Moments of Inspiration

Meditations on the Master from
the Radio Ministry of Steve McLean

Seven Words from the Cross 

            My long-time friend and colleague in ministry, B. Shelburne, of Houston, Texas, writes an on-line column he calls Nuggets. They are excellent, short devotionals that are available free of charge to those who are interested in receiving them. In one of his recent devotionals he wrote briefly about the seven statements Jesus made while on the cross. With his permission, I have adapted some of his thoughts on this edition of Moments of Inspiration..

            On the cross Jesus endured searing agony and public shame. When it was offered to him, Jesus refused the anesthetic of wine and myrrh in order to keep his mind clear. And with such clarity of thought, Jesus taught some powerful lessons from the cross. Even in the midst of agony and suffering he was still the world’s greatest teacher. Please consider with me the seven “words” or statements Jesus made on the cross.

            The first one is this: "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  Is this not amazing? In a world self-destructing from hatred, Jesus modeled healing love and forgiveness. For whom did Jesus offer this prayer? For those who were responsible for his suffering and death—for the Roman soldiers who drove the nails through his hands and feet, for the Jewish leaders who hated him without cause, and perhaps for his disciples who ran away in fear, not knowing fully what they were doing.

But not only for them; the prayer of Jesus was also for us. In our sinfulness we often have not known what we were doing to Jesus. So he prayed for the forgiveness of our ignorance.

            The second statement: "Today you will be with me in paradise."  This is so like Jesus.  Redeeming a penitent thief outweighed his own concerns. He came to earth for that very purpose, to seek and save the lost, so here, on the cross, while in the process of making atonement for sins, he offered salvation to a man who desperately needed it and reached out for it.
            Statement number three is one of loving concern for the care of his mother. 

"Dear woman, here is your son. Son, here is your mother.”  Jesus entrusted his mother to John, the disciple whom he loved. It is supposed that Mary was a widow, and would need assistance. While Jesus was dying a painful death he still thought of the needs of others. What a lesson for us. What is your attitude regarding the care of aging parents?

            Now, number four: "I am thirsty.”  This is the first statement that expresses anything about his personal needs. Though Jesus was God in a physical body, he felt the heat of the sun and the struggle to breathe. Rapid dehydration and a high temperature escalated his thirst. He suffered not one whit less than we would have suffered. Here Jesus teaches us the truth about his humanity. The stark reality of his condescension for our benefit.

            The next statement—number five—is: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  These may be the most difficult words ever spoken by Jesus. God turned his face away and the world became dark. To take our place Jesus had to experience the separation that sin brings. For Jesus, who had always had the intimate closeness of God the Father, this separation from him may have been even more painful than the physical suffering he endured. As we hear this anguished question, we learn all the more about his love for us. He was willing to endure even this to provide salvation for sinful creatures.

            Here is statement number six: "It is finished.” This sentence, which is a single word in the Greek text, teaches us of the faithfulness of Jesus to complete the task the Father sent him to do. Jesus was faithful! The Father sent Jesus to sacrifice himself and give us back our sin-destroyed lives. He could have avoided the cross, or called twelve legions of angels to take him away from the suffering, but he loved us too much to do that. I mentioned that this is a single word in the Greek, and that word was used in commerce to mean, “It is paid.” In his death on the cross Jesus paid the debt for our sins. How deeply we should appreciate this word, this statement of Jesus! 

            The final statement of our Lord on the cross is this: "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”  His suffering was almost over; he was ready to experience what it was like to die. But he knew that he could safely face anything if he was in his Father's hands. And he teaches us that we, too, should have no fear of death.

            Have you committed your Spirit to God? Have you placed your life in God’s hands?