Words of Glory from the Pulpit of the Cross

Lord Jesus Christ endured the suffering and pain to provide salvation for all who could trust in him. The process was not easy. The Seven Words he spoke in spite of his agony provides us inspiration, priorities and a new attitude towards life. In many cultures, the last words of a person are considered sacred. Yes, these seven words are sacred and every Christian should meditate to gain wisdom and spiritual maturity.

Before Pilate, the Roman Governor Lord Jesus did not open his mouth to defend himself. Hanging on the cross he was physically exhausted and dehydrated to speak. Emotionally, it is not possible to speak in such turmoil of soul. Spiritually, he underwent the wrath of God on behalf of humanity that could have made him dumb folded. However, he chose to make Cross as his pulpit to speak seven phrase sermons.

Lord Jesus Christ gave all for the sake of redeeming the humanity. When he spoke, he gave: Paradise for sinner thief, son for Mary and gave humanity the salvation. In the condition of humiliation, pain, suffering, turmoil he gives unselfishly, sacrificially and generously.

In the seven statements; four were addressed to the Father: "Father, forgive them"( Luke 23: 34); "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit" (Luke. 23: 46); "My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46) and though a general statement it was addressed to Father: "It is finished " (John 19:30) It has to be read with reference to the following verse: "I have finished the work which You have given Me to do" (John 17:4). That means a majority of the statements were addressed to the Heavenly Father.

He established his divinity by addressing God as Father and his humanity by addressing him as God. Without doubt He was Son of God and Son of Man.

Lord Jesus messages were relevant to his persecutors, sinner thief representing sinful humanity and to Mary (family).

The First Word
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do ". (Luke 23:34). Even when he went through agony and turmoil, he thought about the welfare of the others. His focus was not his pain, grief, wounds, loss of strength or thirst, but interest and well-being of others. His first mission was to save his adversaries and persecutors.

Only Son of God could think of tormentors in the peak of his suffering and pray for their forgiveness. No bitterness, no malice, no revenge, no anger but love demonstrated and personified in its highest degree.

He also practiced what he preached. He modeled his teaching in the most impossible situation or circumstances. "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, " (Matt. 5:44)

This calls his followers to be benevolent in forgiving others, showing grace as recipients of His grace and transform the world by new way of life.

Second Word
"Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
The second person whom Lord Jesus Christ addressed is the thief. The penitent thief was a person with rare spiritual insight to see Lord Jesus Christ who could grant him a place in heaven. The hard-hearted man saw Lord Jesus Christ who could forgive his persecutors from the cross. That could have changed him and his attitude towards Lord Jesus. When Lord Jesus healed many and fed thousands, they did not receive belief or faith, but this thief looking at Jesus on the cross bearing the immense suffering transformed him.

The thief could see Lord Jesus as Messiah, a spiritual perspective that was missing in the religious leaders like Pharisees and Sadducees. His prayers were quickly answered. Lord refused to speak on many occasions and even to the other thief who challenged by saying: "If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross. " (Matt. 27.:40) However, He responded quickly to the prayer of repentance. The thief stood alone by defending Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of persecuting, mocking and skeptic crowd. His perception of seeing Lord Jesus as King with Kingdom is amazing. The thief was with Jesus in his suffering moment and would be in glory in his glorious moment.

Third Word
"When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, "Woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19: 26, 27)

This verse reminds us how important family is. He entrusts his mother in care of one of his close disciples John. And most probably the only disciple who was near the Cross in Calvary. Others were missing from the vicinity, betraying or cursing or simply running away for life. Caring for the family members is an awesome responsibility.

When in pain and suffering, generally the family members come to care for us. However, Jesus was in pain but was consoling and comforting his mother who had emotional and social pain of humiliation. During the dedication of Lord Jesus as a child, Mary received prophesy: "And a sword will pierce your own soul too." (Luke 2:35)
Lord Jesus Christ took initiative to speak to Mary. He did not wait for her to ask this favour. In case of penitent thief, he waited for him to initiate the conversation.

Fourth Word
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lemasabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"). (Mathew 27:46)

Lord Jesus identified with sinful humanity to the core. His physical pain, emotional detachment as he endured the wrath and justice of God on behalf of humanity and spiritual pain that he had go through made the Son of God to appeal to the Father. "Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:10-12)

A woman giving birth to a child has to endure pain and suffering. Her husband could be near, doctors could be attending her, nurses could be encouraging her; however, she would have to bear the pain herself. She could shout to her husband or other helpers: "Why did you forsake me?" No one had forsaken her, but she had to go through this process of pain to bring a new life into the world. In a similar fashion, Lord Jesus had to go through the suffering.

Some scholars think that Lord Jesus repeated the verses of Psalm learnt in childhood. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?" (Psalm 22:1)

This is the cry of all humanity. Many of us have experienced abandonment, rejection, and total disillusionment in our lives. Lord Jesus represented us on the cross. He fasted even from edibles (refused to be tempted by Satan, while Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit). Lord Jesus fulfilled the Law on behalf of us, so that we are freed from death sentence ordained by the Law.

The Fifth Word
"I thirst " (John 19:28).
He was dehydrated as he had not taken any food or water for long hours. The sweat, blood loss and torturing heat would have drained all his energy and strength.

The Messiah who offered living waters to the Samaritan woman that she would never thirst (John 4) was thirsty. It was not just the physical thirst but a spiritual thirst that desires the salvation of all humanity. His thirst could be quenched when humanity repents and comes back to him. The Church has the task cut out to invite people who are thirsty to drink the living waters.

The Sixth Word
"It is finished " (John 19:30).
This is a grand statement. It was personal fulfillment of the task Lord Jesus had undertaken to complete in the world. The 'wages of sin' which is death has been paid finally. His humiliation, disgrace and sufferings were complete. So, the redemption of humanity is complete.

It also means that all requirement of Law has been fulfilled. All aspirations of humanity for forgiveness of sins have been fulfilled. The prophecies foretold have been fulfilled. The highest form of sacrifice that demonstrates ultimate love has been complete and displayed for humanity to see and consider.

The veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom signifying the Way has been open through His body for our salvation.

The Seventh Word
Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)

When poor Lazarus died, his spirit was carried by the angels (Luke 16:22). Some scholars believe that when Lord Jesus died his Spirit was carried by the Father. He enters heaven as the eternal high priest with his own blood as atonement for humanity.