Seven Poignant Revelatory Statements of Jesus On the Cross

1. Luke 23:43: Truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.

2. Luke 23:34: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.

3. John 19:26–27: Woman, behold your son. Behold your mother.

4. John 19:28: I thirst.

5. John 19:29-30: It is finished.

6. Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34 My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?

7. Luke 23:46: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.

Looking at the seven poignant revelatory statements of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, we can attest that the words that He spoke were Spirit and life. Let us now ponder on and feast on the immortal words that tumbled out of the mouth of our Saviour, Who though very God, was also very man. His words are as comforting and inspirational as ever even after over 2000 years since they were first uttered.
We have the Holy Spirit, Who is here, to breathe new life into those words. 

Jesus himself said, ‘The Words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life.’
Come with me as we partake of fresh Bread from Heaven. John6:63 KJV

39And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 
41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 
42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

As we all know, two thieves were crucified with Jesus, one on either side. One of them joined with other who said, ‘he delivered others he could not deliver himself,…’ ’ if you are the Son of delivered yourself and us. If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. . He cast aspersions and disrespected the Saviour. The other man was more sensible. He knew Jesus was innocent and that they deserved their punishment. He rebuked his fellow criminal ‘Don’t you fear God?’ This man is innocent .He went on to ask Jesus to remember him when He came into His Kingdom. And Jesus said:

1.“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” 
Luke 23:42-44

What is our lesson from Jesus’ statement?
God is merciful, and no matter how far gone we may think we are, all we need to do is to be humble and penitent. One of the criminals realised he was a sinner and asked the Lord to remember him and that was enough to save him. The truth remains, that when we are full of our own ways it becomes a stumbling block to reconciliation with God. Furthermore, reconciliation with God is often made complex but it is as simple as saying, ‘Lord, I am sorry for my sins. Accept me as one of your own. Forgive me.’ And that will mark a New Beginning, a fresh start on a glorious New and Living Way.

He said in His word, ‘Come as you are’ ‘ Come all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. ..Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. ‘ ‘ The Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. ‘ ‘ As many as received Him, He gave the power to become children of God.’ ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old has gone and the new has come.’

If you do not know Him as Lord and Saviour, this is a good time to commit your life to Him and let Him come into your heart to take His rightful seat.

⁹     that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

¹⁰   For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom10:9-10

2.“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” Luke 23:33-35 NKJV

Jesus was agonising on the cross with excruciating pain arising from the scourging. He had been beaten, tortured, battered, broken, abused, yet he had the time, patience and compassion to pray for those who crucified Him. He knew they were blind and acted in ignorance. He knew they were fulfilling the scriptures. He knew it was the only way He could redeem you and I and so He prayed for them. ‘Father, forgive them..’

Often we look at those who crucified Him and wonder, ‘How could they do such, cruel, barbaric deed?’ but we fail to realise that it was our sins also that necessitated his hanging on the cross. In other words, we are also guilty and it was the love of God that caused Jesus to come and die for each one of us. ‘It pleased the Father to bruise Him.’

10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. KJVIsa53:10

10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, 
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, 
he will see his offspring and prolong his days, 
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.Isa53:10NIV

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.
2 Corinthians 5:20
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isa53:6
Even right now, Jesus is still praying for us at the Father’s right hand as our Advocate, Attorney and Intercessor. He always lives to make intercession for the saints. That gives you and I hope doesn’t it?

Today, we can see in various parts of the world, as it had been in times past, persecution of Christians. Many are in jail because of their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. We should be praying the same, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ We should be praying that that the eyes of their understanding be enlightened to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, just like Saul of Tarsus was converted to Paul the Apostle.

Secondly, when we are persecuted we should not take it personal if we are to continue the Race of Grace with confidence, courage and determination without falling by the wayside. When Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the early believers and was arrested, Jesus asked Him: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?

3.‘Behold your mother!’ 

26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home John19:26-27. 

Knowing that he would be gone soon, Jesus committed his mother into the hands of one of his disciples, John, the beloved. He understood the pain that his mother was going through and had to make provision for her even on the cross. It shows us how caring and compassionate He was not just for spiritual things, but for our emotional and material well-being.

He remains the same, compassionate, faithful, true, a friend that sticks closer than a brother, good and upright, without injustice. He the Rock of Ages cleft for you and me.
He is the God who supplies all our needs according to His glorious riches through Christ Jesus, Jehovah Jireh.

4.‘I Thirst!’

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” John 19:28
Here we see His humanity evident. He thirsts as we thirst. In Hebrews we are told that:

15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Heb.4:15

Here we see the humanity of Jesus married to His divinity, and this qualified Him to be our Saviour. He knows where and how we hurt and how we are tempted. He and He alone is able to bring succour and relief to us. He is the Way the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father except through Him.

5.“It is finished!”

30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. John19:30
Casting our minds back at the onset of his ministry, he said ’Don’t you know that I about My Father’s business and to finish it?’ he all also said , ‘ My food is to do the Father’s business and to finish it. This was why when it was time for him to go to the cross He set his face like a flint, undeterred. He would not let even one of His closest friends, Peter, to dissuade Him from His mission. Remember how He rebuked him sternly: ‘Get thee behind me satan…’

What is our lesson?
You and I have a mission, an assignment individually and corporately. We need to identify it and identify with it and pursue it until we finish it like Jesus did. We need to be focused in spite of the distractions that come our way. We too must be single minded and realise that often the enemy will use those closest to us to distract us from or purpose in life. We must be sensitive and stand our ground until we finish our calling.

6.“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matt 27:45-46

At this point our sins were heaped on Him, and just as sin separates, he was separated from His Father for a while. Like a scapegoat He bore our sins and carried our sorrows, bruised for iniquities, visited with the punishment that bought and brought us peace with God. We can also see the enormity, gravity, and sordid weight, wedge and barrier and alienation occasioned by sin. Again we can see the purity, righteousness and holiness of God.

7.“Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’”

46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last 
Luke 23:46

Jesus commits his spirit into the hands of His Father. He surrenders all to Him who is faithful and able to keep against that day that committed into His hands. He had laid down His life for His sheep. He knew he would be back in business after His resurrection. He knew he would multiply Himself after his resurrection. He knew that
‘…Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

And so He was confident to commit His Spirit into the Hands of the Righteous Judge, the Judge of the whole earth.

We too can confidently commit our spirits into God’s mighty, powerful, faithful, capable hands now and when we are called home to be with Him. Our Father owns the land on both sides of the river. We can go with peace, assurance, confidence, that absent in the Body is presence with the Lord.

8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 2Cor. 5:8

The words of Jesus are always spirit and life. His words are dynamic, powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. They are a light to our path and a lamp to our feet. We can feed our souls on them and be satisfied. Little wonder Mary pondered on them whilst Martha was distracted. Even on the cross He continues to teach, preach, forgive, love, pray, demonstrate faith.

May you and I catch the fire in His bones even today, Amen.