Great Love Witnessed in the Seven Sayings of Christ While On the Cross
by Thomas A. Gaskill
Good Friday Service, April 22, 2011
Slate Valley Baptist Church – Oxford, Kansas
[[Background: Agapao is one of the four main Greek verbs for love. It and derivatives of it are the most common Greek words translated as “love” in our English translations of the Greek New Testament. The writers of the New Testament needed a word to designate God's unique love and so they chose the word “agapao” due to its vague meaning in secular Greek; now it is a word specifically designating God's unconditional, benevolent, sacrificial, willful love towards His people; and in turn, His love flows through His people in love back to Him, neighbor, and self. Agape, which is a noun derivative of “agapao” is very rarely used outside of Biblical writings during the New Testament times.]]
Ill:When asked how much Jesus loves them, Jesus stretches his arms wide-open with nail pierced hands and says “this much!”
Intro: We will be seeing Christ's love for enemies, criminal, family, God, and us in His final seven saying while on the cross.
Def: Christ's great love is unconditional, benevolent, sacrificial, willful love
Jesus Christ, Son of Man, Son of God was betrayed into the hands of wicked men. He was tried and found guilty only of being innocent.
1.Luke 23:32-39 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. (33) When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. (34) Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (35) The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." (36) The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar (37) and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." (38) There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (39) One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
Loving His enemies
Christ's love for His enemies compels Him to pray
seeks enemies best interest by asking God to forgive them.
Forgiveness for beating him, plucking his beard, crowning him with thorns, flogging him, spitting on him, taking his garments and putting him to open shame, driving nails through his hands and feet and crucifying him with criminals, mocking him, gambling for his clothing, sneering at him, insulting him – all this even though He never did anything wrong, His entire life was without sin, good, righteous. His life was a life of pure love: he healed the sick, raised the dead back to life, gave hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind, cured the lepers, caused the lame to walk. All His teachings were done with love, nothing but love, love, love.
Love pities and seeks to help the ignorant
Christ command to love your enemies
Matthew 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
A perfect example we find in Christ's love towards His torturers in the midst of His horrific sufferings
Jesus said "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." This was taken to heart by one of the two thieves crucified beside Him.
2.Luke 23:39-43 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (40) But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? (41) We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." (42) Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." (43) Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
[In his commentary, John G. Butler makes the observation that by saying these words, Christ refuted three popular false doctrines: “Today” refutes purgatory, soul sleep, and baptismal regeneration.]
The greatness of Christ's love can be seen in:
Love towards a repentant criminal
Love witnessing righteousness to the sinful (Jesus' love for enemies was seen by thief)
Love listening to those who confess their sins
Love speaking to the sinful criminal
Love having mercy and saving sinners by grace
Love giving hope to the repentant
We also see that Christ's love:
does not turn away from those in their dying moments but remains
proves to be paradise
is the very presence of Christ Himself
endures forever
3.John 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, "Woman, here is your son," (27) and to the disciple, "Here is your mother."
In these final words of Christ we recognizes His love
towards family (even though He was dying, He did not negate His responsibility to family)
taking notice of persons; personal (they were silently standing by; not crucifying him or talking to him as the before mentioned people were)
recognizing the needs of others and provides for them (Mary widow and alone)
comforting the grieving and distressed
calling and empowering for service in home duties (John took Mary in to his home to care for her)
4.Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
[This is the most difficult of the seven final sayings of Christ while on the cross. The darkness is ending about the same time; evening sacrifices are beginning in the temple. This is also the first verse of Psalm 22 which is a Messianic psalm in its entirety. We know God didn't forsake Jesus in an absolute sense because a little later Jesus tells His Father that he commits his spirit into His hands.]
Keeping to the original plan: Christ's unconditional, benevolent, sacrificial, willful love can be seen:
in Christ's passionate desire for God's continual presence
in Christ's bearing the punishment for our sin
in Christ's suffering the judgment of God on our behalf
as Christ's endures God's forsaking Him to the penalty of sin and physical death that we may live
as Christ informs his observers of soon coming victory by quoting the first verse of Psalm 22 as reference to the entire Psalm (Jesus could not quote the entire Psalm because He was suffocating.)
5.John 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"
[Thirst was one of the most distressing circumstances attending the crucifixion. The wounds were highly inflamed, and a raging fever was caused, usually, by the sufferings on the cross, and this was accompanied by insupportable thirst. (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible)]
Love suffers long (1Cor. 13:4)
Love fulfills every prophecy to protect and verify its validity(Ps 22:15; Ps 69:21)
6.John 19:30 Jesus said, "It is finished."
It was Christ's love for us that compelled Him to:
finish the race
redeem us from our sins
finish the work of salvation on the cross
free us from bondage to the ceremonial laws found in the Old Testament
free us from bondage to works righteousness
establish a new and better covenant
triumph over the devil
Jesus loved us to His very death
John 15:12-13 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
7.Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
These last words of Christ testify of His great love for God the Father and us
Love for God the Father in death:
Trusting surrender to God the Father. Love trusts. Love surrenders.
Perfect example of casting all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you. (1Peter 5:7)
Love for us through death:
John 10:17-18 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. (18) No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Conclusion:
1 Peter 2:21-24 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (22) "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." (23) When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. (24) "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."
We have seen in the seven last saying of Christ while on the cross
Love for his enemies
Love for the criminal
Love for family
Love for God the Father
Love for us
[speak gently]
Is our love for Jesus real? His love for us is very real!
Where does our love for Him lead us? His love for us led Him to calvary!!!
Is our love for Him convenient? His love for us was quite inconvenient!
He died that we may live. Are we living for Him?
Loving our enemies, the criminal, family, God, and others.
Are we? He did!
Amen.
