Jesus

Jesus By Dr. James Crumpton

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Php 2:5-11).

“He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth; he that cometh from heaven is above all” (John 3:31).

“Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for every, Amen” (Rom 9:5) In this message, I want to speak to you on the subject, “Jesus!” I am conscious of the fact that if I had ten thousand lifetimes to devote to it, I could not do Him justice in a sermon, a series of sermons, a book, and/or several volumes. To do justice to Jesus in a sermon would be more impossible than trying to water the lawn in the midst of a rainstorm, or trying to stop Niagara Falls with toothpicks, or trying to remove the Pacific Ocean with a teaspoon. No voice can compass, no pen can include the full statement of Jesus’ character. The world over, architects striving to build cathedrals worthy of Him, fall short of their high objectives. A sense of inadequacy falls oppressively upon musicians who try to create music sweet enough for His hymns of praise.

Sculptors, searching all quarries, nowhere find marble white enough for His forehead. Orators, whose sentences are flights of golden arrows, express only a meager measure of the honor due Him. Writers, words dropping from their pens like golden pollen from the stems of shaken lilies, feel the inadequacy of all words to set Him forth in His beauty. Devout poets, reaching from pole to pole with wings of their poetic genius, struggle for some metaphor with which to express Him. Profound scholars, rushing with archangelic splendor through mysterious realms of thought, light their brightest torches at His altar fires.

Jesus is the most Wonderful of the wonderful. Jesus is the most Precious of the precious. Jesus is the most Lovely of the lovely. Jesus never struck a jarring note.

He never made a misstep. On Him circumstances left no fingerprints. Popularity never caused Him to hasten a footstep. Hostility never caused Him to falter.

Temptations never loosened a moral fiber. As all the rivers are gathered into the ocean, so Jesus is the Ocean in which all moral excellencies and spiritual pleasure meet. Even His enemies said that they could find no fault in Him. His worst foe proclaimed Him innocent. He challenged them with the question: “Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me?” (John 8:46). God found no blemish in Him: “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mat 3:17). Jesus Himself said, “... I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). Jesus is a sea of sweetness without one drop of gall. Things that shine as single stars with a particular glory all meet in Jesus as a glorious constellation. “For it pleased the Father than in Him should all fulness dwell” (Col 1:19). All other loveliness is derivative and secondary, but the loveliness of Jesus is original and primary. His is the beauty of holiness. Holiness is glory internal. Glory is holiness shining forth outwardly. He is the Lord of Glory! And, if you see no beauty in Him that you should desire Him, it is because the god of this world hath blinded your mind - and you are a victim of dawdling ditties, missing life’s central melody,. The eyes of your understanding have not been enlightened.

Jesus - speaking as never man spake. Jesus - by Whom Almighty God hath in these last days spoken unto us. Jesus - Whom God hath appointed heir of all things, by Whom also He made the world. Jesus - Who being the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Jesus - being made so much better and higher than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they. Jesus - Who is the Head of the body, the church, Who is the Beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the Preeminence. Jesus in Whom by the pleasure of the Father, all fullness dwells. Jesus - counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He Who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house. Jesus - called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec, Who glorified not Himself to be made an high priest. Jesus - Son of man without sin, Son of God with power Who though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered, and became the Author of eternal salvation. Jesus - to Whom the sighs of a contrite spirit and the groans of a broken heart are more pleasing that the songs of angels. Jesus - from Whose Spirit and merit flow our redemption, our justification, our peace, our joy in the Holy Spirit, and our blessedness in the world to come. Jesus - once despised and rejected of men, now honored of angels, adored of saints, and The One to Whom God hath committed all judgment.

Yes, to the artist, Jesus is The One Altogether Lovely. To the architect, Jesus is The Chief Cornerstone. To the astronomer, Jesus is The Sun of Righteousness. To the baker, Jesus is The Living Bread. To the banker Jesus is The Treasure of all treasures. To the biologist, Jesus is The Life. To the builder Jesus is The Sure Foundation. To the carpenter, Jesus is The Door. To the doctor, Jesus is The Great Physician. To the educator, Jesus is The Great Teacher. To the engineer, Jesus is The New and Living Way. To the farmer, Jesus is The Sower and The Lord of the Harvest. To the florist, Jesus is The Rose of Sharon, The Lily of the Valleys. To the geologist, Jesus is The Rock of Ages. To the horticulturist, Jesus is The True Vine. To the judge, Jesus is The Righteous Judge, the Judge of all men. To the juror, Jesus is The Faithful and True Witness. To the jeweler, Jesus is The Pearl of Great Price. To the lawyer, Jesus is The Counselor, The Lawgiver. To the newspaperman, Jesus is The Good Tidings of Great Joy. To the oculist, Jesus is The Light of the eyes. To the philanthropist, Jesus is The Gift of God. To the preacher, Jesus is The Word of God. To the sculptor, Jesus is The Living Stone. To the servant, Jesus is The Good Master. To the student, Jesus is The Incarnate Truth. To the statesman, Jesus is The Desire of all nations. To the soldier, Jesus is The Ten-Star General, The Commander-in-Chief. To the sailor, Jesus is The Calmer of the seas. To the theologian, Jesus is The Author and The Finisher of our faith. To the toiler, Jesus is Giver of Rest. To the sinner, Jesus is the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sin of the world. To the saint, Jesus is The Son of The Living God - Yahweh, The SAVIOUR, The Redeemer, and The Lord - Adonai.

Jesus is All and in all and above all? Yes, Jesus is The Adam, The Advocate, The Anointed, The Apostle, The Author, The Amen, The Alpha, The Ancient of Days born of a woman, The Adonai, The Almighty God.

Jesus is The Beginning, The Begotten, The Beloved, The Branch, The Bread, The Bridegroom, The Bright and Morning Star, The Bishop of our Souls, The Brightness of the Father’s Glory.

Jesus is The Cluster of Camphire, The Captain, The Consolation, The Chief Cornerstone, The Counsellor, The Covenant, The Chosen of God, The Christ.

Jesus is The Daysman, The Deliverer, The Dayspring, The Daystar, The Door, The Desire of all Nations.

Jesus is the Elect, The Ensign, The Everlasting Father, The Emmanuel, The Great Elohim, The El Shaddai, The El Elyon, The El Olam.

Jesus is The Finisher of our Faith, The Forerunner, The Friend, The Firstfruits, The Faithful Witness, The Fountain of Life issuing from the cave of death.

Jesus is The God, The Gift of God, The Governor, The Guide, The Glorious Lord.

Jesus is The Help, The Hope, The Husband, The Horn of Salvation, The Hearer, The Head of the Church, The Heir of all things, The High Priest, The Hell’s Dread, The Heaven’s Wonder, The Holy One.

Jesus is The I Am, The Inheritance, The Image of God’s Person, The Immortal and Invisible, The Intercessor, The I Who shall continue to be Who I have always been.

Jesus is The Judah, The Judge, The Just, The Jesus in contrast to “another Jesus” (2Co 11:4), whom many preach today.

Jesus is The King, The King of Israel, The King of Kings, The King Everlasting, The King of Glory, The King of Salem, The King of Saints, The King of Righteousness, The King of Zion, The King of Peace. Jesus is The Life, The Light, The Love, The Lily, The Lion, The Lamb, The Lawgiver, The Living Stone, The Lord of Glory, The Lord of Lords, The Lovely Lord, The Lord most Precious. The Lord our Righteousness, The Lord of Saboath, The Lord of Hosts, The Lord of the Armed Forces, The Lord of the Holy Prophets, The Lord of the Sabbath!

Jesus is The Messenger, The Mediator, The Master, The Messiah, The Mercy’s Paradox, The Mighty (Almighty) God.

Jesus is The Nazarene, The Nazarite, The Number One in time and eternity.

Jesus is The Offspring of David, The Omega, The Only Begotten of God, The Offering, The Offerer, The One Altogether Lovely, The Great Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient One.

Jesus is The Priest, The Passover, The Potentate, The Prophet, The Propitiation, The Prince of Life, The Prince of Peace, The Physician.

Jesus is The Quickener of those who are dead in trespasses and sins.

Jesus is The Righteousness, The Rabbi, The Ransom, The Rest, The Root of Jesse, The Root of David, The Refiner, The Refuge, The Resurrection, The Rose of Sharon - blossoming in the shades of Hell - Whose sweat, tears, and blood, quenched for all believers the fires of Hell and clothed the crater of damnation with foliage, fruit, and flowers. Yes, Jesus is the Ruler, The Redeemer, The Rock of Ages, The Regenerate Breath rekindling the dead fires on the souls’s altar and restoring the broken strings of the spirit’s silent lyre, tuning them to Heaven’s harmony.

Jesus is The Stone, The Shepherd, The Son of God, The Son of Man, The Shield, The Servant, The Seed of the woman, The Surety, The sufferer, The SAVIOUR, The Sinless Sacrifice, The Shiloh, The Same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus is The Teacher, The Truth, The Tabernacle, The Testator, The Treasure, The Tree of Life.

Jesus is The Universe’s Man of Glory.

Jesus is The True Vine, The Very God.

Jesus is The Witness, The Word, The Way, The Wisdom of God, The Wonderful, The Wonder of Wonders.

Jesus is The X - that is The Unknown to an unregenerate world - yet He so loved the unregenerate that He provided redemption for them.

Jesus is The Yearner for souls to be saved, and for the saints to walk with Him, The Great Yahweh.

Jesus is The Alpha, The Omega, The A and The Z. Yea, in all things, Jesus is the Lovely and Mighty Christ beyond all comprehension of the finite mind. Jesus, Sweetest Name on mortal tongue, Sweetest Carol ever sung. Jesus, Blessed Jesus!!!!!

Jesus is The Theme of the Bible, and He is The Theme of every book in the Bible!!!!!. In the Book of Genesis, Jesus is The Seed of the woman. In the Book of Exodus, Jesus is The Passover Lamb, The Manna (The Bread), The Quail (The Meat). In the Book of Numbers, Jesus is the Smitten Rock, The Brazen Serpent in that He became sin for us and was judged. In the Book of Deuteronomy, Jesus is That Prophet likened unto Moses. In the Book of Joshua, Jesus is The Captain of The Lord’s Host. In the Book of Judges, Jesus is The Great Deliverer. In the Book of Ruth, Jesus is The Kinsman Redeemer. In the six Books of the Kings, (I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, and II Chronicles), Jesus is The Promised King. In the Book of Ezra, Jesus is The Restorer of the temple. In the Book of Nehemiah, Jesus is The Restorer of the nation. In the Book of Esther, Jesus is The Advocate and The Propitiator. In the Book of Job, Jesus is The Daysman. In the Book of Psalms, Jesus is The All and in all. In the Book of Proverbs, Jesus is The Pattern. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Jesus is The Goal. In the Book of Song of Solomon, Jesus is The Bridegroom, The Lily of the Valleys, The Rose of Sharon, The Bright and Morning Star, The Fairest of 10, 000 to our souls. In the Book of Isaiah, Jesus is prophesied as The Miraculous One Who will be born of a virgin, The Suffering Servant. In the Book of Jeremiah, Jesus is The Lord our Righteousness.In the Book of Lamentations, Jesus is The Consoler in time of chastening. In the Book of Ezekiel, Jesus is The True Shepherd in contrast to the false shepherds. In the Book of Daniel, Jesus is The Ancient of Days, The Stone cut out without hands. In the Book of Hosea, Jesus is The Faithful and Loving Husband Who woos and wins the adulterous wife back to the bosom of her own husband. In the Book of Joel, Jesus is prophesied as The Judge calling all nations to judgment. In the Book of Amos, Jesus is The Champion of social justice. In the Book of Obadiah, Jesus is The Wrath and The Favor in the Day of the Lord. In the Book of Jonah, Jesus is The Missionary to all men loving souls more than gourds. In the Book of Micah, Jesus is The Messiah as the God-man. In the Book of Nahum, Jesus is The God of Vengeance. In the Book of Habakkuk, Jesus is The God of Justice providing salvation by grace through faith. In the Book of Zephaniah, Jesus is The Judge Who is prophesied to set up a kingdom of blessing as The Messiah. In the Book of Haggai, Jesus is The Restorer of the temple. In the Book of Zechariah, Jesus is The Angel of Jehovah, The Branch of David. In the Book of Malachi, Jesus is The Messenger of the Covenant, The Sun of Righteousness. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus is The King of Israel. In the Book of Mark, Jesus is The Servant of Jehovah. In the Book of Luke, Jesus is The Son of Man. In the Book of John, Jesus is Very God of Very God. In the Book of Acts, Jesus is The Risen Lord. In the Book of Romans, Jesus is Propitiator and Justifier of sinners. In the Book of I Corinthians, Jesus is The Risen, Coming Lord. In the Book of II Corinthians, Jesus is our All Sufficient Grace. In the Book of Galatians, Jesus is Himself alone our salvation. In the Book of Ephesians, Jesus is The Head of the Body, the Church. In the Book of Philippians, Jesus is our Life, our Pattern, our Object, our Strength, and our Supply. In the Book of Colossians, Jesus is The Image of the Invisible God, The Firstborn of every creature. In the Book of I Thessalonians, Jesus is The Bridegroom Who is going to rapture the bride. In the Book of II Thessalonians, Jesus is our Everlasting Consolation and Good Hope. In the Book of I Timothy, Jesus is The True Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. In the Book of II Timothy, Jesus is The Righteous Judge Who is soon to appear. In the Book of Titus, Jesus is The True Elder. In the Book of Philemon, Jesus is The Settler of our Account. In the Book of Hebrews, Jesus is The Eternal Sacrifice and The Eternal Priest. In the Book of James, Jesus is The Shekinah Glory. In the Book of I Peter, Jesus is The Chief Cornerstone elect and precious. In the Book of II Peter, Jesus is The Returning Lord Who is not willing that any should perish. In the Book of I John, Jesus is The Almighty God incarnate in the flesh as a man. In the Book of II John, Jesus is The Truth. In the Book of III John, Jesus is The Strength and Supply for the missionary. In the Book of Jude, Jesus is The One Who is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the Presence of His Glory with exceeding joy. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus is The Coming King of kings and Lord of lords. In this message, I wish to emphasize three things, (1) Jesus is God, (2) Jesus Is The SAVIOUR, and (3) Jesus Is Lord!!!!

JESUS IS GOD

We have positive proof that Jesus is God because of His Godlike Character, His Godlike Teaching, and His Godlike Influence. Yes, we have positive proof that He is God because He has done and is doing only what God could do. As Bertha Davis has put in her poem, “The night was long and shadows spread As far as the eye could see, I stretched my hands to a human Christ And He walked through the dark with me.

Out of the dimness at last we came Our feet on the dawn warmed sod, And I saw by the light in His Wondrous Eyes, I walked with the Son of God.”

Liberal theology mutilates the Bible, minimizes sin, humanizes Jesus, and defies man. As far as this preacher is concerned, the liberal theologian, the Neo-orthodox theologian, and the Neo-evangelical theologian are the same traitors in different coats. And, at this point in time, it is my opinion that the Charismatic movement (which though there are saved folk in it) is the catalyst that is bringing strange groups into the modern day ecumenical movement and will be the adhesive and cohesive that will seal the modern day ecumenical movement into the world church of the Book of the Revelation. Yes, the liberal theologian says that Jesus is a great teacher, a great healer, a great guide, a great leader, a great lover, a great preacher, a great physician, and a great man, but that is all. But, beloved, that is nothing, if He is not God. Praise His Name, He is God!!!! As we read in John 1:1-3, John 1:14 : “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, - was tabernacled in the flesh and pitched in our midst, - (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

There is the prattle of the intelligentsia, which cannot go beyond human reasoning, calling Him a mere man. There is the cutlass of the skeptic carving boldly and declaring Him a mere man. There is the indifference of the majority which treats Him with less respect and honor than that of the “so-called” great men. Yet, there He stands in all of His Majesty, Power, Wrath, Righteousness, Justice, Holiness, Faithfulness, Purity, Love, Mercy, Pardon, Lovingkindness, Loveliness, Wonderfulness, Preciousness, and Grace, as God. Let men discover and advance as they will; only fools, to their own destruction, ignore Jesus as God.

And, beloved, since He is God, let us worship Him - honor Him - surrender to Him - serve Him!!!! Jesus is “the Sweetest Name on mortal tongue; the Sweetest Carol ever sung, Jesus, Blessed Jesus.”

Before meditating with you on the last seven sayings of the SAVIOUR on the Cross, I want to turn from the chronological order of events and look with you for a little while at the day of the crucifixion and go right over to the day of the resurrection.

Traditionally, we are told that Jesus was crucified on Friday and arose from the dead early Sunday morning. I cannot accept this interpretation because our Lord made it clear that He would be “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” He said it this way, “... An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Mat. 12:3940). He was crucified on a fearful, memorable Wednesday. He was there from 9:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. In our mind’s eye, let up stand there at the foot of the cross. What a fearful, tragic day. It is Wednesday but Sunday is coming!!!! The Pharisees and Sadducees were confidently marching in pride “calling the shots.” His Precious Body is so beaten, torn, bruised, and mauled that you cannot tell that He is a man. The artists show some modesty in their painting by placing a loin cloth on Him. But keep in mind, as we are imagining that we are there, He is crucified naked. After seven horrible hours there on the tree (cross), He is dead! He is not holding His breath; He is dead! He is not swooning; He is dead! He is not “blacking out;” He is dead! He is not semiconscious; He is dead! He has not “passed out;” He is dead!

Oh, let Heaven, earth, and Hell hear. He is dead!!!!

We must keep in mind the difference in days as we note that He was crucified on Wednesday and when He arose. The Jewish day began at sunset and closed at sunset. The Roman day began at 6:00 A.M. and closed at 6:00 A.M. Our day begins at midnight and closes at midnight. He was there as I have already said from 9:00 A.M. TO 4:00 p.m, and they were concerned to get Him buried before sunset because the Sabbath began at sunset. Some read this and conclude that it was Friday because the weekly Sabbath began at sunset on Friday. This was not the regular weekly Sabbath but an high Sabbath (the Passover Sabbath). The high Sabbath was on Thursday, from sunset on Wednesday to sunset on Thursday. The Word puts it this way: “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away” (John 19:31). It is Wednesday, but Sunday is coming! At sunset on Thursday, He had been in the tomb one day and one night!

It is Thursday, but Sunday is coming! At sunset on Friday, He had been in the tomb two days and two nights! It is Friday, but Sunday is coming! At sunset on Saturday, He had been there three days and three nights. It is Saturday, but Sunday is coming! When it began to dawn toward the first day of the week (that is at sunset on Saturday), He arose. It was Saturday, but Sunday came.

Hallelujah!!!! He died but he arose after three days and three nights. It was Wednesday but now it was Sunday. Praise the Lord!!!! Hallelujah!!!!

So, in the end of the Sabbaths, He arose. There had been two that week: the high Sabbath (Passover Sabbath) and the regular weekly Sabbath. And, in the end of the two Sabbaths, He arose. There is also a spiritual truth here for us. It was the end of the Sabbaths. We no longer have a Sabbath. We have The Lord’s Day. The Sabbath commemorated the completed creation. The Lord’s Day commemorates the completed redemption! Praise the Lord!!!! Hallelujah!!!!

JESUS IS SAVIOUR

He is The Saviour. Yes, He is The Only Saviour. Men stand condemned before God - under the curse - doomed and damned for Hell because of sin. Yes, men are smitten with the cancer of covetousness, blistered with the bruisings of blasphemy, lame with lust, perniciously anemic with adultery, foul with fornication, unaware of the dangers of uncleanness, lecherous with lasciviousness, weak with witchcraft, hurt with hatred, furious with the hydrophobia of atheism, gangrenous with godlessness, poisoned with philosophies, damaged with drunkenness, maimed with murderous desires, and rotten with the ruinous ravages of sin.

Yet, the evolutionist says that sin is a tumble upwards. The worldling sings about it in hillbilly jazz, shedding a few tears of lustful sentimentality. The sociologist excuses sin as that which is to be attributed to harmful environment, forgetting that Adam and Eve sinned in a perfect environment. The liberal theologian dismisses sin lightly as mere spots of personality that are cured by liberal doses of morality, education, and culture. He is one who is trying to purify the water by painting the pump white. The hippie denies sin, sings about Jesus as “The Soul Man,” and tries to drag the Saviour down to his own level. And many young people of our day consider sin an ugly label by the “establishment,” for that which is real life, as in their rebellion, and arrogance, they plunge into Hell. And, on and on, various groups go trying to dismiss sin lightly and trivially. But sin is insidious like disease, ruining like rot, hampering, hardening, hindering, laughing, leering, sneering, hurling down to a heartless Hell deeper than the deepest paths of dark despair. Sin darkens the understanding. Sin defiles the conscience. Sin stiffens the will. Sin hardens the heart. Sin blinds, grinds, and damns. Sin misplaces and disorders all effectiveness which Jesus wants us to maintain. That is the reason the poet has said, “Twas but one little drop of sin. We saw this morning enter in, And, lo! At eventide the world was drowned.”

Sin puts the soul under the sentence of the Holy God to eternal wrath - the condemning sentence of the great and terrible God - than which nothing is found more dreadful.Ah, but thanks be to God, Jesus is The Answer! He is The Saviour!

He is The Only Saviour! For, we read in Mat 1:21 : “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” And we read in Luk 5:32 : “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” And, we read in Heb 7:25 : “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come until God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

See Him in dark Gethsemane, where He poured out the silver of His tears and the gold of His blood. Yes, see Him as His sweat drops coagulated huge drops of blood upon the ground. He said, “... My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death...” (Mat 26:38). You could paraphrase it, “... This is so fearful: my hair stands on end...”

See Him at the trial; there were twelve illegal procedures followed, in order to hurry Him to the crucifixion. They scourged Him with the “cat of nine tails.” It was a whip with nine leather thongs extending from the handle. These thongs were studded with bits of lead, stone, bone, nails, and shells. The big burly soldiers would lay on the lash 39 times with this whip. Multiply nine times 39, and you will know how many times the lash came down on His precious back during those horrible, early hours of that fearful, memorable Wednesday morning. The culprit was stripped to the waist and tied around the whipping post with the skin and flesh of the back in a tight position. The very first stroke of the “cat of nine tails” would bring the skin right off the back. They tell us that many times the entrails of the prisoners would come out of their backs and that they would die on the whipping post. Oh, how they beat, bruised, and mauled our Precious Lord!!!! I believe that one of the thongs came around the side of His Lovely Head and punctured His eyeballs. Prophecy said of Him that He would say, “... mine eyes fail...” (Psa 69:3). After the scourging, they beat Him over the head with rods. They plucked out His beard. They spit in His Precious Face. They blindfolded Him, slapped Him with their palms, pummeled Him with their fists, and said, “...

Prophecy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee”“(Mat 26:1-75)? They placed a crown of thorns on His Head piercing every square inch of His scalp. Oh, how He suffered even before He got to Calvary. But, remember, that it was all for poor Hell deserving sinners like you and me! Prophecy had said that He would be so marred that you could not even tell that He was a man, and that is what happened. “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isa 52:14). Praise God for this manifestation of love, grace, and mercy!!!! He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isa 53:7). Him at Calvary! See Him in the torture and agony of His sufferings!

During those seven hours on the cross - 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on that fearful, memorable Wednesday. He gave the last seven utterances. Seven hours and seven sayings; it is God’s number - the number of perfection. Two is the number of testimony. There were two sevens (seven hours, seven says, seven words, or seven sentences) perfect testimony it was to God’s perfect salvation provided at Calvary through His Son. He said: (1) “... Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...” (Luk 23:34). (2) “... Verily I say unto thee, To day shall thou be with me in paradise” (Luk 23:43). (3) “... Woman, behold thy son!...

Behold thy mother!...” (John 19:26-27). (4) “... Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mat 27:46). (5) “..

,I thirst” (John 19:28). (6) “... It is finished...” (John 19:30). (7) “... Father. into thy hands I commend my spirit:...” (Luk 23:46).

Returning now, in our thinking to the crucifixion, we, in viewing Him as The Saviour, come to the heart of it all, when we look into these last seven words, sentences, or sayings of our Lord Jesus on Calvary. He is The Saviour, The Only Saviour!!!!

If we could glean all the truth from these utterances of our Lord on the cross, we would understand the wisdom of God, the love of God, the value of a soul to God, the awfulness of sin, and hatred of God for sin, as in no other place in the Bible. Hallelujah!!!! The message of the Cross is the heart of the Bible.

FIRST SAYING In the first place, Jesus said, “... Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...” (Luk 23:34). This is not a blanket pardon for everybody’s sins.

Because, in a little while, one thief was saved and the other went on to Hell. There are those who teach that everybody’s sins were forgiven the moment Jesus prayed this prayer. Such an interpretation is grossly wrong. Again, it is not justification of ignorance. To neglect, to ignore, to be careless is sin, and God never winks at sin.

It was for Himself. He was praying, “Father forgive them and condemn me.” He was saying, “Father, forgive them. And in the torturing, tormenting coinage of agony, hot from the furnace of Hell. I will bestow forgiveness upon these poor wretches as an act of righteousness as well as an act of mercy.” He was purchasing “imputed righteousness” for sinners. Amen and amen!!!! In Mat 19:14; the word “suffer” is the same word translated “forgive” in this prayer. In Mat 27:49; the words, “let be” are from the same word as the word translated “forgive” in this prayer. So, Jesus was saying, “Father, let be suffer them - do not interfere - hold back the winds of wrath - postpone the judgment - for they know not what they do.” Had He not prayed this prayer surely the judgment, holiness, wrath, and justice of God would have stricken dead and to Hell every living creature on the globe. The creature was crucifying the Creator!

Thus, love, grace, and mercy is crying for judgment to be held back until they can know. What grace, mercy, love, and compassion!!!! Because of this prayer, three thousand got saved fifty days later at Pentecost. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!!!!

Everyone of us who are saved is an answer to this prayer. I know not how much longer the door of grace will be ajar. It will be closed; judgment will come. But praise the Lord, it is open now. Sinner, you may still come and be saved. Praise His Name!!!!

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” That is, “Father hold back the winds of wrath, postpone the judgment until they can know.” The grammar here is lineal action. So, it means that He went on praying it over and over. It was not simply an ejaculatory petition; it was a burning barrage of prayer.

It may have been that this petition went up an hundred and fifty times, or more, that fearful, memorable day!!!!

SECOND SAYING

Then, in the second place, Jesus said, “... Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luk 23:43). This is indeed one of the most instructive, suggestive, and surprising statements of our Lord in the Gospels.

Here, Jesus struck the death knell to some of the most frightening heresies of the ages. He refuted and showed the fallacies of the teachings of soul sleeping, purgatory, sacramentalism, and universalism. No soul sleeping - the thief would be with Jesus in paradise that day! No purgatory - the sinner was transformed then and there and made ready for paradise spontaneously and instantaneously! No sacramentalism - the sinner man was saved apart from sacraments, ordinances, and ceremonies! No univeralism - only one of the two thieves was saved!

And, at the same time, the Saviour showed the fallacies of these heresies. He made the plan of salvation so simple. A sinner repents and looks to the Saviour in simple faith and is born again, washed in the blood, transformed into a child of God!

Both sinners prayed. Both sinners believed He was the Son of God. It is true that one said, “... If thou be Christ, save thyself and us” (Luk 23:39). However, it is a fulfilled condition; so, he was saying, “Since thou art the Christ, save thyself and us.”

What about this thief’s plea when he said, “Save thyself and us.” He had no thought of salvation. He was pleading with Christ (Whom he now recognized as the Son of God) to save them from crucifixion. He had no conviction of sin, repentance, or desire to be saved from sin. In other words, he was saying, “Since you are the Son of God, get down from the cross and get us down, so they cannot kill us.” Jesus could have done just that, but had He done so He could not have saved any of us from sin. Praise God, he would not come down. The other thief repented as a sinner, looked to the Son of God, the Saviour, and in faith said, “... Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luk 23:42).

Two thieves, both believing He was the Son of God, and both praying to be saved. One wanting to be saved from crucifixion! The other praying to be saved from sin! And the grammar here again is lineal action, meaning that they prayed over and over again. Maybe fifty times each!!!! The Saviour was silent for a period of time, before He answered. When He answered, He took the side of the thief who was praying, “... Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luk 23:42), that is, “Lord, stay on the cross, buy a kingdom, and let me be a subject in that kingdom.” Jesus said, “...

Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luk 23:43). The grammar is the aorist (once for all). Amen and amen!!!! When He took that thief’s side (answered his prayer) He took your side and my side, Hallelujah!!!!

Look at this verse in our English Bible, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luk 23:43). Note that Jesus said, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” He did not say, “To day thou shalt be with me in paradise.” The way our Lord said it is the way we write an interrogatory sentence, but it does not have a question mark at the end. So, it is not an interrogatory sentence. If it were, that Our Lord was saying, “Do you merit being there?” “Are you worthy of being there?” It would be an altogether different matter. Neither that poor thief nor any of us helpless sinners could ever be saved!!!! What are the translators trying to tell us in affirmative sentence writtten in English, as we write an interrogatory sentence but without a question mark. It is an emphasis on precious truth. This grammatical construction is what is called an emphatic affirmation. To say it this way would give the emphasis that our Lord was giving, “To day, being with me, thou shalt be with me. It was emphatic assurance, the Lord!!!! What a Saviour!!!!

THIRD SAYING

Let us now note that Jesus aid, in the third place, “... Woman, behold thy son!... Behold thy mother!...” (John 19:26-27). Many were at the cross to deride and cast all kinds of sarcastic slurs at our Precious Lord. But we are glad that there were some there who cared. They were a striking contrast to the mocking, sin-hardened crowd. There were five of them, four women and one man!

Men, I am sorry and ashamed that there was only one man there along with these four women. Who were the five? Mary, His Mother; Mary’s sister, the mother of the disciple John; Mary, the wife (or should I say widow?) of Cleophas; Mary Magdalene out of whom Jesus had cast seven devils; and John - “the disciple whom Jesus loved”!!!! Thank God for these who loved Him, sympathized with Him, and stood by with broken hearts. Will He through all of their torture and in all of His torturing, agonizing, suffering, have a word for them? He did; He gave three assignments: (1) To His mother, (2) to His beloved disciple, and (3) to Himself!

What was the assignment to His mother? Our Roman Catholic friends say that she is “The mother of God” - “The Queen of Heaven,” and then add many, many other honorary titles to her. They further claim that she is a mediatrix between Jesus and mankind. They have missed it a million miles. Who ever heard of the Eternal God having a mother? She was only the mother of the human body of Jesus. And the Word of God says that there is only one mediator between God and man.:For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1Ti 2:5-6).

Jesus, in the Scriptures, is never recorded as calling Mary, “mother.” He always called her, “woman.” However, He used the word, “woman,” with all tenderness, respect, and honor. Why did He not call her, “mother?” Well, Jesus was no mere Palestinian peasant. He was Almighty God incarnated in human flesh. He knew thousands would go to Hell because of the heresy of Mariolatry, and He would lend no support to this heresy. Our Protestant friends say that Jesus was, figuratively speaking, pinning the first Mother’s Day red rose to the cross. Certainly, Jesus loved His mother. He loved her more than you and I love our mothers. You see, our love for our mothers is diluted and polluted with human depravity. His love was perfect natural affection. But the Protestants interpretation here is only sentimentality. They, as well as the Catholics, miss the whole point. To get at the truth here, we must remember that it has to do with their relationship to each other - Jesus and Mary!!!! The blood that flows in my son’s veins is neither my blood nor his mother’s blood. It is his own blood, but it came through the seed of his father. My son’s flesh is neither my flesh nor his mother’s flesh. It is his own flesh, but it came from his mother. That is the way Jesus could be born of a depraved woman but not have a depraved nature. He had no human father. His was divine (not depraved, but sinless) blood, and that is the reason it could be offered as a substitutionary atonement for the sin of the world. The Catholics try to explain it by saying that Mary had no depraved nature. This is simply more of the heresy of Mariolatry. If that were the case, there would be a whole line of people, without a depraved nature, all the way back to Adam. And as the good old Southern black preacher put it, “It ain’t so!”

Recall with me that when Mary took Jesus to the temple for the ceremony of circumcision, when He was eight days old, old Simeon said to her, “... Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luk 2:34-35). This prophecy was being fulfilled. The sword was piercing the soul of this wonderful woman. She was already a widow. Joseph was already dead, and now her wonderful, magnificent Son Who was a great Enigma to this world was dying like a common criminal. And, to climax it all, Jesus was saying, “You are no longer to be my mother. Be a mother to John, and John, you be a son to Mary. “What a blow! The sword was thrust and hit its target! Yes, Jesus was saying that this human relationship ceased as of that hour. Tradition says that Mary blacked out (fainted), and I doubt not that she did. How she must have suffered, but in the assignments which He was making her. He suffered so much more than she did that it is beyond the understanding of our finite minds. Do not waste any tears over Mary and her suffering because she found out that to be the daughter of The Christ was infinitely more wonderful than to be mother of the human Jesus. Hallelujah!!!! And that was the change; she ceased to be His mother and became His daughter. What a miracle!!!! Note this fact, in her son, the Magnificent, she never called Him her son. She called Him her Lord, God, Saviour: “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name: (Luk 1:46-49). So, we see His assignment to Mary, and what an assignment it was!!!!

Then, in this third saying, He made an assignment to John the beloved disciple.

It is as though Jesus is saying to John, “I am fulfilling the types of the blood sacrifices in the Levitical system and dying as your Substitute, and I want you to substitute for me in doing what I would do, if I remained in service here on earth. Be a son to My mother, and let her be a mother to you.” He was saying, “John you be a substitute for Me because I am your Substitute.” He is calling upon and assigning all of us born again, blood washed believers to be substitutes for The Substitute. As the poet has put it, “Christ has no hands but our hands To do His work today, He has no feet but our feet To lead men in His way, He has no tongues, but our tongues To tell men how He died, He has no help but our help To bring them to His side.”

So, in this third saying, Jesus’ assignment to His mother was that He severed His human relationship with her. His assignment to John is that He called on him to be a substitute for The Substitute. And, in making these assignments, He also made the main assignment to Himself.

Yes, He, too, is assuming an assignment! We must never forget that Jesus (not Mary, not John, not the penitent thief, not the crucifying crowd) was the central figure in this gruesome scene. Folk who make Mary the central theme are giving us Romanism, not Christianity! Jesus was supreme at Mount Calvary!!!! Jesus is supreme today!!!!

What was He doing in these assignments? This assignment for Himself? One of the least things we can say is that He was showing interest in fulfilling the last detail of the law. Moses had said, “Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother.”

This, certainly, includes seeing about their food, clothes, and shelter. He, thus, instructs John to do just that. He was careful to avoid even the smell of the fires of sin upon His garments. Oh, that men and women today would thus honor their fathers and mothers! This is the least that we can say of the significance of the third word for Himself, but it is not the last or the most important. The most significant thing in this assignment for Himself is that it is the clearest, most easily understood demonstration of self-renunciation to be found in the New Testament. By this word He cut Himself off from mother-love. He forsook the best earth had to offer. He renounced every tie that would interfere with His Saviourhood. He cut Himself off from all filial relationships. He gave up all for sinners like you and me. This was self-renunciation that has never been demonstrated except at the cross. Yes, the third word twisted a sword in Mary’s bosom. But her pain was nothing when compared to the agony of His sensitive heart. He was sacrificing to save these treasures from the fires of Hell.

How could we illustrate it? Human illustrations fall so short in the face of these infinite sufferings. I will give two human illustrations. If you will stand at the climax of these illustrations and picture sufferings (because of the cutting off of filial relationships) a billion times more intense, you may have a small conception of His suffering. The story of Perpetua, a young widow of twenty six, with an infant at her breast, is found in Fox’s Book of Martyrs. Her husband had already died for his testimony for the Saviour. Her father was an unbeliever who tried to persuade her to make some offerings to the Roman gods and avoid dying by being gored to death by the wild bulls at Carthage. In fact, her father tried to carry her bodily from her cell, but was knocked out by a staggering blow from one of the prison guards.

Perpetua was hurt worse by the blow than her own martyrdom and was glad that her father came to consciousness before she was marched into the arena to die. She placed her little girl in the arms of her father, kissed them, and walked out to die for her testimony for our Lord Jesus Christ. She was cut off from all filial relationships for her Lord. But her suffering was minor beside that of our Lord as He said, “... Woman, behold thy son!” He cut Himself off from other love to go to Hell for all of us!!!!

We are told that Francis d’Assisi was in love with a sweet, beautiful, and noble woman. They were planning marriage and hoping for children. But God revealed His will for Francis d’Assisi to serve Him in such a capacity as to have to forego the privilege of having a wife and children. He struggled in prayer to become willing for such a sacrifice. One bright, moonlit night, when the ground was covered with snow, he went out and fashioned in the snow an image of his beloved and still other images of children he had dreamed would be theirs, as a result of their union. He fashioned it all as a family circle around the hearth in an imagined living room, sat down, and enjoyed it all for one delicious hour, in his imagination. Then, he kissed them all farewell to go to do the Father’s will for his life. He gave up all filial relationships to do the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. But this suffering was not a billioneth as intense as the suffering our Lord faced, in saying, “... Woman, behold thy son!... Behold thy mother!...” All illustrations would fail to display the depths of sacrifice to which our Saviour, voluntarily, sank when He gave up all to make effective our eternal salvation.

What are the applications to be made of this great text? The first one is that there is no hope of salvation except in the Saviourhood of Jesus. It is in Him and Him alone!!!! The second one is that there is no usefulness except in the Lordship of Jesus. Do not feel sorry for those who permit Him to be Lord in their lives; they are enjoying billion dollar diamonds while you continue to play with tawdry ten-cent store tinsel. The third application is that joy unspeakable and full of glory is ours when He is truly Lord of our lives. Amen and amen!!!! The story is told of an evangelist, of another generation, who lived in Chicago.

He and his wife had only one daughter. At the time of the experience, which I am about to relate, this little girl was almost ten years of age. She was beautiful and had long, blond, curly hair. For several years, since she had been large enough, she had met her dad at the door when he came in from his office and/or special meetings. She would have his house shoes and bath robe in the living room, along with a cold coke or lemonade. When he was comfortably seated, she would crawl into his lap and smother him with hugs and kisses saying, “I love you more than anything or anybody!”

One day this dad decided to put his little daughter’s love to a test. After having enjoyed his welcome home, with all the usual niceties and while she was hugging and kissing him, declaring that she loved him more than anything or anybody, he interrupted her and told her that he wanted her to give him her little necklace. It had cost ten cents at the local five and dime store (it would probably cost $3. 85 today). She looked puzzled and asked him what he would do with it? He answered by saying that he wanted to burn it in the coal grate, and that, if she really loved him more than anything or anybody, she would not mind. She reaffirmed her love for him but refused to give up the necklace. She left him, went into the kitchen, and told her mother that he wanted to burn her necklace and that she liked it very much and believed that he was acting crazy. For the next three days, when dad cam home, she met him with less enthusiasm and less and less favors.

Each day, he told her that he wanted her to give him her necklace, that if she loved him more than anything or anybody, why should she care? After three days, with her decreasing enthusiasm and favors, she did not welcome him home, show any favors, or express any love for eighteen long days - that made three full weeks, since her dad had originally made the request.

Then, the next afternoon, when he came in, she met him with all of her favors and smothered him again with hugs and kisses, saying that she loved him more than anything or anybody, and saying that he could have her necklace and burn it.

She cried a little, when she gave it to him but insisted that she really wanted him to have it. Then, while they watched it burn, she cried a little more but assured him again, that she wanted him to do it because she did love him more than she loved anything or anybody. This certainly included the cheap little necklace! When the necklace was burned and gone, her dad went to the closet where his coat was hanging. He took a little box out of the pocket and began to open it for her. In great excitement, with tear-stained face, she was saying, “Daddy, what is it?” He said, “Sweetheart, it is a string of genuine pearls for you. I paid hundreds of dollars for it.” “Oh,” she said, “Daddy, how long have you had these pearls?” His reply was, “My dear, I have had them for three weeks.” Then, she said, “But Daddy, why didn’t you tell me?” He said lovingly, “Sweetheart, I could not tell you, or give it to you, until you were willing to give up the cheap little necklace you had!” Beloved, are we not guilty of holding on to cheap, tawdry tinsel, when He wants to give us billion dollar diamonds? But it can happen only after we yield to Him as Lord. Then comes the joy unspeakable and full of glory! Amen and amen!!!! “...

Woman, behold thy son!... Behold thy mother!...”

FOURTH SAYING Let us note that Jesus said, in the fourth place, “... Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” (Mat 27:46)?

It was about three o’clock in the afternoon on that fearful, memorable Wednesday when Jesus uttered this fourth saying on Calvary. A miraculous darkness (a preview of the outer darkness in the charred walls of the damned in the lake of fire and brimstone) had descended upon Golgotha some three hours earlier.

Surely, the crowd had ceased mocking because of fear and awe that had arisen in hearts. Only the difficult breathing and groaning of the victims were now breaking the deep silence. And at this time Jesus cried with a loud voice: “... My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” (Mat 27:46)?

What did He mean? Some say that He was almost delirious and was babbling the words of Psa 22:1 - “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” which He had learned in childhood. Such a conclusion is cheap; it fails utterly. He was fulfilling a prophecy that David, His type, had been inspired to utter. Some say that He was uttering the cry of the martyr in His agony. But let us not forget that He was a volunteer, not a martyr.

We are told that Martin Luther once set himself to a study of this saying of our Lord on Calvary. For a long time, he continued without food, in deep meditation and in one position on his chair. After a lengthy time, he arose from his meditation and exclaimed in amazement, “God forsaken of God! Who can understand that?”

One would have to float around in the waves of the lake of fire and brimstone, free from the taint of personal sin, and do it as the Holy Son of God, to understand this statement coming from Him, Whose sufferings were infinite and, therefore, beyond the comprehension of our finite minds. What was it?

IT WAS THE DEPTH OF CHRIST’S SACRIFICE

It tells the distance which He had to travel to save us; it was the depth of His sacrifice. He traveled all the way from Heaven’s throne to the place of Godforsakenness!!!! He knew His destination and was not surprised when He arrived. The scapegoat in the Levitical system was a prophetic picture of our Lord Jesus carrying our sins, the sins of the whole world, into the agonizing oblivion of divine justice’s condemnation. He was our Scapegoat on Golgotha!!!! The climax of the story of the Good Shepherd in Luk 15:1-32, is not the Shepherd returning with the bruised, mangled sheep, but at the point where He actually found the sheep - that was the place of the Shepherd’s bruised, mauled, beaten, torn, mangled, and bleeding body. As the hymn writer put it, But none of the ransomed ever knewHow deep were the waters crossed; Nor how dark was the night That the Lord passed through; Ere He found His sheep that was lost!

Paul, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, put it this way. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Php 2:5-8). And again, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2Co 5:21). Name the sins!!!! Fornication and adultery - God made Jesus these and crushed them. Uncleanness - God made Jesus that and crushed it. Lasciviousness - God made Jesus that and crushed it. Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, wrath, factions, divisions, selfishness, drunkenness, homosexuality, lesbianism, envyings, lying, stealing, murder, revellings, immodesty, rebellion, arrogance, and all other sins, if you please - God made Jesus all of these and crushed them. He did not bear our sins; that is figurative language. He became sin (all sin) for us and was judged. God made Him sin for us and judged, condemned, damned Him in our stead. Oh, the horribleness of it all makes us want to bow our heads in shame and sorrow and let the tears flow like a river!!!! What grace!!!! What love!!!! What mercy!!!! What compassion!!!! The greatest love story every told!!!!

Yes, it was the depths of His sacrifice, God-forsakenness describes the depths to which He had to go. My Hell, your Hell, the Hell of all sinners in the eternal lake of fire and brimstone were burning their fires out on Him. He paid the price, not for Himself, but for each of us individually, personally, particularly!!!! And the poet expressed it this way, Not the nails: but His wondrous love for me, Kept my Lord on the cross of Calvary.

Oh, what power could hold Him there All my sin and shame to bear? Not the nails, but love for me, Kept my Lord on the cross of Calvary.

Oh, what power could hold Him there All my sin and shame to bear? Not the nails, but His wondrous love for me. In the second place, IT WAS GOD’S WRATH

We know that Golgotha was a revelation of God’s love, as the hymn writer has said, “See, from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down!Did e’er such love and sorrow meet Or thorns compose so rich a crown?”

But, we must also remember that Golgotha was a revelation of the wrath of God. He was condemning sin against Himself. We are told of God’s “hot anger” Jdg 2:14 - “And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.” We are told of His “hot displeasure” - Deu 9:19 - “For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also.” We are told of His “fiery indignation” - Heb 10:27 - “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” And His “wrath” will be revealed in coming judgment upon the earth - Rev 6:12-17 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a might wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

God’s wrath was revealed most clearly at the Cross. When Jesus suffered in the wilderness, an angel ministered unto Him. When He sweat blood in the garden, the Father’s peace was His. Divine sympathy never failed Him, until He stood naked before the bar of eternal justice, as the surety for lost sinners. No wonder that we read in Heb 10:31 - “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” His suffering when God’s wrath was poured out upon Him is beyond our finite comprehension.

Then, in the third place, IT WAS HELL’S TORMENT

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the poet, put it this way, “Yea, once Immanuel’s orphaned cry, His universe has shaken -It went up single, echoless, ‘My God, I am forsaken.’It went up from the Holy’s lips Amid His lost creation,That of the lost, no son should use Those words of desolation.” His physical suffering surely spoke of even worse suffering. It may be that, among other reasons, the darkness was sent that none would get the idea that the physical suffering was all that there was to the agony of the sin punishment. Had I the ability to speak in the ultimate of every language, I could not describe the physical sufferings of our Lord at Calvary. And surely the emotional sufferings were worse than the physical, the mental worse than the emotional, and the spiritual worse than the mental. So, if I could speak in the ultimate of every language, I could not describe the physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual sufferings of our Lord in the torments of Hell. He suffered all Hell for all sinners, the Hell that all of us would have had to suffer forever in the lake of fire and brimstone, Oh, God, we cannot comprehend it!!!!

Let us note two words in His statement: (1) “Why?” - it was the question of a baffled heart, the enigma of a hopeless situation. It indicates that insoluble problems engulf the mind. The part of personality that controls actions, feeling, and desire is disorganized. The mentality cannot see beyond the maze. His question goes unanswered forever. It is a part of Hell which the unsaved must endure. No voice from earth or Heaven offers to untangle the twisted threads. He hurled His enigmatic “Why?” against brassy heavens. Nothing happens except the rebounding ceaseless echo - “Why?” Mental torment is far worse than physical agony. Then, (2) “forsaken” - The liberal theologians say that Jesus was not forsaken but that He just felt forsaken. That is nonsense!!!! That crowd lies about other things, also!!!! This word, “Forsaken,” is the saddest word in any language.

It comes from three words: the first meaning “to leave” - in the sense of total abandonment, the second meaning “down” - in the sense of being under in defeat and helplessness, and the third meaning “in” - referring to a hostile place and/or circumstances. As we would say it, our Lord cried with a loud voice, “My God, My God, why hast thou totally abandoned me while I am down under and in the midst of hostile circumstances.” And beloved, that is Hell!!!!

It means to forsake someone who is in a state of defeat and helplessness in the midst of hostile circumstances. At Golgotha there was no light - because God is Light, no love - because God is Love, no life - because God is Life. It was Hell’s torment!!!!

It was the condition of forsakeness as the worst agony the condemned will ever know. And from the sorrow, disappointment, frustration, pain, despair - name all of Hell’s brood - there is no escape. And, Oh, think of it, this is the desting of every soul without Christ. As we think of the love and wrath of God manifested at Golgotha, we pull off our shoes because we are on Holy ground!!!!

Sinners are offered mercy now, but in the Day of His Wrath, perfect justice will be stern. No mercy was granted in response to His cry - nor will there be for the sinners in that Day. “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

We are told that when Jonathan Edwards preached his famous sermon on “Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God,” at Enfield, there was such a “breathing of distress” that he had to request the people to retain their composure. Oh for such God-fearing conviction to fall in these days, God grant that sinners will be brought to realize what it will mean to meet Him Whose blood they “have trampled underfoot.” It will be the torments of Hell for those Who have insultingly rejected His grace!!!! In these last seven sayings of our Lord on Calvary, there are three couplets. The first two show His deep concern for lost, condemned sinners. In three and four, we see forsakenness. He forsakes His mother, and the Father forsakes Him, in order that He might save effectively completely, and eternally. In six and seven we see Him, the Servant, laying down a finished work and resting in the arms of the Father. The three hours of darkness (12:00 noon to 3:00 P.M.) were now over, as He was hanging on the cruel cross. Do you suppose that, had we been there, we would have thought it was going to be dark forever? Total darkness for one minute, in the middle of the day, would probably seem like ten minutes! How long would three hours seem?

FIFTH SAYING In the fifth place, we read, “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst” (John 19:28). This is a saying all alone. “... I thirst” (John 19:28). It calls attention to Himself. The need He mentions is purely physical, though it speaks of much more. They tell us that the tongues of those culprits would swell and make it difficult, or nigh impossible, to move them. They could barely speak, if at all.

But, really, there is much more here than just calling attention to His physical thirst. Some say that He asked for a drink to be able to talk, but no. He did not ask for a drink. He simply said, “... I thirst.” They gave Him a sponge dripping with vinegar. This fifth saying was evidently telling us two things. First, it was THE WINNER EMPTIED AND DRAINED

He was announcing Himself The Winner in the conflict. “After this,... “ (John 19:28) refers to after the blackest part of the redeeming sacrifice was made. “...

Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished...” (John 19:28). When He saw that He had won the battle for the souls of the lost, He thought of His famished and thirsty body. He was emptied and drained! And, as would the victor in the race course, He panted out the information that is already clear to all, “I thirst.” In Colonial history, we read of the long struggle between England and France. It seemed next to impossible to dislodge Montcalm and his French troops from their strong position overlooking Quebec. At last, General James Wolfe dared to attempt the seemingly impossible. With an inferior force, he went through a ravine, up the precipitous walls to the Heights of Abraham, surprised the enemy, and won Canada for England. But it was indeed a desperate battle, and General Wolfe was carried from the battlefield mortally wounded. As he lay dying, he heard the men yelling, “They run; see them run!!!!” “Who runs?” cried the General. “The enemy, Sir; they give way everywhere.” Then, the General, after giving a few last orders, turned on his side and said, “Now, God be praised; I can die in peace.” In a few moments, the exhausted conqueror was dead.

There is both pathos and conflict in the picture of the exhausted, emptied, drained Winner and Victor over sin. Pathos in the fact that the Water of Life drained Himself dry in the fires of Hell! This was no synthetic conflict! The fight was so bitter, the fire so hot, the suffering so beyond our minds’ comprehension, and the contest so severe that he had to give His all. Not even His beaten, torn, bruised, mauled, mutilated body could survive! Death was the price for His victory!!!!

We are reminded of another story of the early days of the French in Canada. The people of Quebec had been warned that twelve hundred Iroquois Indians were coming down the St. Lawrence River. And this could mean that their homes would be burned, their crops destroyed, and their people killed. They wanted to avoid the disaster, if at all possible. They must do something to keep the Indians from reaching Quebec. Daulac, with sixteen volunteers, went up the river to meet the enemy. These were joined and helped by forty, friendly Hurons. At the foot of a rapid, where the Iroquois must descend, they built a small fort and waited. The Indians soon came and made attack after attack. But the little group of defenders were fighting for their loved ones and their homes. Day after day, they beat off the Indians. Their food gave out, but they did not surrender. They found until the last one of them was dead. The Indians killed them! But those brave, dedicated Frenchmen won the victory. You see, the Indians turned back, and Quebec was saved. The Man of Galilee on Golgotha, while suffering all Hell for all sinners, held the enemy of souls back. He won the victory for us. He gave His life. He was emptied and drained. And praise God, He was the Winner!!!! In the second place, we see THE REDEEMER IDENTIFIED Our Lord was identifying Himself. The Scriptures had not said that He would cry out, “I thirst,” but that, in His thirst, He would be offered vinegar for satisfaction.

Read Psa 69:1-4; Psa 69:7-9; Psa 69:19-21. He was not asking for water so much as recognition. He was identifying Himself as The Redeemer, The Saviour, The Messiah!!!! Oh, what if they fail to recognize Him!!!! and they did!!!!

There had been some earnest souls who had sought for the Saviour. Job had cried out for a daysman. Read Job 9:30-33. On the top of the mountain, Isaac had inquired of his father, Abraham, as to where was the lamb. “And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering”

(Gen 22:7)? Abraham had replied that God would “provide himself a lamb.” It was not that He would provide for Himself a lamb, but that He Himself would be the lamb. “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burntoffering: so they went both of them together” (Gen 22:8). Jesus spoke of Abraham knowing of Calvary. “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus aid unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:1-59). The wise men came looking for the King of the Jews. “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Mat 2:1-2). The superscription on the cross read, “... THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Mat 27:37).

God was careful to identify The Messiah, The Saviour, The Redeemer, The King!!!! He told us that the year of His incarnation was marked (Dan 9:25), that He would be born of a virgin (Isa 7:14), that it would happen in Bethlehem of Judea (Mic 5:2), that as a child He would be brought up from Egypt (Hos 11:1), that he would speak in parables (Psa 78:2), that He would receive the praise of children when hated by men (Psa 8:1), that His zeal for the temple would burn and attract men’s attention (Psa 69:9), that He would enter Jerusalem triumphantly riding an ass amid the hosannas of the people (Isa 62:11 and Zec 9:9), that He would be betrayed by His own (Psa 41:9), that He would be numbered among the transgressors (Isa. 53:112), that lots would be cast for His garments (Psa 22:18), and that not a bone of Him would be broken (Psa. 34:209). What ample identification!!!! How important it was, and is, that He be identified -- The Saviour, The Redeemer, The Messiah, The King! Mistaken identify of the Redeemer is eternally tragic!!!! Ancient Rome once sent forth one who was a popular hero to conquer the rebelling tribes of Britain. Amid the cheering cries of the people, Caligula sailed forth, with pomp, in mighty ships from the Roman shores. The people confidently expected him to return immediately having taken over the proud islands bringing the conquered leaders to Rome in chains. But when the ships anchored off the English coast, Caligula was not interested in conquest. He walked up and down the beach collecting pretty shells and, what was to him, very interesting bits of seaweed. After this childish activity, to the disgust of his proud army, he sailed back to Rome. The people came in great crowds to welcome their conqueror and gloat over the enemy kings in chains. To their surprise, the emperor showed them withered and foul smelling curios. Rome was so disappointed and humiliated that she laughed Caligula to scorn, wrote him down as a madman, and put him to an early and terrible death. They had mistakenly identified a fool as a great champion. What if we should, like ancient Rome, pin our hopes of conquest and victory upon some foolish, impotent Caligula instead of Christ of Calvary. Ours is a Christ Who comes back from His conquest of Hell with a victory that will rejoice the angels. But there must be no mistaken identity. Here we have The Redeemer Identified.

See how those who depend on human efforts, plans, gifts, merits, and churches, the ordinances, the ceremonies, the sacraments, talking in tongues, worship on the Sabbath, etc, are mistaking withered seaweed and empty shells to save them from Hell and take them to Heaven. There is no mistaken identity here.

We have the Redeemer positively, definitely, and eternally identified!!!! A beautiful story comes to us from Russia. A group of sincere lovers of our Lord Jesus were meeting in secret worship. They knew the danger of such meetings because the communistic authorities had outlawed the worship of Christ.

Nevertheless these remained true to Him and spent many happy hours in communion and fellowship with Him, in underground places of worship.

But, on night, the door of their meeting place was broken down by an agent of the secret police who was followed by a group of soldiers. He ordered that the names of the worshippers be written down (there were 30) and reminded them that they would be carried to jail. Then, an old man in the group said to the agent, “There is one Name you do not have.” The surprised officer said, “I assure you that you are mistaken. I have them all!” “Believe me, “ said the old peasant, “there is one Name you do not have.” “Well, we will prove it.” yelled the impatient, angry agent. “We will count them again.” And they verified every name. They were sure that there were only 30, no more, no less. “You see,” said the confident officer to the old man. “I have them all, every one. I told you that I had them.” But the old Christian still insisted, “There is one Name you do not have.” “Who is it, then?” the officer demanded. “Speak out; who is it?” The old man said, “The Lord Jesus Christ! He is here!” “Ah,” said the officer with a sarcastic sneer, “That is a different matter!” Indeed it is!!!! If He is with us as our Saviour and King, all is well. The Redeemer is here identified without question. Do you know Him? Make no mistake. He is the only One. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me: (John 14:6). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Yes, He was The Winner but emptied and drained. And He gave us the needed, positive identification. And in thirsting, He thirsted that we may come to the Fountain of the waters of life, drink, and invite a whole lost world to come. This Fountain never runs dry!!!!

SIXTH SAYING

We have looked at five of His last seven sayings on the cross, and, now, we consider the sixth one, as we praise God for our Wonderful Saviour and Lord.

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:30). In the fifth saying on the cross, we noted that our Lord called attention to the PERSON -- “I.” We have said that this was really identification. Oh, the fearfulness of not identifying THE SAVIOUR! In this sixth saying, our Lord is calling attention to the WORK -- “IT.” Oh, what is so important as the “I” and the “IT” -- that is the PERSON! and the WORK of CALVARY! In considering this sixth utterance of our Precious Lord, I want us to meditate upon three things. First, we note THE WORK -- ITS COMPLETION This statement, or its equivalent, is found three times in the Word of God. In the early pages of this Sacred Volume, we find these words in connection with the creation. “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them”

(Gen 2:1). The Creator finished His work perfectly. “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good...” (Gen 1:31). And we know that this was all done by our Lord Jesus. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3). When He finishes something, it is perfect, nothing can be added to improve it, and nothing can be taken away without marring it.

Then, while on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” The Regenerator finished this work perfectly. Nothing needs to be added, and to take away anything will do irreparable damage. In the closing Book, in the Word of God, we read. “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done” (Rev 16:17). He Who made a perfect salvation will finish it with a perfect judgment and take over as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Surely, I cannot emphasize too much that our salvation is not repayment for some work we do for God or for some sacrifice we make for Him. It is all because of the work and sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary!!!! Emphatically, it is not our works of righteousness “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that no of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8-9). It is not baptism, the Lord’s Supper, church membership, talking in tongues, worshipping on the Sabbath, giving money, punishing ourselves in some physical, mental, or emotional way. It is not some ceremonies, sacraments, and/or ordinances. It is not praying all night weeping for some lengthy time, or any effort on our part.

It is the work of Jesus Christ for us. Here we have indeed the completed work He did to provide salvation for all sinners. He died for all sinners not simply for a select group (the elect). “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1Ti 2:5-6). “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1Ti 4:10). “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1Jn 2:1-2). He loves, and died, for all sinners, even those who reject Him. “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:21-22). “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2Pe 2:1). In the second place, we consider THE WORD -- ITS MEANING

Let us be careful to observe that He did not say, “I am finished.” He said, “It is finished.” Roman Catholic theology has failed to discern the finished nature of the Work of our Lord on Calvary. And, so have the Protestants in most cases. Anyone who says that it is Christ plus anything or anybody that saves has missed this precious truth. Those who make salvation Christ plus certain additives, always conclude that they are lost, if they lose the additives. So, it is clear that they depend on their additives (the do’s and don’ts) not the Lord Jesus Christ. And you cannot be saved that way!!!! The word here is tetelestai. It means that something is finished and forever done. You could express it, “It stands finished” or “Done,” provided the idea of perfection is included. It is a word of victory as well as of work, a word of accomplishment as well as of relief, and a word of satisfaction as well as of fact.

It was a farmer’s word. When birth was given to a ting animal in the herd that was so beautiful and shapely that there seemed to be no defects or faults, the farmer would exclaim with delight, “Tetelestai!”

It was an artist’s and sculptor’s word. When the artist had given the last stroke of the brush on the canvas, and the sculptor had chipped away all but what he desired for his sculpture, and they saw no need for correction improvement, they would joyfully murmur: “Tetelestai! Tetelestai!”

It was a priestly word. When the worshippers brought a lamb without spot or blemish, the pride of the flock, to the temple, the priest (who too often had folk try to offer the blind and defective) would look with great admiration upon the beautiful creature and exclaim, “Tetelestai!” The word, “Tetelestai: took on its greatest significance at Calvary, as the Lamb of God offered Himself on the Altar. He rejoiced with such joy that it bore down all His anguish before it. The sacrifice was stainless, complete, perfect, finished forever!!!! He cried with a loud voice, “Tetelestai!!!!” “It” was the torment of the payment of all sins for all sinners. “It” was the suffering of the full punishment of the guilt of all time. “It” was the combined Hells of all sinners who have offended God. The “It” of Isa 53:6; 2Co 5:21; 1Ti 2:6; and Rev 5:9 was complete and finished. As the Master Workman, Jesus was speaking with great satisfaction of His finished task, “Finished! Complete! Done! Perfect! Forever!”

It is only when we see the sixth word of the cross as the victorious cry of our Substitute, our Representative accomplishing a task on our behalf, that it really has meaning. The “It” which He completed so perfectly is the personal penalty due us because of our sins individually. James Proctor said it so effectively in his poem, Nothing either great or small, Nothing, sinner, no; Jesus did it, did it all, Long, long ago.

“It is finished,” Yes, indeed, Finished every jot; Sinner, this is all you need; Tell me, is it not?

Cast your deadly doing down, Down at Jesus feet; Stand in Him, in Him alone, Gloriously complete.

Finally, we note THE ANNOUNCEMENT -- ITS EFFECT This announcement is made known in Heaven, in earth, and under the earth.

How is it received? What is its effect? Heaven was interested in this transaction?

Surely the hosts of angels crowded the Ramparts of Glory watching the tragic drama. When Jesus declared, “It is finished, “ joy unspeakable filled Heaven with glory. The war is won! The Victory is perfect! Since Jesus has paid the price of redemption with His own precious blood, God can receive repenting sinners both as a loving Father and as a just God. “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works?

Nay; but by the law of faith” (Rom 3:25-27). “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ: that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith” (Gal 3:13-14).

What effect did this announcement have on the Old Testament saints who were already in Paradise (Abraham’s bosom, the Place of Bliss and Joy)? Paradise was one division of Hades or Sheol where the saved went at death, before Calvary.

They did not go directly to Heaven. One can go to Heaven only on the merits of the shed blood of our Lord Jesus. They were those who had been saved “on credit.” And Jesus had now paid the bill. Hallelujah, Glory to God!!!! They must have shouted all over Paradise. The bill had been paid!!!! They would be carried, very soon, into Heaven Itself by our Lord Jesus. This He did after His resurrection.

Now, saints go directly to Heaven when they die. It is al because of the great announcement, “Tetelestai!!!!”

What effect did this announcement have on those in the place of torment (fire and brimstone) in the other division of Hades or Sheol? The unsaved dead are not yet in Hell (Gehenna, the Lake of Fire). They are still in the fire and brimstone of Hades or Sheol, will be delivered up at the judgment of the great White Throne, and put in Hell, (Gehenna, the Lake of Fire and brimstone) forever. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:12-15). What was the effect of our Lord’s announcement, “Tetelestai,” on them? They were utterly hopeless. Their despair reached infinite, eternal heights. The fixed gulf between them and any hope could never be spanned. They prayed vainly for folk back here to have someone resurrected from the dead to tell them of the fire and brimstone (eternal, infinite) that awaits them. And the Prince of this world, Satan, the dragon, that old serpent, who is the Devil, was crushed, defeated, made a prisoner of the King of kings. And, he, too, will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire and brimstone, Gehenna!!!! “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”“(Gen 3:15).

What effect does this announcement have on earth? It is not uniform; it is mixed! To some, it brings boundless joy. Their salvation does not depend on their efforts or goodness. Like Paul, they shout, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal 6:14). As Ellis L. Carnett put it, It is finished, It is finished. My salvation full and free; Jesus paid the debt for sinners, When He died on Calvary To some, the meaning is not clear. They believe that they must have Jesus plus certain additives to go to Heaven. And this is so very sad because one can be saved by Jesus and Jesus alone. To trust Him plus anything does not bring salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith plus nothing and minus nothing in Jesus Christ. “Tetelestai!” To some, it is a matter of indifference. They are interested only in things and the pleasures of sin. Indifference to Christ, it is the climax of all sinning! And even to others, it brings antagonism and hatred. They hate God, love sin, and do not want to hear it. They want to be left alone. And one day that being left alone will be the forsakenness of their burning shame and agony. To all, it is an announcement of hope. But the announcement awaits our receiving Him, as a free Gift through repentance and faith!!!! God’s heart will go unsatisfied, if you refuse the finished work of Christ, and Satan will be comforted because of His hatred for Christ and your going to Hell forever!!!!

Ebenezer Wooten, an Englishman who was an earnest, outspoken evangelist, held a meeting many years ago at Ledford Brook. After the last service, the crowd was leaving, and thetent was being taken down. A young man approached the Evangelist and said, “Mr. Wooten, what must I do to be saved?” “Too late!” said the preacher and looking directly into the young man’s eyes, said again, “Too late, my friend, too late!” The young man, quickly losing any indifference that had been his, said, “Oh, Preacher, is it too late just because the meetings are over?” Brother Wooten firmly replied, “It’s too late! You ask what you can DO to be saved, and I tell you that it is hundreds of years too late. The work of salvation is done, completed, finished, Jesus did it all on the cross. You must accept salvation as a free gift in Him. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

SEVENTH SAYING And now we come to consider the seventh of His last seven sayings.

“... Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit...” (Luk 23:46). These words were also uttered, we are told, by Polycarp, Augustine, Bernard, John Huss, Christopher Columbus, and others when they died. Theirs were the cries of sinners fleeing to God for salvation, an echo of mercy. His was that of a Winner coming to God with salvation -- a salvation won by His own hands. With Him, it was a proclamation of justice! The death of our Lord was different. It was a voluntary death, a vicarious death, a victorious death. Amen and amen!!!! Death had no claim on Him, except as the Representative of sinners. He was doing man’s dying for him. No man took His life from Him; He laid His own life down. He brought His spoil with Him. As He died, He cried with a loud voice. He did not yield to death in weakness. On the contrary, He summoned death to serve Him. Someone has aid, “He gave up His life because He willed it, when He willed it, and as He willed it.” In Php 2:8; we read, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” The “unto death” means “up to the point of death.” They did not kill our Lord. His sufferings (physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually), though they were beyond our finite comprehension and our ability to describe, even if we could speak in the ultimate of every language, did not kill Him. He laid down his own life. Listen to His own Word on the subject: “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father” (John 10:17-18). The cults say that when He died that He was afraid that He might not rise again. That is hogwash!!!! He was as sure of His resurrection as He was of His crucifixion!!!!

Physiologists will tell you that when folk are at the point of death that they will try to raise their heads to get one more breath of oxygen. Our Lord bowed His head. He laid down His life!!!! It is clear that He consciously and purposely “rendered up His life” (laid down His life). In His last saying on the cross, as He did a voluntary, vicarious, and victorious death, we see Him as The Prophet, The Lamb, The Priest, and The King. THE PROPHET

He was that Prophet likened unto Moses. All of His work and actions had prophetic significance. A prophet not only predicts but he, also, simply tells forth the Word of God. Jesus predicted, but He was also The Preacher speaking the Word of God. The Bible is the written Word. Jesus is the incarnated Word. They both are the living Word.

Jesus, The Prophet, preached His greatest sermon from the cross. He dramatized His sermon on Calvary. Our Bibles would not be worth the paper upon which they are written were it not for the message of the Cross. But, somebody says that there are many other wonderful things in the Bible. Yet, none of them would be accessible to us were it not for the message of the Cross. In our meditations, we have been enjoying surface things in these last seven sayings of our Lord on Calvary. Were we able to understand them in depth, we would surely understand the wisdom of God as we could in no other place. For at the cross is manifest the wisdom of God. “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1Co 1:23-24). In His preaching, dramatically on Calvary, The Prophet, was speaking the language of sonship, service, and security. Until we are justified (made sons and daughters of God) by the shed blood of Christ, we are without God and without hope with no relationship to Him. It is only when, as born again ones, we commit ourselves into His hands that we may serve Him acceptably. And, praise His Name, in His hands, we are eternally secure. “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). THE LAMB

We are told that when Abel came to worship that he brought a lamb. He did this because of instructions which he had received from God, and then, we read in Heb 11:4, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” This pointed to the coming of the Lamb of God. In the Levitical system, the Jews were taught to bring a lamb for sacrifice. This pointed to the coming of the Lamb of God. In Isa 53:6-7, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lo he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, of us all, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” This pointed to the death of the Lamb of God. And in John 1:29; we read, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” This was the Lamb of God. And here on Calvary, we see Him Who Is The Lamb of God!!!! In the Old Testament, the lamb died for the shepherd. In the New Testament The Shepherd Who Became The Lamb died for all sinners!!!! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! And when we get to Heaven, we will see The Lamb on the throne. “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (Rev 5:6). Oh, all that is ours in salvation is because of The Lamb slain on Calvary. Here, our Lord presents Himself to the Father as The Lamb slain for all sinners. “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1Ti 2:6). We teach it, preach it, testify of it, and sing about it. The Lamb and His Blood! And, praise God, we will do it through all eternity in Heaven. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev 5:9). The liberals make fun of the blood. But, eternal Hell awaits those who are not washed in the Blood!!!! THE PRIEST When Jesus said, “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit,” He, as the High Priest, was offering Himself as The Lamb on that last Passover Day to atone for the sins of all sinners. See Him on the cross as the altar of sacrifice. See Him both as the blood Sacrifice and the officiating Priest. In His voluntary death, our Lord Jesus, The Priest, carried His sacrifice into the Holy of Holies of God’s presence, and in His seventh saying, He offered it to God. For centuries, twenty-four courses of priests had been receiving the blood of thousands of paschal lambs brought by the people and slain before the altar. The base of that altar was soaked with blood. And yet the work was never done. But it was different on that day on Calvary. The all-sufficient Lamb had never been found until then. There has never been a need for another Passover Day. The Lamb of God had been offered once and for all. “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb 10:10-12). And, I repeat, He was The Priest and The Lamb. Hallelujah!!!! Jesus the Son of God offered His broken body, without spot or blemish to God. His precious and efficacious Blood is poured out at the foot of the cross (the altar). The Priest comes forth saying that it is enough, no more priests, but Jesus, no more blood but His Blood. The work is done forever.

Praise the Lord!!!! “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:25).

We are told that in one of his periods of depression, Martin Luther seemed to see a hideous and malignant form writing out the record of his sins on the walls of the room. In the list, the accuser wrote Luther’s sinful thoughts, his sinful words, his secret sins, his open sins, his evil deeds, his sins of omission, his sins of commission, and the list seemed endless. Luther said that as he looked up, the accuser had stopped writing and was facing him. “You have forgotten one thing!” cried Luther. “And what is that?” His tormentor asked, laughing. Luther replied, “Write across it all: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” When Luther spoke of the blood of Jesus, the evil spirit left, and the walls were clean. His Blood! His Blood! His Blood! His Blood! Presented by Himself, our Eternal Priest!!!! THE KING As we see Him as Prophet, Lamb, and Priest, God forbid that we should neglect to see Him as King. This last saying on the cross was not the cry of a defeated victim: it was the proclamation of a triumphant King. Jesus went to the Cross a King. He declared to Pilate that He was King. Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross: “... JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.” See John 19:19! From this world’s viewpoint, He wore a strange kind of crown and is a strange sort of King.

He did not die a victim of the inevitable. He, as a King, walked through the battle to victory. His last saying on the cross was a proclamation of the King. This King rushes from the fires, torments, and tortures of hell into God’s presence calling Him, “Father!” He was stronger than hell’s power. He subdued the Devil and all his cohorts. And this King commands death to come to His service. The first Adam became death’s servant. The Last Adam, The King, mastered death.

Death could not lay its cold, icy hands upon His pure body until He gave the permission. This last saying on the cross is the great conquering King’s order for death’s chariot to carry Him back home. He transformed the cross from a sign of shame, humiliation, ignomy, and defeat to the symbol of His great power. He took the cross and made it His greatest servant by using it to destroy the thing for which it stood -- death and despair!!!!

Praise God for The King of kings and The Lord of lords. Paul said of Him, “... the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1Ti 6:15). John said of Him: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen” (Rev 1:7). And he also said that when He comes, “... he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:16). We cry out with John the beloved disciple, “... Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev 22:20).

Some years ago a Japanese student, who was a Buddhist, enrolled in Columbia University. He decided that while he was in the United States he would go to church and see what comparisons and contrasts exist between Buddhism and Christianity. So, he began attending Riverside Baptist Church in New York City. At that time, Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick was the pastor. Dr. Fosdick was a liberal theologian. He could preach; yes, he could weave a web around an angel of high.

I repeat, he could preach, but he was a liberal theologian! I read a letter that he wrote in which he said that any preacher who believed in the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus and in the personal return of Jesus to the earth to rule and reign was a backwoods’ ignoramus. If that is the case, I plead guilty to being a backwoods’ ignoramus. The Japanese Buddhist went to hear Dr. Fosdick every Sunday for nine months, as he sought to compare and contrast Buddhism and Christianity.

He planned to return to Columbia University for summer school, but he had a change of plans and went to the University of Toronto instead. In those days, Dr. T. T. Shields was pastor in Toronto, Canada. While there, he went to hear Dr. Shields with the same purpose with which he had gone to hear Dr. Fosdick in New York. Dr. Shields was a conservative Bible believer. He preached the Bible in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Buddhist went to hear Dr. Shields Sunday morning, Sunday night, and again, on Wednesday night. He saw a great difference in the preaching than that which he had heard in New York. At the close of the service on Wednesday night, he asked an usher what he would have to do to get an appointment with Dr. Shields. The usher told him that he would not have to do anything, and then, simply escorted him to Dr. Shields’ study. The Japanese student told this great preacher what had happened in New York and there in Toronto, as he had attended church. He said, “There is little difference, in principle, in the preaching of Dr. Fosdick and the teaching of my Buddhist priest in Japan. Dr. Fosdick, in preaching Christianity, says that if you dodo-do certain things and don’t-don’t-don’t do certain other things all will be well when you die. It is true that the things they tell us to do and not to do are different, but in principle, they are both saying, “do, do, do and don’t, don’t, don’t.”

Then, as he continued, he said, “But, Dr. Shields, you preach that Christianity is something Jesus Christ has already done on the cross to make possible the forgiveness of all our sins.” Dr. Shields assured the young man that he had heard correctly. He emphasized again how that we are all hell-deserving sinners, how Jesus died, and was buried, and arose again, and in so doing, He did all the work and made the only sacrifice that could ever forgive and save us from our sins.

There, the Buddhist student knelt, wept, repented, and received our Lord Jesus Christ by faith as personal Saviour. Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

During his ministry, Dwight L. Moody, the great evangelist, left Chicago by train for a city-wide campaign on the west coast. The engineer on that train was a Mormon. When he heard that the famous Mr. Moody would be one of his passengers, he asked the conductor to request Mr. Moody to ride in the cab with him, saying that he would like to talk to this famous preacher. When the conductor relayed the engineer’s request to Mr. Moody, he gladly consented. All the way to Salt Lake City that engineer tried to make a Mormon out of Mr. Moody. However, he did not have any success. As they neared Salt Lake City, the engineer said, “In Salt Lake City another engineer will take over and carry the train on to the west coast; so, I will have to leave you soon. But I do believe that you would make a wonderful Mormon preacher and would like very much to see you become one.” Mr. Moody replied by saying, “Sir, I could never become a Mormon preacher. However, there is not much difference in your religion and mine, just two letters.” The puzzled engineer said, “I do not understand. What do you mean?” Mr. Moody then said, “Well, you spell your religion D-O, DO. You teach that if you do-do-do and perchance do enough, when you die, you may go to Heaven. My religion is spelled D-O-N-E, DONE. It is not something we do; it was all done at Calvary through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has done all that was necessary for my sins to be forgiven though His death, burial, and resurrection. So, I am going to Heaven on the merits of the finished work of Jesus Christ.” Amen and amen!!!!

Jesus is the Saviour; yes, He is The Only Saviour. Salvation is not an experience. Salvation is a Person. Sure, we have an experience with Him when we are saved, but the experience is not our salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ in Person is our salvation. He is God, and He is the only Saviour.

Jesus is “the sweetest Name on mortal tongue; the sweetest carol ever sung, Jesus, blessed Jesus.”

JESUS IS LORD

Yes, Jesus purposes to be Lord in the lives of those whom He saves. For we read in Rom 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” When we are saved, we accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord because this verse in Romans is saying that if we confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord. When we come to accept Him as Saviour, it is unconditional surrender. We never get saved by coming to Him and saying, “I want to accept you as my Saviour, if You will not expect me to be baptized, or if You will not expect me to stop drinking booze, or if You will not expect me to join a church, etc.” Now, certainly, we know very little about His Lordship when we accept Him as Saviour. At this time, I have been saved for than fifty-five years, and I am still learning more about His Lordship. He continues to lead me deeper and deeper into the crucified life (making Him Lord). On the other hand, we do not get saved by saying to Him, “I will accept you as my Saviour, but I do not want you to be my Lord.” In other words, a sinner does not get saved by coming to Jesus and saying, “I have been a prostitute for the Devil, and now I want you to save me and let me be a prostitute for Jesus. Or, I have been a drunkard for the Devil, and now I want you to save me and let me by a drunkard for Jesus, etc.”

Many trust Him for salvation but refuse to yield to His Lordship. One of the secrets as to why there are so many unhappy Christians is that they have received Christ as Saviour but not as Lord of their lives. Paul could say, “Paul and Timotheus, servants of Jesus Christ...” This word servants is our word bondslaves. They had not simply been saved, but had yielded and permitted Jesus to become Lord of their lives. Someone has well said, “The Statement of Faith of New Testament Christians was simply and profoundly, “JESUS IS LORD.”

There is a heresy abroad today that teaches that Jesus saves sinners and says that if they want to make Him Lord it will be fine, or if they prefer to go on in their canal ways and live “like the Devil” that that will be fine, also. The Bible knows nothing of such teaching. Jesus purposes to make real disciples out of all whom He saves and to be Lord of their lives. Would it not be wonderful if all saved folk wanted to grow up, and go on making Jesus Lord of their lives with the same enthusiasm that boys and girls want to grow up? For instance, when they have their sixth birthday, and even before the birthday cake is cut, should you ask them about their ages, the reply would be: “I am six going on seven.” And those words, going on seven, would come out with emphasis. Oh, for Christians who will go on for Him making Him Lord of their lives.

How about you?

Let me shoot a quiver full of interrogatory arrows into your heart. Has Jesus the supreme place in your desires? Do you esteem all things but loss in comparison with the excellency of Jesus Christ, your Lord? Is He to you as a city of refuge to the manslayer? Is He to you as a spring of watering a dry, desert place? Is He to you as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land? Is He to you, having had experience with Him, a refuge and fortress, a very present help in time of trouble? Is everything in Jesus desirable in your eyes? Do you desire to obey His commandments? Do you desire to have His spirit? Are His holiness and government, His cross and sufferings desirable to you? Are you longing at all times for Him? Have your eyes been opened to see His “want and worth?” Is His righteousness the righteousness you desire? Do you want to do His will -- no matter what it may be? Are you willing for Him to dictate wholly your plans, actions, and speech? He is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all! Is He really your Lord? Is He Lord of your body? Is He Lord of your mind? Is He Lord of your influence? Is He Lord of your abilities? Is He Lord of your talents? Is He Lord on your job? Is He Lord of pocket book? Is He Lord of all your activities? Is He Lord in your home? Is He Lord at school? Is He Lord at church? Is He Lord on your vacation? Is He Lord of your recreation? Is He Lord of your dating? Is He Lord of your grooming?

Oh beloved, is He Lord in every area of your life? He purposes to be Lord in the lives of all those whom He saves!

I would that He were Lord in our lives to the extent that we could all say with the poet, “Had I a thousand lives to live I’d live them all for Thee, Who once for me Thy life didst give, O Lamb of Calvary! Bought with Thy Holy Precious Blood.

I am no longer mine. Then take my life, Blest Son of God As Thine and only Thine.

“Had I thousand tasks to do, I’d do them all for Thee, If strength these labors to pursue Were given unto me.It matters not if these my hands Hold scepter, spade, or pen Lord Jesus to Thy blest commands I owe a glad ‘Amen.’

“Had I a thousand griefs to bear, I’d bear them all for Thee. Rememb’ring well Thy anguished prayer In dark Gethsemane. Thy grace makes sweet the Mara cup Each burden, pain, and loss Grows light when I in faith look up To Thy Victorious Cross.

“Had I a thousand songs to sing, I’d sing them all for Thee --Redeemer, Saviour, Shepherd, King To laud Thy majesty. Though psalms of earth cannot compare With anthems angels raise. Still would my tongue Thy praise declare In love divinest lays.

“Had I a thousand gifts to bring I’d bring them all to Thee’ Each one a love filled offering For all Thy love to me, While from the altar of my heart Prayers’ incense would ascent, And fragrance to each gift impart, For Thee my dearest Friend.”Had I a thousand deaths to die, I’d die them all for Thee. If, dying, I could glorify The love that bled for me Thy hand my feeble bark will take O’er Jordan’s rolling tide. When in thy likeness I awake I shall be satisfied.” Had I a thousand crowns to cast, Blest Saviour at Thy feet, When I have reached my Home at last, My bliss would be complete! Until I reach that shore divine, Beside the crystal sea. O My belov’d, a smile of Thine Is Heav’n enough for me.”

Oh, for this kind of consecration to our Lord Jesus! May we come with the humility of John the Baptist who could say that he was not worthy to tie or to untie His shoes and that He must increase while he must decrease. Let us yield, surrender, and dedicate our all to do His bidding, letting Him be Lord in every area of our lives. And, sinner friend, would you behold Him! He is the Water, the Milk, the Bread, the Meat, the Honey, the Feast that your poor, dying, hungry, thirsty soul needs. The banquet is spread. Come, sinner, come!!!! Taste and see that The Lord is good! In Him is the fullness of righteousness. In Him is the fullness of holiness. In Him is the fullness of faithfulness. In Him is the fullness of Deity. In Him is the fullness of wrath. In Him is the fullness of justice. In Him is the fullness of power to put you in the lake of fire where you deserve to spend eternity. But praise God, there is also in Him the fullness of the love, the grace, the mercy, the pardon, the justification, the peace, the everlasting life that are all freely offered to you because of Calvary, because of the price He paid, because of His death, burial, and resurrection. Yes, in Him is the forgiveness of all of your sins. He invites you to come. He offers you life abundantly and eternally. He does not want you to perish, to go to Hell!!!! The best of saints compared to Jesus are but as dewdrops scattered on the Head of the Bridegroom, lost in the glory of His hair! In the language of The Song of Solomon 5:16, “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend..”Come, sinner, come! Taste and see! He will be your Friend, your Beloved! Repent as a sinner, and receive Him by simple faith! He will save you! Oh, let Him save you now! Jesus is God! Jesus is the Only Saviour! Jesus is Lord!

Jesus sweetest Name on mortal tongue, sweetest carol ever sung. Jesus Blessed Jesus!!!!

*Dr. James Crumpton was the long time pastor of West Side Baptist Church (now Victory Baptist Church) and is the founder of Maranatha Baptist Missions.

Maranatha Baptist Missions P. O. Drawer 1425 Natchez, Mississippi 39121.