st. john church
visakhapatnam
seven sayings of jesus on the cross
First saying
Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
Know the right thing and do the right thing with the right mind.
Illustration: A certain man was passing by a school. Children were shouting ‘23, 23, 23.’ The man peeped in. They struck his eyes, then they began to shout, “24, 24, 24.” Had he knew that his eyes would be struck, he would not have peeped in the hole. He did not know what he was doing.
Who decided to crucify Jesus?
v The priest, religious leaders, social leaders etc. (in today context, theologians, pastors, etc.)
v They thought that they knew what they did.
v They thought they were right. They crucified Jesus out of their service to God.
Why did Jesus die?
v Jesus died in his encounter against the devilish force to save human.
How did Jesus encounter the devil and his work?
1) Direct encounter against the devil by means of healing and exorcism.
2) Jesus attacked the existing religious tradition and authorities.
v Sabbath healings (Mt. 3:4-6; Lk. 13:10-17)
v ‘Woe pronouncement’-outward zeal
3) Jesus attacked the existing social norms:
v Oppression of the sinners: prostitutes, tax collectors, publicans
v Oppression of women
v Oppression of the poor: physically poor, economically poor, shepherd
4) Jesus attacked the existing culture
v Patriarchal society
v Friend of sinners
v They did not know that they went in the wrong way.
v They thought that they were right
v The Son of Man or Son of God came to correct them
v He knew that all those were the devilish forces and attacked them
v But they could not find their faults; rather, they crucify their helper
v Jesus still prayed for those people who crucified him
Are we in the same condition?
v I fear that knowingly or unknowingly we offend Jesus. How?
v Socially
v Culturally
v Denominational chauvinism
Let us realize our faults
Jesus still prays for us
Let us know what we are doing
Let us not try Jesus’ patience of our wrong doings
Lk. 23:43 “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Paradise:
v Judas Iscariot
2) Eternal life is not measured in terms of quantity but in terms of quality
3) Having faith even when it is not reasonable
v The criminal has faith in the unknown person who was crucified with him.
v In other worlds, the criminal has faith in another criminal.
v This is far superior to the faith of Thomas, the disciple who doubted Jesus’ resurrection
4) Intimacy and submission draw Jesus near
v He called Jesus as “Jesus,” without any other title such as Lord or Son of David
v He called as if Jesus were his close friend
v How do we address God or Jesus?
5) Being remembered by Jesus determines everything
v We remember Jesus. That is good, but being remembered by Jesus is still the best
6) True repentance leads to immediate forgiveness
7) Jesus’ forgiveness brings forth eternal life and immediate paradise
John 19:26-27 “Woman, here is your son.” “Here is your mother.”
Mary in John’s care: Joseph might be no more in this time
v He did not forget his mother even at his death breath
2) A trustworthy friend like John
v Let us be trustworthy to the needy and poor such as the widow Mary
3) Trustworthiness in a matter of heavy and important task
v Jesus trusts John to take care of his mother, a heavy burden
v Are we trustworthy to take up the responsibility of the church, mission, 5 crores of rupees etc.?
v It needs hard work and faithfulness, sincerity etc.
4) Mutual trust
v John took her in his home from that hour
v Mutual trust in every aspect of life
v Power, authority, financial matter
5) Remembering others even when we are in distress
v Jesus was thinking more of the sorrow of this than his own
v We are too conscious of ourselves in times of joy and sorrow
v We want everything for us:
v My car, my house, my laptop, my food, my, my, my, etc.
v Meanwhile millions of people are starving, thirsty, crying and dying
6) Everything is secondary to doing the Father’s will
Woman: affectionate call/address
Jesus’ mother: whoever does the will of my Father is heaven is my brother, sister and mother (Mt. 12:50)
v What is primary and secondary in our respective lives?
v Do we know the will of God?
Fourth saying
Mt. 27:46 and Mk. 15:34 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Mt. 27:46 “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”
Mk. 15:34: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
v 9th hour = 3:00pm in Palestine
v Greek idea of impassible god
v Docetic idea of god (during baptism and crucifixion)
v Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemane
v Jesus, as he is 100% human, wanted to let pass the suffering if the Father wills
v But this is not the purpose of God
v Jesus really suffered as a human as if the Father abandoned him
v But this is the purpose of God, the saddest experience of human
Illustration: footprint
Another illustration of God’s forsaken life?: Shambhu Rai
v Compare with Cain’s life
1) Suffering does not indicate enmity between God and the sufferer
v We should not be discouraged
v Even Jesus and the Father experienced this
v Let us not think that the sight of the suffering of the only son is easy for the Father
2) Redemption demands suffering
v We cannot deliver or save people without suffering or losing
v Let us not search the lost soul from the AC rooms
v They are in the wilderness
Illustration: eco friendly worship in ECC seminar
3) We cannot bypass suffering in life
v Life is not a bed of roses
v It is not a must that God will make us avoid sorrow and lost in life
v God wants the better and more fruitful outcome
v God could deliver Jesus from death and pain, but this is not the purpose of God to save the lost
Fifth saying
John 19:28 “I am thirsty.”
v Jesus was really and physically thirsty
v But there seems to be inner or deeper meaning when Jesus said he is thirsty
v There can be three ways of interpretations
1) Jesus thirsts for suffering
v Is it strange?
v The cup Jesus is saying in Lk. 22:42 and Mt. 20:22, 23 means suffering
v Jesus shouted ‘I am thirsty’
v He meant ‘I am well prepared for suffering’
v We are afraid of troubles and pains
v We flee from suffering
v Is there anyone ready to suffer for others and shout ‘I thirst?’
2) A thirst for soul
v Hyssop is used symbolically
v It is a small and weak plant that could not support a sponge soaked with vinegar
v But John used it symbolically
v Hyssop was used in exodus night (Ex. 12:22-23)
v Hyssop and the blood of the lamb foreshadowed hyssop and Jesus’ vicarious suffering in Jn. 19:29
v It links deliverance of the people in bondage both in the exodus and in Jesus’ death
v Jesus’ purpose is to save the victims of Satan
v Jesus desired to suffer and save the lost souls
v So, Jesus’ thirst is more than physical, but for soul
v In our evangelistic context, we may be as weak and hyssop, or as poor as vinegar, but we can serve Jesus’ thirst with them
v Let us love souls like Jesus
3) Jesus thirsts for his people
Mt. 25:34-46
v Jesus is still thirsty today
v Who can come out and give him water?
v Let us open our eyes. Do we see Jesus thirsty? No?
v Let us open our both eyes. Do we see many people who need our help?
Illustration: maathamans and devadasi
v Jesus is thirsty for the weak and the poor. Can we give him water by giving the needy water?
Sixth saying
John 19:30 “It is finished.”
v This is not a cry for desperation or a weary defeat
v It is a shout for joy because the victory is won
v It means, it is accomplished
It is a fulfillment report to God the Father
1) Jesus reported that the reign of sin is ended
v Adam’s disobedience is nullified by Jesus’ obedience
v Jesus said that the devil is defeated in his suffering
v It is a shout of victory
2) The same should by our slogan/shout of victory
v We should be able to report the same thing to God the Father
v Accomplish the examples set by Jesus (1 Pet. 2:21)
v Justification if not only by grace, but by grace through faith and deeds (James 2:14-26)
3) Jesus could say this because he reached the climax/culmination
v Can we say now?
v Those who keep faith till the end will be justified at the end
Rev. 2:10
v Those who are faithful till the end can only say ‘it is finished’
v Then only we can report this victory to the Father
Seventh saying
Luke 23:46 “Father, into your hands I comment my spirit”
1) It is an unquestioned trust and confidence in the Father
v Jesus, who cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” now showed his unquestioned trust and faith in the Father
Illustration: Setana tihdam pawh pawi ka ti lo
v Let us not be upset when God does not answer our prayer as we expect
v God is still there behind the misery of life
v Those who still trust in him will eventually find rest in him
2) Trust in God is not only an end-of-life event, but a life-long experience
v Phil. 1:21 “For me, living is Christ and dying is gain”
Illustration: vultures on the carcasses on Niagara falls
3) Jesus seemed to pray with these words
v Jesus was a man of prayer
v In the meantime Jesus is presented as praying especially at every critical moment in his life
a) In Gethsemane
b) At the choice of the Twelve
v What do we do in our critical moments?
v Bribing the authorities, approaching lawyers, money power, physical might, crying, show anger to family or committing suicide?
v Let us always pray and submit to God in times of critical moments
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