During one of my senior years in college I fell in love in with a girl while on a mission trip to Mexico. After the trip we started dated and I couldn’t get her out of my mind. The more I got to know her the more I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her so I started making arrangements to ask her to marry me. I picked out a ring, I talked with her father, and put together an elaborate scheme to prepare her for the big question. After following a host of clues strategically left around the city she finally arrived at the restaurant where I was waiting. She sat down across from me and the moment of truth finally came. As much as I had looked forward to a future together, I couldn’t help but hesitate for a moment because it dawned on me that once I ask the question, everything will change.

The crucifixion of Christ is like that. It is perhaps the single most important event in human history. (The only event rivaling it might be the resurrection itself.) When Jesus went to the cross, it was the event that changes everything. If we don’t get this, it doesn’t matter who you are, how good you may have tried to live, or what you know. Everything else pales in the light of the crucifixion’s importance. I’m afraid that much of the church today, while excited about the future offered in light of Jesus promises, remains hesitant on the other side of the table becomes deep down they know that to commit to the Lord means everything about our life will change. We hesitate because we’re not sure we’re ready for that.

So let’s take a look at Jesus crucifixion so that we understand why everything must change and how it will. We’ll look to understand the crucifixion by concentrating on the last words of Jesus as he hung there on the cross.

It all boils down to this: Jesus finished the work. Because Jesus finished the work, everything changes.

Jesus Last Words – Study Guide