Daily Devotions
John
John 19:16-42 "A QUIET PRAYER"
Day 318 – John 19
A QUIET PRAYER
When Jesus began His public ministry, He commenced it on a note of prayer. Luke noted how the Spirit of God was involved.
“And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form
like a dove upon Him …”
Luke 3:22
“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit,
returned from the Jordan and was led by the
Spirit into the wilderness …”
Luke 4:1
“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit
to Galilee …”
Luke 4:14
Jesus was Spirit-anointed, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered! Prayer was a very real part of the process of being Spirit-empowered!
It was fitting that as Luke observed how Jesus began in prayer, His closing words were uttered in humble submission to His Father. Luke wrote,
“Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.”
Luke 23:46
ONCE AGAIN, “FATHER”
Always, Jesus had addressed all His prayers to His “Father”. For one brief moment, He had to say, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
That terrifying moment was over now. God had seen the life and ministry of Jesus, the Messiah. His sacrifice as the Perfect Lamb of God had been accepted! Jesus knew that in His heart. His work was just about over now.
There was one more thing to do. Nothing was to be taken for granted! It was only right that He entrusted the next part into the hands of His Father.
It was to His Father that His Spirit spoke to once again. How sweet and precious was this glorious relationship, where nothing stood in between. The bond was never broken at any time. Not even when His Father had to assess and judge Him! However, in that examination of His life, He knew that His Father had to judge Him in an impartial manner! He had done all that His Father had asked Him to fulfill!
“INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT”
Jesus would go to the abode of the dead! He would remain in the state of death for the next few days. He would have to entrust His Spirit to His Father for safe keeping. He could do no better than to trust His Father. How wonderful it was to be able to say these words with fullness of faith and trust.
SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS
Luke noted that when Jesus was crucified a strange darkness came upon the earth. We read,
“Now it was about the sixth hour, and there
was darkness over all the earth until the
ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened …”
Luke 23:44-45
If ever there was a “sign” this strange darkness would have been “it”. How usual would this eclipse be? Luke noted that it lasted for the duration of three hours! That was how long Jesus remained alive on the Cross.
WERE THERE SOME WHO TOOK NOTE AND RESPONDED POSITIVELY?
Luke noted that there was a centurion on duty at Golgotha. He had probably seen and supervised many crucifixions. He probably took note of Jesus, and observed everything he could about Jesus.
Was He impressed with the fact that He did not rant and rail as the two others who were crucified with Him? Was he challenged if not touched by the way in which Jesus prayed in such faith and trust? Was he perhaps moved by the fact that Jesus spoke kindly and lovingly to the thief next to Him, and the group of women who stood near by? Was he also motivated by awe when he noticed the darkness that had descended on the scene at Golgotha? Was He impacted by the way Jesus spoke to God as His Father?
We may not know all the reasons that moved the heart of the centurion to say what he did. Luke deemed it appropriate to record what the centurion said,
“So when the centurion saw what had
happened, he glorified God, saying,
‘Certainly, this was a righteous Man!'”
Luke 23:47
Mark added another perspective. He wrote,
“Truly this Man was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:39
The centurion’s remark stood in sharp contrast to the taunting words the Jews hurled at Jesus! The centurion was not impressed in the slightest with the Jewish authorities that had plotted to kill Jesus!
What impressed him was the way in which Jesus conducted Himself. Even in His dying moments, He impressed and impacted people – and in this instance, a Gentile centurion!
There could have been others, but the most notable one was that of the centurion. Luke had recorded well for his testimony added value to what he had been seeking to compose as his Gospel to bear witness of who Jesus was. They had crucified a righteous man! What divine penalty would be meted out against the wicked perpetrators? Would he find forgiveness from this Man who was put on the cross?