Jesus uttered seven recorded statements from the cross. Those statements are found across the four Gospels. Each statement is filled with meaning and significance, but three of these are astounding in nature.

Please look with me at the statements and their significance.

First, Jesus cried out the words of Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

These words are at the beginning of Psalm 22, a psalm that ends in a statement of victory. The victory, of course, occurs in the resurrection, but the cry of dereliction shows that the death of Jesus was for the sin of the world.

Simon Peter tells us that “Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Simon was emphasizing the death of Christ on our behalf.

The Apostle Paul showed that Jesus, who had no sin, became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Second, Jesus spoke words of forgiveness for those who were crucifying him and for those who demanded his crucifixion. This is both amazing and astounding. From the cross, Jesus asked the Father to  “forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

We don’t often use this statement as a proof that Jesus is the Son of God, but it may be one of the strongest evidences ever given that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Third, the statement that Jesus made to the thief, “I tell you the truth, today, you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43) truly is astounding.

This statement emphasizes the grace of God to restore and redeem the broken and rebellious of the world. If this man, who admitted that he was being punished justly, can enter into the kingdom of heaven then no one is outside of God’s forgiveness.

Think with me about what this criminal did not have. He did not have baptism, church membership, good works, or any of the other things that we make essential in our minds.

All he had was the grace of God. Paul reminded the Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–  and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).

All of these amazing statements should be used to remind us that what the Bible states is true. Jesus is indeed the Son of the living God who died to redeem us from our sin.

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