Word of Salvation – Vol. 20 No.26 - March 1974

 

Good Friday

 

Sermon by Rev. Richard J. Venema on Luke 23:46

Scripture: Luke 23:42-49

New Psalter Hymnal – after sermon: 454

 

Brothers and sisters:

It is a truth no one can deny, it makes all the difference in the world – how a person dies.  Did you ever go to a funeral where no one cried?  Did you ever stand at a death bed, at which no one shed a tear?

Can you imagine the passing of someone who was dearly loved, and that no one would weep?

I suppose we would find something like that to be very strange.  No doubt it does not happen very often.

Yet our joy or sorrow in the face of death depends on how such a loved one dies.  It makes all the difference in the world whether such a one falls asleep in Jesus; or whether one dies without the Christ.

Frankly, I have never been at a funeral where no one cried.  I have had the sad task of conducting many funerals; sometimes two in a week.  But I do know this: that for those who are left behind it made a great deal of difference, whether the person who died was a genuine Christian or not.  You see, if one dies in the Lord, then we weep not as those who have no hope.  But on the other hand, death without Jesus is a dreadful thing.

On Good Friday we are confronted with death – cold, cruel death.  And yet at Calvary – a Christian is reminded of the words of His Saviour, “Weep not for me; but weep for yourselves and for your children."

The point is... in a very real sense, it makes all the difference in the world too, the way Jesus died.

He didn't die as a mere victim of these cold-blooded Jews.  He didn't die because Satan or evil men had gained the victory over Him.

Death did not overtake Him.  No, he gave up the Ghost.

He didn't die because he couldn't resist it.  No, but in final triumph he said: Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.  And my friends, when Jesus so committed himself to death at Calvary we learn something of - - - how he died:
  (1) As our prophet;
  (2) as our Priest;
  (3) as our King.

"Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit."

First of all He said that as a prophet.

A prophet- - - what is a prophet?

A prophet is not only one who like the Old Testament prophets foretold the future; but more basically the work of the prophet is to reveal the will of the Lord.  A prophet is one who says: “Thus saith the Lord...!”

As our prophet- - - our Heidelberg Catechism tells us- - - Jesus reveals to us the counsel and will of God concerning our redemption.

And now I said- - - when Jesus said- - - Father into thy hand.... He spoke as a prophet.

O, I know he addressed that word to His father, but he also addressed it to that multitude gathered around that cross; and furthermore- - - he addressed it to you and me, teaching us something concerning his work of redemption.

One of the things which Jesus in this word teaches us- - - is the way He died.

If you look at Calvary very superficially like the Modernist does today then it appears that the death of Jesus marked the tragic end of the promising career of a certain Jesus of Nazareth.  It appears to be defeat which he just couldn't avoid.

And yet that is a distortion of the Passion Story.  Conceivably Jesus could have lived a little longer; the malefactor did- - - but Jesus wilfully, consciously and intently said- -- Father into thy hand I commend my spirit.  Father I have finished the work you gave me to do and now that it is finished- - - take my spirit; accept this sacrifice and atonement for sin.

And having said it- - - he gave up the ghost.

As our prophet- - - you see He taught us by this word something about the way he died.

Secondly, I would like to have you see- - - that through this word he also teaches us something about the security which is to be found in the Father and in the Father alone.

Look- - - here that blood-thirsty multitude had hung Him on that cross; they had sought to crush His soul; but right there in the midst of all that suffering and shame- - - the Lord Jesus commends his soul into the hand of God.

By it he seemingly defies this crucifixion; he defies what men could do to him- - - and he seeks his refuge, his security, his rest in the hollow of his Father's hands.

In our home, we teach our children to pray at night when they go to bed:
            Now I lay me down to sleep
            I pray thee Lord my soul to keep
            If I should die before I wake
            I pray thee Lord my soul to take.

Do you know what is so beautiful about that simple prayer??  This- - - the thought of teaching our children to commit their soul into the care and keeping of their heavenly Father.  Father- - - if I should die before I wake, I pray thee Lord My soul to take.

On the cross, at that moment in which he was to die- - - Jesus our chief prophet said- - - Father... and by it he declared to his church- - - that in the midst of the agony of the cross- - - he sought his security in the hands of His father.

That reminds me of a story of a mother who had several sons serving as sailors in the last War.  Whenever her minister called on her- - - and inquired about her sons- - - she would readily reply- - - they are safe!

The minister aware of the tragedies of war wanted her to be a little realistic.  So one day he said- - - suppose once that something would happen to their ship, what then?

Well, she said, they would still be safe.  Certainly it would be strange for an old Woman like myself to think that safety lay only in their not being drowned; for pastor, even if my boys perish in the sea, they would still be safe in the Father's hand.

That faith of this mother- - - my brother and sister-is but a faint reflection of the faith and trust which our Saviour displayed when he said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit.  No doubt she, by God's grace, had learned the lesson from Jesus who in the hour of death- - - taught us to seek our security in the Father.

Besides- - - Jesus here taught us something about death itself.

Here as the moment of His death approaches; as he enters that valley of death- - - he didn't say- - - this is the end; this cross is my final destiny, but for him it was a passing into glory beyond.  He said- - - Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit.

And because of it- - - the Christian can say even in the face of death- - - with the Psalmist- - - Yea though I walk the valley of the shadow of death...!  With Paul- - - O death where is thy sting?  O grave where is thy victory?

People of God- - - here at Calvary- - - Jesus was our chief prophet.  As someone said- - - he taught us something about the way he died; He taught us that even in the hour of death there is peace- - - safety in the Father's hands; He taught us too that- - - death is a passing to glory.

II.  But secondly when Jesus said this, he did so as our only high priest who by the one sacrifice of His blood redeemed us.

The Old Testament tells the story of the altar which Abraham made one time at God's request on top of Mt. Moriah, upon which he was prepared to offer his only son.  That the Scriptures say- - - was an evidence of His faith in and love for God.

But actually how small was Abraham's love compared to that love of the Father who in carrying out his eternal counsel and will concerning our redemption- - - erected here on the hill of Golgotha this altar on which was sacrificed his only begotten Son.

Here the flames of hell spent their fury upon him; here the precious blood flowed from his hands and feet; here He endured the mockery and shame of men in order to make an offering for sin; in order to be our high priest- - - the sacrificial Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world.

At that very moment in the city of Jerusalem, the priests in the temple were busy offering the blood of the ceremonial lambs.  For years this had gone on year after year; century after century this blood had been shed; and yet as the writer to the Hebrews points out- - - all that blood could never atone for, nor make satisfaction for sin.

But at Calvary- - - God Himself had placed upon an altar- - - the Lamb of God.  He was the Lamb without spot and blemish.  And we read- - - that as that sacrifice was made- - - the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and thru it God said- - - it is enough; and immediately our text tells us Jesus cried with a loud voice: Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.

And by it Jesus as our high priest said- - - Father- - - here is my blood, here is my sacrifice.  Father I have been to Gethsemane and Calvary and now Father here is my offering.  As the Lamb of God I commit myself, my sacrifice to thee.  Father into thy hands......!

And Easter morning is a declaration to us- - - that the Father accepted, and was satisfied with it.

And- - - brother and sister- - - if you are a sinner who has truly been at Calvary; if you are a sinner who is willing to admit that the only way to the Father and to God is by the blood and sacrifice of this Jesus don't you see how glorious it is, that he after having made that sacrifice, now presents it to the Father.

            What language shall I borrow
            to thank thee dearest friend
            For this thy dying sorrow
            Thy pity without end?
            O make me thine forever
            And should I fainting be
            Lord let me never, never
            Outlive my love for thee

III.  Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.

If you and I had stood at the cross that day- - - I may have said it before- - - we would have seen some strange and perplexing things.  I am sure too that that sign which Pilate placed above that cross must have seemed like a mockery of the truth.

For after all- - - how could he call this the King of the Jews?  What was kingly about this death?

Who would expect a king to die like this?

And yet- - - a close look at Calvary shows something different.  Through the eyes of faith- - - I see at Calvary- - - not a defeated victim of any angry mob.

I see not a man who had simply suffered from gross injustice.

I see not just an object of pity who was innocently condemned to death.

No, but my friend- - - I see here Jesus, my King; your King; the King of all the world- - - he who said all power hath been given to me in heaven and on earth.  He who is the everlasting Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Unknowingly Pilate had witnessed to His kingship,

The repentant thief had spoken of His kingdom.

He Himself had claimed to be King.

The centurion had said, truly this is the Son of God.

But now- - - as he spoke for the final time at Calvary- - - he declared to the world that he was the triumphant King.

As one in control of death itself- - - he said- - - Father.

As the conquering King- - - he gave his soul to God.

I have in my study an interesting little book on the passion of Jesus entitled- - - Gold from Golgotha.

It has been my concern to present to you something of this gold – the gold of Calvary.

In all the world there isn't any gold, any treasure like this – is it the gold after which you are seeking????

Can you really say at Calvary this evening- - - I would rather have Jesus than silver or gold????

In a faltering way- - - we have tried to answer the question- - - How did Jesus die?

How he died- - - makes all the difference in the world- - - as to the way you should react and respond to Him.

In fact, what you think of, and what you do with this death of Jesus will also make all the difference in the world- - - as to how you shall die.

How did Jesus die, leads therefore to the question- - - how will you die???  Will it be to fall asleep in Jesus???

Do you have the faith to say:
            When the soft dew of kindly sleep
            My wearied eyelid gently steep
            Be my last thought, how sweet to rest
            Forever on My Saviour's breast.

Amen.