Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 23:32-49; John 17 "ONCE AGAIN... "FATHER..."
Day 329 – Luke 23
Text: Luke 23:32-49; John 17
ONCE AGAIN… “FATHER…”
Once again, Jesus addressed God as “Father…” (Luke 23:46). The work that His Father had sent Him to do was complete now. He had drunk the bitter cup given to Him by His Father.
The Judgment of God was over. Jesus had successfully borne our transgressions and our iniquities upon Himself. He had satisfied the righteous and holy justice of God that had demanded satisfaction through appropriate propitiation – the death of Jesus, no less!
It was no longer, “My God, My God…” That was over and done with. The wrath of God had been turned aside effectively and permanently! The weight of sin thrust upon Jesus had been removed and cast into the deepest sea.
Jesus had spoken of a New Covenant at the Last Supper. The shedding of His blood now sealed that Covenant. Jesus, in fully obeying His Father had now made redemption possible!
SUFFERING ON THE CROSS WAS SEEN AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GLORIFY THE FATHER
On another occasion, Jesus had offered this prayer to His Father. In that prayer Jesus anticipated His death on the Cross.
“Father, the hour has come.
Glorify Your Son,
That Your Son also may glorify You.
I have glorified You on the earth.
I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”
John 17:1, 4
It is amazing how Jesus could have thought of glorifying His Father in His suffering! But He did! He must have thought of the work that God had entrusted to Him to complete. He had faithfully completed that work. He had been always conscious of this great redemptive work that He was given to do. That work was now ended. He had succeeded in carrying out God’s plan of redemption.
THE SEVENTH WORD: “FATHER, INTO YOUR HANDS, I COMMIT MY SPIRIT” Luke 23:46
It is fitting that the last word be addressed to His beloved Holy Father. It was also correct that these words were uttered loudly, so that His enemies might not think that He had lost faith in His Father at the last moment. Thus Luke recorded how Jesus uttered these words,
“And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice,
He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.”
Luke 23:46
A GLORIOUSLY TRIUMPHANT DEATH
What were the thoughts of Jesus as He drew His last breath? David’s Messianic Psalm gives us a glimpse of how the Messiah must have felt as He cried out to His Father,
“But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered Me.
For He has not despised nor abhorred
The affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him.
But when He cried to Him, He heard.”
Psalm 22:19, 21, 24
Death by crucifixion was intended to be an excruciating experience of death. Crucifixion can last for days! For six hours Jesus endured great and intense suffering. He knew that God had to judge Him, for He sought to atone for the sins of the world! Jesus had ended His last hours on earth in intercessory prayer! With all His heart He believed that His Father had heard Him! This was victory indeed. What a gloriously triumphant death!
Let us consider the words of Luke as he described the death of Jesus.
“Having said this, He breathed His last.”
Luke 23:46
Mark also noted that Jesus died with a loud victorious cry,
“And Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
and breathed His last.”
Mark 15:37
WE NEED NEVER FEAR DEATH
For many, death continues to be a fearsome thing! The thought of death brings tears, all too often! Are you troubled by thoughts of death?
Let the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ on His Cross at Calvary bring a great lift to the heart! We too can face death bravely, if we were to focus our thoughts on Jesus and the significance of His death.
We do not need to fear the penalty of sin. We need not fear the wrath and judgment of God. Christ died on the Cross of Calvary that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God. Have you received Jesus as your Redeemer yet? “But we see Jesus…”