Dear brothers and sisters,

Loving greetings on this “ Good Friday ” as most of the believers meditate on the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and the words He spoke from the cross before his death. We felt it will be appropriate for us to meditate on them with the help of the Holy Spirit that we may learn some thing more about the teaching of our saviour. So let us go through these verses carefully with patience and study them to grow in our own spiritual life and commitment for the Lord.

1. Lord Jesus Christ forgiving the enemies (who caused his death on the cross) and praying to God for them : Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them , for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

• Mat 6:12 , “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Also in Luke 11:4, “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'"
• Mat 6:14 & 15 , “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Vs.15, But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
• Mat 18:21 & 22, Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Vs. 22, Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
• Mat 18:35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
• Mark 11 :25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
• Luke 6:37, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
• Luke 17:3 & 4, “So watch yourselves . " If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. Vs.4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
• John 20:23, “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
• Eph 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
• [E.g. Abraham forgiven lot and helped him in his time of need, Gen 14:14 to 16, “When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. Gen 14:15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah , north of Damascus . Gen 14:16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.] Another e.g. [Moses keep forgiving the people and prays for them Exo 32:30 to 32, “The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." Exo 32:31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. Exo 32:32 But now, please forgive their sin--but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."]

1. Lord Jesus Christ accepting the sinner who died along with him on the cross : Luke 23:43, Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise ." [a place of rest]

2 Cor 12:2 to 5; “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. Vs.3, And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—vs.4, was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. Vs.5, I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.

Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes , I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Luke 19:1 to 10 , “ Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. Vs.2, A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. Vs.3, He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. Vs.4, So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. Vs.5, When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. Vs.6, So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. Vs.7, All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'" Vs.8, But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Vs.9, Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. Vs.10, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

John 8:1 to 11 , “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives . Vs.2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. Vs.3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group vs.4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. Vs.5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" vs.6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. Vs.7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Vs.8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. Vs.9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Vs.10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" vs.11 " No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

1. Lord Jesus Christ had concern for the family : John 19:25 to 27 , “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Vs.26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," vs.27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

• 1 Tim 5:8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
• 1 Tim 3:4 & 5, He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. Vs.5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) -

1. Lord Jesus Christ expresses his physical need the thirst openly : John 19:28, “Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, " I am thirsty ."

• John 7:37 to 39 , “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Vs.38, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." Vs.39, By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
• Judg 15:18 Because he was very thirsty , he cried out to the LORD, "You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?" Judg 15:19 Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived. So the spring was called En Hakkore, and it is still there in Lehi.
• Psa 69:21 They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst . Eph 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit . Isa 55:1 " Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
• He himself can give water as in Psa 107:9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. He is the rock of our salvation, from the rock the Israelites had water to drink as in Exo 17:6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb . Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel . Deu 8:15 He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.
• Mat 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in , Mat 25:45 & 46, "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' Mat 25:46 " Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
• John 4:13 & 14, “Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, John 4:14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
• Rev 21:6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.

1. Lord Jesus Christ openly express his agony, helplessness and sufferings to do the will of God on the earth by dying for us on the cross: Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. and desperation:

• Mat 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, " My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
• Also in Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
• Phil 2:8, And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
• Gal 3:13 & 14, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Vs.14, “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
• Psa.119:71, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
• 2 Tim 2:12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;
• 2 Tim 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
• Rom 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
• Mat 5:10 to 12, Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Mat 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
• Phil 1:29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,

1. Lord Jesus Christ express the victory of His earthly mission the accomplished or finished task: John 19:30, “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, " It is finished ." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

What God has finished through Jesus our Lord?

1. Eph 1:3 to 7 ; “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ . Vs.4, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love. Vs.5, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Vs.6, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One-he loves. Vs.7, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace .”
2. Eph 2:12 to 16 , “remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. Vs.13, But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. Vs.14, “For he himself is our peace , who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, vs.15, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace , vs.16, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross , by which he put to death their hostility.
3. Apostle Paul says he finished his life successfully as in 2 Tim 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

God always finishes every thing successfully as in Gen 2:2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Eccl 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,

• When we love to have ill-gotten gains our end will not be good as in Prov 1:19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it. When we fail to work hard for our living and use short cuts to come up in life as in Prov 20:21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.
• When we have sexual sin out side wedlock in our life as in Prov 5:3 & 4, “For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; vs.4 but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Prov 5:11 At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. Apostle Paul says in 1 Cor 6:18 to 20, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Vs.19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; vs.20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
• When we keep doing what we like without doing the will of God as in Prov 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Prov 14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief. Also in Prov 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
• When we fail to listen to the advice and rejects the counsel of God as in Prov 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.
• When we are addicted to the drinking habit as in Prov 23:31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! Prov 23:32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
• When we try to settle every thing using the power and might as in Prov 25:8 do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?
• When we flatters others and speak lie as in Prov 28:23 He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue.
• When people have idle worship as in Jer 48:35 In Moab I will put an end to those who make offerings on the high places and burn incense to their gods," declares the LORD.

1. Lord Jesus Christ show his authority over the Life: Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, " Father, into your hands I commit my spirit ." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

• He himself is the life John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• He had authority over death : John 11:11 to 15, “After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up." John 11:12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better . " John 11:13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. John 11:14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, John 11:15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe . But let us go to him."
• John 11:23 to 27, “Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." John 11:24 Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." John 11:25 Jesus said to her, " I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; John 11:26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:27 " Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
• John 11:41 to 44, “So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. John 11:42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." John 11:43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" John 11:44 The dead man came out , his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
• Mat 9:24 & 25, he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. Mat 9:25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
• Jesus told his disciples to raise the dead as in Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. As He did in Mat 11:5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
• Luke 7:12 to 14, “As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Luke 7:14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"
• Stephen following the footsteps of Jesus as in Acts 7:59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit ." Acts 7:60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

May the lord Jesus Christ help us all to run finish our spiritual life like him that we may all get our reward in heaven because of that. Amen.

With love and prayers,

Rev. T. Marcus Devasahayam.

Extra Bible references:

1 Tim 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Gal 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Gal 6:15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

Phil 2:6 Who , being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, Phil 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Phil 3:18 For , as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Heb 13:11 to 13, “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. Heb 13:12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Heb 13:13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.

Heb 6:4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, Heb 6:5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, Heb 6:6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Rev 13:8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

Isa 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Isa 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

Isa 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Isa 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Isa 53:8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

Isa 53:9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Isa 53:10 Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

Isa 53:11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Isa 53:12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Phil 3:10 & 11, ‘I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, Phil 3:11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

1 Pet 1:19 to 21, ‘but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Pet 1:20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 1 Pet 1:21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

1 Pet 3:18 & 18, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 1 Pet 3:19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison

Your Web-Site Pastor
Rev. T. Marcus Devasahaym