#7 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Luke 23:44-46
When the hour was both literally and figuratively the most dark, Jesus final words from the cross are a reminder for us. Father into your hands I commit my spirit. With his last breath Jesus acknowledges that God is in control of everything. Jesus, the son, yields himself entirely to the care of the Father. He does not say Father receive my Spirit as did Stephen cried while he was being murdered, but Jesus says Father I give you my spirit. Evil may have appeared to have won the battle, but has not one the war. With this statement we see the reunion of the Father and the Son, Jesus no longer suffering the wrath of God on our behalf, but beginning his return home.
Only the hands of God can protect our spirit from the harms of this life. No other place will satisfy. The right political party cannot save you. The right spouse cannot save you. Your children turning out all right cannot save you. Going to the right church cannot save. Saying the right prayer cannot save you. Only throwing yourself into the hands of God can save you. For years you may have been fighting with him, but let me assure you, your arms are far too short.
Let this be the time that you surrender. Tonight, you have nothing, just as the thief who hung on the cross unable to do anything but breath his last breath, there is nothing of worth that you can bring to God. Begin your return home, recognize your need for God in you life, and give him control.
In the movie 21 Grams Sean Penn plays the part of a heart transplant patient who’s body rejects the new heart. When his symptoms first come up he visits the doctor and the doctor explains that he is a walking time bomb and things are only going to get worse and tells him to check in to the hospital. And Sean Penn ask this question, “Can you save me?” Not can you guarantee that I will live, “Can you save me?” And the doctor says I can guarantee that you will be comfortable but I cannot guarantee that you will be saved. The world tells us that it can make us comfortable, but our heart rejects it. It is like when Christ said to Saul, It is hard for you kick against the goads. Christ does not promise us that we will be comfortable, but he does guarantee that we will be saved.
When the hour was both literally and figuratively the most dark, Jesus final words from the cross are a reminder for us. Father into your hands I commit my spirit. With his last breath Jesus acknowledges that God is in control of everything. Jesus, the son, yields himself entirely to the care of the Father. He does not say Father receive my Spirit as did Stephen cried while he was being murdered, but Jesus says Father I give you my spirit. Evil may have appeared to have won the battle, but has not one the war. With this statement we see the reunion of the Father and the Son, Jesus no longer suffering the wrath of God on our behalf, but beginning his return home.
Only the hands of God can protect our spirit from the harms of this life. No other place will satisfy. The right political party cannot save you. The right spouse cannot save you. Your children turning out all right cannot save you. Going to the right church cannot save. Saying the right prayer cannot save you. Only throwing yourself into the hands of God can save you. For years you may have been fighting with him, but let me assure you, your arms are far too short.
Let this be the time that you surrender. Tonight, you have nothing, just as the thief who hung on the cross unable to do anything but breath his last breath, there is nothing of worth that you can bring to God. Begin your return home, recognize your need for God in you life, and give him control.
In the movie 21 Grams Sean Penn plays the part of a heart transplant patient who’s body rejects the new heart. When his symptoms first come up he visits the doctor and the doctor explains that he is a walking time bomb and things are only going to get worse and tells him to check in to the hospital. And Sean Penn ask this question, “Can you save me?” Not can you guarantee that I will live, “Can you save me?” And the doctor says I can guarantee that you will be comfortable but I cannot guarantee that you will be saved. The world tells us that it can make us comfortable, but our heart rejects it. It is like when Christ said to Saul, It is hard for you kick against the goads. Christ does not promise us that we will be comfortable, but he does guarantee that we will be saved.
posted by michaelstevensrev at 10:39 AM
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