This is PART 7 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART - 7

PART 7 - Christ’s 7TH Saying (Luke 23:46)
“…Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit…”

Luke 23:46, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit: and having said thus, He gave up His spirit.”

The Word of God tells us that as He uttered these words, He bowed His head and gave up the ghost. Physicians report that when people are dying, they try to raise their heads for one more breath. He bowed His head. What is worth noting is that the sufferings did not take His life, excruciating as though they were; He laid it down of Himself! Hallelujah! What a Saviour! Christ had announced earlier in His ministry that He would give up His life on His own (John 10:18). Christ would give His life when He decided, not when man decided. Christ gave up His own life. Nobody took it from Him, because no one has the power to do so. He willingly gave up His life for you. Jesus had the power to destroy all those who were attempting to destroy Him (Matthew 26:53). But He restrained Himself and endured this horrible death because of our sin. While Jesus was dying on the cross, God was still God, He was still on the throne and reigning omnipotent.

The events around the cross, the earthquake, darkness, the rent veil, and the actions of our Lord as He was suspended between Heaven and earth, convinced the Roman centurion that Jesus was not only a righteous man, but He was God. Jesus voluntarily gave His life for us, yielding every moment of His life, even unto death, to God’s plan and purpose. Jesus commended His spirit unto God and then gave up His spirit. This fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit…” The word “commend” in Christ’s seventh saying from the cross means to “entrust, to commit to one’s charge”. The Lord Jesus entrusted His spirit into His Father’s keeping. He entrusted or committed Himself to the guardianship of the Father. As is stated in another text, “Christ…through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God…” (Hebrews 9:14). When the first drop of Jesus’ blood was shed, it sealed Satan’s fate forever. At that moment, He returned in spirit to His Father in heaven. At that moment, the temple’s veil was rent (Matthew 27:51) signifying that the death of Jesus had settled the sin problem and had removed the barrier between sinful men and a holy God (Hebrews 10:19-20).

Paul used the same word when he wrote to young Timothy. He wrote, “For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (II Timothy 1:12). Because Jesus entrusted His spirit with the Father, we can entrust our spirits in His saving and keeping power. Since He committed His all to the Father, we can commit our all to Him, also. Throughout His earthly ministry, Christ magnified the sovereignty and authority of His Father (John 6:38, 44; 10:29). Lovingly trusting Him to safely guard His spirit, the Lord Jesus entrusted it into His Father’s “hands”. The God Who held Him in His hands of mercy in life could be trusted to hold Him in His hands of might in death. This is also true for you and me!

Christ died honoring God by committing His most precious possession into God's hands. You honor a person when you entrust into their care your most priceless possession. Since Jesus committed His spirit to the Father in the hour of death, then the Father must be eternal. The spirit would live on with the Father on the other side of death. As Christ committed Himself into the hands of the eternal God with certainty, so all believers can be assured about the ages to come. Through Christ, we will not only live with the Father, but will live as long as the Father lives. Christ died with a prayer on His lips. Some die with a curse on their lips. You do not die praying if you have not prayed much in your life. The fact that you will face tribulation in this world does not lessen the power of God in any way. In fact, it should motivate you to tap into the reservoir of faith. Have you committed your life into God’s hands’? (Romans 12:1-2)

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, as Jesus commended Himself to You, my desire is to commit my life to Your service. May I seek to win more people to Christ by sharing the Gospel more often. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

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7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 6


This is PART 6 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

PART 6 - Christ’s 6TH Saying (John 19:30)
It is finished:

John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.”


From the beginning, Satan opposed the work of redemption. Beginning with Abel’s death, he attempted to hinder the coming of the Messiah. Pharaoh, in Egypt, attempted to keep the Hebrews in bondage and to have all male babies drowned in the Nile River in order to prevent the coming of the Messiah. God foiled Satan’s strategy delivering the Jews. Wicked Haman attempted genocide the complete and utter destruction of all the Jewish people. Herod attempted to destroy all male Jewish boys to prevent the Messiah from taking the throne. Satan had tried numerous times to stop Calvary's plan. But he failed and Christ conquered victoriously. The Lord Jesus was not ignorant of Satan’s devices (II Corinthians 2:11). Through His life and ministry, He fought the enemy with the Word (Matthew 4:1-11). But in His death, glory be to God, the Seed of the woman crushed the head of him “…that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Praise the LORD, Jesus said “It is finished” and not, “I quit!” It is finished speaks of Christ’s success over Satan. Satan had opposed Christ going to the cross and dying in the way heaven had planned.

The word ‘finished’ occurs 3 times:
a) Genesis 2:1. At the completion of God’s physical creation,
b) John 19:30. When salvation was completed on the cross.
c) Revelation 16:17. “It is done” at the 7th vial judgment.

Here, our Lord Jesus used the Greek word “Tetelestai”, meaning “It is finished, and as a result it is forever done.” The very words of the Lord Jesus, “It is finished” make it clear that He did win! When Jesus cried, “It is finished”, the redemptive work He came to accomplish was done. Nothing else needed to be added to it.

The word “Tetelestai” speaks of accomplishment, satisfaction, and victory! Examples of this are:

1. A servant, reporting to his master, would say, “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4).

2. A farmer would use this term when there was born into his herd an animal so well-rounded, beautiful, and healthy that it seemed to be without defects and fault.

3. An artist or sculptor who finished a great masterpiece would stand back and say, “Tetelestai. Tetelestai”, meaning that the painting is so perfect that nothing can be added to it. It needed no corrections nor any improvements.

4. A merchant would say this when “The debt is paid in full”. As our Kinsman Redeemer, the Lord Jesus paid the exacted payment to set us free from the bondage of sin.

5. A priest would use this word when examining a perfect animal sacrifice when the devout worshipper brought a lamb without blemish, a male of the first year (according to God's instructions in Exodus 12:5), to be offered as a sacrifice.

6. The greatest example is when Christ said it to describe His payment for our sins on the cross. When our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, offered Himself as the Lamb of God on the altar at Calvary being such a full, complete, and perfect payment that nothing could he added to it. Jesus fully met the righteous demands of a holy law. He paid our sin debt in full. The Lamb of God shed His blood to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:24-28). His Sacrifice for sins was perfect, pure, powerful, once for all, eternal, finished, and done forever. Amen and amen!!!!

The Creator (John 1:1-3) was sacrificed for His creation. Everything Christ did was according to the Scriptures. While on the cross, Christ spoke of finishing the work of salvation. Calvary was the sacrifice that finished all sacrifices for sin which made salvation possible. Christ had completed perfectly the work assigned to Him. Jesus paid the perfect price for sin and bridged the gap between a holy God and sinful people. Jesus had proclaimed He laid His life down in John 10:18, “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. This commandment have I received of my Father.” The truth of this claim was verified in John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” Jesus was not robbed of His life; He voluntarily laid it down. John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” When Jesus declared, “It is finished”, His work of atonement for sin was done. The demands of the law had been met. The debt for sin had been paid in full. Nothing can be, or needs to be, added to Christ’s finished work on the cross. Jesus endured the punishment for our sins against God, He opened the way for people to have a relationship with Him. Paul said “I have finished my course” (II Timothy 4:6-8). Will you finish your life’s work that God has given you to do?

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Jesus to shed His blood, to die, and pay the price for my sins. Thank You for giving Him the strength to finish the word He did at Calvary. He did it all; He finished the work You sent Him to do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thank you for reading PART 6 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 7.

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7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 5

This is PART 5 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

Christ’s 5TH Saying (John 19:28)
“…I thirst.”

John 19:28, “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

We all know the common cry of daily thirst in our bodies. When the water level of the body falls below a certain point, the brain signals that we are thirsty. On a hot day, we have all become especially thirsty for water. But most of us have never known the thirst that accompanies suffering and death. Physicians have assured us that there is no suffering comparable to that of an unassuaged thirst. It’s been said that those who died on the cross became so thirsty that their tongues would swell and protrude from their mouths. The Lord Jesus had suffered in many inconceivable ways. He had been mocked, beaten, and scourged. Then He had the cross laid upon His bleeding shoulders and back. When He reached Calvary, His hands and feet were nailed to the tree. The cross was then dropped into a prepared hole. As His body screamed with pain, indicating the intense level of His sufferings.

Christ did all He did according to a divine arrangement and order. The words “After this” conclude the movements of this event. “After” His prayer for forgiveness; “After” His acceptance of the thief; “After” His mother and His disciple were addressed; “After” the Father withdrew His presence from the Son; “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished “…saith I thirst.” The Jews, stunned by what they had already experienced, heard a cry that stirred sympathy in the hearts of some of the crowd. Jesus again revealed His humanity by declaring "I thirst." In response to this cry, some of the people standing by took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it to His mouth. Jesus had refused the pain deadening wine that was offered to those about to be crucified (Matthew 27:34). A soldier moistened Jesus’ lips with cheap vinegar on a sponge (John 19:29). “I was thirsty and ye gave me drink” (Matthew 25:35).

When Jesus cried, “I thirst”, no doubt He was thirsting for the Father’s presence from which He had been separated. Perhaps He was also thirsting for the finality of His redemptive work. Remember as the rich man was thirsty in the tormenting flames of hell (Luke 16:24), so the Saviour, bearing our sins in His own body on the cross, was thirsty as He suffered the judgment for us. What infinite and precious love! It is clear that the Lord Jesus was concerned “that the scripture might be fulfilled.” In John 19, four references are made to prophetical fulfillments related to His crucifixion (John 19:24, 28, 36, 37). In His life and in His death, the Living Word did what He did in perfect agreement with the written Word. In order to fulfil the Scriptures Jesus said, “I thirst.” He had just endured three hours of darkness when He felt the wrath of and separation from God (Matthew 27:45-49). Jesus experienced darkness, thirst, and isolation, as well as spiritual sufferings. “My soul thirsteth for God” (Psalm 42:1-2). This fulfilled Psalm 22:15, “My tongue cleaveth to my jaws.” This shows the deep suffering Jesus went through.

Messianic themes in Psalm 69:
Psalm 69:3, “..:my throat is dried.” John 19:38, “…I thirst.”
Psalm 69:4, “They hated me without a cause.” John 15:25, “They hated me without a cause.”
Psalm 69:8, “I am become a stranger to my brethren.” John 7:5, “For neither did his brethren believe in Him”
Psalm 69:9, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” John 2:17, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”
Psalm 69:21, “they gave me gall for my meat: in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” John 19:28-29, “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

Jesus had earlier said: “He that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). And “If any man thirst, let him come into me and drink” (John 7:37). Jesus, who gave His life so man need never thirst spiritually, endured great physical thirst (John 4:13-15). The One Who had said that those who are thirsty are invited to come unto Him and drink was thirsty. He thirsted that sinners might have their thirst quenched at the Fountain of the Waters of Life. Today, we can “give Jesus a drink” by sharing what we have with those in need. The Lord wants to draw your focus beyond the immediate to the eternal. Every day we encounter empty vessels who are in desperate need for the Fountain of Living Water. Many in this world are spiritually thirsty, but they have found nothing to quench their thirst. They have pursued the waters of pleasure, success, fame, and fortune; but they have been chasing a mirage without the Living Water Christ offers. It is our moral obligation to guide these people to the Living Water, whatever the cost.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, my soul truly thirsts after your righteousness. My desire is to continually pursue You each day until Your Son Jesus comes back for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thank you for reading PART 5 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 6.

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This is PART 4 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 4

Christ’s 4TH Saying - (Matthew 27:46)
“…My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Matthew 27:46, “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?”

At the sixth hour, which is noon, suddenly and without any warning the light of the world went out. There was a total darkness that lasted for the next three hours. Both Jews and the Roman Soldiers must have been very troubled. It seems that our Lord was silent for most of these three hours. No one was moving because of the darkness. What would happen next? The suspense was building. Perhaps some of the Jews remembered when their ancestors were down in Egypt in the days of Moses and God sent a darkness that lasted for three days and nights. How long would this darkness last? But then, in this awful darkness in the middle of the afternoon, He did not address God as His Father, but rather addressed Him as God. Even greater than this, Christ was talking about God forsaking Him. While Jesus did not address His Father, He did call upon God. As man, Jesus cried out to God in obedience and love.

Jesus was not questioning the divine plan. The last Old Testament prophecy in Matthew was fulfilled (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1). Jesus, in His dying hour, quoted prophecy, expressed faith in it, and fulfilled it. He totally understood the Messianic prophecy of Psalm 22:1. Jesus quoted this from Psalm 22:1. Isaiah prophesied that Jehovah’s Servant would be “despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). The Christ would be forsaken, not because of hard times and harsh conditions, but because “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Jesus was forsaken by the Jews, His disciples, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. When Jesus came, we read that “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). Jesus was forsaken and accused by the religious leaders of His day. Luke 23:10, “the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.” After the leaders apprehended Him in the garden, His own disciples “forsook Him, and fled” (Matthew 26:56). It is certainly clear that no other experience of abandonment in His earthly sojourn came close to His being forsaken by His Father.

Though He had previously known only unbroken divine fellowship from all eternity, Jesus experienced the horrible abandonment of His Father as God poured out His wrath on His Son as He bore the sins of the world. In what sense was Jesus forsaken by God? God approved His work. He was innocent. He had done nothing to forfeit the favor of God. God still loved Him. Christ’s intense sufferings were caused by our sins being laid on Him and the manifestation of God’s intense hatred of sin to His soul. This had never happened before. Why did the Father turn His back on the Son? Because Jesus was bearing the sin of the world, and God cannot look on sin (Habakkuk 1:13).

The torture and agony of the past few hours were horrible for Jesus, but the temporary alienation from God the Father was the ultimate pain. This sense of separation was intensified because Christ—as our substitute—actually took upon himself the full weight of guilt and punishment for every sin that has ever been committed, or ever will be (II Corinthians 5:21). We cannot even begin to comprehend the sense of abandonment that Jesus felt as He hung on the cross. Here we see God’s Son, the Creator of the universe (John 1:1-3) not only rejected by His creation, but also isolated from the One who is everywhere. No human ever endured such a strong sense of judgment and isolation from God. Even though He had never sinned, God made him “to be sin for us” (II Corinthians 5:21). “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: ” (Isaiah 53:4-5); and He gave “his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28; I Timothy 2:6). He died forsaken so that we would never have to be forsaken (Psalm 22). By his suffering, He restored to those who trust Him a right relationship with God (I Peter 1:19).

This cry speaks of the separation of the sinner from God, the worst punishment of all. Christ was taking the place of the sinner on the cross and so experienced this terrible separation. The plea, “Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” indicates that when Christ was made sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21), because of the terrible nature of sin, the Father turned His back on His Son. Jesus was forsaken by the Father that we may never be forsaken by Him. He cried out as an orphan that we may never feel like orphans. Christ was cut off that we might never be cut off from God and His grace.

Points to Ponder:
Because Christ was forsaken by His Father, God will never leave us or forsake us (Psalm 37:23; Hebrews 13:5).
Jesus experienced separation from God for the sake of others who would not need to experience that same separation.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to shed His blood and die on the cross for my sins. Because of Jesus sacrificing Himself to pay the debt for my sins, I’ll never be forsaken by You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

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This is PART 3 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.


7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 3

Christ’s 3RD Saying (John 19:26-27)
“Woman, behold thy son!…Behold thy mother!”

John 19:26-27, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”

Jesus, in His dying moments, expressed His tender care for His mother. What a model for all children in providing for our parents needs who have done so much for us. “Behold thy mother”. Because your mother has always been your caregiver, when the tables are turned in her life, taking care of her can be a very challenging experience. Although you are a capable adult, in her eyes you are still her little one. We know the circumstances and challenges of Christ’s day were very different than ours. Yet He did not shirk the responsibility of taking care of His earthly mother. When the hour of His death arrived, it was clear that He had made special plans and accommodations. John, His beloved disciple, would take care of His mother, and Mary, whose heart was closest to the heart of Jesus, would live the remainder of her life with John.

The God Who said, “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12) came to this earth and “was made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). With human flesh draped around Him, He obeyed the same commandment that He had given to men. And even when He was dying, He continued to obey that commandment, honoring His mother with His thoughtfulness and provisions. Even as He hung dying on a cross, Jesus fulfilled His obligation to care for His mother. Even during the agony of a horribly cruel death and in the last moments of His life upon earth, Jesus was concerned about the welfare of his mother. He made arrangements for her care. Caring for and assisting helpless and needy family members is a responsibility we have until death. The focus here is on the responsibility of children for their dependent parents.

Jesus was saying to John that He wanted him to be the substitute for the Substitute. As Jesus trusted John to take Mary to his own home and to lovingly provide for her in His absence, may He trust us to do His bidding. The fact that Jesus spoke to both His earthly mother and John from the cross indicates they were on His heart. He loved Mary so much that He guarded her future; He loved John so much that He gave Him a special ministry. He had us on His heart also and lovingly died for us. He still has us on His heart and lovingly speaks to us by His Spirit. Like John, may we hasten to do His will.

And He purposes the same for all of us who have been purchased by His Precious Blood. As the poet has said;
"Christ has no hands but our hands
To do His work today,
He has no feet but our feet
To lead men in His way,
He has no tongue but our tongues
To tell men how He died,
He has no help but our help
To bring them to His side."

Points to Ponder:
Jesus was touched with the feelings of His mother’s hurt and pain.
Jesus is touched with the feeling of our hurt and pain, so he takes care of us.

PRAYER: Father In Heaven, I thank You for my Mother. Thank You for giving me a mother that has sacrificed so much for me and who has always been there for me. May I be as strong and supporting for her as she was for me. I Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thank you for reading PART 3 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 4.

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This is PART 2 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 2

Christ’s 2ND Saying (Luke 23:42-43)
“…Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:42-43, “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

In Luke 23:39, two thieves were being crucified with Christ. One thief looked over to Him and said, "If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us." This man asked the Lord to save him, but he wanted to be saved physically. He wanted no part with Christ and salvation. There is no evidence of him being saved from sin. There are still many people today who are trying to get to heaven without the cross and the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It did not work then for this man, and it will not work for those who try it today.

In Luke 23:40, the thief on the other side of Christ rebuked the thief who spoke in Luke 23:39. One malefactor railed on Him, becoming more hardened in guilt, while the other was repentant. In his rebuke, the second thief acknowledged a fear of God. He also acknowledged that Jesus is God, and that he himself was a guilty sinner. He acknowledged that Jesus Christ was sinless by saying, "This man hath done nothing amiss." In Luke 23:42, the second thief turned to Christ and did two things. First, he confessed Jesus is LORD. Then he said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." He knew death was not the end. The malefactor was saved on the cross just before he died. He was never baptized, so baptism does not save. Salvation begins immediately, it does not take weeks before it takes effect.

The repentant thief believed Jesus was the Messiah He claimed to be and wanted to enter His Kingdom. In faith, the helpless thief asked to be remembered by the Saviour; in hope, he anticipated Christ’s future kingdom. His plea was not only answered personally;“Jesus said unto him”, but it was answered immediately “To day”. It was salvation spontaneously and instantaneously. While the Lord does as He pleases and sometimes waits to answer, it is possible that He will answer our prayers much more quickly than we expect. This is Scriptural proof that some may come to Christ for salvation on their deathbed. This confirms that believers go immediately into God’s presence at death. His last minute salvation does not encourage procrastination in the matter of salvation.


The Apostle Paul spoke interchangeably of Heaven and Paradise (II Corinthians 12:2, 4). While Jesus was on the cross, Paradise was on His mind. In conjunction with this, a poor sinner was on His mind, a sinner He would take to Paradise. “Paradise” was a reference to the heavenly home of the redeemed. Very soon, Jesus was going back to His “Father’s house” (John 14:2), and the thief was given assurance that he would be there with Jesus. The malefactor had Christ's word (the Word of God) to give him all the confidence he needed for his salvation.

We learn 3 things about salvation here:

1. Salvation is offered to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
2. Salvation is by grace through faith alone, and not by our works.
3. Salvation will be rejected by some in spite of all that God does.

We see 3 men here:

1. One was dying FOR sin (Christ).
2. One was dying IN sin (unsaved thief).
3. One was dying FROM sin (repentant thief).

There are all classes of people characterized at the cross.

• Indifferent – people stood beholding (Luke 23:35).
• Religious – rulers derided Him (Luke 23:35).
• Materialistic – they parted His garments and cast lots (Luke 23:34).
• Earnest seekers – Lord, remember me (Luke 23:42).

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I’m thankful that when Your Son, Jesus Christ, was on the cross, that I was on His mind. I have family, friends, and loved ones who are not yet saved. Thank You for compelling me to go tell them of the salvation they can have through Your Son Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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This is PART 1 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 1

Christ’s 1ST Saying (Luke 23:34)
“…Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

He asked God the Father to forgive them for they did not know what they were doing. This was the first statement He said on the cross. His blood was shed for us that we might be clothed in the bright raiment of His righteousness. In all of His suffering, Christ demonstrated great compassion, not only for those who crucified Him, but for all mankind. As He forgave His tormentors, the Lord forgives all who come to Him in repentance seeking His forgiveness.

When Jesus was crucified, He fulfilled a number of prophetic Scriptures (Psalm 22:6, 16, 18; 34:20; 69:20-21; Isaiah 53:12; Zechariah 12:10). The idea that this terrible thing was done in ignorance runs through the New Testament. Acts 3:17, “And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.” Acts 13:27, “For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.”

According to Matthew’s account, Jesus had already suffered varied forms of abuse. He had been “scourged” (Matthew 27:26); He had “a crown of thorns” placed upon His head and was “mocked” (Matthew 27:29); the wicked ones had “spit upon Him…and smote Him on the head” (Matthew 27:30); and nailed Him to the cross. Jesus had been on the cross for a period of time and had said nothing. Everyone was wondering what He would say. Suddenly, from the lips of Jesus there came the first word since He had been on the cross. The suspense of only a half-minute pause would have seemed like an eternity. What would His next words be? Would He pronounce a curse upon them?

His first words would bring a hush over the crowd. In the darkest hours of His life, Jesus called upon Him as a trustworthy “Father”. The next words that Jesus spoke are perhaps the sweetest words to ever fall from the lips of the Saviour. He said, "Father, forgive them". This fulfilled the prophecy “and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12). Here Jesus practiced what He had preached earlier in His sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:44). Matthew 5:44, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” We cannot comprehend what a sword this would pierce into the unbelieving hearts of those Jews. Try to imagine what must have been going through the mind of those that had just passed by the cross and ridiculed Him for making Himself the Son of God.

In essence, the first words that came from His mouth were, “I love you!” His prayer to the Father for the forgiveness of His enemies was an expression of love for sinners. The malice of hatred was never as toxic as in this hour. Yet, the strength of love was never as powerful as when Christ prayed for His enemies. While the wicked succeeded in manifesting their wicked hearts, the Lover of sinners succeeded in revealing His loving heart. And by asking the Father to forgive them, He demonstrated to us that where there is a heart of compassion, there is a heart of forgiveness.

Then the next phrase, "For they know not what they do" was like adding insult to injury. The Jews were a very proud people and to tell them they did not know what they were doing did not help their feelings. This must have been a stunned crowd as they tried to analyze what the Lord Jesus had just said. The Saviour of men was the center of attention. But due to spiritual corruption and depravity, the people were blinded to His Person. Paul stated this, “…for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8). The Jews did not fully understand the greatness of their sin of crucifying their God and Creator. Instead of showing Him their affection and devotion, they revealed their accusations and detestation. Because God alone can forgive sin and open blinded eyes, we must also pray for those who continue in spiritual ignorance.

Even as He was being tortured to death, Jesus remembered the purpose for which He came, to open the door of divine forgiveness for all who would receive Him. He prayed that the Father would forgive even His executioners because they did not know what they were doing. As they gambled for His clothes, He pleaded for mercy for them, fulfilling prophecy from Psalm 22:18. As sinners mocked Him, He interceded for them so that they might repent and be saved. He prayed for God to forgive those who were crucifying Him. The very purpose for His coming was to make provision for forgiveness of sins. God will hold no sin against any man if that man will personally trust His Son. If God forgave the men who killed His only Son, God will forgive any man for any sin—if that man will just ask.

PRAYER: Father in heaven, thank You for loving me and sending Jesus to die on the cross for me. Thank You that I can be forgiven of all my sins. Help me to share this Good News with others. In Your name. Amen.

Thank you for reading PART 1 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 2.

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We are One in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-15) PART 2

Ephesians 2:14-15, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;”

The enmity between Jew and Gentile was deep and enduring. Jews regarded Gentiles as unclean scavenger dogs. Gentiles despised Jews as grasping religious hypocrites. Jewish ritual laws, especially the laws concerning clean and unclean food, made it virtually impossible for a Jew to have table fellowship with a Gentile, so social relationship was practically forbidden.

All men now approach God on the same basis, on an equal footing: by the blood of Jesus Christ. There is no other way. When a man comes to the cross, he comes with everyone else who is standing at the feet of Jesus. He stands as one with them—all on an equal basis: sinners who need a Saviour. Standing there he is not accepted by God because he is better, healthier, wealthier, more intelligent, more capable, and more religious than anyone else. He is acceptable to God because He acknowledges his unworthiness and nothingness—his desperate need—to be saved by the blood of Christ. He is acceptable to God because he acknowledges that he is as all other men—lost and needful—and he comes as one with all other men to confess Christ as his Saviour.

Christ brings peace by breaking down all barriers. This is a picture taken from the temple. The historian Josephus tells us that in the Jewish Temple, there was a 41/2 foot wall that separated Jews and Gentiles. In the temple at Jerusalem, a stone palisade about 4-1/2 feet high warned Gentiles, on pain of death, to go no further. They could enter the court of the Gentiles, but there they had to stop. The Jews fanatically defended the farther temple courts from Gentile intrusion. The temple was surrounded by a series of courts. Each court had a high wall separating it from the preceding court. As one approached the temple, he entered first of all the outer Court of the Gentiles. Gentiles could only go as far as the Court of Gentiles. This is where the buying and selling of animals and the exchanging of money for foreign worshippers took place (Mark 11:15).

Then there was the Court of the Women. A Jewish woman was limited to this court unless she had come to make a sacrifice. The next court was the Court of the Israelites. This is where the whole congregation gathered on the great feast days and where sacrifices were handed over to the priests. The Court of the Priests was next. This court was in the temple proper where the temple itself stood. This area was considered sacred and was accessible only to the services of the priests. Finally, within the very heart of the temple stood the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place where the very presence of God was to dwell. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy Place, and he could enter only once a year—at the great Passover Feast. Partition after partition separated people from the presence of God. Tablets hung around the wall of the Gentile Court announcing that if any Gentile walked into any other court, he was to be put to death. The picture is that of Jesus Christ breaking down all barriers and walls that separate man from God. All men can now approach God equally through the death of Jesus Christ. Men build all kinds of barriers and prejudices against other men.

Because of the blood of Jesus we have free, constant access to God's throne. Why? Christ “is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us” (Ephesians 2:14). The middle wall of partition probably refers to the temple in Jerusalem where there was a wall separating the Court of the Gentiles from the Court of Israel. The penalty for a Gentile going into the Court of Israel was death. In Christ, there are no more barriers or walls because He has made Jews and Gentiles one. Christ accomplished this by abolishing “in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances” (Ephesians 2:15a). This refers to ceremonial law, such as rituals, ceremonial washings, and sacrifices—all of which Christ fulfilled. It doesn't refer to God's moral law, which never changes. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Christ's purpose was “to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace” (Ephesians 2:15b). This means that in Christ, Gentiles don't become Jews, and Jews don't become Gentiles. Believing Jews and Gentiles don't become hybrids; instead, they become one new man, a new entity called Christians.

Paul used that physical barrier as a type—a picture—of the great division between Jew and Gentile. Christ has broken down that barrier; in Him, Jew and Gentile meet on common ground. We are all one in Christ. The cross has swept away the obstacles created by Jewish rituals and laws. Just as Jews and Gentiles united to crucify Christ, so Jews and Gentiles are now united in Christ and His church. The old barrier has been abolished. Christ has now done away with all barriers and prejudices. He has broken them all down by the blood of His cross. All men now approach God and become worthy on the same basis: by bowing before the cross and surrendering their lives to God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus removed these barriers by fulfilling the requirements of the Law. Christians are no longer living under the Law. They are living under grace. God's standard of holiness is still revealed in the Law, but Christ fulfilled this standard. In Him, we have salvation and are declared righteous. We have access to God, but also access to fellowship with Jewish Christians because we have been reconciled by the work of Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for the Prince of Peace and all the ways He brings peace to my life. Thank You first for establishing peace with me by allowing Your Son to settle all the debts and offenses that would have prevented me from ever knowing You. Thank You for the peace of Your presence and power in my life that overcomes all obstacles and draws me to You. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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We are One in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-15) PART 1

Ephesians 2:14-15, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;”

In the late 1800’s, Chile and Argentina were positioned against each other for war. It seemed as though conflict was inevitable; however, during Holy Week, Monsignor Benavente preached a message of peace and hope on Easter Sunday. The sermon influenced the leadership of the church in such a way that a campaign for peace between the countries was underway. Slowly the mindset of the people began to turn against warfare and toward harmony. With the movement now in full swing, a peace treaty was officially signed by the two governments which promised arbitration for future conflicts. As a result of the agreement, all the guns of the frontier fortress was melted down and used to create a bronze statue of Jesus Christ. Erected 13,000 feet up a mountain in Buenos Aires, the statue stands as a monument of grace. Beneath the statue an inscription reads, “He is our peace who hath made both one” Ephesians 2:14.

​The Gospel has ended the exclusion of the Gentile. The Gospel has brought Jew and Gentile together. In the Gospel there is no Jew or Gentile division, but only saved and lost. The "peace" here is not the peace with God that comes to man in Christ but the word speaks of joining Jew and Gentile together as one in the Gospel. Christ Jesus is the end of the conflict. His death on the cross abolished the eternal battle with sin. He united humanity into one body and one faith. Today we stand with Him in victory, claiming His promise of eternal life. We can lay down our guns and rest in His peace atop the mountain.

He Himself is our peace! Paul said in Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The peace that Christ gives has also brought peace between Gentile and Jewish Christians. Christ unites these two groups of people, removing the hostility. The work of Christ makes a person a new man or new woman. This word "new" is the word kainos; it does not refer to something that has been completed recently like a product out of a factory. It, instead, refers to something that is new in quality, in kind, and is unlike anything that has ever existed. The new person in Christ is no longer a Jew or Gentile but only a Christian. Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” The wall of separation has been removed between Jewish and Gentile believers through Jesus Christ. What is that all about? He was referring to the division between Jews and Gentiles illustrated by walls in the Jewish Temple.

This verse takes our minds back to the veil of the Temple that separated man from the holy of holies where God dwelt. This veil was torn in two the very moment that Christ died. Matthew 27:50-51, “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.” The rending of the veil in the temple is one of the most significant events surrounding the death of Christ. The veil separated man from the holy of holies where God met the high priest by the mercy seat. Only the high priest could enter there, and he could enter only once a year. It was on the Day of Atonement that the high priest entered the holy of holies to offer blood for his own sins and for the sins of the people. There was sudden and sure death for anyone else who went behind the veil.

The rending of this veil was a Divine act. Notice that the veil was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The rending of this veil originated in Heaven. The Veil before the Most Holy Place was 40 cubits (60 feet) long, and 20 (30 feet) wide, of the thickness of the palm of the hand. So heavy was this veil that to hang it they had to use two yoke of oxen. The torn veil represented the fact that there was no longer a barrier that separated man from God. Until then, only the High Priest was allowed to enter, but since Christ's death man can enter into God's presence.

Notice how Paul used the word flesh here referring to Christ in human form—the work He did on earth. The Old Testament veil pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:19-20, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” Here we learn that the veil in the temple was a type of the flesh (the humanity) of the Lord Jesus Christ. The rending of the veil typifies the rending of the flesh of Jesus. Notice that it was at the very moment that Christ died that the veil was torn in two. When Christ died, that which separated man from God (SIN) was paid for and the holy of holies was opened. Now all men became privileged to enter into the presence of God by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. I Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

A God of love wants to reconcile the sinner to Himself, but a God of holiness must see to it that sin is judged. God solved the problem by sending His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins, thereby revealing His love and meeting the demands of His righteousness. Because of what Christ has done for us, we have peace in our hearts and with God. He is our peace! Christ brings peace by bringing men together as "one". He has made "both one," that is, Jew and Gentile. There are two ways that Christ makes men as one.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for the Prince of Peace and all the ways He brings peace to my life. Thank You first for establishing peace with me by allowing Your Son to settle all the debts and offenses that would have prevented me from ever knowing You. Thank You for the peace of Your presence and power in my life that overcomes all obstacles and draws me to You. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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Faithfulness to the Lord (Joshua 24:15)

Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Millions of Christians throughout history have armed themselves with the weapon of total surrender to the Lord. They have willingly laid down their lives for Christ and died a martyr's death for the Lord. For example, consider the story of the forty martyrs of Sabaste. These forty soldiers, all Christians, were members of the famed Twelfth Legion of Rome's imperial army.

One day their captain told them Emperor Licinius had sent out an edict that all soldiers were to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. These Christians replied, "You can have our armor and even our bodies, but our hearts' allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ."

It was midwinter of A.D. 320, and the captain had them marched onto a nearby frozen lake. He stripped them of their clothes and said they would either renounce Christ or die. Throughout the night these men huddled together singing their song, "Forty martyrs for Christ." One by one the temperature took its toll and they fell to the ice.

At last, there was only one man left. He lost courage and stumbled to the shore, where he renounced Christ. The officer of the guards had been watching all this. Unknown to the others, he had secretly come to believe in Christ. When he saw this last man break rank, he walked out onto the ice, threw off his clothes, and confessed that he also was a Christian.

When the sun rose the next morning, there were forty bodies of soldiers who had fought to the death for Christ. They were armed with the weapon of a faithful, devoted mind that was made up and committed to the Lord Jesus Christ. May we be challenged by their testimonies. May the Lord help us to not have one trace of hesitancy in our lives, but be totally devoted to Him.

Joshua was a great man of God because he made his choice and he was committed to that decision. The people had to personally decide if they would recommit themselves to serving the Lord who had never broken a promise, who had proven His faithfulness over and over, and who had given them the Promised Land with all its vast blessings. The people made a strong confession of renewed dedication; to never to forsake the Lord. They declared that they would never turn away from the Lord, never commit apostasy against Him. They recommitted themselves to serve the Lord. In this confession, they were renewing their commitment and covenant with God.

Total devotion requires faithfulness to the Lord. The choice must be made to serve the Saviour and that decision be final. Your heart and mind cannot be divided if you are going to be devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot live your life for Him and also live your life for those who are worldly and sinful. You are going to have to make a choice about whom you are going to serve. If you are going to dedicate your life to the Lord, then you need to make yourself available to Him just like Isaiah. Our attitude is to be one of service, "Here am I, send me." The problem with many believers today is they don't want to serve. They want someone to serve them. That kind of attitude clashes with dedication to God.

Daily, we must decide for ourselves whom we will serve—to whom or to what we will commit our lives. God demands that a decision be made. We must make a decision for the Lord, a decision to believe and follow Him wholeheartedly. There is no room for neutrality, nor any room for delay or hesitancy. In fact, if a person does not make the decision to accept God, he is choosing to reject Him.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, give me the strength to live my life daily for You, sacrificing my wants and desires for how You would have me live my life. Make in me a clean heart daily, as this world is full of sin and filth. Help me to continually remember to wash my sins away by repentance and through Your promise of forgiveness. Thank You for giving me the power of the Holy Spirit to resist the evil around me. Help me to be a light in this dark place. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

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