“When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew — Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, ‘Here is your King!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but the emperor.’ Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, ‘Do not write, “The King of the Jews”, but, “This man said, I am King of the Jews.” ’ Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written.’ When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’ This was to fulfil what the scripture says,

‘They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.’
And that is what the soldiers did.

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:13-30

The Seven Last Words of Christ refer to the final seven phrases that Our Lord uttered as he hung on the Cross. These phrases were not recorded in a single Gospel but are taken from the combined accounts of the four Gospels. Many Good Friday services will give brief sermons on each of these phrases. That is what I have done for you today:

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34)

When Jesus was hanging on the cross he asked for forgiveness for the people who were responsible for this great evil, and he gave a reason that they should be forgiven. He said it was because they were ignorant of their deeds. If knowledge and experience was the key to happiness and morality then we would be the most virtuous people who ever lived. But we are not the most virtuous – we are as sinful as any who have lived – we are not innocent.

Our Lord’s Passion was so horrific because He was so innocent. Sinning against someone of infinite virtue brings with it infinite guilt, but as He hung there on the cross he asked that the offenders be forgiven. Through our sins we too are equal parties in Passion, but we have an equal opportunity to be forgiven. And it is through our participation with the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism, along with repentance and forgiveness that we receive the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.

“Truly I tell you today you will be with me in paradise.” (Lk 23:43)

Our Lord’s second last words were in response to the good thief who said “remember me, Lord, when you come into your Kingdom.” When you compare the good thief with the bad thief you discover that the difference between them is in their wills. One recognized the injustice of Christ’s crucifixion and asked to be forgiven; the other mocked Jesus. The good thief is rewarded for his repentance.

Everyone has a cross to bear and in bearing it we become perfected in G-d’s eyes. We should not think of our suffering as a punishment because it is given to us for a reason. The tragedy in the world is not that there is pain, but that it is often wasted. The reason we tend to be such mediocre Christians is because we refuse to let G-d lead us through the good and the bad. When the Virgin Mary heard the voice of the Archangel Gabriel, she did not ask what she needed to do; she said she would allow G-d to do what she needed to experience. We too must be like clay in an artists hands.

“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.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” (Jn 19:26-27)

When someone says to you, “You have your own life to live”, remember that you live it along side everyone else. As a Christian, love of neighbor is inseparable from love of G-d. The value of relationships is exemplified in Jesus’ third last words. The tragedy of the Passion united Christ’s family just as tragedies continue to unite people today. As Our Lord was hanging on the cross he united His mother with the family of the disciple whom he loved.

By referring to His mother as “woman” He distinguished her from just being His own mother and gave her to all of us. The night before, Our Lord willed His body to us at the Last Supper. At the foot of the cross he willed us His mother too. Even on the cross, Christ honors His mother.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk 15:34)

Our culture is increasingly overrun with problems of addiction. Untold numbers of people struggle with alcoholism, pornography, and violence. These are the torments of a world in despair and people who feel increasingly disconnected from each other. Feeling abandoned we might call out the same words the Our Lord did, but His words had a different meaning. The fourth last words of Our Lord come from the first line of Psalm 21. This is the psalm that says, “my bones have been numbered and they have drawn lots for my cloak.”

But while the first half of the psalm is about suffering, the last half of the psalm is about hope. It ends with an acknowledgment that whatever happens, we are assured victory over our enemies.

There was no darker hour for Jesus than His crucifixion, yet He trusted His Father in spite of all the contrary appearances that things would end well. He was not abandoned or forgotten but He had to suffer before claiming His prize. For the person who has hope, there is no obstacle that can’t be overcome. For the person who despairs, there can be only darkness. We must pray in confidence that every prayer of ours will be answered, and even when the answer is no, we have to be mindful that comes from the outpouring of a Father’s love.

“I Am thirsty.” (Jn 19:28)

The fifth last word of Christ echoes Isaiah 55:1, “Come, all you who are thirsty.” Whether you acknowledge it or not, everyone has a thirst for G-d – or at least a thirst for understanding things that are beyond our comprehension. Everyone desires something deeper and seeks someone higher. As Our Lord hangs on the cross, He says that it works two ways. As we thirst for some knowledge of G-d, G-d is always thirsting for a relationship with us. And though we tend to want G-d, we also proof before we will commit to a G- who seems so far away. We fail to realize that it is we who have distanced ourselves from G-d and not G-d who remains distant from us – G-d will always seek us like a shepherd seeks a lost sheep.

G-d thirsts for the souls of even the worst sinners, and while no one can deserve G-d, everyone can receive Him.

“It is Finished” (Jn 19:30)

The expression used by Our Lord can be found three places in Scripture. It is found in Genesis after creation; in Revelation at the end of time; and here on the cross. It means that what was done is now perfected and for Christ it marks the end of His hour. During the wedding feast at Cana Jesus first mentioned His hour. He told his mother that his hour had not come; it was not time to begin his mission. For His hour, which lasted three years, it would be a time of mortification, suffering and death. For us it has to be the same thing.

Many people are frustrated in their lives because they have rejected the cross. Instead of pursuing a relationship with Jesus, they try to fill their lives with worldly substitutes. Instead of embracing the mysteries of religion, they embrace murder mysteries on television. They criticize people and religion for the very things they despise in themselves. They are consumed with themselves – and Jesus says we must deny ourselves to follow him. It is only in surrendering ourselves as Christ did that we become receptive to His grace.

“Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit.”  (Lk 23:46)

Our Lord called out His final words in a great voice; meeting death head-on. Rather than wait for death to come and take Him, He used His perfect freedom and chose to die. There are two kinds of freedom. There is a freedom from something and freedom for something. Most people prefer the first kind of freedom because it is easier. Freedom from vegetables, freedom from oppression. The second kind of freedom is much more difficult because it implies a responsibility that can often be a burden. Freedom for the opportunity to choose, freedom for the opportunity to change. To understand the supreme nature of this kind of freedom we have to look at Christ on the cross.

There are only three things we can do with our freedom. We can direct it selfishly towards ourselves; we can scatter it among a thousand trivial things; and we can surrender it to G-d. Uncontrolled freedom will always lead a person into slavery. Those who are empty can be filled, but people who are intoxicated with their own egos have no room for G-d. Only when you have displaced the ego, the “me”, then you can find freedom in Christ. It was His self-giving sacrifice that made possible the Resurrection – and new life possible for all.

Pastor Dave

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.  If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.  If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:1-17, 31-35

This section begins with the account of the Last Supper and the moving words that summarize the whole: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” As this particular passage commences, Jesus has already washed the feet of his disciples, Judas has just departed to betray him, and the rest of the disciples are in a state of confusion. At just this moment of drama and tension, Jesus’ offers these words, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Which tells us, I think, a great deal about the kind of love Jesus is talking about. This surely isn’t romantic love, nor is it simply being nice, nor is it only loving those who love you back. Think about it: when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, Judas was there. Further, he will now demonstrate just how much God loves the world by dying for those who manifestly do not love him. Love is hard because it is self-sacrificing. It means putting the good of the other first, even when it hurts.” (David Lose, …in the Meantime, On Loving – and Not Loving – One Another, April 21, 2013)

Jesus has not just given his own disciples a new commandment – he has given all of his disciples a commandment – those with him then – those throughout time. As David Lose tells us, love is hard. I know this is not news to you. In Jesus’ time, love was understood in a contextually different way.

The Hebrew word for love is “Ahava”. Hebrew words generally have a three-consonant root word that contains the essence of the word’s meaning. The root word of ahava is “ahav.”  The term ahav in Hebrew means, “to give.”  True ahava, true love, then is more concerned about what we give, than what we receive. For the Hebrew understanding of love, being the center of someone’s attention isn’t love.  And love isn’t about getting some feeling or fix.  Ahava is about giving devotion and time.  Giving is the vehicle of love. As the text from John 3:16 tells us, YHWH so loved the world that He GAVE His only Son.  Meaningful relationships have mutual giving.  Love may focus on receiving, but ahava is all about giving.  There is a difference.  Consider that the Hebrew word “ahava” is not an emotion but an action.  It is not something that happens “to you” but a condition that you create when you give.  You don’t “fall” in love – you give love!

Jesus has given us a new commandment to love one another – and to love as Jesus commands is to serve others, to be with others, to put others first out of love for them. So let’s be prodigal with our love – giving it away again and again in a wastefully, extravagant manner.

Pastor Dave