Good Friday "Seven Last Words"

Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah.

! It is wonderful that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah,

either by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray for us

that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself?

The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian,

we really, I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the

Bible, they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will do

what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a non-Christian,

checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't hesitate to send us

questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the types of things

that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

So the first word I'll be reading from Luke chapter 23 verse 34, which says,

Luke 23:34

And Jesus said, Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided up his

clothes by casting lots. So when I read this, a lot of questions come to mind.

And one of the first one, which shows my sin nature and the flesh rising up whenever I'm called

to forgive or to do the right thing, the first question is, God, are you saying that in a way I

can keep a grudge when someone does know what they're doing? And that's just me resisting the

call from the Lord. And part of the reason why I think like this, I think it's because I have a hard

time believing that people just don't know when something is wrong, that they don't know

the evil they're committing. And I've also often wondered at this passage, how could they not have

known what they were doing? Lord, surely you don't mean that they don't understand that the act that

they're committing is evil. And don't you say somewhere in your word something about the law being

written in our hearts? Surely they must know. So all these thoughts, they go through my mind. And

I spent the last couple of weeks just meditating on this passage over and over again and trying to

figure out, okay, what is the Lord calling me to and what does he want us to take away from

this passage? And I think for most of you, it's obvious, but for me, the Lord had to really,

there was a humbling process that needed to happen in order for me to truly understand the depth of his

love and what he's calling us to. And for me, I've been through some very difficult things, especially

in childhood. And I think over time that has hardened me and made me callous when it comes to giving people

the benefit of the doubt. I have a hard time believing that someone can hurt you without knowing to some

extent that what they did is wrong. And I'll go so far as to say, as strange as it might be, that

when someone hurts me deeply or commits an evil act without knowing, that can often scare me more than

if the person did it unintentionally. And the reason for that is because it means they can do it again

and again and again and again and again and that I would also be called then to forgive them again and again,

as the Father does for us so often. And so as I go through this thought of they must know, there's no way

they don't know, or there's no way someone can't know, the thought comes back to me, and I know it was the Lord

asking me, so you think you've never hurt anyone without being aware of it? You've never committed an act

unintentionally or not know the deep, the ripple effects, and you know all the varying degrees of

how that hurts someone or how that affects the world around you. And I think I felt in that moment like

Joe being called to give an account and explain because clearly I'm so wise. And so in that moment,

I realized that Christ not only is asking the Father in his deep love and mercy to forgive them for the

things they do know, but to go so much further and even all the smallest things, great however they are,

to forgive them for all of that, even the unknown, even what they don't ask for. And I think Stephen

grasped that at his stoning where he cries out with a loud voice,

Lord, do not hold this sin against them. Forgive them because they don't know also what they're doing.

And so Christ, as he's hanging there on the cross, he's saying, Lord, forgive to the uttermost,

even those who below are casting lots while men above are dying a horrible death. And so he's asking us

to forgive just like he has. Luke 23, 43, a criminal being crucified along with Jesus,

has just said a word to defend Jesus and made a plea for mercy asking to be remembered. And Jesus says to

him, truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.

The American Puritan, Jonathan Edwards, is rumored to have once said that he had contributed nothing to

his salvation, but the sin that made it necessary. I suppose this man being crucified alongside Jesus

might be inclined to agree. We don't know much about this man except what he confesses during his own

execution. He's a felon. He's being killed for his crimes. And at least as far as he's concerned,

he deserves to die.

Catholic tradition holds that this criminal's name is Dismas, St. Dismas, to be precise,

the patron saint of prisoners. Now, I'm neither Catholic myself, nor at least at present a prisoner.

But if I were Catholic, I might choose Dismas to be my own patron saint anyway. Not because of what

he's done, but because of what he hasn't. That he's contributed the sin that made his salvation

necessary is clear. Aside from this, he has nothing to offer but a word or two spoken in Jesus' defense

and a plea not even for salvation, but simply for remembrance. I mean, what else can he do? His hands

are literally nailed to a board. As far as we can tell, Dismas is no follower of Jesus up to this

point. He's never been baptized, never even heard Jesus' teachings, let alone put them into practice.

Far from being a pillar of his community or even a respectable member of it,

Dismas is a wretched criminal, possibly a violent one,

suffering a shameful death for the harm that he's done.

Dismas has nothing to offer Jesus but his confession,

and no motivation for making that confession except to be remembered.

And how does Jesus respond? Knowing him, we might not be surprised to see him grant Dismas' request

and say, truly, I say to you, I will remember you when I come into my kingdom.

To do so would be forgiving. To do so would be merciful.

You know, I can't help at this point but to think

of a story that Jesus once told about a different man,

one who had insulted his father,

abandoned his family,

and squandered his inheritance.

This young man,

whose reckless decisions soon

come to ruin his life,

one day comes to his senses

and staggers home, broken,

hungry, and ashamed.

He hopes for nothing more

than a small measure of conditional

forgiveness.

Not restoration as a son,

but acceptance as a hired hand.

He hopes for mercy.

But the father in Jesus' story

offers something much greater than this.

When he sees his son

returning home,

he throws all modesty aside,

and he runs down his driveway,

throws his arms around his

filthy, foolish son,

and wholeheartedly forgives him.

Without condition

and without qualification,

he even throws him a party.

The father offers something

much greater than mercy.

He offers grace.

It's in this moment,

dying on the cross,

that Jesus shows the world

who God is.

Jesus does more than grant

his misleynancy

in his final moments.

He does more than spare him

the obscurity he deserves.

He grants him eternal life.

No waiting period.

No purgatory.

No need to itemize his sins

and confess them one by one.

No need to have

someone in the crowd

splash some water on him

in an impromptu

emergency baptism ceremony.

Jesus offers Dismas

what he's also offered you

and me and all who have confessed

their corruption before God.

He offers him grace.

He loves him.

Now, I'm not Catholic

and I'm not much on patron saints,

but maybe I should find

a picture of Dismas

to keep around the house anyway.

Something to remind me

that the greatest thing

that I contribute

to my own salvation

is the sin

that makes it necessary.

something to remind me

that as far as earning

my place

or my keep

in God's kingdom goes,

my hands might as well

be nailed to a board.

Something to remind me

that every victory

I experience in this world

and every joy

I will experience

in the next,

I owe to his mercy,

his forgiveness,

his love,

and his grace.

The third word

is from

John chapter 19

John 19:26–27

verse 26

to 27.

When Jesus saw

his mother

and the disciple

whom he loved

standing near,

he said to his mother,

Woman,

behold your son.

and then he said

to the disciple,

Behold your mother.

And from that hour

the disciple took her

to his own home.

In July 2009,

is that exactly a year

after my dear father

passed away,

I decided to check

on my mother

who was then

living alone

in Peter Maritzburg,

South Africa.

The dust

had settled,

the visits

had dwindled,

and the vultures

and opportunists

who had been

circling around

eyeing for the chance

to capitalize

on my father's

connections,

reputation,

and prestige

had all dispersed.

All was calm

and serene.

at last.

When I arrived

at her place,

instead of the

customary

large gathering,

she welcomed me

privately,

albeit warmly.

Though she was alone

with her dearest

husband gone

and all her children

living abroad,

she was not lonely.

she had learned

to fill her solitude

with prayer,

praise,

and adoration.

Something about

that moment,

perhaps her peace

that transcended

her dire circumstances,

perhaps her utter

reliance on God,

told me that there

was a side to

my dearest mother

that had escaped

my knowledge.

All these years,

I had known her

as my father's wife

and as my dear mother,

but never as a full person,

a woman in her own right.

I had not yet asked her

about her childhood

fears and dreams,

her regrets

and accomplishments,

her hopes

and aspirations,

or her plans.

She was very generous

in her responses,

and you will be glad

to know that unlike

some Illuminati

and Glitterati

that will remain

in this Easter season,

she knew exactly

who she was

as a woman

and what she stands for.

Through our week-long

conversations,

I learned that she excelled

at math and athletics,

how and why

she fell in love

with my father,

that at 62,

she still wanted

to earn a bachelor's degree,

which she did,

that when she arrived

in Canada,

she preferred to live

on her own.

Obviously,

learning who she is

as a person,

as a woman,

who also happens

to be my dear mother,

allowed me

to better minister

to her needs.

May I submit

to you

that Jesus,

the Lord

who in the beginning

was with God

and was himself God,

he,

the all-knowing God,

needed not

week-long conversations

after Joseph's death

to know his mother.

mother.

May I also

submit to you

that calling her

mother woman

was not

a result of insolence

or bad upbringing,

but rather

of the deep privilege

of knowing her

infinitely better

than she knew herself.

but why did

Jesus,

of all the soothing

words,

he could have

said to his mother

when referring

to John,

chose,

behold,

your mother,

your son,

and to John

when referring

to his mother,

behold,

your mother.

perhaps the

simplest explanation,

the one glaring

before our eyes,

may be the correct one.

Maybe it is

because Jesus

knew that Mary

needed the care

of an adopted son

and that John

needed the love

of a surrogate mother,

both of which

culminated in John

taking Mary

to his own home.

finally,

because I still

have a lot

of questions,

but I will just

limit to this one.

Why did Jesus

in his

excruciatingly

pivotal moment

!

He

insisted

on meeting

and John's

earthly needs

even though

he knew

he would

conquer death,

he would

receive a name

above all names,

he would

send the

Holy Spirit,

the paraclete,

the comforter

to minister

to Mary's

and John's

spiritual needs

after his

ascension to heaven.

My educated

guest

is in the

mystery

of incarnation.

Kindly allow

me to remind

you

how it all

started.

Now,

this reading

is taken

from the

collection

of the

Gen Z

Bible

stories.

And I

will have

to explain

two words

before I

read.

So,

the first

word is

pick me

girl,

and that

one means

someone who

is desperate

for God.

And the

second one

is simping,

which means

imploring.

So,

now,

I read.

Mary was

a pick me

girl for

God,

and was

simping for

him in

prayer,

when the

angel

Gabriel

appeared to

her in

prayer and

said,

you've

passed

God's

vibe check,

and he

wants you

to be

the mother

of the

main

character,

the son

of the

top G.

Then Mary

said,

how can

this be

when I

promised

him

my

body

count

will

always

be

zero.

He

said,

this

I

ain't

about

coughing

season,

for the

Holy Spirit

will live

rent-free

in you.

So,

she said,

bet.

And

Gabriel

left her

on red,

and she

let the

Holy Spirit

cook.

And,

of course,

nine months

later,

when the

word became

flesh and

dwelled

among us

and we

beheld

his glory,

he

validated

our,

that our

bodies and

our earthly

needs

matter,

because he

took on

the flesh.

When he

suffered in

the body,

on the

cross,

he redeemed

our suffering

in the

body.

After all,

even though

he was

the son

of God,

God deemed

it necessary

to make

him perfect

through

suffering.

And his

resurrection

in the

body

reminds us

to sanctify

our bodies

as a living

sacrifice

and to

care for

the earthly

needs of

our

neighbors.

Otherwise,

how could we

pretend to

love God

we do not

see if we

do not

love and

care for

our

neighbors

whom we

see?

Eloi,

Eloi,

lama

sabachthani,

which is

translated,

my God,

my God,

why have

you forsaken

me?

This fourth

and literally

central of

the last

seven sayings

of Christ

is a direct

quote from

the opening

verse of

Psalm 22.

So what

better idea

than to

read that

psalm?

I will

start with

the reading

and then

offer a few

thoughts to

finish off

my meditation.

Starting in

verse one,

my God,

my God,

why have

you forsaken

me?

Why are

you so

far from

helping me

and from

the words

of my

groaning?

Oh my

God,

I cry

in the

daytime,

but you

do not

hear,

and in

the night

season,

and am

not silent.

But

you are

holy,

enthroned

in the

praises

of

Israel.

Our

fathers

trusted

in you,

they

trusted

and you

delivered

them.

They

cried

to you

and were

delivered,

they

trusted

in you

and were

not

ashamed.

But I

am a

worm

and no

man,

a reproach

of men

and despised

by the

people.

All those

who see

me

ridicule

me,

they

shoot

out the

lip,

they shake

the head

saying,

he trusted

in the

Lord,

let him

rescue

him,

let him

deliver

him,

since he

delights

in him.

But you

are he

who took

me out

of the

womb,

you made

me trust

while on

my mother's

breast,

I was

cast upon

you from

birth,

from my

mother's

womb,

you have

been my

God.

Be not

far from

me,

for trouble

is near,

for there

is none

to help.

Many

bulls have

surrounded

me,

strong

bulls of

passion,

have

encircled

me,

they

gape at

me with

their mouths

like a

raging and

roaring lion,

I am

poured out

like water,

and all my

bones are

out of

joint,

my heart

is like

wax,

it has

melted

within

me,

my strength

is dried

up like a

pot shirt,

and my tongue

clings to

my jaws,

you have

brought me

to the

dust of

death,

for dogs

have surrounded

me,

the congregation

of the wicked

has enclosed

me,

they pierced

my hands

and my feet,

I can count

all my

bones,

they look

and stare

at me,

they divide

my garments

among them,

and from my

clothing they

cast lots,

but you,

O Lord,

do not be

far from me,

O my strength,

hasten to

help me,

deliver me

from the

sword,

my precious

life from

the power

of the dog,

save me from

the lion's

mouth,

and from the

horns of

the wild

oxen,

you have

answered me,

I will

declare your

name to my

brethren,

in the midst

of the

assembly I

will praise

you,

you who

fear the

Lord,

praise him,

all you

descendants of

Jacob,

glorify him,

and fear him,

all you

offspring of

Israel,

for he

has not

despised

nor

abhorred the

affliction of

the afflicted,

nor has he

hidden his

face from

him,

but when

he cried

to him,

he heard,

my praise

shall be of

you in

the great

assembly,

I will

pay my

vows before

those who

fear him,

the poor

shall eat

and be

satisfied,

those who

seek him

will praise

the Lord,

let your

heart live

forever,

all the

ends of

the world

shall remember

and turn

to the

Lord,

and all

the families

of the

nations

shall

worship

before

you,

for the

kingdom

is the

Lord's

and he

rules

over the

nations,

all the

prosperous

of the

earth

shall

eat

and

worship,

all those

who go

down

to the

dust

shall

bow

before

him,

even

he

who

cannot

keep

himself

alive,

a posterity

shall

serve

him,

it will

be

recounted

of the

Lord

to the

next

generation,

they

will

come

and

declare

his

righteousness

to a

people

who will

be

born,

that he

has

done

this.

If you've

ever felt

forsaken

by God,

you're

in good

company.

King

David

and even

the Lord

Jesus

Christ

can relate.

Digging

into the

psalm,

I believe

you can

find

instructions

on what

to do

in that

moment

of despair,

regardless

of where

you are

in your

relationship

with God.

Unrepentantly

following

your flesh,

fear

the

Lord.

Searching

for something

to believe

in?

Seek

him.

Walking

away

from the

faith,

remember

and turn

to him.

Following

the

Lord,

trust

and delight

in him.

The

results

for those

who do

these

things

are laid

out in

the

psalm.

They

will be

satisfied.

They

will

praise.

They

will

declare

that

God

has

done

this,

which

is,

in

verse

24,

that he

did not

despise

nor

abhor

the

affliction

of the

afflicted

son.

He

did not

hide

his face

from

him,

but when

Jesus

cried

to him,

my

God,

my

God,

why

have

you

forsaken

me?

He

heard.

He,

our

God,

holy,

enthroned,

is never

far from

us.

For when

we came

out of

our

mother's

womb,

to the

dust of

death,

and through

all the

times in

between,

when trouble

is near,

he is

never

far.

When

we are

reproached

by man,

despised

by the

people,

enclosed

by the

congregation

of the

wicked,

he is

never

far.

He,

our

rescuer,

hears

us.

When

we cry

in the

daytime,

and when

we say

that he

does not

hear,

he

hears.

When

we groan

and are

not silent

at night,

he

hears.

So to

close,

if you

are in

a season

of groaning

and crying

and thinking

he does

not hear,

trust

him.

The

day

will

come

when

you

will

say

like

the

prophetic

psalmist,

you,

God,

have

answered

me.

Know

this,

in the

end,

you

will

be

delivered

and

you

will

not

be

ashamed.

Let's

read

John

John 19:28

19,

verse

28.

After

this,

Jesus,

knowing

that all

was now

finished,

to fulfill

the

scripture,

said,

I

thirst.

when

the

Roman

soldiers

at the

cross

hear

the

statement,

they

give

Jesus

sour

wine,

a

gesture

of

mockery.

In

doing

so,

prophecy

was

fulfilled

in

Psalm,

from the

prophet,

sorry,

in doing

so,

fulfilled

the

prophecy

in

Psalm

Psalms 69:21

69,

verse

21.

They

gave

me

poison

for

food,

and

for

my

thirst,

they

gave

me

sour

wine

to

drink.

I

was

thinking,

what

other

significance

does

this

statement

of

I

thirst

hold?

My

mind

is

drawn

back

to

the

times

in

Matthew

when

Jesus

talks

about

drinking

a

cup.

In

Matthew

Matthew 20:22

20,

verse

22,

Jesus

responds

to a

seat

assignment

request

by the

mother

of

James

and

John.

He

said,

you do

not

know

what

you

are

asking.

Are

you

able

to

drink

the

cup

that

I

am

to

drink?

And

again

in

Matthew

Matthew 26:39

26,

verse

39,

Jesus

prays

in

the

garden

of

Gethsemane

saying,

my

father,

if it

is

possible,

let

this

cup

pass

from

me.

Nevertheless,

not as

I

will,

but as

you

will.

Jesus

didn't

specify

who

he

was

speaking

to

when

making

that

statement,

I

thirst.

The

soldiers,

assuming

Jesus

was

talking

to

them,

gave

Jesus

something

to

drink

that

would

not

quench

his

thirst.

And

so

did

God.

Jesus

took

on

the

bitter

cup

of

punishment

that

was

for

us

to

drink.

God's

wrath

was

fully

satisfied

with

Jesus

drinking

it.

Christ's

statement

of

I

thirst

after

all

that

was

finished

shows

the

cup

that

was

for

mankind

was

one

that

did

not

satisfy

or

give

any

type

of

sustenance.

Rather,

it was

one of

death,

agony,

futility,

and famine.

this

passage

here in

John

reminds

me

of

another

passage

where

Jesus

requests

a

drink.

In

John

John 4:7

chapter

4,

verse

7,

14,

there's

a story

of the

Samaritan

woman

at the

well.

Let me

just read

that

quickly.

A

woman

from

Samaria

came

to

draw

water,

and

Jesus

said

to

her,

give

me

a

drink.

The

Samaritan

woman

said

to

him,

how

is it

that

you,

a

Jew,

ask

for

a

drink

from

me,

a

woman

of

Samaria?

For

Jews

had

no

dealings

with

Samaritans.

And

Jesus

answered

her,

if

you

knew

the

gift

of

God

and

who

it

was,

or

who

it

is

that

is

saying

to

you,

give

me

a

drink,

you

would

have

asked

him,

and

he

would

give

you

living

water.

The

woman

said

to

him,

sir,

you

have

nothing

to

draw

water

with,

and

the

well

is

deep.

Where

do

you

get

that

living

water?

Are

you

greater

than

our

father

Jacob?

He

gave

us

the

well

and

drank

from

it

himself,

and

so

did

his

sons

and

his

livestock.

Jesus

said

to

her,

everyone

who

drinks

of

this

water

will

be

thirsty

again,

but

whoever

drinks

of the

water

that

I

will

give

him

will

never

be

thirsty

again.

Jesus

thirsted

in

our

stead

so

that

we

would

never

thirst

again.

He

paid

the

ultimate

price

his

life

by

drinking

our

cup

so

we

would

not

have

to.

He

drank

death

and

we

have

the

opportunity

to

experience

eternal

life.

Jesus

being

fully

man

and

fully

God

experienced

real

human

physical

thirst.

Christ

also

experienced

in

our

place

the

wages

of

sin

and

being

forsaken

by

God.

Romans

6

23

for

the

wages

of

sin

is

death

but

the

free

gift

of

God

is

eternal

life

in

Christ

Jesus

our

Lord.

We

don't

have

to

face

death

because

Jesus

did

for

us.

We

don't

have

that

bitter

cup

in

front

of

us

any

longer.

Jesus

has

provided

living

water

which

is

eternal

life.

In

closing

out

this

word

I'd

like

to

share

a

verse

from

a

beautiful

old

hymn.

death

and

the

curse

were

in

our

cup

O

Christ

was

full

for

thee

but

thou

hast

drained

the

last

dark

drop

tis

empty

now

for

me

that

bitter

cup

love

drink

it

up

now

blessings

draft

for

me

sixth

last

word

of

Jesus

from

19

John

19

30

when

Jesus

had

received

the

sorrow

wine

he

said

it

is

finished

and

he

bowed

his

head

and

gave

up

his

spirit

that's

one of

the

weirdest

last

things

to say

on

when

you're

dying

why

do

you

say

it

is

finished

if

I

was

dying

in

excruciating

pain

what I

would

say

is

I

hope

it

would

finish

eventually

soon

so I

don't

have

to

die

for

three

days

but

he

says

it

is

finished

it's

also

a

very

peculiar

word

to

study

and

to

meditate

on

very

weird

so

I

think

the

answer

lies

in

Romans

where

Paul

explains

what

Christ

has

done

for

us

the

entire

letter

is

just

a

fantastical

treatise

upon

this

as

you

all

know

Paul

was

a

Jew

he

pursued

Christians

and

he

became

a

Christ

and

how

does

he

understand

the

work

of

the

cross

what

Christ

has

done

on

that

he

says

in

Romans

Romans 4:7–8

chapter

4

verse

7

to

8

of

the

man

who

is

blessed

blessed

are

they

whose

inequities

are

forgiven

and whose

sins

are

covered

blessed

is