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you know, seven times. No one can deny that those were the
words of a crucified man. I’m saying it that way because if you
are a Christian, you are a crucified person. So, through the
words of a crucified man you should be able to say those words
because we are crucified with Christ.

I’m not going to go through all seven words but I want to give
you the terminal points. What was the first word that Jesus said
when He was on the cross? What was the last word that He said
when He was on the cross? The first word is in Luke 23:34,
“But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not
know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His
garments among themselves.” “Father, forgive them, they
don’t know what they are doing.” Those are the words of a
crucified man; to be able to say to someone doing that, “Father,
forgive them.” His last words are in Luke 23:46, “And Jesus,
crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into Thy hands I
commit My spirit.’” This is a heart of forgiveness, a heart
trusting God with His last breath and with total surrender.

I want to go back to Stephen, a man full of wisdom, full of faith,
full of the Holy Spirit, full of grace, full of power, full of the
life of the Lord. You know the story of Stephen. He was
sharing the word of God and they didn’t receive it well. Acts
7:54-60, “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick,
and they began gnashing their teeth at him, but being full of the
Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of
God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said,
‘Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God.’ But they cried out with a
loud voice, and covered their ears, and they rushed upon him
with one impulse. And when they had driven him out of the
city, they began stoning him, and the witnesses laid aside their
robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they went
on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit!’ And falling on his knees, he cried out
with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’
And having said this, he fell asleep.”