Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ April 2, 2010

“The Last Words of Jesus”

Good Friday Service  Mt 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 18

Thank you for coming to our Good Friday Service… one year ago we had our first service in new sanctuary

Our “Last Words” carry a greater weight… giving a deeper view into the window of our hearts…

I.   Background…

• In the Upper room Jesus shared the Passover meal… walked to the Mount of Olives

Jesus Words… “Do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God, trust also in me”

• Into the Garden of “Gethsemane” which means “Oil Press”… Great Spiritual Battle…

Jesus Words… “May this cup be taken from me” (3 times)…

• The Betrayal and the Arrest of Jesus…

Jesus Words… “who is it you want… [Jesus of Nazareth]… I am He”

•  The 3 Jewish Trials and 3 Roman Civil Trials… Pilate finds “no fault”…

Jesus Words… “My kingdom is not of this world…”

• After horrible beatings with 39 lashes, mocking, crown of thorns…

John 19:17-19 ¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle. ¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Jesus was crucified about the “third hour” or 9am (Mark 15:25) 

II.   Seven Last Words from the Cross…

First…  Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

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  • Many groups around the cross… execution party, soldiers, religious Jewish leaders, Roman Government, the fickle crowd… you and me… our sin put Jesus there… mankind
  • Sin brings deception… “did not know truth…”  Jesus offers deep, though forgiveness today
  • Jesus was the forgiving Messiah even as He died… even for those who were killing Him… world
  • 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. Forgiveness for you and for me.
  • Thank God, there is forgiveness but it is a forgiveness that requires to be taken individually, to be drawn upon in the way that God has planned… Forgiveness is the hallmark of Christianity!

Second…  Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

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  • The first words embraced forgiveness to world… this narrows the focus to one needy sinner.
  • Whole world made up of individuals, who are sinners… two thieves on each side also crucified
  • Fulfilling ancient prophecy "was numbered with the transgressors" (Isa 53:12).
  • One thief saw his vileness/sin and was saved… the other thief’s heart grew harder…
  • Salvation is so wondrously simple… the devil tries to complicate it and keep people blinded…
  • The time of decision came for each of them… one repented the other did not… irrevocable
  • “TODAY you’ll be with me in paradise”… eternal glory, heaven… “trust in God, trust also in me”

Third…  John 19:26-27 ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," ²⁷ and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

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  • What terrible agony Mary must have felt seeing her son being crucified… Jesus sees her sorrow
  • These words deal with deep love relationships… between His mother Mary (woman) and John
  • Mary herself must begin to think upon Jesus as her “Lord”… She rejoiced in “God my Savior”
  • The disciple John was ready and acted without hesitation… what practical application for us
  • There is love for you at the cross… this love is to be received and then shared with others…

Fourth…  Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 

Aramaic words: (Eli – Eli – Lamaa – Sabath-than-nee)

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  • There is depth of feeling with this cry from His heart… matched with intensity by darkness
  • High noon the sun refuses to shine… from the 6^th hour (noon) until the 9^th hour (3pm)
  • For three hours darkness surrounded the scene… God could not look upon “His sin bearing Son”
  • First time ever recorded, Jesus refers to His Father as “God” – separation… Holiness of God

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

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  • God forsaken, He who was made sin for us was feeling the punishment of the sinner, being separated from God, His humiliation was complete.
  • Breaking the silence… Crying out in a loud voice, He stood alone, forsaken by His Father as He carried out His Fathers perfect will in becoming our atonement for sin…
    
    

Fifth…  John 19:28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I thirst."

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  • The hours of torture has taken its toll on the body of Jesus… Execution by crucifixion was not a sudden death like lethal injection, firing squad… but a slow drown out process…
  • Hands and feet inflamed from the rusty spikes driven through them.  His back and even his cheeks of flesh torn away… all alone hanging practically naked above the earth… I Thirst…
  • The one who is the Living water, Fully conscious and aware of fulfilling the details of prophecy…
  • Prophetically, in Psalm we read Psalms 22:14-15 ¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. ¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
  • Though Christ was divine, he also was uniquely man and felt all the emotions & pains we feel
  • Now His mission about complete… received the drink of wine vinegar soaked in a sponge… at the end of a stalk  of “hyssop” plant (hyssop was used to apply blood at first Passover in Egypt)
  • Fulfilling yet more prophecy… Psalms 69:21 They… gave me vinegar for my thirst.

Sixth…  John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

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  • “It is finished” consists of one single word in the Greek “teleo” – finish, accomplish, complete
  • Papyri tax receipts uncovered with “teleo” written across them meaning - “Payment in Full”
  • What was finished?  What did He mean?... The great conquest of the ages being fulfilled…
  • The serpent/devil in the garden of Eden… Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
  • Satan managed to bruise Christ’s heel at Calvary… BUT In 3 days Christ will crush your head!
  • NOT I am finished… BUT, IT IS FINISHED is a Shout of VICTORY over sin, death and hell
  • Finished to the Jewish religion with it’s sacrifices, rituals, traditions… work of man’s redemption is finished… once and for all He reconciled the world unto God through His shed blood…
  • Jesus has paid the price for your redemption… Salvation to all who repent and believe
  • There is victory over sin in the cross… Thank you Jesus!

Seventh…  Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

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  • First words… Father Forgive… My God, My God… now the last words, we hear Father again!
  • God the Father had accepted the sin offering made by Jesus… soon to be demonstrated by Christ’s glorious resurrection from the dead… predicted in the O.T. Psalms 31:5 “Into your hands I commit my spirit…”
  • Notice that Jesus was in complete control of His life and died at the precise moment he determined by dismissing His spirit… No man took His life from Him… He had power & authority to lay His life down… and power to take it “back up” again at His resurrection! John 10:11-18…
  • This also speaks of His confidence in God, His Father… He found security in His Father’s hands
  • Believers today are eternally secure in their Lord as we look forward to His coming again…

If the men would come at this time…

• Jesus never asked us to remember His birth… but He does ask us to remember His death
• That is what we have done this “Good Friday” service… reflecting upon His “Last Words”
• Open communion (don’t need to be a member of this church) BUT a genuine believer in Christ

• Lord’s Supper is a rearward look to the cross, an inward look in examination, an upward look in thanksgiving, and a forward look to the second coming of Jesus… which is very soon!
• Lord’s Supper is a time to remember… a time to examine/confess… also a time to Celebrate!

1 Corinthians 11:23-25 ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."