Good Friday holds profound significance to me. It’s my second favorite holiday, just after Easter. In my home church there is a lot of symbolism at the Good Friday service. As the service goes on, the sanctuary becomes darker and the candles on the altar are extinguished one by one. By the end of the service, it is completely dark inside the sanctuary. Then, all of the sudden, you hear a noise like a stone being pushed, symbolizing Jesus’ body being put in the tomb.
Often times, during the service, we go through Jesus’ seven last words or statements. This is also something that many of the churches led by GFA-supported pastors do for one of their Holy Week services. I’d like to share with you the words Christ spoke as He died on the cross, and what I’ve gleaned from them.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” —Luke 23:34
This was Christ’s first statement, and through this, He showed forgiveness for His enemies and the whole human race, whose sins put Him on the cross. This is an amazing love, which is only borne from God.
After Jesus, believers in Him have been persecuted and even martyred, but yet they are still able to show extraordinary love toward those who have made themselves their enemies. In 2016, around 90,000 Christians were killed for their faith, that’s one every six minutes. In most cases, their last words were not full of hate but love and forgiveness for their persecutors. Stephen, the first Christian martyr recorded in the Bible, echoed Christ’s words of forgiveness while he was being stoned to death (see Acts 7:20). Through Jesus’ example, many of His people have the courage and strength to forgive.
Jesus’ second statement on the cross was to the thief that hung next to Him.
“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” — Luke 23:43
These words show the expansive reach of God’s mercy and grace. It doesn’t matter how many terrible things we’ve done in the past, when we repent and trust in Jesus, we can be with Him for eternity. Even someone who lived their life contrary to God’s law by murdering (or being a thief), can find redemption, as long as they turn to Christ. Their past can be washed clean by His blood, and they can be with Jesus in the next life.
Jesus’ third statement on the cross shows how he honored His mother even till the end. He provided care and protection for her through his disciple, John.
“Woman, behold your son.” —John 19:26–27
As believers, God gives us new families, even if our blood family forsakes us or dies. He provides the body of Christ to take care of other believers. In many nations where Christianity is not practiced, turning to Jesus can mean shame or even death. Just like Jesus provided Mary a spiritual son, so He provides believers a new family, especially if they’re outcast. This is still happening all across Asia, especially when new believers are disowned by their families. But the Lord takes care of them by making sure their new church family is there to take them in.
Christ also know what is means to be forsaken by family. After hanging on the cross and taking the weight of sin on his shoulders, Jesus felt forsaken by His Heavenly Father.
“Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?’” —Matthew 27:46
God experienced hell for us, so we don’t have to by taking our sins upon Himself on the cross. Christians who are hungry, persecuted or facing some type of adversity have felt like they were forsaken. Yet, the truth is that we are not forsaken. God will never forsake His children. In fact, we will be with Him in Heaven forever, where there will no longer be any more pain or illnesses.
In addition to feeling spiritual separation, the beatings and strenuous journey to the cross produced a physical depletion in Jesus. With dehydration setting in, Jesus said:
“I thirst.” —John 19:28
Jesus said this to fulfill an Old Testament prophecy about his death on the cross and the kind of drink they would Him. In Psalm 69:21, King David says and predicts: “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”
This also show’s Jesus’ humanity and that he too experienced the feeling of dehydration and thirst that humanity around the world, especially those in droughts experience. The book of Hebrews says Jesus experienced everything that we have and that includes physical depletion, so He is able to intercede on behalf of those who live in these conditions.
The second to last of Jesus’ statements is the most important:
“It is finished!” —John 19:30
With these three words, the temple curtain split. This symbolizes everybody, regardless of their background, as long as they repent of their sins, can have access to God. No longer do we have to go through a priest to enter God’s presence. Instead, everybody is a priest. This is the love that compels us to share this Story with others.
The final words of Jesus on the cross, shows that He was no longer separated from His Father at the end of His life:
“Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” —Luke 23:46
Jesus knew for sure He was going to be with the Father, and we can have the same assurance at the end of our lives, as long as we’ve trusted in Jesus ever since He called us to be His own.
Because of Christ’s love demonstrated on the cross, we at Gospel for Asia have reason to share in the work Jesus set before us after the resurrection, the work of reconciliation and inviting others to Himself.
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