Seven Last Words of Christ: Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands! (Luke 23:46)
Jesus was finished. He had taken care of everything he had to do. He had taught, he had mentored his apostles, he had even made sure his mother would be taken care of. And now he was through.
There was no reason for him to hang on any longer.
And he was tired, beyond all imagining. Tired, exhausted, weak, in pain and he was ready to go. There was nothing holding him here.
Waiting for him was rest. Waiting for him was peace. Waiting for him were the angels and home.
So, here, what seems to be the last thing Jesus said, he says I give myself to you. My life is your anyway and I give myself to you.
And he died. That part of Jesus that was human was finished. His life was complete. His mission, at least the first part, was done.
But – even though he was dead physically, he was still alive eternally, spiritually. And that was the point of the whole thing.
Showing posts with label Seven Last Words of Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seven Last Words of Christ. Show all posts
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
Seven Last Words of Christ: It is finished
Seven Last Words of Christ: It is finished (John 19:30).
Jesus was a young man, probably only about thirty-three years old. But he knew that he had but a short window of time in which to work.
The Bible says he was only thirty when he began his ministry, and he accomplished everything he needed to do in less than four years. Then he was through with the earthly part of his ministry.
Now he moved on to greater things.
When he hung on the cross, he recognized that he was through, that there was no more to be done. He had lived his life sinlessly, he had taught, he had mentored his apostles and many of his other disciples so that they could carry on his work. He had done everything he could do and everything he was supposed to do.
Ephesians says that all this had been planned from before the foundation of the world, that God had planned this long before the world was even created. He knew humanity would sin and fall from the perfection he gave them. He knew they would be trapped in sin with no way out. He knew that despair would set in and that everybody would know that there was nothing they could do.
And rather than let them sit there in their sins with a long list of things they had to do but were incapable of accomplishing, he would do something about it. He would give them release from their failure. He would redeem them from their sin.
He had gone through all the things in the last few days that he knew were coming. He had his fake trial and was condemned for nothing. He was hanging and dying.
There was nothing else to do now except to be through.
He wanted to be through. He was separated from God, he was in pain, he was alone on a level he had never been before in his whole existence. He was just through.
So as he drank the little bit of sour wine they gave him – a surprising act of mercy from a soldier – he said loudly, so that his voice would ring through the underworld as well as this world “It is finished.” I am through. I have done everything I came to do and I am tired and ready to be through.
It is finished.
Jesus was a young man, probably only about thirty-three years old. But he knew that he had but a short window of time in which to work.
The Bible says he was only thirty when he began his ministry, and he accomplished everything he needed to do in less than four years. Then he was through with the earthly part of his ministry.
Now he moved on to greater things.
When he hung on the cross, he recognized that he was through, that there was no more to be done. He had lived his life sinlessly, he had taught, he had mentored his apostles and many of his other disciples so that they could carry on his work. He had done everything he could do and everything he was supposed to do.
Ephesians says that all this had been planned from before the foundation of the world, that God had planned this long before the world was even created. He knew humanity would sin and fall from the perfection he gave them. He knew they would be trapped in sin with no way out. He knew that despair would set in and that everybody would know that there was nothing they could do.
And rather than let them sit there in their sins with a long list of things they had to do but were incapable of accomplishing, he would do something about it. He would give them release from their failure. He would redeem them from their sin.
He had gone through all the things in the last few days that he knew were coming. He had his fake trial and was condemned for nothing. He was hanging and dying.
There was nothing else to do now except to be through.
He wanted to be through. He was separated from God, he was in pain, he was alone on a level he had never been before in his whole existence. He was just through.
So as he drank the little bit of sour wine they gave him – a surprising act of mercy from a soldier – he said loudly, so that his voice would ring through the underworld as well as this world “It is finished.” I am through. I have done everything I came to do and I am tired and ready to be through.
It is finished.
Seven Last Words of Christ: I am thirsty.
Seven Last Words of Christ: I am thirsty. (John 19:28).
The water of life is going physically dry.
As Jesus hung on the cross, that part of him that was human, his physical body was dying. He had lost a lot of blood, had really been too busy and preoccupied to eat and drink the past day. In fact, since the Last Supper, he probably hadn’t had anything. Then he was arrested, and his physical comforts were not foremost on the soldiers’ minds.
He was worn out, wrung out, bled out, sweated out. And his body called out, I am thirsty.
John 19:29 says A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. One of the soldiers, in an odd act of mercy, gave him something to drink.
The sour wine, or vinegar as one translation calls it, was not an insult. It was ordinary cheap wine the soldiers drank. If the wine was good, it went to the richer people. If it was not as good, it went to poor people and soldiers. Having been a soldier, I know that they do not care a lot what they drink as long as it does its job.
The soldier put it on a sponge and on a branch and held it to Jesus’ lips.
The irony here is strong. In John 4, Jesus told a woman that he was the water of life, that in him was no thirst. And yet he is thirsty, thirsty beyond anything he could imagine.
In 1969, I was in Basic Training in the army in El Paso, TX, right in the middle of the desert. We did our marching in an area to the east of the White Sands Missile Range. It was mostly sand and scrub brush. And it was dry.
We went marching one day, walking through the sand in the extreme heat of the desert. We took salt tablets to keep us from dehydrating so our shirts were white stained where we had sweated around our pistol belt harnesses were.
After a particularly long walk – during which they would not let us drink, supposedly to teach us to do without if needed (but mainly to be mean, as I felt at the time) – we were resting. Then the drill sergeant told us we could have some water.
I took my canteen off my belt and uncapped it. Someone had decided that plastic was a good idea for the canteens and they were colored olive drab green like everything else.
I took a drink of the hot green plastic water and it was the most wonderful thing I had ever tasted in my life. At that moment, I would have drunk almost anything.
Jesus was to that point and he drank the sour wine the soldiers gave him. But verse 30 says it was the last thing he did.
With his last breath, the water of life was dried up, the beautiful life-giving flow stopped and Jesus died.
But like those springs in the desert that all you have to do is dig down a ways to find them again, the spring of water that was Jesus was not exhausted. Three days later, it bubbled up again and he was alive.
And now he gives us that chance to bubble up again, to be alive, to drink the water of life again.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)
He is alive.
The water of life is going physically dry.
As Jesus hung on the cross, that part of him that was human, his physical body was dying. He had lost a lot of blood, had really been too busy and preoccupied to eat and drink the past day. In fact, since the Last Supper, he probably hadn’t had anything. Then he was arrested, and his physical comforts were not foremost on the soldiers’ minds.
He was worn out, wrung out, bled out, sweated out. And his body called out, I am thirsty.
John 19:29 says A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. One of the soldiers, in an odd act of mercy, gave him something to drink.
The sour wine, or vinegar as one translation calls it, was not an insult. It was ordinary cheap wine the soldiers drank. If the wine was good, it went to the richer people. If it was not as good, it went to poor people and soldiers. Having been a soldier, I know that they do not care a lot what they drink as long as it does its job.
The soldier put it on a sponge and on a branch and held it to Jesus’ lips.
The irony here is strong. In John 4, Jesus told a woman that he was the water of life, that in him was no thirst. And yet he is thirsty, thirsty beyond anything he could imagine.
In 1969, I was in Basic Training in the army in El Paso, TX, right in the middle of the desert. We did our marching in an area to the east of the White Sands Missile Range. It was mostly sand and scrub brush. And it was dry.
We went marching one day, walking through the sand in the extreme heat of the desert. We took salt tablets to keep us from dehydrating so our shirts were white stained where we had sweated around our pistol belt harnesses were.
After a particularly long walk – during which they would not let us drink, supposedly to teach us to do without if needed (but mainly to be mean, as I felt at the time) – we were resting. Then the drill sergeant told us we could have some water.
I took my canteen off my belt and uncapped it. Someone had decided that plastic was a good idea for the canteens and they were colored olive drab green like everything else.
I took a drink of the hot green plastic water and it was the most wonderful thing I had ever tasted in my life. At that moment, I would have drunk almost anything.
Jesus was to that point and he drank the sour wine the soldiers gave him. But verse 30 says it was the last thing he did.
With his last breath, the water of life was dried up, the beautiful life-giving flow stopped and Jesus died.
But like those springs in the desert that all you have to do is dig down a ways to find them again, the spring of water that was Jesus was not exhausted. Three days later, it bubbled up again and he was alive.
And now he gives us that chance to bubble up again, to be alive, to drink the water of life again.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)
He is alive.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Seven Last Words of Christ: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Seven Last Words of Christ: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? (Matthew 27:46).
Jesus was human as much as he was divine. We forget that. He was conceived by the action of the divine and the human so that he could be part of us and understand how we felt. If he never felt like we do or had problems like we do, it would have been worthless for him to come.
He hurt as we hurt. He felt as we felt. He was hungry and said ouch when he hit his toe like we do. He was like us except that he was sinless. But even though he was sinless, he was no less human.
And as a human, the last thing on this earth he wanted to do was to be whipped and nailed on a cross.
He knew why he would be. And he came for that reason. Yet when it came, I think it surprised him in some ways.
For one thing, he never anticipated the loneliness of desertion by God. He may not have even considered it. But as the Bible said, he became sin so that we could have forgiveness from our sins. For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).
When he took the sins of the world on himself, God couldn’t be with him anymore. God is perfect and holy. In him there is no sin. When Jesus took those sins God had to move away from him.
Jesus knew this when he came. But I really think that the enormity of God being gone surprised him. He had always had a relationship with God. As the Word, he had been with God for eternity. There was no time when they were not in communion with each other. As Jesus, the human Son, he had always been in contact with God in prayer. He had always felt the nearness, the closeness of God in his life.
But as the sin-offering, he now had to endure the absence of God. And he did it so that we would not have to.
Of course, it was not permanent. It was only until he died. But for those couple of hours, he felt the loneliness so many feel when they do not have God in their lives, when they have not invited the Father to come in and be with them in their hearts.
For those couple of hours, he was alone. And it surprised him.
And the human side of him cried out, Wait! Where did you go? Why are you gone?
The divine side knew why God had to go, but the human side was caught by surprise.
And Jesus knew the loneliness that so many know outside of God.
Jesus was human as much as he was divine. We forget that. He was conceived by the action of the divine and the human so that he could be part of us and understand how we felt. If he never felt like we do or had problems like we do, it would have been worthless for him to come.
He hurt as we hurt. He felt as we felt. He was hungry and said ouch when he hit his toe like we do. He was like us except that he was sinless. But even though he was sinless, he was no less human.
And as a human, the last thing on this earth he wanted to do was to be whipped and nailed on a cross.
He knew why he would be. And he came for that reason. Yet when it came, I think it surprised him in some ways.
For one thing, he never anticipated the loneliness of desertion by God. He may not have even considered it. But as the Bible said, he became sin so that we could have forgiveness from our sins. For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).
When he took the sins of the world on himself, God couldn’t be with him anymore. God is perfect and holy. In him there is no sin. When Jesus took those sins God had to move away from him.
Jesus knew this when he came. But I really think that the enormity of God being gone surprised him. He had always had a relationship with God. As the Word, he had been with God for eternity. There was no time when they were not in communion with each other. As Jesus, the human Son, he had always been in contact with God in prayer. He had always felt the nearness, the closeness of God in his life.
But as the sin-offering, he now had to endure the absence of God. And he did it so that we would not have to.
Of course, it was not permanent. It was only until he died. But for those couple of hours, he felt the loneliness so many feel when they do not have God in their lives, when they have not invited the Father to come in and be with them in their hearts.
For those couple of hours, he was alone. And it surprised him.
And the human side of him cried out, Wait! Where did you go? Why are you gone?
The divine side knew why God had to go, but the human side was caught by surprise.
And Jesus knew the loneliness that so many know outside of God.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Seven Last Words of Christ: Dear woman, here is your son. Here is your mother
Seven Last Words of Christ: Dear woman, here is your son. Here is your mother (John 19:26-27).
Mary had been through a lot in the past few days. Her son knew it was the end, and while she was not sure of what all was going to happen, she knew that something was. Events were unfolding in such a way that she knew it couldn’t go on like this forever.
Important people were getting angry with Jesus. Jesus also began to talk about dying, that there was something he was going to have to do. The apostles were worried, and so was she.
He had even said plain out a couple of days before, that he was going to die. As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified (Matthew 26:1).
She was afraid. She had remembered what old Simeon said, the priest at the temple where she and Joseph had gone to dedicate Jesus. He had said: This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul. (Luke 2:34-35).
Well, she didn’t want a sword, thank you very much. She just wanted to see her little baby grow up and be happy. His brothers and sisters had managed to do that fine, but she had seen early on that Jesus was going to be a different person, not like the rest.
But this was not what she wanted. No! Here he was, hanging in front of her, nailed to a cross, dying, having gone through a terrible beating. And all for no real reason. At least none that she knew. She didn’t know what to do.
She wasn’t going to starve. There were Jesus’ brothers. They were doing well taking care of Joseph’s carpenter shop and all. One of the girls came over every day to help clean and cook.
But her son was dying. How would she live through all this? How could she bear it?
Then Jesus looked down at her. He was really only a few feet up. You could almost see into his battered and bleeding face.
He looked at her and saw her suffering. He was always like that. He could always tell when she was upset, even when no one else could see it. And he wanted to help her.
He knew the brothers didn’t understand. They didn’t realize what was happening. They would later, but she needed the comfort now.
He looked at John. He loved John. He was such a sensitive man. He knew he would help Mary sort all this out, even though he didn’t really understand himself. John was a giving person and would give comfort to Mary.
Through his haze of pain, he said, John, take care of her. and to his mother he said, let him take care of you. The brothers would make sure she had what she needed physically. But John would make sure she had what she needed emotionally, at least until the others came around.
She needed that. And he was more than glad to give it to her. She was, after all, his mother.
Mary had been through a lot in the past few days. Her son knew it was the end, and while she was not sure of what all was going to happen, she knew that something was. Events were unfolding in such a way that she knew it couldn’t go on like this forever.
Important people were getting angry with Jesus. Jesus also began to talk about dying, that there was something he was going to have to do. The apostles were worried, and so was she.
He had even said plain out a couple of days before, that he was going to die. As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified (Matthew 26:1).
She was afraid. She had remembered what old Simeon said, the priest at the temple where she and Joseph had gone to dedicate Jesus. He had said: This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul. (Luke 2:34-35).
Well, she didn’t want a sword, thank you very much. She just wanted to see her little baby grow up and be happy. His brothers and sisters had managed to do that fine, but she had seen early on that Jesus was going to be a different person, not like the rest.
But this was not what she wanted. No! Here he was, hanging in front of her, nailed to a cross, dying, having gone through a terrible beating. And all for no real reason. At least none that she knew. She didn’t know what to do.
She wasn’t going to starve. There were Jesus’ brothers. They were doing well taking care of Joseph’s carpenter shop and all. One of the girls came over every day to help clean and cook.
But her son was dying. How would she live through all this? How could she bear it?
Then Jesus looked down at her. He was really only a few feet up. You could almost see into his battered and bleeding face.
He looked at her and saw her suffering. He was always like that. He could always tell when she was upset, even when no one else could see it. And he wanted to help her.
He knew the brothers didn’t understand. They didn’t realize what was happening. They would later, but she needed the comfort now.
He looked at John. He loved John. He was such a sensitive man. He knew he would help Mary sort all this out, even though he didn’t really understand himself. John was a giving person and would give comfort to Mary.
Through his haze of pain, he said, John, take care of her. and to his mother he said, let him take care of you. The brothers would make sure she had what she needed physically. But John would make sure she had what she needed emotionally, at least until the others came around.
She needed that. And he was more than glad to give it to her. She was, after all, his mother.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Seven Last Words of Christ: I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise
Seven Last Words of Christ:
One of the thieves took advantage of the situation and began railing against Jesus himself. The other recognized Jesus for who and what he was. He also recognized that he and the other guy deserved to be punished.
He called out to the other thief, let him alone. We deserve this. He doesn’t.
Then he looked at Jesus and asked would you please remember me when you come in your kingdom. I recognize you. You are the Messiah. Can you overlook my sinful life and just, if nothing else, claim to know me in that great day?
Jesus, through his haze of pain, looked at his fellow dying man and said, I promise you. Today you will be with me in paradise. It is not long until we both die and I will not forget you.
We are dying, all of us. We begin the minute we are born. And Jesus promises life. As we die, we have to recognize that need for life. When we do, we call out to God, through Jesus, remember me. Claim me. Know me. Love me. See me.
And when we do, Jesus says to us, through his haze of love, today you will be with me in paradise.
I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:35-43).As Jesus hung on the cross, bleeding his life away, many around him taunted him and laughed. He was hung between two thieves, a snarky little comment by the ones crucifying him, trying their best to minimize him and his death. After all, if he is hung between two thieves, it is guilt by association, right?
One of the thieves took advantage of the situation and began railing against Jesus himself. The other recognized Jesus for who and what he was. He also recognized that he and the other guy deserved to be punished.
He called out to the other thief, let him alone. We deserve this. He doesn’t.
Then he looked at Jesus and asked would you please remember me when you come in your kingdom. I recognize you. You are the Messiah. Can you overlook my sinful life and just, if nothing else, claim to know me in that great day?
Jesus, through his haze of pain, looked at his fellow dying man and said, I promise you. Today you will be with me in paradise. It is not long until we both die and I will not forget you.
We are dying, all of us. We begin the minute we are born. And Jesus promises life. As we die, we have to recognize that need for life. When we do, we call out to God, through Jesus, remember me. Claim me. Know me. Love me. See me.
And when we do, Jesus says to us, through his haze of love, today you will be with me in paradise.
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