Page 83 - Fundamentals Ebook

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.”