Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross
The 1st of the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the Cross
Speaker: Jimmy Tamayo
Have you ever witnessed a person who claims he or she is about to die in few moments?
Have you heard any last words of a dying person, and what does a dying person normally say?
It is recorded in Luke 23:34, 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
This verse, the 1st of the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the cross, was Christ’s appeal, His petition on behalf of those who were torturing and crucifying Him. Christ’s concern for the salvation of His enemies was more apparent at that moment when He was in agony; His enemies were instruments for the fulfillment of His mission.
God the Father sent His One and Only Son Jesus Christ to be crucified on the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins. Hebrews 9:28 says, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Why did the author of Hebrews use the phrase sins of many and not sins of all people?
Are there other sinners who were and are not included in the sacrificial death of Christ?
Citizenship
Not all church-goers are Christians. Similarly, not all who live in Canada are Canadian citizens. Citizenship is not automatically given to all people who decide to live in Canada. It’s an option for residents to apply for it and there’s decision factor to be made. Permanent residents in Canada may have privileges of a Canadian citizen but permanent residents are not rightfully or not properly called Canadians.
Anyone may claim to be Christian. Anyone may pray, sing, and act like Christians do. How much certainty do you have that you have actually received the forgiveness of God?
When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” it illustrates that no amount of sin is too wicked or too hateful that God cannot forgive. If Christ sought forgiveness for those who tortured Him, He forgives anybody. It is stated in John 3:16, 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
The word “whoever” is conditional; the option to be saved is given to believers. God offered eternal life to all but only believers have received it. Faith in Christ is progressive; like the planted mustard seed, it needs to grow and bear fruit.
“The fruit of the Spirit shows that the believer has received the Holy Spirit, the seal of salvation. Make sure that the presence of the Holy Spirit is in your life, and let Him bear fruit.
Let’s Pray:
Lord Jesus, I want to be very certain that You have given me eternal life; fill me with Your Spirit and let the fruit of the Spirit shine in my life… Amen!
The 2nd of the 7 Last Words of Jesus
Speaker: Ernie Santillan
Jesus said in Luke 23:43 43“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Most preachers interpret that the 2nd of the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the cross was an assurance guaranteeing the eternal life of the crucified thief who trusted Christ. That Friday when Jesus died, He did not go straight to heaven, did He?
He resurrected after three days and went back to heaven forty days after His resurrection. If that is the case, what is this paradise that the Lord promised to the thief?
The word paradise according to Bible scholars is an ancient Persian word meaning “enclosure, garden, or park” similar to the Garden of Eden.
Some Bible students believe that the paradise is where the soul and spirit of the dead go while waiting to for Rapture or 2nd Advent when believers are given glorified bodies. In Revelation 2:7, 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
The tree of life is mentioned several times in the Bible; in Revelation 22:1-2, 1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
There are many heavenly things that we cannot fully comprehend. God did not give much explanation about eternal things that believers would enjoy in eternity because our human faculty and capability are limited; eternal things are beyond human comprehension.
Manoah
Trivia question: Who is the father of Samson? Answer: Manoah
An angel of the Lord told Manoah that his barren wife will give birth to Samson. In Judges 13:17-18… 17 Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?” 18 The angel of the Lord replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.”
God did not provide much explanation on eternal matters because they are beyond human understanding. We believe that Christ died for our sins by faith not by human intellect. Christ promised eternal life to the crucified thief, who trusted in Him, but not to the other thief, who mocked Him.
Eternal life is God’s gift but God doesn’t force us to receive it. Much knowledge about heavenly things is great but cannot compel us obey God because obedience to the Lord means that Christ’s Spirit is reigning in our life. Obedience to God is a manifestation that Jesus has been performing His Lordship in us.
Let’s Pray:
Lord Jesus, please take Your proper place in the throne of my life and be my Lord.
The 3rd of the 7 Last Words of Jesus
Speaker: Erik Lozada
The 3rd of the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the cross was a reminder for us that Christ desires disciples to respect parents as evidence of love for Jesus as Lord.
In John 19:26-27….26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “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.
The disciple mentioned [here] is believed to be John the brother of James son of Zebedee.
When Jesus said to Mary, “Woman, here is your son,” Mary understood it that she would take care of John just as she would for Jesus. Likewise, when Jesus said to John, “Here is your mother,” John understood that he would receive Mary just as he would for Jesus. John taking Mary into his home shows that they obeyed what Jesus told them to do.
Did it ever come to your mind why Jesus entrusted His mother Mary to Apostles John? Did Mary live long in the home of John or did she go home and live with her children?
There are many speculations we can presume but it is implied that the Lord wants us to take responsibility for one another as believers. Taking care for brothers, sisters, mothers, or fathers in Christ has been magnified here but not necessarily ignoring other biological relatives.
How much do you care about older people actually?
Ruth
In the Old Testament, the husband and children of Naomi died. Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law never left her; Ruth took care of her mother-in-law.
In Ruth 2:11-12, 11 Boaz said, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Indeed, God blessed Ruth for the rest of her life; she was included in Christ’s genealogy.
Ruth married Boaz; Boaz was one of the most respected persons in Bethlehem.
Did Ruth ever dream of marrying a well-respected person? Did God bless Ruth for the goodness she did to the old Naomi, her mother-in-law?
In Psalm 68:5, 5 a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
Mary was believed to be a widow that was why Jesus wanted John to take care of her. Among all the twelve apostles, John was considered to be the most blessed - he died at old age.
God is defender of the powerless like widows. If you want God to remember your kindness and goodness, be kind and good to widows.
Let’s Pray:
Lord Jesus, pour out Your love in my heart for me to be good and kind to widows.
The 4th of the 7 Last Words of Jesus
Speaker: Dave de Leon:
The 4th of the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the cross reminds us to keep on trusting God, and persevering even at times when we feel like God has forsaken us.
In Matthew 27:46, 46About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
Bible Scholars strongly suggest that at this point of Christ’s crucifixion, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit left Jesus to experience the agony of punishment for our sins. These words of Jesus reveal the limitations of the human nature of Christ wanting to get an answer. He felt forsaken; He felt abandoned even by His loving Father.
At death bed, each person will face that reality of death; each of us cannot depend upon anybody except God. Nobody can extend our life; loving family, caring friend, or the most intelligent scientist cannot prolong when it’s time for God to take our life away. No matter how long we would live on earth, we will still experience physical death.
Responses in times of agony, struggle, persecution, or difficulty are factors for us to assess our faith in God. Do you still trust in God when death knocks at your door?
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the three friends of Daniel were charged of violating the law of King Nebuchadnezzar. Let’s read Daniel 3:13-18…13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego preferred to face the consequences of not worshiping the gods of Nebuchadnezzar rather than to deny their faith in the Lord.
At times when we felt forsaken, we can rely upon the Lord Jesus. He understands our feeling of being abandoned as He felt forsaken at the cross.
God has a great design for you and me, even when we cannot understand why He allows us to suffer. Please know that He endured seeing that agony suffered by His One and Only Son Jesus because of His great plan—that is to save us from eternal punishment He has prepared for sinners.
Let’s Pray:
Lord Jesus, please help us to trust You when we encounter terrible difficulties.
The 5th of the 7 Last Words of Jesus
Speaker: Max de Leon
The 5th of the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the cross inspires us to thirst for righteousness. Christ came on earth - born, lived, and died as human; He experienced hunger and thirst.
In John 19:28… 28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
Jesus lived on earth as human. As such, He experienced problems common to humankind. He felt pains, sadness, and happiness. He became hungry and thirsty as well. As much as His life on earth as human being is the same as any human being lives for physically, the life He exemplified should serve as our model on how we, as children of God, should live our life in this wicked and challenging world.
God has already prepared for our needs even before we were born. When at times that He allows us to be in need, it should lead us to seek His provision and will. The Lord said in Jeremiah 1:5-6…5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
In verse 4, however, Jeremiah argued, 6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
Like Jeremiah, we frequently argue with God about our limitations. We present to Him our needs and look at ourselves as inadequate servants. We sense our desire to serve the Lord and give our best but, oftentimes we think of ourselves as weak because of human limitations.
When Christ Jesus said, “I am thirsty,” it was a reality and an expression of human need. That human need, however, did not stop Him obeying the Father. For us Christians, there will always be human needs while we are still in this world, but those needs should not stop us to obey Christ our Lord.
Jeremiah considered himself as very young person. According to Bible scholars, Jeremiah was approximately seventeen years old when God called him to preach to Israel. As in many cultures, a young person is not generally given much respect or attention. Being so, Jeremiah who called the weeping prophet, lamented on this reality as his people did not heed his warning. His friend, relatives, and even people serving in the temple did not pay attention to him.
Like Jeremiah we are hesitant to obey the Lord because of our human limitations. And most of us hope to serve the Lord when have retired or acquired enough wealth. But friends, it is Christ’s Spirit who inspires us to serve God. It is not advance age or material possession that will drive us to follow and serve Him.
What limitation is preventing you to serve God? Do you really have Christ in your life? Should material, financial, physical, or intellectual things limit you in serving the Lord?
You are not alone in your present predicament. Jeremiah argued with God that he was too young with no experience in preaching. But God prevailed over him and he obeyed. It is the same with you and I, too. Remember that God is never mistaken in choosing anyone, including you and I.
Christ’s human experiences are evidences that prove He understands when we are in need. When Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled, that means Christ the Lord has already prepared everything we need to live a righteous life acceptable to Him. All we just need to do is to ask Him to fill us with His righteousness.
Shall we Pray:
Lord Jesus, let me thirst and hunger for righteousness and not for worldly things.
The 6th of the 7 Last Words of Jesus
Speaker: Nito Alarilla
The 6th of the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the cross is a declaration of our Savior that He has paid for the punishment, the penalty of our sins acceptable to God.
In John 19:30….30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”
The words of Jesus “It is finished,” is similar to the commercial phrase “Paid in Full.” When one buys something, a receipt is expected to be issued to the buyer. The receipt is a legal document proving that what is purchased has been paid in full.
When Jesus said “It is finished,” John understood it exactly that Jesus has stamped “Paid in Full” the wrath of God; the penalty of every single sin was satisfied on the cross. John had a personal knowledge of what “Full Payment” means first-hand. John helped his father Zebedee in the commercial fishing industry; they sold fish.
Human efforts fall short and cannot satisfy the demands of God except God himself. Jesus is God; He is the perfect sacrificial lamb who satisfied and met all requirements. Christ’s crucifixion served as full payment for the penalty of our sins.
What does it mean to us today when Jesus paid in full for the penalty of our sins? Does it mean that it’s just okay to sin because Jesus has paid for our sins in full anyway?
It means we already have the power in Christ Jesus to avoid sin. The temptation of sin may tickle us, but sin does not have any control over our life anymore.
Debt
If you have paid your loans or your debts in full, you’ve been freed from them. If there’ll be letters coming to your mail boxes to inform you to pay your loan, if you have fully paid your debt… you have no reaction to the pressure of debt. There might be some kind of miscommunication if you receive a letter or notice to remind you that you should pay for your loans or debts. You know you paid it in full and you have the receipt of your payment with you.
Do you still need to go and pay the same amount again? Sure No!
Jesus paid all of our sins but the devil may come and tempt us to continue on sinning. To give in to the temptation of sin is like paying your loans or debts that you have already paid in full which is to your detriment or to your disadvantage or harm.
If somebody comes and tells you to pay your debts, show your receipt, and let the receipt defend your cause. Likewise, when temptation of sin comes and incites you to sin again, pray and tell the Lord to throw that temptation away from you.
To give in to the temptation of sin may prove that the Lord has been ignored. Christ is willing to free us from the control of sin more than we can comprehend. Take time to pray; what temptation is so strong that you would almost give in?
Let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, please give me wisdom to escape temptations of sin coming near me.
The 7th of the 7 Last Words of Jesus
Speaker: Pastor Lorenz Sallong
The 7th and the last of the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the cross, He commits His Spirit to God the Father, is a reminder to all of us that we need to commit our life to the Lordship of Jesus just as Jesus entrusts, deposited His Spirit to the Father.
In Luke 23:46, 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
The word “commit” means to entrust or deposit. It’s like depositing money in the bank.
When you deposit your money in the bank, you entrust or commit your money to the care of the bankers; you trust that your money is safe in the hands of the bankers.
Christ Jesus knows His Father so well; He trusts God the Father that He would do what’s best for His Son. God is faithful; He did not let His Son Jesus to decay in the tomb. After three days, God the Father resurrected His Son Jesus.
In 2 Timothy 2:2, 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
The word “entrust” that Paul used has the same original Greek translation with the word “commit” that Jesus uttered on the cross; the disciple that God has prepared for you will grow spiritually to be are reliable of spiritual thing, not doubters.
The sufferings of the Lord Jesus are examples that as His disciples, we surely will experience persecution just as the He was persecuted. In John 15:20 Jesus said, 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
In most cases of marriage, spouse’s faithfulness is tested during crisis, not in happy times. Church life is the same bcause believers are married to Christ; and Christ is the head of the church.
May each of us be found to be reliable disciple, especially, in times of crises or problems!
In Romans 8:32, 35, 38, 39, 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?... 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Our challenge as believers in 1 Peter 4:19, 19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Let’s Pray:
Lord Jesus, we commit our life to Your care; use it according to Your will.