CRCF\u201d\u201d3-28-10
\nPalm Sunday<\/p>\n
–VIDEO Clip from \u201cThe Passion\u201d<\/p>\n
Introduction\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u201d\u2122s an old hymn whose chorus says of the Gospel,
\n\u201cBeautiful words, wonderful words,
\nWonderful words of life;
\nBeautiful words, wonderful words,
\nWonderful words of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the last few weeks, we\u201d\u2122ve been listening to the last words of Jesus, even as He hung dying on the Cross. Truly, Jesus\u201d\u2122 dying words are \u201cbeautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life\u201d!<\/p>\n
The Heart of the Cross:
\nJesus Speaks from the Cross
\nLuke 23:44-46
\nPart 5: \u201cFather, I entrust my spirit
\ninto your hands!\u201d
\nThe heart of the Cross is that . . .
\nIn your worst possible moment, you can trust your Father with your life.
\nLuke 23:44-46 (NLT)<\/p>\n
44 By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o\u201d\u2122clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.
\n46 Then Jesus shouted, \u201cFather, I entrust my spirit into your hands!\u201d And with those words he breathed his last.<\/p>\n
The Message (MSG)
\n44-46By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hours\u201d\u201da total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle. Jesus called loudly, “Father, I place my life in your hands!” Then he breathed his last.<\/p>\n
Contemporary English Version (CEV)<\/p>\n
44Around noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until the middle of the afternoon. 45The sun stopped shining, and the curtain in the temple split down the middle. 46Jesus shouted, “Father, I put myself in your hands!” Then he died.<\/p>\n
The heart of the Cross is that . . .
\nIn your worst possible moment, you can trust your Father with your life.
\nJesus, as He cries out this prayer to the Father, is actually quoting a phrase from Psalm 31:
\nPsalm 31 (NLT)
\n1 O LORD, I have come to you for protection;
\ndon\u201d\u2122t let me be disgraced.
\nSave me, for you do what is right.
\n2 Turn your ear to listen to me;
\nrescue me quickly.
\nBe my rock of protection,
\na fortress where I will be safe.
\n3 You are my rock and my fortress.
\nFor the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
\n4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
\nfor I find protection in you alone.
\n5 I entrust my spirit into your hand.
\nRescue me, LORD, for you are a faithful God.<\/p>\n
Mark Roberts:
\nBy quoting a portion of Psalm 31, therefore, Jesus not only entrusted his future to his Father, but also implied that he would be delivered and exonerated. No, God would not deliver him from death by crucifixion. But beyond this horrific death lay something marvelous. “I entrust my spirit into your hands” points . . . forward to the resurrection.
\nThe heart of the Cross is that . . .
\nIn your worst possible moment, you can trust your Father with your life.
\nDr. William Barclay writes, “Jesus died with a prayer on his lips. `Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ That is Psalm 31:5 with one word added– Father. That verse was the prayer every Jewish mother taught her child to say last thing at night. Just as we were taught, maybe, to say, `Now I lay me down to sleep,’ so the Jewish mother taught her child to say, before the threatening dark came down, `Into your hands I commit my spirit.’ Jesus made it even more intimate, for he began it with the word Father. Even on the cross Jesus died like a child falling asleep in his father’s arms.”
\nYes, Jesus in his final moments on his journey did not speak large words. He did not engage in a philosophical debate. He uttered the words of the first prayer he ever learned. This is what gave great comfort to his soul in his last moments. Yes, these last words were a testimony to what life is about. He began life with God–and he completed his earthly journey with God.
\nThe heart of the Cross is that . . .
\nIn your worst possible moment, you can trust your Father with your life.
\nThis is a good place for a reminder from Jesus Himself about what was really happening in these last moments of His life.
\nMake no mistake\u201d\u201dJesus was in control of the entire situation!
\nJohn 10:17-18 (NLT)
\n17 \u201cThe Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.\u201d
\nJohn 19:30 (NIV)<\/p>\n
With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.
\nSo, when we hear Jesus cry out, “Father, I place my life in your hands!”, He is voluntarily laying down His life for us!
\nAmazing!
\nLook at our text once again:
\nLuke 23:44-46 (NLT)<\/p>\n
44 By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o\u201d\u2122clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.
\n46 Then Jesus shouted, \u201cFather, I entrust my spirit into your hands!\u201d And with those words he breathed his last.
\nThe heart of the Cross is that . . .
\nIn your worst possible moment, you can trust your Father with your life.
\nEdward Markquart:
\nIn the Great Temple there was a place called the Holy of Holies. This was the meeting place between a Holy God and a sinful people. This curtain prevented un-holy people from entering the Holy house of God. Once a year the Great High Priest was permitted by Jewish law to enter this place with awe and trembling to make the sacrifice for the sins of the people. This was the Great Day of Atonement.
\nHowever, when Jesus cried out, “It is finished”–this curtain was no longer necessary. Jesus Christ would now be our only mediator between God and His people.
\nWith that part of the journey now completed–Jesus was ready to go home!
\nMax Lucado captures this moment better than anyone else when he wrote:
\n“The voice that screamed at God, `My God, My God, why have you forsaken me,’
\nnow says, `Father.’
\nThe two are again one.
\nThe abandoned is now found.
\nThe schism is now bridged.
\n`Father.’ He smiles weakly. ‘It’s over.’
\nSatan’s vultures have been scattered.
\nHell’s demons have been jailed.
\nDeath has been damned.
\nIt’s over.
\n`Take me home.’
\nYes, take him home.
\nTake this prince to his king
\nTake this son to his father
\nTake this pilgrim to his home
\n(He deserves a rest.)
\n`Take me home.’<\/p>\n
The heart of the Cross is that . . .
\nIn your worst possible moment, you can trust your Father with your life.
\nEdward Markquart:
\nSo Jesus cried out with a loud voice–(not a whisper or a whimper) for all to hear his declaration, “Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit!”
\nIn this prayer that makes up the Seventh Word from the Cross, we see that it is a Prayer of Communion with God, it is a Prayer of Confidence in the power of God, and finally it is a Prayer of Commitment–Jesus entrusting God to prosper the work he had done on the Cross. He deposited his soul, his love, his life with the Father.
\nThe heart of the Cross is that . . .
\nIn your worst possible moment, you can trust your Father with your life.
\nWill you? Do we?
\nConclusion–
\nDan Joseph: [Jesus] calls us to look again at how much we truly do trust in God\u201d\u2122s plan for our lives.
\n1 Peter 2:21-23 (NLT)
\n21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
\n22 He never sinned,
\nnor ever deceived anyone.
\n23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
\nnor threaten revenge when he suffered.
\nHe left his case in the hands of God,
\nwho always judges fairly.
\nJesus could simply obey God because, even in His worst moment, He trusted His Father to work it all out in the end!
\nWe can do the same!
\nJeremiah 29:11 (The Message)<\/p>\n
I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out\u201d\u201dplans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
\nDoes this verse mean that our worst moments will always turn around and become our best moments? Does this mean that tragedy will always, in this life, be made right and that there will be ease and prosperity for us as Christians? NO! This verse means that God will ultimately bring about our good and give us an eternal future that is all we could ever hope for!
\nJesus obeyed God, suffered and died. For Jesus, Easter morning\u201d\u201dresurrection from the dead\u201d\u201dwas the outcome!
\nHallelujah!
\nAnd because of that, for you and me, the ultimate outcome will also be resurrection to eternal life!
\n1 Corinthians 15:20 (The Message)
\n\u201cBut the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.\u201d
\nBut more on that next Sunday!
\nThe heart of the Cross is that . . .
\nIn your worst possible moment, you can trust your Father with your life.
\nCelebration of the Lord\u201d\u2122s Supper
\nAs we come to the Table, take Jesus\u201d\u2122 prayer and make it your own\u201d\u201d\u201cFather, I put your life in your hands\u201d\u201d\u201dI give you all that I am in this moment (be it a good time or the worst of times).\u201d
\nMake it your Prayer of Communion with God, your Prayer of Confidence in the power of God, and finally your Prayer of Commitment to God.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CRCF\u201d\u201d3-28-10 Palm Sunday –VIDEO Clip from \u201cThe Passion\u201d Introduction\u201d\u201d There\u201d\u2122s an old hymn whose chorus says of the Gospel, \u201cBeautiful words, wonderful words, Wonderful words of life; Beautiful words, wonderful words, Wonderful words of life.\u201d Over the last few weeks, … Continue reading