His Final Words: Victory in Gethsemane

by David Chadwick

Over the past couple weeks, we have been looking at some of the significant final words that Jesus spoke on the cross.

But for the next two days, I want to go back a few days and look at the last hours in Jesus’s life before he went to the cross and died.

In church history we refer to today as Maundy Thursday. This was the day that Jesus celebrated his last supper with his disciples from probably around 6-10pm. They shared a long meal together, a Seder/Passover meal.

Jesus’s patience, long-suffering endurance, and compassion is seen as he washed the disciples’ feet after they started arguing as to which one was the greatest (John 13:1-13). In John chapters 14-17, Jesus goes on to offer the high priestly prayer for his disciples. These same words would go on to encourage and champion disciples of Christ for all of time.

After their meal, Jesus walked to Gethsemane. He went into the garden and brought Peter, James, and John with him. He wanted company, as we all need in times of trial. He went to pray for one hour. The disciples couldn’t stay awake even for one hour of prayer! Their spirits were willing, but their flesh was weak.

During this time, Jesus asked the Father if there was any way other than the cross. He simply couldn’t imagine being separated from the Father for even a second. For all of eternity, since before the beginning of time, they had always been together.

But the Father said “no.” So, Jesus fully submitted to him.

Think about this for a moment. We were all lost in a Garden called Eden, in Adam’s rebellion in his sin, but we were saved in a Garden called Gethsemane. When Jesus submitted to the Father’s will to go to the cross, the victory was won. Satan’s last attempt to keep him from the cross failed. Make no mistake about it. Satan was in that garden, tempting Jesus not to drink of the cup of God’s wrath.

But Satan failed. Jesus won.

And our victory was forever secure!

His Final Words: “Into Your Hands, I Commit My Spirit”

by David Chadwick

When someone is about to die or is approaching the end of life, he or she usually shares words that are full of perspective, insight and purpose.

There is something about nearing the end of the road that provokes people to say what they wished they had always said and to communicate things they may have missed the opportunity to communicate.

Jesus’s final words held the most significant meanings in all of history. We are looking at some of his final words.

Here is what he said in Luke 23:46, “Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit.”

Notice that Jesus acknowledged in that moment that he had a spirit. Yes, he walked in a human body with flesh and blood, but Jesus is a spirit! Jesus’s identity is fully God and he lived with a soul and personality (mind, will and emotions) that were fully aligned with the Father’s original intent.

As he was nailed to the cross, breathing his final breath, he yielded fully into the Father’s plan. He surrendered his life into God’s hands and committed himself completely to the plan that had been established before the beginning of time.

Therefore, when Jesus's body died, his spirit remained and still lives on today! That’s why the Bible teaches that all people have eternity in their hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We have all been stamped by the image of God and have a spirit that will either be awakened to the reality of Christ or will remain asleep.

Whenever someone dies, they will live forever – either in heaven or in hell.

Because of Jesus’s death on the cross, the Temple veil was torn. As a side note, there are some who believe it could have been several feet wide!

Jesus’s commitment to the Father’s plan has now given full access to the Father to anyone who chooses to put trust in Jesus. Whatever need we have, we can now bring straight to the Father in heaven because of Jesus’s death on the cross.

If we follow Jesus, we can also be assured that our spirits will live forever. After this flesh and blood body dies, we are assured to have a new, perfect resurrection body that will live forever without pain, suffering, disease, or sin!

Hallelujah for the Lord our God lives forever!

His Final Words: “It Is Finished”

by David Chadwick

Final words. Defined as “the final things said in an argument or a discussion.” I love to think about all of the final words that Jesus spoke as he put an end to the argument of who would end up having the victory between him and Satan.

Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection settled the discussion once and for all when he took back the keys that Adam relinquished in the Garden of Eden. And now, because of the victory on the cross, he holds those keys forever (Revelation 1:18)!

The finality of Jesus’s victory is shown in these final words in John 19:30, “It is finished.”

What is the “it” that Jesus is referencing?

It is his 33-year mission on earth, fully God and fully man, and sent purposefully by the Father to accomplish the work of salvation for mankind. The “it” is the assignment that the Father asked him to take on when he left the splendor of heaven to enter the squalor of this world. “It” is the battle that Jesus set out to win!

“Is” is significant because Jesus knew of the present tense reality of the future hope. He did not say, “It will be finished,” he said, “It IS finished.” He lived out Hebrews 11:1, being sure of what was hoped for and confident of what was not yet seen. The present tense use of “is” was a display of his confidence and assurance.

And then “finished.” Completed. Accomplished. Finalized. Brought to fruition. The work was done. The battle had been won!

Jesus met the righteous requirements of the law in every way (Romans 8:4). He lived in perfect obedience to everything the Father demanded and asked him to do. Where the first Adam failed in disobedience, the second Adam, Jesus, succeeded in perfect obedience to the Father’s will.

Our sin debt was paid in full. Jesus paid it all! All to him we owe. Our sins are forever forgiven.  We need never fear death.

All the Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in perfection. To be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:7) to the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 bearing our sins for his glory, now finished! On the cross, the Father’s love manifested to us all.