If you could control the moment you died, what would you choose for your last words be?
Jesus controlled His death. Let’s look at what He chose to say as He hung on the cross. Let’s look at His last seven words and what they speak to us today.
1. Forgiveness
Christ’s first recorded words on the cross were a prayer. But not for Himself.
“Father, forgive them;
(Luke 23:34 NASB)
for they do not know what they are doing.”
Really? Did they really not know what they were doing?
The Jewish leaders had plotted Jesus’ death for months. They seemed to be very aware of what they were doing.
Pilate was afraid and even tried to set Jesus free at one point. He seemed unnervingly aware.
The Roman soldiers led Christ as He stumbled up to Calvary in His tortured state. And they drove nails through His hands and feet.
How could they not know what they were doing?
And yet Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing.”
They didn’t know because sin blinded them.
The Jewish leaders, the crowd who cried out for His crucifixion, Governor Pilate who gave the order for His death, and the Roman guards who carried out their evil desires were all blinded by their sin.
If they’d truly understood what they were doing—and Who they were doing it to—they would never have done it. They would’ve been too horrified. Instead, they would’ve fallen down before Jesus and worshipped Him. Not mocked, denied, and crucified Him.
What This Speaks to us Today—The Way of Forgiveness
Like those who crucified Jesus, we’re blind to the depths and seriousness of sin.
If we saw our sin as it actually is —as God sees it—it would revolt us. We’d stay far from it.
But we’re just as easily blinded by sin.
Unless God opens our eyes to it, we’ll stay blind.
For those who don’t belong to God, the Bible teaches us we’re “dead in our sin,” and dead people can’t see. Jesus has to give us life and eyes to see our sin. He has to give us the faith to believe and see the Truth of Who Jesus is—our Savior.
If you don’t belong to God, yet, pray. Ask God to give you eyes to see the Truth and to believe. Your eternity depends on it.
If you do belong to God by grace through faith in Christ, pray. Ask God to give you eyes to see sin for what it is so you’ll want to stay far from its destructiveness.
Ask Him to search your heart and reveal any hurtful way in you. (Psalm 139:23-24)
When He reveals your sin to you, turn away from it and ask for forgiveness. Jesus longs to forgive us just as He longed for God to forgive His enemies who nailed Him to the cross. (I John 1:9)
If someone has sinned again you, remember Jesus’ words and example. Sin blinds. Even those who surely know what they’re doing to you, don’t. None of us truly do.
Pray: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”
Then choose the way of forgiveness. Just like Jesus.
