We call him Saviour part 9 I commend my spirit
We call him Savior
Lesson nine
The seventh cry from the cross.
Luke 23:44-49 Focus verse :46
46 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.
In this lesson we will see " A cry of completion". I want to start with a poetic summary.
Were it a war- this would be the aftermath
Were it a symphony - this would be the second between the final note and the first applause.
Were it a journey- this would be the sight of home.
Were it a storm - this would be the sun, piercing the clouds.
But it wasn't. It was the Messiah. And this was a sight of joy.
"Father" the voice calls hoarse.
The voice that called forth the dead.
The voice that taught the willing and had the cripple to leave their bed.
The voice that screamed "My God why has thou forsaken me."
Now says Father, for they are again one as they should be.
The abandoned is now found.
Grace has given undeserved merit.
Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.
Father he weakly smiles, it is over.
Satan's vultures are now scattered
death has been damned and the grave's victory has been shattered.
It's over an angel sighs
The sun darkens as Jesus closes his eyes
God's will, Christ has done.
Sinners now can come to the Father by the Son.
God it is time to take your precious son home
To take his rightful place at the right hand of your throne.
Yes take him home.
Take this prince to his king.
Take this son to his father.
Come ten thousand angels! Come take this wounded troubadour to the cradle of his father's arms.
Farewell manger's infant.
Bless you holy ambassador.
Go home death slayer.
Rest well sweet soldier.
THE BATTLE IS OVER.
In these verses we have three things:-
I. Christ's dying magnified by the prodigies that attended it: only two are here mentioned, which we had an account of before.
Luke 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. ([KJV])
1. The darkening of the sun at noon-day. It was now about the sixth hour, that is, according to our computation, twelve o'clock at noon; and there was a darkness
over all the earth until the ninth hour. The sun was eclipsed and the air exceedingly clouded at the same time, both which concurred to this thick darkness, which continued three hours, not three days, as that of Egypt did.
Luke 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. ([KJV])
2. The rending of the veil of the temple. The former prodigy was in the
heavens, this in the temple; for both these are the houses of God, and, when the Son of God was thus abused, they could not but feel the indignity, and thus signify their resentment of it.
By this rending of the veil was signified the taking away of the ceremonial law, which was a wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles, and of all other difficulties and discouragements in our approaches to God, so that now we may come boldly to the throne of grace. It was torn from the top to the bottom, meaning it was done by God and not man. Hebrews 4:15-16 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. ([KJV])
II. Christ's dying explained (v. 46) by the words with which he breathed out his soul.
Luke 23:46 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. ([KJV])
Jesus had cried with a loud voice when he said, Why hast thou forsaken me? So we are told in Matthew and Mark, and, it should seem, it was with a loud voice that he said this too, to show his earnestness,and that all the people might take notice of it: this he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
1. He borrowed these words from his father David Psalms 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. ([KJV]);
not that he needed to have words put into his mouth, but he chose to make use of David's words to show that it was the Spirit of Christ that testified in the Old-Testament prophets, and that he came to fulfill the scripture. Christ died with scripture in his mouth. Thus he directs us to make use of scripture language in our addresses to God.
2. In this address to God he calls him Father. When he complained of being
forsaken, he cried, Eli, Eli, My God, my God; but, to show that dreadful agony of his soul was now over, he here calls God Father. When he was giving up his life and soul for us, he did for us call God Father, that we through him might receive the adoption of sons.
3. Christ made use of these words in a sense peculiar to himself as Mediator. He was now to make his soul an offering for our sin Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. ([KJV]), to give his life a ransom for many Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. ([KJV]), by the eternal Spirit to offer himself, Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ([KJV])
He was himself both the priest and the sacrifice; our souls were forfeited, and his must go to redeem the forfeiture. The price must be paid into the hands of God, the party offended by sin; Jesus undertook this task to make full satisfaction. Now by these words he offered up the sacrifice, did, as it were, lay his hand upon the head of it, and surrender it; tithemi-"I deposit it, I pay it down into thy hands. Father, accept of my life and soul instead of the lives and souls of the sinners I die for." The animus offerentis-the good will of the offerer, was requisite to the acceptance of the offering.
Now Christ here expresses his cheerful willingness to offer himself, as he had done when it was first proposed to him Hebrews 10:9-10 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ([KJV]), Lo, I come to do thy will, by which will we are sanctified.
4. Christ hereby signifies his dependence upon his Father for his resurrection, by the re-union of his soul and body. He commends his spirit into his Father's hand, to be received
into paradise, and returned the third day. By this it appears that our Lord Jesus, as he had a true body, so he had a reasonable soul, which existed in a state of separation from the body, and thus he was made like unto his brethren; this soul he lodged in his Father's hand, committed it to his custody, resting in hope that it should not be left in the grave, in its state of separation from the body, God raised him on the third day.
5. Christ has hereby left us an example, has fitted those words of David to the purpose of dying saints, and hath, as it were, sanctified them for their use. In death our great care should be about our souls, and we cannot more effectually provide for their welfare than by committing them now into the hands of God, as a Father, to be sanctified and governed by his Spirit and grace, and at death committing them into his hands to be made perfect in holiness and happiness. We must show that we are freely willing to die, that we firmly believe in another life after this, and are desirous of it, by saying, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
III. Christ's dying improved by the impressions it made upon those that attended him.
1. The centurion that had command of the guard was much affected with what he saw,
Luke 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. ([KJV])
He was a Roman, a Gentile, a stranger to the consolations of Israel; and yet he glorified God. He never saw such amazing instances of divine power, and therefore took occasion thence to adore God as the Almighty. And he bore a testimony to the patient sufferer: "Certainly this was a righteous man, and was unjustly put to death." God's manifesting his power so much to do him honour was a plain evidence of his innocency. His testimony in Matthew and Mark goes further:
Matthew 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. ([KJV])
Mark 15:39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. ([KJV])
2. The disinterested spectators could not but be concerned. This is taken notice of only here,
Luke 23:48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. ([KJV])
All the people that came together to that sight, as is usual upon such occasions, beholding the things which were done, could not but go away very serious for the time, whatever they were when they came home: They smote their breasts, and returned.
They took this action to heart for the present. They looked upon it as a wicked thing to put him to death, and could not but think that some judgment of God would come upon their nation for it. Probably these very people were of those that had cried, Crucify him, crucify him, and, when he was nailed to the cross, reviled and blasphemed him; but now they were so terrified with the darkness and the earthquake, and the uncommon manner of his expiring, that they had not only their mouths stopped, but their consciences startled, and in remorse for what they had done, as the publican, they smote upon their breasts, beat upon their own hearts, as those that had indignation at themselves. Some think that this was a happy step towards that good work which was afterwards wrought upon them, when they were pricked to the heart,
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? ([KJV])
Yet, it should seem, the impression soon wore off: They smote their breasts, and returned. They did not show any further token of respect to Christ, nor enquire more concerning him, but went home; and we have reason to fear that in a little time they quite forgot it. Thus many that see Christ evidently set forth crucified among them in the word and sacraments are a little affected for the present, but it does not continue; they smite their breasts, and return. They see Christ's face in the glass of the ordinances and admire him; but they go away, and straightway forget what manner of man he is, and what reason they have to love him.
His own friends and followers were obliged to keep their distance, and yet got as near as they could and durst, to see what was done Luke 23:49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. ([KJV]): All his acquaintance, that knew him and were known of him, stood afar off, for fear lest if they had been near him they should have been taken up as favourers of him; this was part of his sufferings, as of Job's
Job 19:13-14 13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. 14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.([KJV])
Psalms 88:18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. ([KJV])
And the women that followed him together from Galilee were beholding these things, not knowing what to make of them, nor so ready as they should have been to take them for certain preludes of his resurrection. Now was Christ set for a sign that should be spoken against, as Simeon foretold, that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed, Luke 2:34-35 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. ([KJV])