What would be your First words from the Cross?

Here a few verses from the Bible which are the words of Jesus.

• Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven - Luke 6:37
• But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you - Mathew 5:44
• For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive them, your father will not forgive you - Mathew 6:14
• If you hold anything against anyone forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you - Mark 11:25
• My command is this “Love one another as I have loved you.” - John 15:12

These are familiar verses. What do they mean to you? These are teachings of Jesus. We can say they are ideas and concepts. We often say “people say many things but they behave differently”. We use the expression “actions speak louder than words” and agree with that expression.

Let us move to Calvary and picture Jesus Christ. The same Jesus who fed the 5,000, who healed lepers and walked on the water, is now on the cross. He is crucified. His hands are nailed and he cannot touch a child or a sick person. His feet are tied and he cannot walk to Lazarus’ or Jairus’ house. What actions can he perform? For you and me it’s impossible to even think of doing anything... after all, what can you do when you’re nailed to the cross?

Amazingly, Jesus does something, that too for others! He uses his lips to pray for us. In doing so see the congruence with his words we heard earlier and this prayer “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

This prayer is in harmony with his teaching in Mathew 5:44 which says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

We have two things to learn from this prayer for us. Jesus has the power forgive the sins of the world, yet in this case he asks God to forgive our sins. Why does he do that? What is the example Jesus is trying to teach us? He is telling us that even though he was violated and was about to be killed, he would pray for those who persecute him.

The lesson we learn from this is that in forgiving others we create a forgiving spirit in ourselves. Having a forgiving spirit drives away hatred and malice. It also gives our body and spirit a wonderful healing... but if we nurture hatred, a part of us dies with that hatred.

This is a powerful testimony of being different. In also saying “I thirst” and “My God, my God why have you forsaken me,” Jesus gives us a picture of his humanness. This is a testimony to others that we are different and dare to be pleasantly different. Jesus said, “If any man would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Friends, are we willing to take up the cross daily to follow him? It seems practically difficult, yet we must strive for it.

We have just read Jesus’ first words from the cross. My question is, when we take up the cross to follow Jesus, what will be our first words from the cross?

We have three examples of first words from the cross.

There is a word of ridicule: The thief on left was angry, irritated and deplored his plight. May be there was injustice in his case; perhaps his punishment was greater than his sin. We may never know what was his emotional state was, but what we know is that his first words were words of ridicule from the Cross. In doing so he failed to see the Saviour.

Next, we have an example of repentance: The thief on the right correctly identified the Christ.  When he looked at Jesus on the cross and his own cross, it was too difficult for him to bear. He rebuked the other thief’s ridicule and asked for forgiveness. We have an example wherein repenting the thief on the right set himself apart from the world. He was courageous to take a stand. The words of repentance draw us near to Jesus.

Then we have an eloquent example of reconciliation: In forgiving others Jesus brings about reconciliation. Reconciliation means that you become friends with those who persecute you. Jesus made the prayer of the angels at his birth “peace on earth and goodwill towards men” a reality with forgiveness and love.

When we are hurt, there are three ways to respond: either by ridicule, repentance or reconciliation... and the choice is entirely ours. May we choose the right one to glorify God.

O Lord, because we often sin, and have to seek pardon, help us to forgive as we would be forgiven. Neither mentioning old offences committed against us, nor dwelling upon in thought; but loving our brother freely as you freely love us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.