Good Friday

JESUS’ SEVEN WORDS FROM THE CROSS

Readings from the harmonization of the Gospel accounts

Jesus spoke seven times from the cross. In each of these times Jesus reveals Himself as our tender Savior in different ways. This afternoon/evening take yourself back to the cross. Stand with John and Mary and the other women and watch-Behold! The Lamb of God dying for your sins. Rejoice! In all that is revealed through His words of salvation, even those spoken while He was dying. The readings of Jesus’ words from the cross are compiled from the four Gospel accounts-Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

I. Father Forgive Them

The first words of Jesus from the cross draw our attention to the truth that what Jesus is accomplishing on the cross is the forgiveness of all sins for all people; and they also bring to mind Jesus’ earlier words: “…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””(Matthew 5:44).

Now as they led Jesus away (to be crucified), they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian—the father of Alexander and Rufus—who was coming from the country and passing by. On him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?” There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death

And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, which is translated, “Place of a Skull” they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall and myrrh to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. Then they crucified Him, there. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

II. Today You Will Be With Me

A sinner who repents and puts his trust in Jesus in his dying moments receives the same glory and eternal life as the sinner who is a lifelong child of God. Death is really the day of judgment for each sinner because once we die there are no second chances. Both of the criminals on either side of Jesus died that day, but one was ushered into eternal life. There was no middle stopping ground before heaven, no additional work to be accomplished. He put his trust in Jesus and received the full forgiveness which Jesus was winning for him and for us and for the whole world.

Then the two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left and Jesus in the center. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”

Now Pilate wrote a title and the writing was: THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS written in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. [The soldiers] sitting down kept watch over Him there and put up over His head the accusation written against Him. Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city.. Therefore, the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.”‘” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore, the soldiers did these things. Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him and the people stood looking on.

And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

Likewise even the chief priests also, sneered, mocking among themselves with the scribes and elders, saying, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the Christ, the King of Israel, the Chosen of God, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

Then, one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

III. My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

As we stand before Jesus’ cross we witness the true agony and misery of Hell. Jesus was enduring the eternal punishment for every sin as He was crucified. The physical pain and misery was great for death by crucifixion was not easy, however, the greatest “stroke that pierced him was the stroke that justice gave.” The greatest suffering was being forsaken by God because of our sins. Likewise, the true misery of Hell is being utterly forsaken by God forever.

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “Look! this Man is calling for Elijah!” Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down and save Him.”

IV. Woman, behold your son!

As Jesus speaks to His mother and arranges for her earthly care, we see the tender love of a son. We also see an obedient Savior who to His death honored His mother according to God’s command and kept God’s law perfectly for us.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus, therefore, saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

V. I Thirst

At the beginning of the crucifixion, Jesus refused to drink the pain-deadening vinegar mixed with gall. When all things were accomplished, He drank and fulfilled Scripture, demonstrating the truthfulness of God’s Word.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.

VI. It is Finished!

Having forsaken by God and enduring the punishment for our sins and reaching the point of physical death, Jesus’ sacrifice was complete. When He declared that His work was finished it was finished for all time. He laid down His life once. He sacrificed it once for all. The work was finished, but the blessings continue now and forever.

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He cried out with a loud voice saying, “It is finished!”

VII. Father, Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

One of our Lenten hymns offers the prayer, “Savior teach us so to die” (TLH 159:3). In His final words from the cross, Jesus meets death in the best possible way and by so doing provides an example for us. Whether it be at night with the words, “I pray Thee now my soul to keep,” or at death with the prayer, “Father take my soul home”—in all cases our times are in God’s hands. He has promised to preserve our souls, we rest securely in His keeping.

Then He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit”. Having said this, He yielded up His spirit. bowed His head, and breathed His last. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

So when the centurion who stood opposite Him saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he glorified God saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man. Truly this Man was the Son of God!”

And [when] those with [the centurion] who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.