LAST WORDS OF CHRIST
1) “Forgive them!” The crowd was taunting, laughing but perhaps Christ here was seeing the bigger picture. His pain, his torture, his disillusionment, his loneliness was not in vain. It would serve a purpose.
2) “Today You will be with Me in Paradise.” Hope in darkness, grace in dissolution.
3) “Woman” – Jesus establishes new relationships, heralding the Kingdom to come. Relationships of Spirit where all are brothers and sisters, all are mothers and fathers. He is thinking of others in this his deepest hour…
4) “Why Have YOU Forsaken Me?” The alone-ness of the cross, the fears, the pain, dragged forth the shreds of his humanity…
5) “I Thirst!”; His last act reflecting his human nature and the basic needs of life.
6) “It’s Finished”; He is dying and knows that he has completed his mission. Choices hang in the balance, he could call angels to release him, the “cup” could pass by even now, but instead he turns everything over to God.
7) “I Submit to Your Will”; I commend my spirit into your hands. The final movement as he accepts the plan of God, becomes the sacrifice for all, and submits himself to God.
POST-RESURRECTION WORDS OF JESUS
1) First words: “Woman” ….(a) “Why you crying?” (John 20:15) . He calls her by name; recognized her as a follower. (b) “Maria…” (Verse John 20: 16). When his friends abandoned him – the woman stayed, planned, and prepared to do what had to be done. Both sides of the cross event hear Christ call out to a “Woman!” How far has the church crashed to have oppressed, minimized, marginalized, and locked women out of faith and church life? How silent the commentaries and the sermons to miss this point.
2) Second: “Peace be with you.” (verses John 20: 19-21). “Peace” to calm the grief, the anxiety, and the loneliness.
3) The third: “…Go …to my brothers and tell them…..” (Verse 17). She was sent with mission and purpose. Find the others were they were hiding, sleeping, and worrying and shatter the world!
4) Fifth: “As God has sent me. I am sending you (verse 21b) and with an empowering gift” “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (verse 22). Not just men but all gathered to hear his words, receive the gift, and act on his commands.
5) Sixth: “….be not faithless, but believing”/stop doubting and believe (verse 27); ”…Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”. No matter how it is said the same truth shines out. “Faith” and belief will move the foundations of the world.
6) “Feed My sheep.” (verses 15-17). Faced with guilt, staggering under the weight of their own inadequacies, some sought to turn away and go back to life before Christ, before death, before their failures. Jesus reminds of them what the woman always do – find the basic needs, respond to them and move forward. “Feed the people.” “Take my Good News” to the ends of the world. Trust on God….
7) “Follow Me.” (verse 19 and 22).
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