We call him Saviour: Part 1 Final words, final acts and final hours

Background scripture

John chapter 13-18:1-13

In this study we will look at the other accounts by Matthew, Mark and Luke but John give a very descriptive account of the final words, final acts and final hours of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

As we start our study tonight you notice that I put up a pretty long background selection of Scripture. The reason for that, John took much time to write the amazing teachings that was given after the Passover meal, which Jesus shared with his disciples as the Last Supper or as we call it the Lord's Supper. In these chapter we find key verses that teach us much. As we look at some of his final acts, final words in his final hours.

John 13:34-35 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. ([KJV])

John 14:1-4 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. ([KJV])

John 14:23-26 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. ([KJV])

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.([KJV])

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. ([KJV])

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John 16:32-33 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. ([KJV])

John 17:1-3 1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. ([KJV])

John 18:1-9 1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. 2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. 3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 7Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. ([KJV])

What I have found in preparing for this study is, Jesus wanted his disciple to be very clear about what was going to happen next. He was making his final acts and words known to those that were the closest to him. Before we start I want to share a story with you about a man and his son.

On a recent trip to his hometown he took some time to go see a tree. " A live oak tree," his dad had called it (with the accent on "live"). It was nothing more than a sapling , so thin he could wrap his hand around it and touch his middle finger to his thumb. The West Texas wind scattered the fall leaves and caused him to zip up his coat. There is nothing colder than a prairie wind, especially in a cemetery.

" A special tree," he said to himself, "with a special job." He looked around, the cemetery was lined with elms but no oaks. The ground was dotted with tombstones but no trees, just this one. A special tree for a special man.

About three years ago this son's father began noticing a steady weakening of his muscles. It began in his hands and then he felt it in his calves. Next his arms thinned a bit.

He mentioned his condition to the son's brother-in-law who is a physician. The brother-in, alarmed, sent him to a specialist. After many test and blood work, the doctors had come to a conclusion..........Lou Gehrig's disease. A devastating crippler, no one knows the cause or the cure. The only sure thing about it is its cruelty and accuracy.

As the son looked down at the plot of ground that would someday entomb his father he remembered that his father had always wanted to be buried under an oak tree. His father went and bought this one, "Special order from the valley," his father boasted. "Had to get special permission from the city council to put it here." ( that wasn't hard in this dusty oil field town where everybody knows everybody.)

The lump got tighter in the son's throat as he thought about his father. "A lesser man might have been angry. Another man might have given up. Not my daddy, no he knew his days were numbered and so he began to get his house in order." said the son.

The tree was only one of the preparations the father made. He improved the house for his wife by installing a sprinkler system and a garage door opener and by paining the trim. He got his will updated. He verified the insurance and retirement policies. He bought some stock to go towards his grandchildren's education. He planned his funeral. He bought cemetery for himself and his wife. He prepared his son and his other children through words of assurance and letters of love. And last of all the man bought a tree, A live oak tree, with an accent on LIVE.

These were the final acts, the final hours, final words that reflected a life well lived. So do the the last acts, and final hours and final words of our Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

When on the edge of death Jesus too, got his house in order.

A final prayer of forgiveness

A plea honored

A request of Love

A question of suffering

A confession of humanity

A call of deliverance

A cry of completion

These were spoken around the cross. Were they words by chance muttered by a desperate martyr? NO! They were words of intent, painted by the Divine Deliverer on the canvas of sacrifice. 

Final words. Final acts. Each one is a window through which the cross can better understood. Each on opens a treasury of promises.

As the son stood watching the oak tree in the prairie wind he said " So that is where you learned it," as though he was speaking to his father. Christ's example, his teachings his final acts, his final hours, his final words. The son smiled to himself and thought " It's much easier to die like Jesus if you have lived like him for a lifetime.

The father's final hours are passing now, the gentle flame on his candle grows weaker and weaker. He lies in peace, his body dying, his spirit living. No longer can he get out of bed, it won't be long, death's windy draft will soon exhaust the flickering candle and it will all be over. The son's father will go home to be in heaven.

The son looked down one last time at the slender oak and touched it as if it had been hearing his words and thoughts. He whispered "Grow, grow strong, stand tall, yours is a valued treasure.

As the young man drove to his father's he kept thinking about that tree. Though feeble and small, the decades will find it strong. Though slender, the years will add thickness and strength. Its last years will be its best, just as the young man's father. Just as our Lord Jesus Christ, his purpose, his calling, his obedience, his final words, his final acts gave Grace to those of us he loved.

As the son drove to the house where his father lay in bed, he opened the door to find his father awake. He walked over and kissed him on the forehead and whispered "I checked on the tree, it's growing." His father smiled.

Grow young tree Stand strong yours is a valued treasure.

We have just passed Easter Sunday. We have celebrated his resurrection, He spent forty days after his resurrection with his disciples teaching, comforting them. Let us go back to those brutal hours on the cross and see the power and the greatest work done at his finest hour.

1 Final words. Final acts. Each on is a window through which the cross can be better understood. Each one opens a treasury of promise.

A. Why are the final words and actions of a dying person significant?

Why are the final words and actions of Christ particularly significant?

B. In Luke's account Chapter 22-23 of the betrayal, the Last supper, Jesus' arrest and trial, and his crucifixion, What things surprise you? What things are hard to comprehend? Considering that these are Jesus' final hours on earth what one word best depicts his words and actions during these hour?

C. What do you hope to gain from this study of Christ's last words and actions? What will make the difference in how well you will succeed? Write down five goals for this study and then at the end of this study asses to what extent you have achieved them.

2. It is much easier to die like Jesus if you have lived like him for a lifetime.

A. From your observation to what extent does someone's personality change as he or she gets older? To what extent does a person's character change?

Let's look at these two passages of Scripture:

I Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. ([KJV])

John 14:5-24 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.([KJV])

B. What do these two passages reveal about our ability to be like Jesus? What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? What outward indications will there be when we truly live in a Christ-like manner?

C. What specific character trait would you want to be remembered for at your death? To what extent is that true of you now? What could you do to strengthen that characteristic in yourself.

Next week we will begin with Luke 23:24 and our lesson will be on words that wound.