Have you ever wondered why the cross has become the most important symbol of our faith? Crucifixion was such a horrible death that in ancient times people wouldn’t even say the word in polite society. It must have seemed strange to them that the Christians kept talking about “The Cross” as if it was something wonderful.
LUKE 23:33-34, 23:39-43, JOHN 19:25-27, MARK 15:33-34:
THE FIRST FOUR OF THE SEVEN SAYINGS OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS
INTRODUCTION
A missionary in Korea was examining some candidates for baptism, and fearing to embarrass an elderly Korean woman with difficult questions, said quietly, “Tell me a story about Jesus.”
The Korean woman, with face aglow, began a simple recital of the story of Calvary. She told it all bravely until the time came when the nails were driven into his feet and hands. Then she broke down utterly, and with sobs and a broken voice, she murmured, “I can’t tell that part. It breaks my heart.”
Today we want to talk about that part—the part that tells the depths of God’s love. I hope that the story will move us deeply, as it did that Korean Christian believer.
We will look at each of the first four sayings of Jesus as he hung dying on the cross. These sayings are known as “The Seven Sayings of Christ from the Cross.”
I. The first thing Jesus said after they had hammered the nails through his hands and his feet is found in Luke 23:33-34 was: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
A. Crucifixion was the most painful, most degrading, long drawn out method of execution that the Romans could devise. And the Romans were experts at this sort of thing.
In later years as believers reflected on this saying, they would remember Isaiah’s prophecy:
“…he poured out his soul to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors:
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53.12).
B. What can we learn from this saying?
Some people feel such a weight of guilt that they think God could never forgive them.
We can learn from this first word from the cross that whatever we’ve done, Jesus is ready to forgive us.
Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
Here we see Jesus setting for us an example by praying for his enemies.
And when Jesus says, “…they know not what they do,” we learn that we must consider that our enemies may not be aware of the evil they are doing.
It is interesting that Jesus’ prayer was answered—at least partly—that evening when the centurion in charge of the soldiers turned to Jesus in faith and exclaimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”
II. The second saying of Christ from the cross was addressed to the dying thief who was dying beside him.
A. You will remember that Jesus was crucified between two thieves. One of them railed on him: “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.”
But the other thief turned to Jesus in faith and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power.”
And Jesus gave him this gracious promise: “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
When Jesus calls heaven Paradise, he is comparing our home in glory to a beautiful garden full of delights.
B. Here we see the two human responses to Jesus—many turn away from Jesus.
That Jesus died means nothing to them. For them he is just a figure in history, as did the first thief.
But others—like the second thief—see in Christ the Savior.
C. We learn from this, the second saying from the cross, that it is never too late to turn to Jesus.
The story of the dying thief has brought comfort and assurance of forgiveness to many who might otherwise have thought it was too late for them to turn to Jesus.
Like the thief, some have turned to Christ and found salvation, even in their dying moments.
III. The third saying comes from John 19:25-27: “When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”
A. Evidently Joseph had died before Jesus began his ministry. Jesus, as the oldest son, had probably supported his mother for years.
Jesus had brothers and sisters, but it seems that they had not yet become believers. Perhaps that is why Jesus committed his mother to John, his beloved disciple.
The traditional view is that this disciple is John. John was there at the foot of the cross, already comforting Mary. Some old paintings of the crucifixion show John standing under the cross with his arms around Mary. I think that’s the way it was.
And then John took Mary to his own home. So Mary didn’t have to see the death of her son.
B. Here I see something wonderful. Jesus was in excruciating pain, but he wasn’t thinking only of himself. He knew the grief his mother was feeling, and he made provision for her.
Tradition has it that John took Mary to Ephesus where they lived together for some years before she died.
C. We can learn from this that Jesus puts us all into his one big family, and we are honored to care for one another.
IV. The fourth saying is the most heart-rending. In Mark 15.34 Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
A. This saying tells us how terrible Jesus’ death was for him.
The darkness that descended over the scene signified the terrible darkness that enveloped the heart of Jesus as he felt himself to be abandoned by God.
We learn from this saying that physical pain was only a part of Jesus’ suffering. The greatest part of Jesus’ pain was the feeling that God had abandoned him. Jesus here takes the words of the ancient believer who wrote the 22nd Psalm in a time of great distress.
B. I read the testimony of a young man, a German soldier, who was captured and found himself in a prisoner-of-war camp in Scotland.
When the war ended the prisoners were shown pictures of the atrocities their countrymen had committed.
He was devastated, his home city lay in ruins, his friends had died, and he could see no future ahead for him.
He had no church background and no Christian belief.
In this situation an American chaplain gave him a Bible and he began to read.
When he came to the story of the passion and read these words: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” he said to himself, “That is my cry for God too.”
He began to understand the suffering, assailed, and God-forsaken Jesus, because, he said, “I felt that he understood me. And I grasped that this Jesus is the divine Brother in our distress. He brings hope to the prisoners and the abandoned.”
At that point he summoned up the courage to live.
He began to study the Bible and eventually became one of the greatest theologians of our time. (His name is Jürgen Moltmann.)
His most powerful book is entitled The Crucified God
C. We learn from this “saying” how costly was our redemption, and how much we should love Jesus.
CONCLUSION
I will end with some words from one of my favorite hymns about the suffering of our Lord Jesus:
“The suffering thou hast borne, Lord, ‘twas all for sinner’s gain.
Mine, mine was the transgression, but thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall my Savior, ‘tis I deserve thy place;
Look on me with thy favor, vouchsafe to me thy grace.
“What language can I borrow to thank thee dearest Friend
For this thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end.
O, make me thine for ever and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love for thee.”
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