Crucified! Dragged out- beaten with cords-nailed to a gibbet, naked and bleeding-hung up between heaven and earth to die a bitter, lingering, painful death! No wonder the natural sun hid its face, flooding the earth with darkness at noonday. It was too awful a sight for creation to see the Creator dying in nakedness, shame and anquish. Graciously, the sun provided Him with a robe of darkness.
The order of progress of the seven cries is also Christlike, for He began with His enemies and ended with Himself. All through His life it was "Others first, self last." Thus Jesus died even as He had lived.
1. How to Forgive-- "Father, forgive them"
Do we reign with Christ in the matter of forgiveness? Are we tender-hearted, forgiving one another even as Christ for Christ's sake hath forgiven us? In His dying moments Christ was concerned about the future welfare of her who borne Him and whose soul was now pierced with a sword. To His murderers He bequeathed the forgiveness of His Father. To His companion in crucifixion He gave...paradise.
2. How to Comfort--"Thou shalt be with me in paradise"
Such a part of the crucifixion story is like a flower of rare beauty planted among dreary crags of agony and blood. Robert Browning has reminded us that it was a thief who said the last kind word to Christ. At the depth of his anguish the malefactor recognized in Jesus a King about to possess a Kingdom, and amid the mockery and scorn of men acclaimed His Lordship. Let others spurn His kingly claims if they wish, this pardoned rebel craves a place in His kingdom. In the morning the thief was out of Christ; at noon he was in Christ, and in the evening he was with Christ. His spiritual biography could have been told in three words-- guilty, grace, glory. First sinner to enter paradise.
Although His hands were nailed to the cross, He died as a King indeed, seeing that He had power to open the door of eternal bliss for a believing soul to enter. Pain--wracked Himself, Christ would forget His own agony to help this sin-stained fellow sufferer. And we likewise reign in life when the cross fills our vision, delivering us from all self-centeredness.
3. How to Sympathize--"Behold thy mother"
In His dying moments Christ was concerned about the future welfare of her who had borne Him and whose soul was now pierced with a sword.
He had no earthly possessions to leave His mother and disciples He bequeaths them one to another. All that He could give was a son to His mother to fill His place, and a mother to friend who possibly was motherless and needed Mary's care.
That dark hour when bands remove
And none are named but names of love.
4. How to Endure--"My God, my God!"
None will ever be able to plumb the depths of the awful words ,"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46). Here we come to a more inner circle still, for in this cry the Saviour speaks to none but God. Around there was dense darkness for the Light of the World was being extinguished. Within the Saviour's heart, however, there was blacker darkness for His orphaned cry reveals a crucifixion of heart.... Our sins made the cross so heavy! But God in His tenderness drew the drapery of darkness around His beloved Son to hide His anguish from human gaze. At His birth, night became light--at His death, light became night.
Has darkness invaded your life? Do you feel forsaken by God? He will never leave His own. If you can't see His face. Be still and feel His hand, even in the dark.
5. How to Suffer--"I thirst"
Jesus had tasted nothing for twenty four hours. Did the tempter come back to tempt Him to turn vinegar into water? What condescension! What kingly humiliation! The One of infinite fullness, who created all streams and wells, is now smitten with a bitter, burning, raging thirst. He was never so kingly as when, in His cry for water. He revealed His humanity. He humbled Himself! And if we would resemble His kingliness, we must be prepared to travel with Him into the depths of humility. Joseph reached his throne with Pharaoh by way of a dungeon. Jesus said, "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
6. How to Accomplish--"It is finished"
We have now reached the paean of victory--"It is finished" (John 19:30). What triumph! There is the cry of a victor in this acclamation as it leaves His parched throat. Man is born to live --Christ was born to die. The cross was the Saviour's throne from which He stripped all hellish forces of their authority. Calvary was Satan's waterloo.
7. How to Die--"Into thy hands I command my spirit."
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit"( Luke 23:46) " He dismissed His spirit."
Willingly He stayed upon the bloody cross until He drained the dregs of the bitter cup of suffering. He could have died sooner had He wished. His life, however, had been one of trust, and now He reigns in trust.
"Trust in God" is the last of all things and the whole of all things," says Faber. Jesus died as He lived, committing Himself to God.
And if like Him we too would reign in life and then in death, we must know how to commit our way unto the Lord. Our cross can become a throne only as we trust ourselves to God's Fatherly care. Are you falling beneath your cross or are you reigning from it? Are you a conqueror in spite of your Calvary?
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The Week That Changed The World
Herbert Lockyer
Up From the Grave He Arose
With A Mighty Truimph Over His Foes
Let's go to church and sing. To God be the Glory
Great Things He Hath Done.
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