The Seven Sayings At the Cross
This Sunday, as we approached the celebration of Good Friday and Easter in the coming week, CDC had the honor of our own Pastor Micky give a powerful sermon on “The Seven Sayings At the Cross”, a special focus on the meaningful words uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ as He suffered such cruelty at the cross.
Each saying teaches us so much about the life and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(A) Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing
Even as they nailed the terrible nails into the hands and feet of our Lord Jesus, He did not curse his tormenters, but instead asked His Father to forgive them. His great mercy and forgiveness, to even those who wronged Him calls us to do likewise, not holding the sins of others against them, but asking the Lord to forgive them. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we truly need to cultivate the wonderful heart of forgiveness that the Lord had.
(B) I tell you the truth, today, you will be with me in Paradise .
At the cross, one of the thieves chose to defend Jesus at that terrible hour. His actions and words showed his faith, the belief in his heart that Jesus was truly the Messiah. The Lord answered Him with great compassion, today you will be with me in Paradise . Even at His death, the Lord still found the love and passion to bring in another sinner into the kingdom of God
(C) Dear woman, here is your son (to Mary), …here is your mother (to John)
Even in enduring great suffering, the Lord cared deeply for His family, and commissioned his beloved disciple John to care for her as his own mother. We need to cultivate this wonderful love and care that Jesus had not only in our own families, but also all the family of God!
(D) My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
As the sins of the world fell upon the shoulders of our Lord Jesus, the Father was forced to turn away, and in that moment, poor Lord Jesus felt completely alone, completely forsaken, and cried out in anguish to His Father in heaven. Throughout His life, our Lord Jesus was completely honest before His Father, pouring out His feelings and telling God exactly how He felt. We too need to learn to be honest like Jesus before God, opening our heart to Him and expressing our deepest thoughts and feelings. In all things, we must always understand that Jesus understands, for He endured all things, and suffered more than we could ever know.
(E) I thirst
After terrible hours of ordeal at the cross, the Lord was thirsty and He was not ashamed to admit so. His words showed the humanity and humility of Christ. Although He was equal to God, the Lord was willing to become a mere human mortal and suffer all that we suffer in our frail human bodies. Sometimes we become angry, and our pride rises as we think “I don’t deserve to be treated like this”, but when we look at the Lord, we can’t help be ashamed, for the Prince of Heaven, left all His glory, humbling himself to be a mere man for our sake. Let us learn to be humble like our Lord ….
(F) It is finished
Finally, the Lord knew that He had borne all the sins of the world and His ordeal was over. In a loud and triumphant voice, He cried “It is finished!” The Lord Jesus was true to His mission throughout His whole life, and His crucifixion was the climax of His entire purpose of coming to the world, to fulfill all righteousness. May the Lord help us too fulfill the destiny that He has planned for us with faithfulness, perseverance and hope in Him.
(G) Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit
As His final saying, the Lord committed His Spirit to His Father in Heaven. Our Lord trusted in God the Father completely and surrendered His Spirit to Him in complete faith. Let us too, who hold on to the Lord, trust in our God with all our heart and soul, trusting Him always, even till the day of our death. Let our hopes ever be upon Him.
God bless,
Jason
Saying | Application |
Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing… | Forgiveness and mercy |
I tell you the truth, today, you will be with me in | Passion for the lost |
Dear woman, here is your son,….. here is your mother | Love and care |
My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? | Honesty |
I thirst | Humility |
It is finished | Faithfulness |
Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit | Trust |
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