Famous Last Words, Pt 2

2020-04-05

Pastor Jonathan Falwell

 

Key Verse: Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.

 

We continue to look at the “famous last words” of Jesus as He hung on the cross. Last week we examined the statements of forgiveness, hope and comfort. Today we’ll look at the statements which point to His pain, His humanity and His purpose. Jesus came for a reason and as we begin this Passion week leading up to Easter, we must never forget the great hope Jesus brings.

 

 

1. His Pain

Matthew 27:45-46 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

  • This darkness cannot be attributed to anything other than a supernatural occurrence which signified “creation’s awareness of its creator’s death”
  • Just before His death, He cried out to His Father for He now experienced the great pain of our sin
  • His statement is a reflection of Psalm 22:1
    • Psalm 22:1 MyGod, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
      Why are You so far from helping Me,
      And from the words of My groaning?
  • Jesus Himself had questioned this path He was taking
    • John 12:27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’?But for this purpose I came to this hour.

2. His Humanity

John 19:28-29 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put iton hyssop, and put itto His mouth.

  • The deity of Christ was never in question, but this does underscore the hypostatic union: the dual nature of Christ as both God and man
  • His statement is a reflection of Psalm 69:21
    • Psalm 69:21 They also gave me gall for my food,And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
  • This “sour wine” referred to here was a bitter mix of cheap wine and vinegar which would cause the throat muscles to contract restricting the ability cry out in pain

3. His Purpose

Luke 23:45-46 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.

  • Again, the darkness was a supernatural event signifying when the Light of the World is absent, there can be no light at all
  • A world that rejects God’s Son must expect signs that God has rejected the sinful world.[1]
  • The veil was ripped indicating there would be no more separation between God and man
  • Then Jesus clearly gave us the picture of the promise of death; the God-Man reminds us even in death, God is still in control

 

Christ’s purpose was that of salvation. While He had accomplished much during His time on earth as it relates to doctrine, service, example, teaching…it was for the salvation of mankind that He came.

 

John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

 

 

[1]Butler, T. C. (2000). Luke(Vol. 3, p. 396). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

/by