Jesus of Nazareth was sentenced to public death by crucifixion, being nailed to a cross. During his crucifixion, the Gospels record 7 things Jesus said from the cross.
- “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”: (Luke 23:34)
- “Today you will be with me in paradise.”: (Luke 23:43)
- “Woman, behold your son!” “Son, behold your mother!”: (John 19:26-27)
- “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”: (Matthew 27:46)
- “I thirst.”: (John 19:28)
- “It is finished.”: (John 19:30)
- “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”: (Luke 23:46)
Under closer observation, we can see Jesus prayed to God at the beginning, cried out to God in the middle, and released his spirit to God in the end. These 3 prayers teach us a valuable lesson on how to face our own challenges.
Pray First
Rev. James W. Jackson, Sr. Is fond of saying “prayer should be our first response, not our last resort.” When we face a crisis of faith, it’s important to pray before we attempt to do anything else.
Pray Honestly
In the midst of his anguish Jesus asked God why he was forsaken. Sometimes we may feel we can’t question God, but Jesus reveals we are free to express our true feelings to God in prayer.
Pray in Faith
In his final prayer on the cross, Jesus prayed believing he would be resurrected. He spiritually deposited his spirit to God the Father like depositing money in a bank. Jesus had faith in God’s plan and believed he would withdraw his spirit when he was resurrected.
Because Jesus prayed in his darkest hour, we too can be encouraged to pray in every circumstance. Pray in faith believing in the power of God to answer prayer.