WORDS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. In the gospels, there are seven sayings of Jesus while He was  
      on the cross.
   B. Each carries great significance.
   C. Let us examine each of them.

I. HIS FIRST WORDS CONCERN FORGIVENESS. "Father forgive
   them, for they do not know what they do." Luke 23:34
   A. Let us read Luke 23:32-38.
      1. Thus, Jesus asked forgiveness for those evil Jews even as
         they were killing Him.
   B. "Forgiveness" is the very heart and soul of Jesus' ministry.
      1. He did not come to destroy, but to save. Luke 9:51-56
   C. Jesus never taught unconditional forgiveness. John 8:24; Luke
      13:3
      1. Jesus' prayer began to be answered on the day of Pentecost.
         a. They were guilty of murdering the Son of God, and
            when they repented, they would be forgiven. Acts 3:13-
            19
   D. Jesus also has a deep interest in our forgiveness.
      1. There was a judge who had to sentence a young man to
         prison for a serious crime. The young man pleaded, "Judge
         don't you remember me. I'm that young man you once
         pulled from the lake when I was drowning." The judge
         replied, "Son, I was your savior then; but I am your judge
         now."
      2. Likewise, we are in the age of mercy now; but the time is
         coming when Christ will not be our Savior but our Judge.

II. THE NEXT WORDS OF JESUS CONCERN SALVATION.
    "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in           
    Paradise." (Luke 23:43)
   A. This gives us insight as to where Jesus went while His body was
      in the tomb.
      1. The place Paradise had to be in Hades.
         a. Peter spoke of this in Acts 2:27,31.
         b. Jesus, after He was raised, said He had not yet ascended
            to the Father. John 20:17
      2. This agrees with the Lord's teaching in Luke 16. See Luke
         16:22-23,26
         a. Thus, the righteous go into a place of comfort called
            "Abraham's bosom" or "Paradise," but the wicked go
            into a place of torment.
      3. Think of the wisdom of the one in the face of his death.
         "Lord, remember me..."
         a. The other thief shows the hardness of man will continue
            even to death.
         b. A brother once said, "Before I go to bed each night, I
            ask God to forgive me of all sins because if the Lord
            returns during the night, I will be prepared."

III. WE TURN TO THE WORDS OF AFFECTION. "Woman, behold
      your son!" "Behold your mother!" John 19:25-27
   A. This is truly a very touching scene.
      1. Jesus, in His final moments, expresses His love and concern
         for His mother and her well being.
      2. The love and compassion of Jesus is often expressed in the
         gospels.
         a. His miracles were often the result of His compassion.
            Mark 1:40-42
         b. He had compassion on the multitudes. Matt. 9:36-37
         c. He was moved by the tears of others. John 11:33-35
   B. In His dying moments, Jesus showed His love for His mother, but
      remember Mark 3:31-35.
      1. He loves you and me as He did His mother.
      2. The words of a hymn say, "He left the splendor of heaven,
         knowing His destiny, walked the lonely field of Golgotha, to
         lay down His life for me. If that isn't love, then the ocean
         is dry, and the sparrow can't fly; then heaven's a myth, and
         there's no feeling like this, if that isn't love."

IV. THE NEXT WORDS ARE THOSE OF ANGUISH. "Eli, Eli, lama             
   sabachthani?" Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34
   A. The writers give us the actual words which were spoken and     
      their translation.
      1. The original words were in the Aramaic language which was
         a slight variation of the Hebrew. The translation was in
         Greek.
   B. This was one of the heart-rending statements found in Psalm 22.
      1. This Psalm reads as though the writer was an eye-witness of
         the crucifixion, written about 1,000 years before it        
         occurred.
      2. It was a prophecy of that dark day when the Messiah died for
         the sins of the world.
      3. It was the day when the suffering Savior took the guilt of  
         our sins upon Himself.
   C. It was that day, about 2,000 years ago when, for a moment of
      time, the Father had to forsake His only begotten Son because  
      of the guilt of sin.
      1. Indeed, "the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."  
         Isa. 53:6
      2. The Lord's cry of anguish makes possible shouts of victory
         in the forgiveness of sins. Rev. 1:5b

V. THE FIFTH WORDS FROM THE CROSS INDICATE SUFFERING. "I thirst!"    
   John 19:28
   A. Remember that Jesus was not only crucified but scourged as     
      well.
      1. The scourging was Pilate's feeble attempt to appease the
         Jews. Luke 23:16,22; John 19:1-5
      2. Scourging was one of the most brutal beatings administered
         by man.
      3. Whips were made of leather with bits of bone, stone, or
         metal in the end of the leather strips.
      4. The victim was stripped, tied across a pillar or table, and
         beaten with the scourge which tore open the flesh with
         gaping wounds.
      5. This would go on until the victim would either swoon or die.
      6. The loss of blood was substantial.
      7. It was up to the officer in charge to call a halt to the    
         beating.
      8. Naturally, the person who was so horribly beaten would be
         exceedingly weak. This is why Jesus was unable to carry His
         cross, and died rather quickly on the cross.
         a. His stripes were part of the redemptive price. Isa. 53:5;
            1 Pet. 2:24
   B. The crucifixion involved driving large spikes through the      
      wrists and feet.
      1. Again, this loss of blood caused by such treatment would
         have been substantial.
      2. The scourging and the nail wounds causing such loss of
         blood would cause severe dehydration.
      3. Remember, Jesus hung there on that cross for six hours,
         from the third hour to the ninth hour, before He died. Mark
         15:25,34
      4. It is no wonder that the Lord cried out, "I thirst."

VI. THE SIXTH EXPRESSION ARE WORDS OF VICTORY. "It is finished." John
   19:30
   A. Jesus had come to do the will of the Father in bringing about
      human redemption.
      1. Peter once tried to rebuke Jesus for saying He would be
         killed. Matt. 16:21-23
         a. Thus, discouraging Him from doing what He came to do
            was to Jesus a work of Satan.
   B. How grateful we ought to be that Jesus was able to say, "It is
      finished."
      1. Consider what was now finished: His work on earth; His
         suffering; the O.T. Law; the Lamb slain from the foundation
         of the world; the price of redemption was now paid.

VII. THE LAST WORDS ARE WORDS OF CONTENTMENT. "Father into your hands
   I commend My spirit." Luke 23:46
   A. Here, in the final seconds of His life is the supreme          
       expression of contentment.
   B. As we look at the gospel records, we see Jesus as One who loved
      His father, obeyed His Father, prayed to His Father; and now,
      finally, as He breathes His last breath commits His spirit into
      His Father's hands.
      1. What a beautiful picture of the relationship of the Son with
         the Father!
      2. What a tremendous challenge and powerful example for all
         of us who seek to walk in His steps!
   C. There are many stories of unbelievers who died kicking and
      screaming because of the terror of the unknown looming over
      them.
      1. They had lived in defiance of God and at the end shuddered
         at the thought of meeting God unprepared.
      2. Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899), the famous Atheist who
         bitterly opposed God and the Bible, is said to have stated  
         on his deathbed, "Oh God, if there be a God, save my soul,  
         if I have a soul, from hell, if there be a hell."
   D. Let us be moved by the love of Christ and live everyday for the
      Lord so that with great contentment we can say, "Father into   
      thy hands I commend my spirit."

Concl.
   A. From the chart below:
      1. "Father forgive..." - Forgiveness
      2. "Assuredly...today..." - Salvation
      3. "Woman, behold..." - Affection
      4. "Eli, Eli..." - Anguish
      5. "I thirst" - Suffering
      6. "It is finished" - Victory
      7. "Father into..." - Contentment

Chart:
Words of Jesus on the Cross

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Luke
23:34)

"Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
(Luke 23:43)

"Woman, behold your son!
"Behold your mother!" (John 19:25-27)

"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34)

"I thirst!" (John 19:28)

"It is finished!" (John 19:30)

"Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit." (Luke 23:46)