7. The Last WordLuke chapter 23 verse 46 “Jesus Cried out in a loud voice, Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”We now come to the last of the 7 words of Christ let us remind ourselves of what they were: We have joined with Jesus on this rollercoaster of emotions until we come to this point when Jesus on the cross, finally cries to his Father God in total submission, placing his spirit into the hands of his Father God. There have been many films, stage shows and TV series depicting Christs final moments and each being able to convey the director’s vision and meaning either to entertain or challenge us. Whether that is Mel Gibson’s 2004 The Passion of Christ with its harrowing and brutal scenes that left me totally speechless at the end. It took away all the sanitized versions that I had experienced previously and left me with the reality that Christ truly suffered for my sake, truly suffered. Or whether it is the more artistic Martin Scorsese 1988 The Last Temptation of Christ showing Christ vulnerable and naked and with the viewer looking on at a distance.Our Gospel accounts tell us that it was necessary for the Son of God to do this for us, so that we no longer have to punish ourselves for the sins that we do. Our faith in Christ and our love for God means that all the pain and suffering was taken on Christ.Over the years I have held the hands of many who were dying and those who have died and, in the process, they have been weakened by their condition and unable to cry out, so what strength it must have taken to cry out just as Jesus’ spirit is passed over to his Father God. Perhaps this scene was so powerful and effective not simply because an innocent man was prepared to die for his beliefs, but because throughout his life, Jesus gave his spirit into Gods hands so that God was able to use Jesus in the best possible way. Jesus’ final cry on the cross “it is finished….”, expresses the means by which Jesus achieved his perfect sacrifice. Death in any shape or form is an emotional one especially for those who mourn for a friend or loved one and the images of Mary and others at the foot of the cross or nearby only serves to remind us of that fact.For many of us, work has become that which defines our life. This may be voluntary work or paid work, but it means that for many people busyness is the most essential part of life. When that busyness is snatched away as it has been due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent restrictions on our day to day life – redundancy or illness people can feel useless and without worth. But all those who freely give their spirit into Gods hands can be used by God in startling and unexpected ways. For Jesus, the most powerful moment of his life was when he was completely helpless and utterly vulnerable on the cross, but we know that death had no hold on Christ and neither will it have a hold on us. “Into your hands Lord, I commend my spirit.”“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.-Isiah 53:5. 700 BC.
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet: Maundy Thursday SermonOn Maundy Thursday we remember the story from John’s account of the Last Supper. It was the night before Jesus knew that He was going to die. He was about to be betrayed by Judas, one of His own disciples. Soon, Jesus would be beaten, made fun of, and nailed to a cross. Even though Jesus knew all these things, His disciples did not understand that He was going to die and then rise again, that this would be their last Passover Meal together with Him.Jesus got up from the meal and wrapped a towel around His waist. He poured water into a large bowl and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. In those days, foot washing was needed in every home because the streets were dusty and dirty with rubbish and the waste from the animals that travelled there. Sandaled feet could soon become very dirty and smelly.The dinner-time custom was to lean back around the table at the evening meal. Usually, the lowest servant in the household was expected to wash the feet of guests. Having your guests’ feet washed was a way to show honour to them. Since the last supper was held in a private home, with just Jesus and His disciples, we can easily see why there were no servants there. Jesus took on the role of a lowly servant, showing loving hospitality by his actions. He brought refreshment to each of his disciples by washing the dirt from their feet. Jesus shows us by example that we are to love and serve one another. This is how we show that we are disciples of Jesus. It is not what we say, or write, or preach, the services we attend, the prayers we pray, or the knowledge we have, that speak of our devotion to Christ. It is the way we show Christ’s love to one another. We can love because He first loved us. Love can flow from us when we come to know God’s love in our hearts. This kind of love is much more than a warm fuzzy feeling or even a natural concern for one another. How can we possibly love one another with the same love that Christ loves each one of us? Surely, this is beyond our human capability and yet Jesus commands us to love one another. Peter had to learn to submit to Jesus, to allow Jesus to minister to him by washing his feet. We mustn’t be too proud to admit our need for God, to humbly allow his love to wash into our heart by the Holy Spirit. This love is beyond natural, it is supernatural, unconditional and we have done nothing to earn it. It enables us to love those who naturally we wouldn’t even like!Jesus did not wash his disciples’ feet just to get them to be nice to each other. His far greater goal was to extend his mission on earth after he was gone. These men were to move into the world serving God, serving each other and serving all people to whom they took the message of salvation.What do people see when they look at us? How often do they witness petty bickering, division, critical or harsh attitudes, or a lack of willingness to serve one another? Or do they know that we are Jesus’ followers by our love for one another? Does our loving attitude reveal itself in action: helping others when it is not convenient, giving when it hurts, devoting energy to others’ welfare rather than our own, absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back, being ready to roll our sleeves up and serve in a menial way? Do we honour one another and bring refreshment to each other by the way we live our lives?I will close with a verse from a letter also written by John:‘Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.’ 1 John 4:7
‘Let me be as Christ to You’During a recent ‘lockdown sort-out’ I came across an old service sheet for Sunday Eucharist. One of the hymns for that week was ‘Brother, Sister, Let me Serve you’. It has a simple repetitive tune but the words are powerful and emotive. It’s one of my favourite worship songs. When New Zealander Richard Gillard wrote it he was thinking of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, and it is often referred to as the ‘service hymn’.In Jesus’ time (and in some respects still today), washing the dirty, dusty feet of guests was a menial and somewhat degrading task. It was the job for a servant, not a master. When, at the Last Supper, Jesus carried out this act of service towards his disciples Peter, in particular felt very uncomfortable with this. ‘Imagine being Peter and watching Jesus wash the others’ feet, all the while moving closer to you. Seeing his master behave like a slave must have confused Peter. He still did not understand Jesus’ teaching that to be a leader, a person must be a servant.’ It’s not a comfortable read for leaders who find it hard to serve those ‘beneath’ them.Just like Peter we can feel uncomfortable with the idea of being served. A dear friend told me recently that I needed to receive as well as give; and to receive graciously.In the midst of the pandemic crisis many of us are finding ourselves in a situation, through self-isolation, where we are dependent on being served by others. Our independence has been taken away. We may not be able to leave our homes for essential food and medicines, and rely on the goodwill, love and service of others. A few days ago, that same dear friend expressed her frustration at feeling so helpless and impotent. Generosity and service is such a vital part of her being. I reminded her of her own words to me not so long ago.The crisis has highlighted the many selfless acts of human kindness, whether it is the #viralkindness campaign, the pubs who are providing hundreds of free meals to those in need, the children sending letters and drawings to residents of a care home, the thousands of volunteers who have come forward to help in whatever way they can. All are truly heartening and uplifting. It is a privilege to serve one another, however small the act.We have often heard politicians tell us in the past that ‘we are all in this together’ and it may have seemed to many to be hollow rhetoric. Now, however, it really is the case. We are all dependent on one another. Those who can serve are doing so willingly, and those who find themselves in Peter’s position need to receive.Brother, sister, let me serve you;let me be as Christ to you;pray that I may have the grace tolet you be my servant too. Stay safe and God BlessCatherine Morrison
Last Words6. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished;” and he bowed his head and handed over his spirit.John 19:30These are amongst the most poignant words in Scripture. Jesus, who had been suffering on the cross for hours, parched and in pain, under a hot sun, says “It is finished” in his dying breath. One wonders how audible these three words would have been to a noisy crowd standing near the cross. May be they were not, even though John still managed to hear and record them, and perhaps that is the point. These are not words of triumphalism; they are not the words of some victorious leader vanquishing an opponent in battle. Neither are they the dialogue of defeat. Instead, they are the words of confidence, trust and love. They convey in a simple and humble way the completion of God’s work. The Almighty Father brought about our salvation, through the son, and that is expressed with “It is finished”. It is true that the glorification of Christ was yet to come, through the resurrection and ascension, but his death on the cross was necessary for the rest to happen. Some in the crowds may have expected the use of more dramatic language, perhaps, but they fit the life and ministry of Jesus. The ‘Beloved Son’ was born in a mean stable, allowed himself to be baptised by another, and washed the feet of the disciples. The simple words on the cross are befitting of Christ’s life and his trust in the Father.This theme of humility, and indeed simplicity, appears in the second part of the sentence. Here we read that Jesus bowed his head and handed over his spirit. There is no triumphalist note in these words either. Jesus did not magically jump off the cross and then everything was ok. No. What we read is far from it. The word spirit can be interpreted in different ways, but the Greek pneuma really refers to ‘life’: Jesus handed over his life on the cross. It reminds us that through his death he handed his life to God and to the whole of humanity. Again, this is low-key self-emptying for others; it is Christ’s selfless sacrifice for the world.These words, therefore, remind us to be humble in all things and that we should follow our lord through his example in life and also in death. We hear much about taking up your cross and so on, especially at a time like Holy Week, but there is something that we can gain from the moment of Christ’s death, too. His death led him to give up his life for others, and this in turn led the way for humanity to be reconciled with God and receive eternal life. However, we should also be self-sacrificing as well, by giving things up for the good of others. I think that we can all recognise that this message is particularly pertinent at this time in our history. People up and down our country have, often with no prompting at all, put things to one side to help others. The NHS service with its doctors, nurses, specialists, care workers, porters and many others, together with all involved in the care of all suffering with the virus, offer a true example of self-sacrifice. Let ‘self-sacrifice’ be our mantra this week and always. We can live this out in a quiet, unflashy and simple manner. Christ’s death has shown us a way to follow.Nick Baker
