Words From The Cross

What Jesus spoke from the Cross is very significant. His whole earthly ministry was building to the moment of his crucifixion. He came, not so much to teach, but rather to die. In the act of dying, the loving character of Jesus remained consistent. When all four Gospels are searched, we find seven distinct phrases or sentences spoken while Jesus was actually dying for us. Isaiah prophesied about the purpose of the crucifixion. "He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Lent is a natural time for us to consider the depth of our need for a Savior. We are tempted to downplay our sinfulness and tell ourselves that we are basically good people. However, the severity of the solution tells us something about the magnitude of the problem. Christ provided for us what we needed before we even realized we needed it. His words from the Cross are actually full of hope and love and promise for us, despite the great pain that came to him. It is only through our embrace of the Cross that we can be made into good people.