Last Words: “Into Your Hands”
Join Pastor Ken as we explore the profound meaning behind Jesus’s final words on the cross: “It is finished” and “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” This Palm Sunday sermon examines how these statements weren’t whispered in defeat but cried out in victory. Discover the many metaphors that help us understand Christ’s sacrifice and how these final prayers can guide our daily spiritual lives. This sermon completes our six-week Lenten series on the seven last statements of Jesus, offering hope, comfort, and a deeper understanding of the cross’s significance for believers today.
Sermon Reflections:
- What does Jesus’s declaration “It is finished” mean to you personally? How does understanding it as a cry of victory rather than defeat change your perspective of the crucifixion?
- How might incorporating the prayer “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” into your daily routine (morning and evening) impact your relationship with God?
- There are many metaphors for understanding Jesus’s sacrifice (Redeemer, Shepherd, Light of the World, etc.). Which of these speaks most powerfully to you in your current life situation, and why?
- How does knowing that Jesus experienced feelings of abandonment (“My God, why have you forsaken me?”) comfort you in times when you feel distant from God?
- Jesus’s last words point toward hope, not despair. In what ways can this perspective help you face your own challenges or suffering?
- Jesus offered paradise to the thief on the cross. How does this example of grace challenge or affirm your understanding of God’s forgiveness?