TEXT: (Luke 23:46 KJV) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
INTRODUCTION: Having said this, he breathed his last breath. We are not really prepared to live unless you we prepared to die. Much of what goes on in this world is part of a continuous battle against death, but death wins in the end. Death is an appointment, not an accident, and only God knows the day and the hour when our life will end that’s whv it’s wonderful to be a Christian and know Jesus as your Savior, because Christians don’t have to be afraid of death. Jesus’ seventh statement from the cross tells us about death and how he died. Four characteristics of his death should encourage us and remove any fear of death that may lurk in our hearts.
1.He Certainly Died
First of all, he actually died. his death was not an illusion; he really died. The Lord Jesus had a real human body, and exprienced all the sinless infirmities of human nature.
He knew what it was to grow up;
he knew what it was to eat, drink, and sleep;
he knew what it was to feel pain.
And our Lord Jesus knew what it was to experience real suffering and die a real death.
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The apostle John recorded that the Roman officials checked very carefully to be sure that Jesus had died. When the soldiers came to look at the bodies on the three crosses, they discovered that Jesus already was dead
(see John 19:33). The soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves in order to hasten their death, but they didn’t break our Lord’s legs. They knew he was already dead.
When Joseph and Nicodemus asked Pilate for custody of the body of Jesus, Pilate marveled that Jesus was already dead (Mark 15:44). The official evidence of the Roman Empire was that Jesus actually died on a cross outside the city of jerusalem. He didn’t pretend to die, so he could fake a “resurrection” three days later. No, Christ died a real death on a real Roman cross, and he did it for sinners.
The evidence of the Gospel writers is that Jesus actually died. He didn’t swoon on the cross and then revive when he was put into the cool tomb. The Lord Jesus Christ actually died; he tasted death for every sinner. Jesus met the last enemy death and defeated him!
In the Bible, the word “death” is applied to believers very infrequently; for believers, death is called “sleep.” Christians who die are those who “sleep in Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:14). But when Jesus died, it wasn’t sleep; it was death. He tasted the full experience of death. He confronted the last enemy with its sorrow, pain, and solemn finality Because he died for us, we don’t have to be afraid ofdeath whenever it comes to us. “0 Death, where is your sting” (1 Cor. 15:55; see Hosea 13:14).
How grateful we should be to our Lord for going through the valley of death for us. Whether death comes to us slowly or suddenly, we know that he is with us and understands our needs. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4).
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2.He Confidently Died
Jesus not only actually died, but he also died confidently. He said, (Luke 23:46 KJV) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
A.The Fathers’ Presence
He died confidently because he had the Father’s presence. He said, “Father” because he was in fellowship with his Father as his work on the cross came to an end. His cry wasn’t “My God! My God!” because the darkness of separation had ended. What a wonderful thing it is to be able to look to the Father when your hour comes to leave this life.
Three times on the cross, Jesus addressed God.
1.His first statement from the cross was “Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).
2.His fourth word was “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” (Matt. 27:46).
3.His seventh word was (Luke 23:46 KJV) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
At the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of his ordeal, our Lord addressed his Father. It’s worth noting that the word “Father” was often on our Lord’s lips.
A.When he was twelve years old, he said, (Luke 2:49 KJV) And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business
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B.In the Sermon on the Mount, he used the word “Father” more than fifteen times.
C.In his upper room discourse and prayer (John 13-17), our Lord mentions the Father fifty-three times. That’s one reason he died confidently: he had the assurance of the Father’s presence.
D.The Fathers’ Promise
He died confidently because he had the Fathers promise. Our Lords last statement from the cross was a quotation from (Psa 31:5 KJV) Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. This verse was a prayer that little Jewish boys and girls used when they retired for the night. Psalm 31:5 is an Old Testament promise, and Jesus applied it to himself But he changed the quotation by adding a word and dropping a phrase. He is the author of the Word so he has this privilege. He added the word Father, but he omitted the phrase You have redeemed me, 0 Lord God of truth. Jesus had never sinned, so it wasnt necessary for him to be redeemed.1 When he died, our Lord claimed Gods promise and entrusted himself to his Father. Thats the only way to die.
All three of the prayers from the cross are tied to Scripture.
A.When Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34), he was using (Isa 53:12 KJV) Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
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B.When he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me (Matt. 27:46), he was quoting (Psa 22:1 KJV) To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring
C.When he said, Father, into thy hands I commend My spirit (Luke 23:46), he quoted Psalm 31:5. Our Lord Jesus lived by Gods Word; if you live by Gods Word, you can die by Gods Word. What assurance do you have that you will experience confidence in your hour of death The only assurance we have is the Word of God. He died confidently with the Fathers presence and with the Fathers promise.
C.The Fathers’ Protection
Third, he had the Fathers protection. Into thy hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46). For many hours our Lord had been in the hands of sinners.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, he told his disciples,
(Mat 26:45 KJV) Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
A.The and the hands of sinners took hold of him and bound him.
B.The hands of sinners beat him.
C.The hands of sinners stripped him.
D.The hands of sinners put a crown of thorns upon his head.
E.The hands of sinners nailed him to a cross.
But when he came to the conclusion of his great work, Jesus Christ was no longer in the hands of sinners. He died confidently because he was in the Fathers hands.
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(Psa 31:8 KJV) And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
(Psa 31:15 KJV) My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
The safest place in the world is in the Fathers hands.
3.He Choicely Died
In one sense, our Lord was killed by Roman executioners. Peter said (Acts 2:23 KJV) Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
But in another sense, he was not killed, for he willingly laid down his life. He said,
(John 10:17 KJV) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (John 10:18 KJV) 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.
Our Lord died voluntarily, the Shepherd laying down his life for the sheep.This is an amazing thing! No Old Testament sacrifice ever died willingly. No lamb, goat, or sheep ever willingly gave its life. But Jesus willingly laid down his life for us. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to say, “Father, into thy handsI commend My spirit.”
A. Before Jesus Christ laid down his life, he forgave his enemies.
B. Before he laid down his life, he gave salvation to a repentant thief.
C. Before he laid down his life, he cared for his mother.
D. Before he laid down his life, he finished the work God gave him to do.
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You and I don’t know how long God will permit us to live. Every day we have, every minute we have, is a gift of his grace. But today we ought to follow Christ’s example and forgive our enemies, just in case we should die. We don’t want to meet the Lord with anything in our hearts against anybody. We want to come to the time of death having shared salvation with others. We want to be faithful in taking care of those who depend upon us. We want to be able to come to the end of life and surrender to God willingly, having finished the work God gave us to do.
4.He Conclusively Died
Finally, he died victoriously. He cried out, “Father, into thy hands I commend My spirit” (Luke 23:46). Our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the work that God gave him to do, and when he gave up his spirit, several miracles took place.
1.The veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom, and God opened the way into the Holy of Holies (see Matt. 27:5-51).
2.The Graves were opened, and some of the saints were resurrected (Matt. 27:52). Jesus Christ proved himself to be victorious over sin (the torn veil) and over death (the opened graves).
3.The earthquake shook the area (Matt. 27:51), reminding us of the earthquake at Mount Sinai when God came down and gave the Law to Israel (see Exod. 19:18). But the earthquake at Calvary didn’t announce the terror of the Law. It announced the fulfillment of the Law! The Lord Jesus Christ died victoriously, conquering sin and death and fulfilling the Law! Through him, we have victory over sin, death, and the Law.
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(1 Cor 15:56 KJV) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
(1 Cor 15:57 KJV) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
A.Every spiritual blessing that we have comes through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.
B.Every victory of faith that we win is because Jesus died for us.
C.We overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:11).
D.We enter God’s presence to worship and pray because Jesus tore the veil when his flesh was torn on the cross (Heb. 10:19-22).
Because we have been identified with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection, we can overcome the flesh and walk in newness of life (Rom. 6).
The world and the devil are defeated enemies because Jesus was lifted up to die on the cross (John 12:31-32). Our three great enemies the world, the flesh, and the devil are powerless before the cross of Jesus Christ.
Unless Jesus Christ returns to take his people to heaven, each believer will one day die. People die the way they lived. Those who live in sin will die in their sins (John 8:21).
Those who live in Christ will die in Christ, safe in the Father’s hands, going to the Father’s house (John 14:1-6). Jesus said,
(John 10:27 KJV) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:(John 10:28 KJV) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
What a wonderful thing it is to die with confidence and assurance, able to say, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” This is the heritage of the child of God.
I. Christ’s Confidence in the Security of His Sonship (23:46)
1) The Revelation of the Essence of Sonship (23:46)
2) The Restoration of the Enjoyment of Sonship(23:46)
II. Christ’s Confidence in the Dependency of His Sonship (23:46)
1) In Life He Was Completely Dependent Upon His Father (Ps. 31:5)
2) In Death He Was Completely Dependent Upon His Father (23:46)
III. Christ’s Confidence in the Authority of His Sonship (23:46)
1) On Calvary’s Cross Jesus Ordered Death (23:46)
2) On Calvary’s Cross Jesus Overcame Death (23:46)
Conclusion
May we likewise have such confidence, day by day, as we commit spirit, soul and body into the Father’s hands.
May we ever live in the center of His will, walking in the pathway of His choice, serving in the interests of His work-in life, and even in death.
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