Title: Live As He Died - Into Thy Hands
Bible Book: Luke 23 : 44-46
Author: Mike Stone
Subject: Death, Christian; Cross
Objective:
Introduction
These 7 final statements reveal that Christ is our Priest, our propitiation, and our pardon. But He is also our pattern. We read 1 Peter 2:21 – “Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” The word Peter uses refers to tracing letters to learn to write.
I. He Died With A Connection To The Father (Father)
Headphones won’t work if they’re not connected. Jesus lived a life that was “plugged in!”
A. He was connected personally
The word “Father” appears 349 times in the NT, including 245 in the gospels, almost all of them in reference to God, the Father.
Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgive them…”
Matthew 6:6 – “Pray to the Father in secret…”
Matthew 6:9 – “Our Father who art in heaven…”
Six times in the high priestly prayer of John 17 Jesus says, “Father.”
Mark 14:36 – “Father, if it is possible, take this cup away…”
1 John 3:1 – “Behold what manner of love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the sons and daughters of God.”
But Jesus used this word at least 1 time to refer to another father.
John 8:42 – “If God were your Father you would love Me.”
John 8:44 – “You are of your father, the devil.”
Here’s the question, “Who’s your daddy?” How can you determine spiritual paternity? Ask yourself, “Who do you look the most like?” God the Father has some strong DNA. Over time you will look more like Him. (Philippians 1:6) While Christ was no sinner in need of salvation, He demonstrates the importance of knowing God as “Father.”
B. He Was Connected Prayerfully
He was a miracle worker, preacher, friend…and prayer warrior. Christ demonstrated a prayer life for His people. He prayed on a mountainside…in the desert…on a boat. He prayed at Lazarus’ grave…in Gethsemane…on the cross. Of the 7 statements, 4 are to the Father.
Christ desires a prayer life for His people. If Jesus needed to pray, how much more do we need to pray? “Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear.”
C. He Was Connected Prophetically (Psalm 31:5)
How did Jesus know this Scripture and others He quoted? In the temple at 12-years old…In the wilderness temptation…His references to Noah and Lot in the Olivet Discourse…His quotation of Genesis 2 in His teaching on divorce…After His resurrection on the road to Emmaus…Luke 24:27 – “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”
In His deity He was both the author and the subject of the book.
In His humanity He had to study it just like everyone else.
To be connected you need salvation, supplication, and Scripture.
II. He Died With A Confidence In The Father (into Your hands)
Commit = commend (KJV)
It is a combination of 2 Greek words which has 2 meanings. One meaning is “to place in another person’s hands.” You may be in good hands with Allstate, but you are certainly in Good Hands with the Almighty.
A. You Can Trust Him With Your Faith
Gallup poll – the greatest desire of most Americans is security!
John 10:27-29 – “My sheep her My voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.”
Fort Knox in Kentucky was completed in 1936. It is home to billions of dollars worth of gold bullion. That gold is buried in the earth, surrounded by buildings of steel and concrete, enclosed by steel fences and barbed wire, and is under constant state-of-the-art surveillance. Soldiers are on guard both day and night. During WWII the government placed precious documents inside Fort Knox…This included the original copies of the Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, The Magna Charta, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the Guttenburg Bible!
Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am confident that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any created thing…
B. You Can Trust Him With Your Finances
1. We must trust Him in the supply.
Remember you must do all that you know to do. (Proverbs)
2. We must trust Him in the spending.
Many people claim God’s provision for the income but won’t obey His precepts about the outgo.
Many think God is like the government…that He bails us out of foolish decisions…
3. We must trust Him in the sharing.
As a child my parents would remind me that they bought the toys!
C. You Can Trust Him With Your Family
Your family may have more hang-ups than a telemarketer.
I am not promising that it will be OK. I am promising that you will be OK.
Our family situations involve other free moral agents! Job said – “Though He slay me yet I will praise Him.” You can trust Him with your faith decisions….financial difficulty. You can trust Him with your family discord.
This word is only used 3 times in the whole NT. (here and 2 other x)
Acts 20:32 – Paul to the Ephesian elders after he had done all that He knew to do – “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace…”
Acts 14:23 (Paul and Barnabas) – “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
III. He Died W/ A Commitment To The Father (I commit My Spirit)
Commit = commend (KJV). It is from 2 Greek words which mean “to lay before” or “to put your name on.” (recommend)
His connection refers to the relationship He had.
His confidence refers to the rest He had.
His commitment refers to the resolve He had.
If we turn this statement into a fill-in-the-blank, what would you need to say? Father into your hands I commit my ___________.
A. Commit Your Walk To Him
I want people to live right because I see the scars left by sin.
Keep your vows, stay sexually pure, stay away from alcohol and drugs, tell the truth, etc.
B. Commit Your Worship To Him
There are at least 8 holidays next year that fall on Friday, Sunday, or Monday. Add in 2 weeks’ vacation and you’re already missing 1 Sunday per month.
Can’t I worship the Lord in a deer stand? Yes, but you won’t. Hebrews 10:31 – “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Abuse and mistreat my wife you don’t want to fall in my hands. I do not want to have to answer to the Lord for why I neglected His bride.
C. Commit Your Will To Him
Fanny Crosby
“Consecrate me now to Thy service Lord
By the power of love Divine.
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope
And my will be lost in Thine.”
I pray this for my children…
Where you lead I will follow. What you say I will do.
Where you stop I will stay. What you want, I do too.
I will sacrifice my will on the altar of commitment!
A girl applied for college and the application asked, “Are you a leader?”
She checked “no” and was accepted.
The school said, “According to our applications we have a freshman class of 1,500 leaders. We need at least 1 follower.”
