The Seventh Word

Happy Sunday. It was 1968. The Olympic Games were held that year in Mexico City. The Olympic stadium was packed in anticipation of the marathon runners entering the stadium to finish their race: 26 grueling miles to get to the stadium and then a lap around.

The gold medalist was an Ethiopian runner. The silver and bronze winners came through, and the rest of the runners finished the race except one. John Stephen Aquari of Tanzania was struggling. He had injured his leg, and the authorities advised him to stop and seek medical attention. He refused, wrapped his leg up, and kept on moving slowly.

An hour and five minutes after the gold medal came across, Stephen, John Stephen Acquari finished. Most of the fans had gone home. The medals had already been given out, and he crossed the finish line bandaged and limping. Afterward he was asked by a reporter why he did not drop out. He said, "My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race. They sent me to finish the race."

I love his determination. Today we have made it to Jesus's final words from the cross. Great determination, the greatest story of determination: he finished his race. We go to the 23rd chapter of the book of Luke, and we'll read verses 44, 45, 45-46.

"It was about noon. Darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon while the sun's light failed. The curtain of the temple was torn in two, and then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.' Having said this, he breathed his last."

Jesus died as he lived, committed to the Father. In Luke chapter 2 we find the story of a 12 year old Jesus in the temple after Passover. Mary and Joseph and a large group traveled together from Nazareth to Jerusalem for Passover, and on the way home Joseph and Mary realized that Jesus was not with the large group. So they turned around and went back to Jerusalem to find him, and there he was in the temple, sitting among the elders, asking questions and listening.

When Mary asked Jesus what he was doing, he said he was about his Father's business. Jesus was always living for his Father. When in the temple, he was about his Father's business, and now on the cross Jesus is still about his Father's business. He died as he lived.

That's usually true for us: we die as we live. I remember being in a hospital room with my father years ago, and he told me he was ready to die, ready for heaven. He died as he lived, having great faith.

In saying, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit," Jesus is once again quoting scripture. Listen to these words from Psalm 31. The psalmist says, "In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame. And your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me. You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name's sake lead me and guide me. Take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge."

Verse 5 of Psalms 31 says, "Into your hands I commend my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God." On the cross, it has been amazing to see all of the scripture that Jesus quoted. Jesus' mind was filled with scripture. Our minds need to be filled with scripture too. If you're out of the habit of reading your Bible, I pray you will open the book and read it.

Back to the cross. One encouraging lesson from Jesus's commitment: commitment doesn't depend on time or place or circumstance. It is not shaped by situation. Commitment to God will see you through anything. On the cross, Jesus stayed committed.

I thought of other biblical stories. In the furnace, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, or their Hebrew names Hananiah, Michelle, and Azariah, well, they stayed committed. And the lion's den, Daniel stayed committed. Facing a giant, David stayed committed. Paul and Silas sang in the jailhouse. Commitment should never be weakened by situation.

On February the 2nd, 1943, the United States Army transport ship the Dorchester set out carrying 902 men to Greenland. On February the 3rd, a German U-boat hit the Dorchester with a torpedo. 672 men died; 230 survived. The order was given to abandon ship. It sank in a little under 30 minutes.

Chaos broke out, as you can imagine. The commitment of four chaplains from that boat is remembered to this day: George Fox, a Methodist; Alexander Good, a Jew; John Washington, a Catholic; and Clark Polling, Reformed. They were there to pray and encourage the crew. The four chaplains handed out life jackets, and when they ran out, they took the bears off and handed them to other soldiers.

An eyewitness said the four chaplains stood on the deck, arms length, singing hymns as they went down with the ship. They comforted all they crewed, they could, and encouraged each one. But the four chaplains died as they lived, committed to the Father.

Back to the cross. Did you notice that we were told that Jesus spoke with a loud voice? He wanted everyone to hear about commitment. This too was an invitation for change. Did it work?

Listen to the words of Luke 23, verses 47 and 48. "When the centurion saw that all that had taken place, he praised God and said, 'Certainly this man was innocent.' And when all the crowd who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home beating their breasts." The commitment of Jesus on the cross has changed the world forever. God bless you and your commitment to him.

Pray with me. Lord, on that, at that moment you went home, home to glory in heaven. And it's staggering to think that you left it to come to this earth so we too can join you. We thank you for commitment.

Help us in this Easter season to examine ours, and, Father, to be totally committed to you. And one of the things we can do is, well, we can read our Bibles and learn your word no matter our age. Help us to continue in that. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

God bless you. Looking forward to Easter very soon.