realize it.
They are traveling with the flock, and the flock is going in the wrong direction. They are lost sons, lost daughters, who turn their backs on their fathers and have gone into the far country. This thief was a lost man who knew he was lost. He was condemned man who knew he was condemened. Because of this, he truned to the Lord Jeus & said, " LORD REMEMBER ME WHEN THOU COMEST INTO THEY KINGDOM" 23:42 And Jesus gave to him an amazing salvation;
VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE, TO DAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE" V 43
A. WHOLLY BY GRACE
What are the characteristics of this salvation that make it so amazing? To begin with, this salvation was wholly by grace. This man did not deserve to be save, and he admitted it.
He said, WE ARE IN THE SAME CONDEMNATION. AND WE INDEED JUSTLY; FOR WE RECEIVE THE DUE REWARD OF OUR DEEDS " LUKE23:40-41 He admitted that he did not deserve to be saved.
The 1st man that God made became a theif: Adam & Eve took from the tree & disobeyed God.
The 1st Adam became a theif and was cast out of Paradis. The Last Adam = J.C truned to a thief & said, " TO DAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE " v43 That is grace.
God in His mercy, does not give us what we do deserve- Hell; and God in His grace gives us what we don't deserve-heaven.
This thief could not earn his salvation. I have heard people tell others that in order to go to heaven you have to keep the 10 commandments. The dying thief did not have time to keep the 10 commandments.
Someone else says "In order to get to heaven you have to be baptised. This man didn't have opportunity for any religious ritual. Someone else say "In order to get to heaven you have to join a certain Chruch. This man didn't have opportunity. Lets not complicate salvation. This man's conversion was wholly by the grace of God. The man did not derserve it, the man did not earn it, the man simply receive it by faith.
Wherever you have faith, you have to have grace; herever you have law, you have to have works. This man could not work for his salvation; all he could do was receive it as a gracious gift from God.
Have you recieve salvation as a gracious gift from God? Are you bragging about your religion?
Are you saying. "I say so many prayers, I attend so many meetings, I do so many good works." If that's your situation, you may not be save; because when we are saved by grace, we don't brag about it.
FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; NOT OF WRIKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST " Eph. 2:8,9
B. CERTIAN & SECURE
There is something else about this amazing salvation- it was secure. It was not a "hope-so" salvation, not a I guess-so salvation. It is a I know for sure salvation.
How did this theif know this salvation was suecure? Because Jesus told him so. You may say, BUT JESUS IS NOT HERE TO TELL ME- I DON'T HER HIS VOICE AUDIBLY." But you have His Word! The same word that we have in the Scriptures is secure &certian.
FOR EVER, O LORD THY WORD IS SETTLED IN HEAVEN " PS 119:89
Jesus himself said to this man TODAY SHALT THOYU BE WITH ME IN PARADIS . LUKE 23:43. His salvation was certain, & it was secure.
I have had people tell me, YOU WON'T KNOW IF YOU'R SAVED UNTIL YOU DIE." That is just a little bit too close for me! That's taking a chane. I want to know before I die that i'm going to heaven.
Before I go to the airport to catch a airplae I want to know if I have my tickes. I don't want to wait & say i can't know untell I get on the plane.
This man knew were he would spend eternity becuse He had the word of Our Lord. We sing the song "Jeus love me! this I know, For the Bible tells me so." We could sing it "Jesus saves me! this I know, For the Bible tells me so." C. PERSONAL
There is a 3rd characteristic to this salvation. It was wholly by grace, it was certain & secure, & it was personal. Jesus spoke to this man personally: VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE . LK 23:43
You see, God loves us personally. Paul wrote: HE LOVED ME, & GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME. GAL. 2:20 The Lord Jesus Crhsit died for us personally. God's love is shown to us personally, & God saves us personally. God doesn't deal with us as part of a crowd. God does not save people en masse. God saves people individually, one by one. This was a personal salvation given to this theif. D. PRESENT
It was apersonal salvation, & it was a present salvation TO DAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE. L UKE 23:43 Notice the word TODAY. The man had said, "LORD REMEMBER ME WHEN THOU COMEST INTO THEY KINGDOM ." v42.
It was as though the theif said, "Sometime in the future, you are going to have a kingdom. Please remember me when that happens." But Jeus said, "Why wait until the future? I'll give you salvation right now today." Salvation is not aprocess. You don't get a little bit save today, a little more saved next week, a little more saved next yr. Salvation is an instantaneous spiritual expereince by the power of God when you put your faith in J.C. TO DAY SHAL THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADIS V43 A personal, present salvation,
E. CENTERED IN CHRIST
Salvation was centered in the Lord J.C. TODAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE. LK 23:43 Salvation means being related to J.C. J.C. was identified with this man in condemnation, & ithis man was identified with J.C. in salvation.
That's what the cross is all about. Salvation is not centered in Moses, or keeping the law. It is not centered in John the Baptist. It is not centered in some preacher, some church or some revered person from the past. Salvation is centered in J.C.
This thief could not turn to the other thief & say REMEMBER ME WHEN THOU COMEST INTO THY KINGDOM, because his griend did not have a kingdom. This thief could not turn to one of the soldiers & say, REMEMBER ME WHN YOU COME INTO YKOU KINGDOM." He could not turn to one fo the religious leaders or to the preists- they could do nothing for Him. He had to turn to J.C. Have youe ver turned to J.C. & asked Him to save you? This was a salvtaion wholly by grace, certain & secure, persona, present and centered in J.C. . GLORIOUS Notice also that this salvation was glorious.
TO DAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADIS E." LK 23:43 All the man had hoped for was to share in some kind of a future kingdom about which he knew very little. Jesus said "Im going to give you far more than you ever asked for or hoped for- you're going to be with Me in Paradise." The Apostle Paul, in II Cor. 12 tells uks that Paradise is the 3rd heave, here God dwels, Jesus said to the theif, "You are going to be with Me in a place of glory & praise where there will be no pain, no sorrow no tears, & no death." You may say. Well I'm going to be like that thief- I'm going to wait unto the very last min. & then I'm going to trust Jesus as my saviour. If you say th you have 2 problems to solve.
Nomber 1: you don't know when the "last minute" is going to be. Would you sign a paper
right now saying, I will postpone the slavation of my soul until just a few minutes
before I die"? Of course not because you don't know when your last minute will
come.
But the big problem is this: The dying thief was not saved at the last opportunity he had- he was saved the 1st opportunity he had!
We have no reason to beleive that this man had heard Jesus preach before they met at Calvary. When he had his 1st opportunity, the theif trusted in J.C. The only difference between you & this theif is this- he got caought! You haven't gotten caught yet but one day you will.
THE DYING THEIF REJOICED TO SEE THAT FOUNTAIN IN HIS DAY, AND THERE MAY I, THOUGH VILE AS HE, WASH ALL MY SINS AWAY.
Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." WITH ME IN PARADISE 4/84
BEHILD THY SON! BEHOLD THY MOTHER!
WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?
MATT. 27:45-46
April 1, 1996 From Waren Wiersbe Jesus' Seven Last words
Have you ever been fired from a job, given a pink slip.
kicked out of a school? Rejected from the team?
You are a disgrace to the human race!
We don't want you in our college.
Son you have failed, the army doesn't need men like you.
You were engaged, then suddenly the one you loved rejected you and broke the engagement.
Have you ever been kicked out of your home? You are never welcome here again.
Your parents have disowned you. They treat you as an enemy.
Have you ever been rejected by a group.
"We don't want anyone like you in our group, or organization "Get lost you are not our type."
Your too fat, Your too ugly, your too dumb!
You say to yourself I know what it feel like to be rejected.
You say no one ever will understand how I feel!
No one has ever been treated the way I have!
No one has ever felt the rejection I have felt!
Have you ever had people who refused to speak to you?
What about people who refuse to even listen to you. The minute you begin to talk they walk away?
You may say to yourself I know what it feels like to be rejected and forsaken.
It is a mistake to think that great people have never been rejected.
The first article Billy Graham ever wrote for publication was submitted to Moody Monthly and rejected.
No doubt if that editor could have seen the future he would have accepted the article and signed the young
Wheaten Student as a magazine column writer.
It is one thing to be rejected and forsaken by people you don't like or know.
It is another thing to be rejected and forsaken by people who like you.
But it is quite another thing to be rejected and forsaken by your father.
"Now from the 6TH. hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the
ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
ELI, ELI LAMA SABACHTHANI?
That is to say,
MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?
SOME OF THEM THAT STOOD THERE, WHEN THEY HEARD THAT SAID, THIS MAN
CALLS FOR ELIAS.
AND STRAIGHTWAY ONE OF THEM RAN AND TOOK A SPONGE, AND
FILLED IT WITH VINEGAR, AND PUT IT ON A REED, AND GAVE HIM TO DRINK.
THE
REST SAID, LET BE LET US SEE WHETHER ELIAS WILL COME TO SAVE HIM" MATT
27:45-49
I. A GREAT MYSTERY.
Three mysteries are wrapped up in this statement from the cross. If we understand something of
these mysteries, I think we can better understand what Jesus did for us.
We begin with a great mystery-the darkness around the cross.
From noon until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, darkness was over all the land. This was a supernatural
darkness. This was not a sandstorm, it was not a total eclipse.
This darkness was not something that people imagined. It was a supernatural darkness sent by God
the father. What kind of darkness was it? Why did it come?
1 ST. THE DARKNESS OF SYMPATHY.
I would like to suggest three answer to that question.
First of all, I think it was the darkness of sympathy. The Creator was dying on the cross, and all of
creation was suffering with the Creator.
We sing,
Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
For men the creature's sin.
We have to remember that when the first man and woman sinned, what they did affected all of creation.
God forgave their sin, but He could not deliver them form the sad consequences of their sin,
consequences we experience even today.
Adam had to sweat for his daily bread. The toil of life is a consequence of sin. He told the woman
that she would conceive and bear children in pain and in suffering. As the man tilled the ground,
there would come forth thorns and briars. Death came on the scene! All of creation is suffering
because of man's sin.
Everything in creation obeys God except man.
God tells the rain when to fall, and the rain obeys.
God tells the wind to blow, and it obeys.
God tells the Angels what to do and they obey immediately.
But when God tells man what to do and what not to do, man disobeys.
Yet creation is subject to vanity because of man's sin! According to Romans 8, all of creation is
groaning and travailing in pain together. Why?
It is awaiting the coming of the Creator who will set creation free. I think that this darkness is the
darkness of sympathy-all of creation was sympathizing with the Creator.
When Jesus died, He did redeem creation.
Man took
THORNS
and made a
and put that crown upon His head as they mocked Him.
But really, that crown of thorns was symbolic of what He did. He took the curse of Adam upon
himself. He took our sins to the cross. He bore them in His body on the tree. He has broken the
power of sin. As a consequence, one day creation shall be delivered. One day the King shall reign,
and there will be no more thorns and thistles or death and disease. It was the darkness of sympathy-
creation, as it were wrapped darkness around the Creator when He died for our sins.
2. A DARKNESS OF ASSEMBLY
Some believe it was a darkness caused by the demons from all over the earth assembling to watch
Satan's great victory over the Son of God.
They came to see The Son of God die, to see him defeated, the one who had power over them, the
one who could command them and they must obey. Now he is nailed to a Cross now he is defeated.
3. THE DARKNESS OF SOLEMNITY.
I think that the darkness at the cross was the darkness of solemnity. The just died for the unjust. The
innocent Lamb of God died for guilty sinners.
Remember that in the Book of Exodus there was a great darkness. The 9th plague that God sent to
Egypt was three days of darkness, a darkness so thick it could almost be felt. There was darkness
over Egypt before that final judgment of the Passover and the death of the firstborn.
Behold the Lord Jesus Christ in 3 hours of darkness! I wonder if God was not saying that this was an
hour of solemn judgment. "
NOW IS THE JUDGMENT OF THIS WORLD," SAID JESUS. "NOW
SHALL THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD BE CAST OUT.
AND I, IF I BE LIFTED UP
FROM THE EARTH, WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME."
John 12:31,32
Our Lords death on the cross was a very solemn, serious, holy event. The darkness of solemnity-the
Lamb dying for our sins.
The Bile speaks of "
OUTER DARKNESS
" that is a name for hell. Many people don't like to talk
about
. But Jesus said more about hell than he did about heaven.
He warned us that it is a lateral place.
Some people have the idea that hell is just "heaven with the lights turned out." They think that there
will be friendship and fellowship in hell. They think there will be endless parties. They think it will be
a place where they can do as they please because God will not be there.
My friends, I would remind you that this darkness was the darkness of solemnity-the Lord Jesus
died for us. Hell is no joke! He bore our hell upon himself.
4. THE DARKNESS OF SECRECY
It was the darkness of secrecy. In those 3 hours Jesus Christ was accomplishing a great work that He
alone could accomplish. You will recall that on the Day of Atonement, when the high priest went
into the tabernacle or the temple, he went in alone. He carried on that transaction with God alone.
When Jesus Christ was on the cross during those three hours of darkness, He was carrying on an
eternal transaction with His Father-He finished the work that He came to do. he said in His prayer,
"I HAVE FINISHED THE WORK WHICH THOU GAVEST ME TO DO" JOHN 17:4.
What was that work? The work of salvation, which He alone could accomplish. He was silent for 3
hours, and when He spoke and said, "
MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?"
Matt 27:46. This was a great mystery-the darkness around the cross.
II. A GREATER MYSTERY
But there is a greater mystery-the
LONELINESS ON THE CROSS.
The Lord Jesus Christ gradually moved into loneliness during His final hours on earth. He went with
His 12 apostles into the upper room.
Judas left and only 11 were with Him.
He took the 11 to the Garden of Gethsemane; 3 entered into the garden with Him, and they went to
Then Peter and John went into the courtyard were Peter
DENIED
And then they all
FORSOOK
Him and
He was left alone!
Men forsook Him, but the Father was with Him.
Jesus had said in John 8:29,
AND HE THAT SENT ME IS WITH ME; THE FATHER HATH NOT LEFT ME ALONE;
FOR I DO ALWAYS THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM."
He said, in John 16:32
BEHOLD, THE HOUR COMETH, YEA, IS NOW COME, THAT YE SHALL BE SCATTERED,
EVERY MAN TO HIS OWN, AND SHALL LEAVE ME ALONE; AND YET I AM NOT ALONE
BECAUSE THE FATHER IS WITH ME."
BUT AT THE CROSS THE FATHER LEFT HIM
The loneliness of the Saviour on the cross.
Why was He lonely?
Why was He forsaken even of the Father?
That is what sin does-sin isolates.
Sin separates man from God.
Sin separates man for man.
Sin separates families.
Sin separates man from himself.
You recall that the Prodigal Son "
CAME TO HIMSELF"
Luke 15:17.
Sin separates a man from God.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they ran and hid themselves because of the loneliness of sin.
GOD HAS NEVER FORSAKEN YOU.
You may have felt as thought God abandoned you, but God has never forsaken you. If God forsook you for
one second you would die, because
"IN HIM WE LIVE, AND MOVE, AND HAVE OUR BEING
Acts 17:28.
God was with Joseph in his trials, He was with Daniel, He was with David.
But His own Son was forsaken. Why?
HE WAS FORSAKEN OF THE FATHER THAT WE MIGHT NEVER BE FORSAKEN OF THE
FATHER!
He went through darkness that we might have light.
The father could not look upon sin. Jesus bore the punishment we should receive.
He went through isolation for us that we might have the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
He went through isolation for us. That He might say;
'I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOUR OR
FORSAKE YOU.
That is what hell is like-eternal loneliness, eternal isolation. Eternal blackness, Eternal remembrance
of your sin.
There is no friendship in hell. There is no fellowship in the darkness of hell.
We sense a great mystery here-the darkness around the cross.
And a greater mystery-the loneliness on the cross.
III. THE GREATER MYSTERY.
But I think the greatest mystery of all that is identified with this statement is the blindness before the cross.
There wee many people-the soldiers and others-before the cross.
They heard His cry,
'MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THY FORSAKEN ME
?" Matt. 27:46
Jesus had never known a time when He was not His Father's delight. Fellowship had never before
been broken. But now it had.
the term "forsaken" is the same word Paul used of refering to Demas who had deserted him. Why
had the father forsaken and deserted His Son?
Becasue at that period of time when Jesu took our sins upon Himself and paid the price of death on
our behalf. God (who is holy) could not have fellowship with His Son who was covered and bearing
our Sin.
The full, crushing weight of sin He bore alone.
But they were blind. They said,
"HE'S CALLING FOR ELIJAH
" V47.
Someone said, "
LET'S WAIT TO SEE IF ELIJAH COMES V 49.
He wasn't calling for Elijah; He was quoting Psalm 22:1.
If these people had not been blind to the Scriptures, they would have recognized Psalm 22:1
MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAS THOU FORSAKEN ME?
Also Psalm 22:2
"I CRY IN THE DAYTIME, BUT THOU HEAREST NOT; AND IN THE NIGHT
SEASON, AND AM NOT SILENT."
There you have the darkness and the light, but the people did not recognize it.
Verses 7 and 8 of Psalm 22 says,
"ALL THEY THAT SEE ME LAUGH ME TO SCORN; THEY
SHOOT OUT THE LIP, THEY SHAKE THE HEAD, SAYING, HE TRUSTED ON THE LORD
THAT HE WOULD DELIVER HIM; LET HIM DELIVER HIM, SEEING HE DELIGHTED IN
HIM."
THEY PART MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND CAST LOTS UPON MY VESTURE."
They did not recognize the fulfillment of prophecy before their very eyes.
What blindness! They were blind to the Scriptures, blind to the Saviour, blind to their won sin.
They said, "
LET'S SEE WHETHER ELIJAH WILL COME AND TAKE HIM DOWN."
At that hour the Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us, and when He was made sin, He was
FORSAKEN OF THE FATHER.
We can't explain it, we don't know all that was involved in it, but
we know that it is true.
. There's a great mystery here-the
DARKNESS AT THE CROSS.
. There's a greater mystery-the
LONELINESS ON THE CROSS.
. But the greatest mystery of all is the
BLINDNESS BEFORE THE CROSS.
I trust you are not blind today but that, by faith, you have seen the Lamb of God who died for you.
Perhaps you have read some of the short stores written by O. Henry. When he was dying, he made
this statement: "Turn up the lights-I don't want to go home in the dark."
No Christian ever goes home in the dark, for "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth
more and more unto the perfect day" Prov 4:18
Let the light of the glorious gospel shine in you heart!
WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?
F
I THIRST
As we listen to the Lord Jesus speak from Calvary, we certainy have no quesiton tha He loves us.
This ove is revealed in a special way in His 5th statemnt:
READ JOHN 19:28-30)
Our Lord was crucified at 9 o'clock in the morning, and He spent the first three hours on the cross
in the sunglight. Then the darnkess come, and at the end of that darkness, He cried, "MY GO, MY
GOD WHY HAS THOU FORSAKEN ME?" MATT 27:46.
Why did he cry it twice?
His last three statemnt from the cros centered upon Himself. His first three statemnts centered
upon ohters-His enemies, the theif, and John and Mary. But in the last three statemtns our Lord
focuses upon Himself;
1st His body-"
I THRIST
" John 19:28
2nd His soul- "
IT IS FINISHED"
v 30 Isa 53:10
3rd His Spirit-
"FATHER,INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT"
Luke 23:46
Body, soul and spirit all were offered by the Lord Jesus Christ in perfect obedeicne to His Father.
The shortest of all the statemnts that our Lord made from the cross is the one found in John 19:28:
'I THRIST."
In the Greek New Testament it is one word of four letters. It is te onlys teatemnt in which our Lord
referred to His body and his physical suffering. This simple word reveals to us the heart of the Lord
Jesus, and we see His love in a deeper way.
Let me put it this way. When I heart the lord Jesus say, "I thirst," I see three portratits of Christ: I
see the suffering Son of Man, the obedeint Servant of God and the lvoing Saviour of sinners.
I. THE SUFFERING SON OF MAN.
I THIRST
IT IS FINISHED JOHN 19:30
Luke 23:46-49
FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT
Intro:
If I were to ask you to tell me in one sentence what your aim or task is in life
what would you say?
Make Money? Own your own business, raise a family Retire?
Expl. We are going to look at Jesus Christ not as meek and mild and lowly Jesus the
milk toast but Jesus Christ as king of Kings, Lord of lords. King and Lord of
the Universe. Jesus Christo.
In Luke 23:46 Jesus Christ is upon the cross. He is there because of you and me. He
was hanging on that cross in your place and my place.
He did not go to the cross as a martyr nor because a plot had failed and he was a
victim of band circumstances, or Bad court systems.
Jesus Christ was on the cross because the Father had chosen Him to die on the cross
before he created the world.
Jesus Christ supreme task was to go to the cross and die in our place.
I. JESUS CHRIST KNEW THE FATHER V 46
1. Jesus addressed His words to the "Father" rather than "My God" as he did before.
In addressing the father He reveals his relationship with the father. The first words we
hear from his lips on earth were talking about doing His father's will when he was 12
years old and his Last words were addressed to His father.
2. Jesus Christ was not just a good righteous man who came to be our example and
teacher. he was God's only special unique one of a kind Son.
He knew the father and came to the cross willingly in order to die in your and my
place so we can also know the father.
3. One could not address God as
FATHER
until Jesus Christ had died in their place.
God was not my father until I accepted His son as my savor.
Men are enemies of God but through Christ's death they can become sons of God
and address God as Father rather than judge.
When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross it was voluntary. Jesus said in John
10:17,18
I LAY DOWN MY LIFE, THAT I MIGHT TAKE IT AGAIN, NO MAN
TAKETH IT FROM ME, BUT I LAY IT DOWN OF MYSELF, I HAVE
POWER TO LAY IT DOWN. AND I HAVE POWER TO TAKE IT AGAIN.
He gave himself as the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world John 1:29
He could have cried "FATHER GET ME OUT OF THIS MESS, I WANT TO GO
HOME THIS WAS YOUR IDEA HELP."
He could have called 10,000 angels who were standing around with swords drawn
ready to deliver Him at a moments notice.
Instead He says into they hands I commend my Spirit."
Do you know the father or is he still your judge???
If He is your father how much time have you spent talking to him?
Jesus Christ knew the will of the father = into thy hands"
1. Jesus Christ the Lord of the universe set aside His power and glory and at his death
had to give his life into the fathers hands just like any other human being.
He had to trust God that His father would take care of his spirit and He would bring
Him back to life like the father promised.
Jesus Christ the Son of the living God became a corpse
Jesus Christ the Divine healer the healer of diseases died.
Jesus Christ the Resurrection and the life became a dead man.
Jesus Christ the Lord over death, the only one who never sinned forfeited His life
because of our sins.
It is one thing to know the will of the father but quite another to carry it out.
II. JESUS CHRIST DID THE WILL OF THE FATHER.
1. He was wounded for our trangressions, the chastisement of our peace was upon
him and with his stripes we were joined together.
2. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
3. God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin.
4. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us.
5. Christ hath reconciled us by the body of his flesh, through death.
6. With one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
7. The son of man came to give his life a ransom for many.
III. THE WILL OF THE FATHER WAS FOR JESUS CHRIST TO DIE BECAUSE
OF JESUS CHRIST WE CAN KNOW THE WILL OF THE FATHER.
Before I accept Jesus Christ as my savior and sin barrier I did the will of my father
The the devil, but now I am free to do the will of my father in Heaven.
3. Jesus Christ knew the power of the father = i commit my spirit.
1. Jesus Christ committed his spirit to the care of the father.
2. Power over death = the resurrection. Without the resurrection Christian would be
like any other religion.
3. Power over sin. Jesus Christ was victor over sin and death and the grave. We must
be united to him to experience that power.
4. Power over guilt and fear.
Fear not I am with you.
I have given you all power.
5. Power over Satan and the demons.
6. Jesus Christ death on t he cross is not just a historical event but is the gateway to
new life by receiving the crucified risen Savior into your hearts as Boss of your
life.
I. Jesus Christ DIED SO YOU MAY KNOW THE FATHER.
II. Jesus Christ DIED SO YOU MAY KNOW THE WILL OF THE FATHER.
III. Jesus Christ DIED SO YOU MAY KNOW THE POWER OF THE FATHER.
INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT