Good Friday

Luke 23:32-34 “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:35-43 “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

John 19:25-27 “Here is your son. Here is your mother.”

Matthew 27:45-47 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

John 19:28-29 “I am thirsty.”

John 19:30a “It is finished.”

Luke 23:44-49 “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

“LAST WORDS”

Often people have taken notice of the last words of famous people. They tell us sometimes how they lived and how they died. Over the centuries people have collected them. Here are some prominent ones. Czar Alexander II of Russia said, “Home to the palace to die,” after an assassination attempt. Rabbi Akiba ben Joseph said, “Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad,” (“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God! The Lord is One!”) as he was being killed for teaching the Jewish law, and many after him began to use those words as their last ones. The second U.S. President, John Adams, said, “Oh, yes; it is the glorious Fourth of July. It is a great day. It is a good day. God bless it. God bless you all.” Then after a period of unconsciousness; he mumbled, “Thomas Jefferson …” He died on July 4, 1826, and it is assumed that he meant that it was good that Thomas Jefferson was still alive, when, in fact, Jefferson had died several hours earlier. The Emperor Augustus said, “I found Rome brick, I leave it marble.” P. T. Barnum said, “How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden?” John Jacob Astor IV said, according to some, to his wife who was about to get into one of the Titanic’s lifeboats, “The ladies have to go first. Goodbye, dearie. I'll see you later.” Benedict Arnold said, “Let me die in the old uniform in which I fought my battles for freedom, May God forgive me for putting on another.”

Jesus’ last statements are different than these in many ways. The last words of people are sometimes given without thought or awareness. Often, they do not know that what they are saying are their last words. Jesus, we are told from the Gospels, knows where he is going and chooses this path. He asked to be spared this, if it is God’s will. But this is the way it must be and so Jesus obeys.

Sometimes the last words of people demonstrate their work in life. Jesus’ words do this. They show his concern for others and his life’s purpose is only complete with this. They show that with this, his work is finished. Sometimes last words are expressions of regret. There is none of that in Jesus’ last words. As he suffers, he does not talk about regret for past mistakes. There is no anger, not even towards those who insult and hurt him. His hope is that they will be forgiven. Some people’s last words are hopeful, too. But Jesus knows the future, whereas they do not. Sometimes people will say things that sound so ordinary, so mundane, at a most important time. What Jesus says on the cross is important and shows that what he does is vital to us.

We traditionally call these seven statements the Last Words of Christ. But in fact they are not his last words. Sometimes they are called the Last Words from the Cross. That is better. They do mark the end of his earthly life, but only in a way. We will see in the Gospels that he will soon talk again with his disciples, in the garden, in the upper room, on the road to Emmaus. These, what we hear tonight, are not Jesus’ last words.

 As we are reminded of Christ’s death, though, we talk about these as the last words. They are not the last words, because he will speak more, but in a very important way they are the last words. They are what he says as he does something final for us. It is a different use of the word “last”. Another word that is used of this day is “good”, as this is Good Friday. That, too, is a strange way of using a word. Frederick Buechner talks about this word by reminding us that God so loved the world that God gave the only Son. God gave the Son at infinite cost. It is good because out of his death came eternal life and the power to heal a broken world.

On this day it is appropriate to talk about the last words of Christ because of what he did. This is what we hear. He died so that he would have the last word over those things that threaten us—sin, lostness, death. He died to live again, be raised from the dead, and be present among us, to speak words of grace. He died to lead us into life. He died so that death would not have the last word. +++++