The Last Words of Christ
by David Dahl
Our last words carry weight. You feel it at these moments:
When leaving the house to go to work
When heading off to war
When reading the last page of an autobiography
When breathing your last breath
God, my God, why have you forsaken me? …
I thirst. …
It is finished. …
Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.
To help us feel the depth of Jesus’ last words, we’ll hear from the Paralytic Man, the Rich Young Ruler, John the Beloved, Martha – the sister of Lazarus, Matthew – the tax-collector turned disciple of Jesus, the Disciples as they run an errand to get a donkey, the Adulteress pardoned by Jesus and James the Lesser. With each week, we hope that you will not only grow in your understanding of the significance of Jesus’ work on the cross, but you’ll grow to know those Jesus touched more deeply and how our experience is not far from theirs.
Here’s a little of what we see in Jesus’ last words:
COMPLETION: Jesus has accomplished His mission. Jesus saw His sin-bearing, saving work as fully done. We should too. The end of our trying to save ourselves, fix ourselves has come. Atonement is accomplished.
CONTINUATION: When Jesus said, “It is finished”, He gave no indication that He was finished. There’s a big difference between saying “It is finished” and “I am finished.” Jesus is alive and active. His atoning work is done, but He is not. His interceding, strengthening, resurrection-empowering, perfecting-Himself-in-us work rolls on. The seat Jesus has taken at the right hand of His Father is an active seat, not a passive one. He takes His place on a throne not a couch.
Are you feeling exhausted from trying to save yourself? Are you ready to experience the grace of God pouring down from the cross? Are you longing to see God at work even when evil seems to win the day? Are you ready to have a deeper understanding of God’s working His good through difficult circumstances?
Come Wednesday nights beginning March 6. Suppers are served at 4:30pm with worship at 6pm. And don’t forget- Bring your friends!
Keep and Live the Faith,
Pr. David G. Dahl
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