What Do the Last Words of Jesus Mean?

Well, I want to begin this morning by giving you some famous last words.

! Remember, famous last words. Ethan Allen was a famous American patriot, leader of the Green Mountain Boys.

And you might remember a little bit about the history of Ethan Allen and how he and they fought for our country during the American Revolution. But on his deathbed, the attending doctor for Ethan Allen said to him, he said, General, I fear the angels are coming for you.

To which Allen responded with these famous last words. Waiting are they? Waiting are they? Well, let them wait.

That's what he said. Famous last words. Charlie Chaplin was a British actor who became a Hollywood star. And, of course, you know, he's usually remembered for his silent pictures.

You know, that little man with a mustache and dressed in a baggy suit and a derby hat and so forth. But when the priest who was attending him on his deathbed said to Chaplin, he said, May the Lord have mercy upon your soul.

Chaplin quickly replied with these last words. He said, Why not? After all, it belongs to him.

Those were his last words. Before he died and went on to wherever he went. I'm not really sure about Charlie Chaplin. Charles Darwin.

I know there's quite a mixture of characters here, but Charles Darwin's last words reportedly were, I am not the least afraid to die.

Perhaps he should have been. Famous last words. Prince Diana. Her last words were recorded on the official police records.

And her words were simply, My God, what happened? And that was it. W.C. Fields.

Famous vaudevillian comedian who became a major Hollywood star. And, of course, Fields was also famous for his alcoholism. They say he drank up to two quarts of gin every day.

And, as you would guess, he had quite a few problems with his liver and stomach and other parts of his body. And he died, as a matter of fact, on Christmas morning.

And after, he died, rather, after uttering these final words. And they must be edited. Blank, blank, the whole blank world and everyone in it but you, Carlotta.

Whoever Carlotta was, I would imagine it was his wife. Famous last words. How about a few more? Patsy Cline.

At least, many of you in this congregation would know who she was. Patsy Cline. One stormy day in 1963, hopped on an airplane.

And a friend who was worried about her flying in that kind of weather, told her, don't fly. Warned her not to go. And Patsy Cline replied, don't worry about me.

When it's my time to go, it's my time. And it was. Her plane crashed and she was dead at 31 years old. Famous last words.

Karl Marx. Kind of giving you historical whiplash here. Karl Marx was, by the way, born in a Christian Jewish family.

Was the father, usually known as the father of communism. And on his deathbed, surrounded by candles. Reports say candles burning to Lucifer.

Karl Marx screamed at his nurse who asked him if he had any last words or final words. And his reply was quick and harsh and final.

He said, go on, get out. He said, last words are for fools who have already said too much. And he did, perhaps, say too much.

On the lighter side, before he died, Bing Crosby said, that was a great game of golf, fellas. And that was it. Another famous actor, Humphrey Bogart, said, I should have never switched from scotch to martinis.

Profound words. To be his last words uttered. Jimmy Hoffa, following his release from prison where he served several years for jury tampering and fraud, he was advised to hire a bodyguard, to which Hoffa replied, I don't need a bodyguard.

Three days later, he's missing without a trace. And we still don't know what happened to Jimmy Hoffa. Famous last words.

Some of these words, damning. I think you would agree. Some precious. Some of them precious. Sometimes, last words are the last words of fools.

And sometimes, they are words of great wisdom. For example, Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world of his day. He said, when I die, thrust my hands through my death shroud, so the world may see that my hands are empty.

Profound word. But often, last words are revealing. Like an x-ray, you know, they tend to expose what is really true of the heart.

And they reveal to those around them what really was going on in their hearts and in their minds. Like P.T. Barnum, the great circus showman who worked all of his life to make money.

And his last dying words were simply, what were the receipts today? Hmm. But of all the final words that have ever been spoken, none are more precious.

None more revealing. None more filled with meaning. Than the last words, those spoken from the cross by the Lord Jesus Christ.

His last words. In all, Jesus spoke seven times from the cross. Three are recorded in the Gospel of John. Three in Luke's Gospel.

One in Matthew. And that one is repeated. Or we also find in the Gospel of Mark. And these seven last words of Jesus are very important.

Very valuable to us. That's why we need to consider them and study them and understand not only what they meant, but how they apply to our lives today.

Very important words. Very significant words. And in a sense, they serve as windows through which we can gaze into eternity. In fact, I think we can see the very heart of God in these words.

We can see here the very essence of the Gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ. Now, we're going to look at all seven of these this morning.

And to do so, we're going to have to do a little skipping around throughout Scripture. We're going to start in Luke. And then we're going to go to John. And then we're going to go back to Luke. And then to Matthew.

And then back again to Luke. And then we're going to finish up in John. You're thinking, well, why are you skipping around so much? Well, because as I look at these seven words, I really see that these seven last words of the Lord Jesus Christ can be divided into three categories.

Or we might say three groups, three themes. Words, first of all, that reveal His sovereignty. That's where we'll begin.

But also words that reveal His humanity. And then finally, words that reveal His victory. His victory.

His sovereignty, His humanity, His victory. And so we'll begin with His sovereignty. And I've already mentioned it's going to be in Luke. So if you will turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 23 and find verse 46.

Luke 23, verse 46. And I'll say here on the front end that all of these words that Jesus spoke while He was on the cross are very familiar to us.

But we need to look deeply into them. Verse 46. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, Father, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.

And having said this, He breathed His last. And I might just also combine or interject here. John, the Gospel of John, also says that, or says it this way, that He gave up His spirit.

Or if you have a King James, He gave up His ghost. Gave up the ghost. Gave up His spirit. That is, He gave up His life. Alright, so, here's the first thing, or the first thing we want to look at, that Jesus said while He was there on the cross.

In fact, they were His final words. The final words. And what do they point to? I suggest to you that they point very clearly to His sovereignty.

His sovereignty. You say, well, how so? Well, you see, from start to finish, everything done there at Calvary, every single thing done, even prior to Calvary, through the arrest, and through the trial, and through His beating, all of those things, everything that transpired there at the cross of Christ was done under His sovereignty.

Under His control. Complete control. Jesus was in absolute control of the entire situation. Don't ever forget that. As you look at the cross and look at the things that transpired there, and every step of the way, you need to see them, first of all, through this lens that Jesus is calling the shots here.

He is in sovereign control. And Jesus displayed His absolute sovereignty to the very end of His earthly life.

Even to the point of His dismissing His own spirit. Even to the point of giving up His life. Jesus was in control of it all.

His sovereignty controlled even His own death. That's what we need to see first. His words reveal His sovereignty.

As a pastor, I have on occasion watched people die to be there when they took their last breath.

Whether in the hospital room or in a hospital bed or at home. It's not something that you really enjoy, but it's something I've witnessed. Some of you have as well.

And some have quickly, quickly gone. You know, they just kind of go quickly and maybe you might even say, would say, even unexpectedly. Some may take days, weeks, months, and each little breath that they take becomes weaker and weaker and more shallow.

Some go that way. Some have that death rattle as some have described it. Some have a kind of comatose stare.

and you sit there and witness this and on some occasions you'll see some that are gasping and struggling in a physical sense.

And I don't know how much the mind is engaged. Maybe it's just simply a biological response, a physiological response, but they're desperately holding on to life to the very end.

And it's manifested in a number of different ways. But that was not the case with Jesus. That was not what happened there.

There was no struggle at Jesus' death. There was no gasping for air, no holding on to life, no desperation, no distress.

He was, Jesus was, in sovereign control of his death and he, at the right time, gave permission for his spirit to leave his body.

So understand that first of all. Jesus was in sovereign control of his death unlike any other man who's ever lived. Just think about the many times that Jesus' life, that in his life, he faced the possibility of death.

Ever done kind of a survey of this throughout his ministry as it's kind of unfolded for us in the gospel? How many times Jesus came close to death?

Really, it began at his birth. Actually, I think you could trace it even back further through the Old Testament as Satan attempted to snuff out the very line the Messiah would come through from.

But at his birth, you know the story, King Herod fearing that some new king was coming to take his place, some usurper, and so he had the male babies two years and younger, murdered, ruthlessly murdered, all the male babies two years and younger in and around, possibly a two-mile circumference of Bethlehem.

But he didn't get Jesus, did he? At his temptation, just at the beginning of his ministry, before his ministry began, you remember Satan took him on one occasion here, took him to the very pinnacle, we might call it the steeple of the temple.

And he said he tempted Jesus to jump down, he said just jump off of here, you know what the Bible says, the angels will have charge over you and hope hold you. It's important for us to understand that if Jesus had succumbed to that temptation and jumped off the pinnacle of the temple, he would have died right there.

Understand that, he would have died right there. See, coming near death, at sea, in a storm, on at least a couple of occasions, near death, sometimes the times they tried to stone him, the times, or the time they tried to throw him off the cliff, at his arrest, there in the garden of Gethsemane, I tell you, he was very close to dying right there.

Peter pulled that sword, and here's an entire cohort, a Roman cohort, ready to take this Jesus by force, I think dead or alive, and things could have gone awry at that very moment, and Jesus could have died right there in the garden of Gethsemane, at his trial, and his imprisonment, and how they beat him, whipped him, and beat him, and abused his body, and the loss of blood that was the result of that, even before he got to the cross.

I tell you, Jesus was very close to death. In fact, any mere mortal man probably would have died, even from the scourging that Jesus endured.

Very likely that could have happened. and at the cross, the nails that were driven through his hands, and through his feet, and the loss of blood as a result of that, and so forth.

But no. Now, see, when the time was right, that's what we need to understand here, when the time was right, according to appointment, according to plan, when all had been accomplished, Jesus then said, okay, life, you are now, not just simply permitted to go, commanded to go.

That is the gist of what we have in Jesus' last words. He literally commanded his life to go. And so, his last words reveal his sovereignty.

Now, I would ask a question at this point before we move on. if, listen, if Jesus had absolute sovereign control over his life and his death, don't you think that you can trust him with your life, and your death, and your eternity?

His sovereignty is revealed by his last words. Second, his humanity humanity. His humanity is revealed by his last words.

John chapter 19. If you would turn there with me. John 19 and verse 26. John 19 and verse 26. when Jesus therefore saw his mother, that's Mary, and the disciples, the disciple rather, whom he loved standing by, that would be John, he said to his mother, woman, behold your son.

And it's clear he was pointing to John. Then he said to the disciple, to John, behold your mother. And from that hour, that disciple took her to his own home, cared for the mother of Jesus.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, I thirst. I thirst.

Right? There you have two other things that Jesus said there on the cross. That I would suggest to you reveal very clearly his humanity. And you might be thinking, you know, that these two things here are of somewhat less importance than the other things that Jesus said on the cross.

But you would be wrong about that. These things are very important. They ought to be important to us. Because they give us a window into the reality of the humanity of Jesus Christ.

And that's important for us to understand. In the first place, Jesus is taking care of his earthly mother. That's a very human thing to do, isn't it?

Can you imagine Jesus hanging there on the cross? Very likely he was stripped naked. Bleeding. I mean, the midsection of his body from the whipping was just simply shredded flesh.

Bones probably were exposed. The crown of thorns, of course, had been pressed upon his head and the blood is oozing and dripping down from his forehead and his face has already been beaten almost beyond recognition.

I think there is even some indication that that was the case. That he barely looked human or at least if you knew him you wouldn't recognize him.

And now he's nailed there on the cross and right there in front of him is his mother.

Can you imagine? his mother is there and she sees him. Imagine the agony that Jesus experienced his very mother there witnessing this brutal murder of his son.

I think we can sense from this thing he said about his mother his compassion and his humanity and here he is dying for my sin and your sin dying for his mother's sin and his concern is that she would be taken care of after his death he said woman in terms of endearment and love woman behold your son and he points to John John your mother from that time on he took care of her we're talking about a clear indication of the humanity of Jesus Christ he was burdened for his mother he suffered for his mother obviously clearly his suffering on the cross went way beyond just his compassion for his mother but I'm talking about that human aspect there that human dynamic where he cared for his mother and then we have

Jesus crying from the cross or crying out from the cross for relief from thirst thirst thirsty you say well big deal well this is this to me is very important we speak a lot about the deity of Jesus and the sovereignty of Jesus and the power miraculous power unlimited absolute power of the Lord Jesus Christ as God in his deity but what about his humanity what about that did you know that Jesus was a real flesh and blood man of course you do and did you know that he felt every strand of that cat of nine tails just like you would Jesus was not some super human man not in that sense he was completely man and felt everything just like a man and suffered just like any man would he felt it all he felt the slap of the hands and beat of the fists of those cruel guards abused him and mistreated him he felt all of that he felt the crown as it was pressed down upon his head and he felt the nails being driven through the palms of his hands and through his feet

I tell you Jesus suffered like any real human man would suffer because he was a real human man flesh and blood and I don't know about you but just those words make my heart go out to him in compassion as I hear him say I thirst!

from the cross his humanity you know you might be thinking well okay so what what's the point what does that matter Jesus was human is that part all that important I would say yes let me ask you something what kind of savior would he really be for you if he was incapable of feeling your pain experiencing your suffering your humanity what kind of savior would he be if he did not feel your pain and your dad see that makes the cross even more real to us that makes that makes Jesus more real certainly he is perfect sovereign

God but he also understands first hand what it's like to be human and that's important Bible says in Hebrews 4 4 4 15 for we have not we do not have a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities we don't have a high priest like that we have a high priest who can be touched by these things and was touched by these things and experienced these things he he's touched by the feeling of our frail humanness our weaknesses our infirmities yet he was without sin and yet he felt all of those things in fact I would suggest to you that he felt them to a higher greater degree than you or

I could ever feel them because you know we don't have sovereign control over our physical bodies we don't have sovereign control over anything quite frankly and so we suffer and there's a point there's a limit to our suffering when we're just going to check out but Jesus suffered to the maximum because he was the one who ultimately gave permission for his life to end can you imagine the Bible says he was tempted in every way that we are tempted yet without sin that doesn't mean he was tempted in every single way identically the way you were tempted no the point is that he was tempted to the maximum because you and I are sinners and we're going to be tempted to a point and then we're going to give in but Jesus as God could not sin and so he was tempted to the maximum and was see we do not have a high priest who's not touched by the feeling of our frail humanness our fallen humanness who's touched by that so we're talking about his famous last words the famous last words of Jesus and they reveal to us his sovereignty they reveal his humanity and then there's one more though it encompasses several things that

Jesus said and that is his victory his victory the Bible records four other sayings of Jesus from the cross and these four statements that we're going to look at here real quickly embody the very essence of the cross we might even say they help us understand the real meaning of the atonement his cross they reveal that Jesus far from being a victim he was the victor the victor the first one of this set is found in Luke chapter 23 and verse 33 Luke 23 and verse 33 give you just a little time to get there the Bible says

Luke record that when they had come to the place called Calvary there they crucified him and the criminals one on the right hand and the other on the left then Jesus said father forgive them for they do not know what they do and they divided his garments and cast lots father forgive them tremendous words and it's a prayer isn't it I mean he's addressing the father talking about God the father and so it was a prayer of Jesus there at the cross and he was praying lifting up this prayer to God the father and he was praying for those who were sinning against him praying for them but now the verb form here is important not going to get into the technical side but just maybe relate to you how it helps us in interpretation the verb form here what

Jesus said suggests that he continually prayed this prayer that he was praying this prayer over and over again not just once but repeatedly continuous and so perhaps when they arrived at the place of Calvary or Golgotha as one of the gospel writers identifies at the place of the skull when they arrived there you know how they paraded Jesus as he carried the cross and this was the custom of the day paraded him through the cities the main routes of Jerusalem and then when they got up outside the walls of Jerusalem got up there to the place of the skull Golgotha Calvary perhaps when they got there Jesus looked and he saw all those who had gathered there the Jewish leaders others who were just passing by that day and stopped to see what was going on others who had congregated because they wanted to see this

Jesus be crucified and others were there disciples were there for a while perhaps when he got there to Calvary he saw those people there and the Romans who were about to execute him and perhaps then he said father forgive them they don't know what they're doing and then as the centurion who was in charge of him perhaps as he threw him down on the ground or allowed him to collapse on the ground because he could barely walk and stretched him out over that cross and very likely tied him to the cross initially to hold the prisoner in place so that the execution could be carried out and perhaps as he was taking care of all of that Jesus looked up into his face and said father forgive him he does not know what he's doing and then as they took those blunt spikes and drove them through the quivering each quivering palm of his hand and drove them through his feet into that cross perhaps then too he said father forgive them and when they took that cross lifted it up

Jesus hanging on it by those nails and then dropped it down into the hole where that cross was to be positioned and dropped it down with a jolt a jolt that probably tore some of his flesh probably he would have fallen off altogether if he had not been tied to the cross possibly but think of the pain of that and when that happened perhaps then he said to father forgive them with the crowd cursing him and when the priests reviled him abused him verbally and when the soldiers parted his garments his only earthly possessions part of them cast lots for them right there right in his presence right in his gaze right before his cross maybe he said then too father forgive them they don't know what they're doing and when his disciples all of them but one

John stuck around but all of them scattered they abandoned him and left him there alone perhaps he said that father forgive them they don't know what they're doing but now there was infinitely more to what Jesus said here in these words than just the forgiveness for those who were crucifying him there that day it was infinitely more significant than that this prayer of forgiveness this prayer of intercession uttered by Jesus hanging upon the cross that was for me today that was for me let me just put it in simple terms here very clear terms I hope Jesus prayed to the father right that much is clear he said father forgive them and Jesus was praying on behalf of sinners that is very clear from the text he was praying for me and God answered that prayer back when

I was about eight years old but Jesus is still praying see not only I think are we to to apply this in the immediate sense that Jesus may have uttered this prayer over and over again but I think it's it's perfectly clear that Jesus continues to pray that prayer why because there's a sinner standing here today me I mean listen there's a sinner right here today that needs God's forgiveness because I have sinned I've sinned I've sinned every day I know that comes as quite a surprise to you every day and the Bible says in Romans 8 35 it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God the Father who does what makes continues continually makes intercession for us and I can just insert me there you can insert yourself there making intercession for us and so every time

I sin Jesus in effect is saying Father forgive him Father I pray I paid for that I paid for that forgive him every single time second Matthew 27 and verse 46 need to move on here Matthew 27 and verse 46 at 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 there's that famous saying perhaps the most famous of the saying my God my God why have you forsaken me now understand for Jesus to for Jesus prayer

Father forgive them for that prayer to be answered I mean for it to be answered one condition had to be met the only way that prayer would be answered would be for a certain condition to be met and that is that Jesus would have to die under God the Father's holy judgment on sin that's the only way that Jesus could say Father forgive them and God the Father to answer that prayer the only condition would be for Jesus to die to pay the price see let's pay attention to what the cross is all about what the atonement really is and it's this if I am to be forgiven then Jesus had to be forsaken that's the atonement in a nutshell if I'm to be forgiven if you're to be forgiven Jesus had to be forsaken that's the only way

God would do it the only way Jesus had to take my place there I tell you therein lies the true meaning of the atonement the cross of Jesus Christ not Jesus merely provided an example for us to follow as some would believe that the atonement is all about not that Jesus was merely a martyr that he died for a cause or died for his faith not that Jesus was merely that the cross was merely a display of the awfulness of sin oh no that's not what the atonement is about not that Jesus was somehow paying a ransom to Satan so that he would release us from his captive as his captives that's not it at all the cross was this dear people God was punishing his own darling son as if his son had committed every wicked deed done by every sinner who would one day believe so that he could forgive and treat those who believe as if they had lived

Christ's perfect life you understand that he punished his son as though he had committed my sin so that when I believe God would then forgive me and treat me as though I had always lived perfectly as though I had always obeyed him perfectly as though I had never ever sinned as though I was living the very life of righteousness of Jesus Christ that's what the atonement is all about the Bible says it like this it says for he in 2nd Corinthians 5 21 for he has made him that's Jesus to be sin for us who knew no sin that is Jesus knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him what an exchange what a gracious exchange Isaiah 53 verse 5 but he was wounded for our transgressions not his own ours he was bruised for our iniquities our sins the chastisement that brought about our peace was laid upon him and with his stripes we are healed healed spiritually eternally all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way and the

Lord God has laid on him that is Jesus the iniquity the sin of us all 1st Peter chapter 3 verse 18 for Christ also hath suffered for sins not his but mine the just for the unjust that is he's the just I'm the unjust he suffered my sins the just for the unjust that he might Jesus might bring us to God being put to death in his flesh 1st John 4 10 here in his love not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins that is the satisfaction for our sins Jesus on that cross when he died there when he was forsaken there by God the father Jesus satisfied the wrath of God once and for all Jesus satisfied his righteousness his holiness his justice see how significant his last words are now we're talking about the last words of Jesus they reveal some tremendous truths about

Jesus about the meaning of the cross the cross is all about victory the cross is where forgiveness was made possible the cross is where Jesus took the place of sinners his substitution and if you don't think that applies to you then notice another thing Jesus said Luke chapter 23 and verse 39 Luke 23 verse 39 I'm just going to have to go on you'll have to catch up then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed him saying if you are the Christ save yourselves yourself and us but the other answering rebuked him saying do you not even fear God seeing you are under the same condemnation are we indeed 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 grace now understand that this guy is a really bad guy he's criminal hardened criminal apparently career criminal we might assume he's bad to the bones we could use that expression here from the pulpit at first as a matter of fact according to Matthew's account of this same thing at first this criminal joined the other criminal in hurling curses at Jesus and abusing him verbally there on the cross and taunting him they were both doing the same thing and at first he was like many today who who are unbelievers who refuse to see their condemnation and their hopelessness and and and rather than than respond in faith to Christ God's provision for forgiveness they spend their lives in rebellion out and out rebellion open rebellion rejection of

Christ and blasphemy but see something happened to this thief on the cross something happened to him his heart was changed supernaturally and it's very clear from what we glean from the dialogue between this criminal and Jesus see first of all this criminal acknowledged this sinner acknowledged his sinfulness yes he did he said we receive the due reward of what we've done our sins our deeds dear people that's confession and then second he acknowledged the lordship of Jesus Christ he said to Jesus Lord and I think that is indicative of his repentance then he trusted Jesus with his soul yes he did he said to

Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom that dear people is faith represents faith and Jesus said today you will be with me in paradise that's grace and the ultimate thing is salvation by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourself it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast I tell you this thief was saved there that day hanging upon the cross saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone he couldn't go out and serve Jesus first he couldn't go out and enroll in some Sunday school in some Baptist church so he could learn the Bible first he could not read the Bible first he couldn't go out and join some church first or get baptized first all he did was admit his sinfulness and his lostness and repent of it and trust Jesus as to have mercy upon him that's all he did that's all he could do was it enough well what did

Jesus say he said today you will be with me in paradise that is heaven that's all this dying thief needed to hear and for the first time in his wicked life he was free from the guilt and burden of sin why because the Savior Jesus at his side was bearing his sin for him but before or but rather Jesus also Jesus bore your sin he bore yours there on the cross just like that thief and Jesus will give the same assurance he gave that thief if you will repent and if you will trust and place your faith in Jesus

Christ very quickly Jesus said one other thing finally just before he released his spirit John 19 and verse 30 tells us so when Jesus had received the sour wine he said it is finished finished and bowing his head he gave up the spirit it is finished to tell us die it is finished not I am finished he didn't say that he's not saying I'm done for I'm finished he said it it is finished and that is the work the father had given him to do to accomplish was now finished and that's why listen that's why nothing can be added to the work of Christ in salvation not a thing can be added to it nothing absolutely nothing not religious rituals or ceremony not baptism not penitence or penance not any human works of righteousness all that

God requires to receive forgiveness and salvation to grant forgiveness and salvation all that God requires has been done it's been done at the cross salvation is not spelled d-o-do it's spelled d-o-n-e done so embrace Jesus embrace his cross this morning turn from your sin turn from your way turn from your own works of righteousness turn from trusting self and embrace Christ trust Jesus Christ this morning trust him is