https://youtu.be/BBVzpmqnY-A

The Day He Wore My Crown, Instrumental

Seven sayings from the cross.  Jesus is hanging on to life by an invisible thread.  Every breath takes more energy than He has to expend.  Yet, seven times, He summons from the depth of His being the strength to speak.  What do these seven sayings reveal?  Dying words are memorable words:  Words of utmost importance to both the speaker and the listener.

Words of forgiveness.    Words of promise.    Words of compassion and care to His mother and disciple, John.   Words of heart wrenching pain.    Words of need.    Words of accomplishment.  Words of relinquishment.

• Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34. …
• Today you will be with me in paradise. Luke 23:43. …
• Behold your son: behold your mother. …John 19:26
• My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? …Mark 15:33-34
• I thirst. …John 19:28
• It is finished. …John 19:28
• Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.  Luke 24:36

What do these say to us today.   Oh so much!

What love and compassion Jesus expressed as He asked His Father to not hold to our account the sins being laid on Him both in that moment and from eternity past into the future until His return.  So often, we do sin without even realizing we are:  Our eyes are so blinded by the enemy.  In I John we are reminded we too can ask the Father to  forgive the sins of others! (I John 5:14-16)  How often do I do this?  Not as often as I ask Him to heap coals on their heads.  (Proverbs 25:21-23)  I tend to be more interested in recompense than redemption.

Ahhhh, today, I can be with Him in Paradise.  My salvation is not dependent on performance only on acceptance of who He is and the price He paid.  This is HOPE!  This is LOVE!  This is Salvation!

John 19:26 records Jesus words to His disciple John and His mother, Mary.  John is the only disciple near the foot of the cross.  Jesus four brothers (Mark 6:3) are nowhere to be seen.  There is no mention of His sisters.   Mary, is alone in her grief.  Her firstborn son is dying a cruel, and gruesome death.  She is helpless to intervene and her heart has been pierced.  Jesus speaks tenderly to her as John stands next to her.  He tells her to lean on John.  He transfers to John the responsibility of caring for His mother as an eldest son, charged with her care after the death of His earthly father, Joseph.    Why would Jesus transfer His sonship to John?  I have two theories.  One is, His brothers are not sympathetic to Jesus (Mark 3:20-21) and would not be supportive of His precious Mother’s loss because they were jealous of Jesus and His relationship with His mother and they think Jesus is “touched in the head,” as we say in the South.   The other theory is this:  His brothers would also be martyred (James, Brother of Jesus, Wikipedia)  and this would provide for His mother until her death consistently.  Jesus already knew His brothers would soon come to faith (Acts 1:14) and also die for the cause of Christ before Mary’s life would come to an end.  I tend to now lean on the second.  Jesus knew the suffering His mother’s heart would endure for the sake of the Kingdom.

We are told John took Mary into his own home and cared for her tenderly (John 19:27) as if she were his own sweet mama.  John escorted Mary to the tomb and he made sure she was among those watching and waiting for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 1:15)

February 20, 2017’s post, When Heaven is Silent, covers this saying.  Jesus too experienced the silence of Heaven.  Was Jesus forsaken?  Yes, in that moment it felt like abandonment but the reality was God simply could not rescue His Son and accomplish all THEY desired to be accomplished at the cross—our salvation, the restoration of our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and the redemption of the world.

Jesus thirst was physical and spiritual.  He was past the point of dehydration based on blood and fluid loss from trauma.  The fact He is still conscious is miraculous and speaks of the physical condition of the Son of God.   His spiritual thirst is based on His trials of the past week.   The sins of the world are heaped upon His mutilated body and ravished soul.  His thirst will not be quenched with vinegar (this is just plain cruel) nor can it be quenched by His Father’s presence, for He has turned away.  (Matthew 27:34 and Matthew 27:46-47)

At this point, Jesus has given all He had to give and taken on all the sins of the entire world for all eternity.  He has done what He came to earth as God incarnate to do.  Nothing else is required of HIm.  He need only enter the spirit realm and retrieve the keys of hell and death…………..they belong to HIM!  He does this and once the keys are firmly in His holy hands He says for all the world to hear  IT. IS. FINISHED!  Sins debt is paid in full.  The serpent’s head has been crushed. All God’s children can come home!   Heaven sings!  The earth rejoices!  God smiles!  The veil is torn (Matthew 27:51) and we are invited into the throne room of Almighty God.  Let this soak into your sweet soul.

Jesus last words were “Father, into Your hands I commit my Spirit.”  He took His last earthly breath.  His Spirit returns to the Father (Luke 23:43) who in three days will raise His glorified body and His Spirit will then be shared with all believers.  The Spirit of the Living Christ dwelling in the hearts of men, (I Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, II Corinthians 6:16)  teaching them, bringing to their remembrance His words, teachings, lessons, example, and resurrection power!  (John 14:26)  God the Father, sent His Spirit with the command to go into all the world preaching the good news, casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead. (Mark 16:15, Matthew 10:8)   He gave us His power to open doors, open hearts, and prove He is who He said He is.  To fully recognize the power of the Spirit of God is to be able to witness with courage in the face of persecution.  Jesus said “if they hate you remember they hated me first.”  (John 15:18, Mark 13:13)

These seven sayings of Jesus prove one last time under the worst of conditions He is indeed the Son of the Living God.  HIs love, compassion, forgiveness, holiness, and power on display.  Lifted up on a pole for all to look upon and be saved:  The fulfillment of all God promised His people in the wilderness to escape the curse of the snake. (Numbers 21:8)

Glory to God in the Highest and on earth Peace toward man.   He Chose the Nails, and for Six Hours One Friday He proved His love and forgiveness and on Sunday, God Moved the Stone and He will Still move yours.   (titles by Max Lucado)  This day was The Day He Wore My Crown.

Treading in THANKSGIVING,

Yvonne Jones