Luke 23:44-46 - "Father, Into Your Hands...."

These verses cover the last three hours that Jesushung on the cross at Calvary. During the first three hours during the morning fromnine to twelve, Jesus made three statements: "Father, forgive them.They know not what they do." (Luke 23:34). To the thief, Hesaid, "Today you will be with Me in paradise." (Luke 23:43). Andin John 19:25-27, He turned to John the disciple and Mary His mother, who wereclose by, and said, "Woman, behold your son," and to John,"Behold your mother." He ensured His mother, whose husband Joseph hadpassed away, was taken care of as He was dying on the cross. TheBible tells us in Mark chapter 15 that at the sixth hour, darkness covered thewhole land until the ninth hour. For those last three hours, from noon tothree, what took place was between God and His Son. Remember Jesus had alwayscalled God His Father previously in all the Gospel accounts of His ministry.The last four statements of Christ on the cross, we believe, took place at theend of those three hours according to the Gospel of Mark 15:33-41. “When thesixth hour came, darkness covered the whole land until the ninth hour. At theninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lamasabachthani," which is translated, "My God, My God, why have Youforsaken Me?"  Webelieve this was the fourth statement Jesus made to His Father but notice He addressedHim as “God”. Then He said, "I thirst," in John 19:28, and inJohn 19:30, just before He gave up His spirit, He said, "It isfinished." I believe the work of salvation was complete on the crossof Calvary.  Thelast statement Jesus said was, "Father, into Thy hands I commit Myspirit." In His final statements, Jesus first said, "My God, MyGod, why have You forsaken Me?" Did you notice that in His first statementand His last saying on the cross He addressed God as His Father. Now, why didHe call Him “My God” instead of “My Father”? Because during those threehours of darkness God had turned His back on His Son and did not recognize Himas His Son any longer as He paid the full punishment for our sins. Jesus wasestranged and separated from God. That's what real death is. It means separationfrom God!  SomehowJesus became separated from God in their Father-Son relationship. How Jesus didthat while being God is a mystery. You might have noticed in the Gospels that Jesus'favorite phrase for God was "My Father." In the Gospels, Herefers to God as "My Father" some 61 times, and 34 times inthe Gospel of John alone. But now on the cross, He says, "My God, MyGod," the only time He does so. In the Old Testament, no one had arelationship with God as Father. No Old Testament saints addressed God as “MyFather”. The only times your find the title “Father” capitalized in the Old Testamentis in these verses, 1 Chronicles 28:6; 29:10; Psalms 89:26; Isaiah 9:6;Jeremiah 3:19; and Malachi 1:6; 2:10.  WhenJesus taught His disciples to pray in Luke 11:1-4, He said, "Pray likethis, Our Father which art in heaven." Interestingly, the term "OurFather" is only mentioned twice in the Gospels, here in Luke and in Matthew:6:9-15,where Jesus taught us what is called the Lord's Prayer.  Myfriend, this is so important. Something the Old Testament saints could not experienceor enjoy Jesus came to show us how we can now have a personal, intimaterelationship with God because of His payment for our sins on the cross and Hissending of the Holy Spirit to abide in us. In Romans 8:14-16, we learn that Godis our “Abba Father”, a special Father, a Daddy Father, that we canboldly come to because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, being separatedfrom God.  Ilove how the Word of God makes so much sense when we understand that Jesusintroduces us to God, not as a God of wrath, but as a God who loves us as aFather loves, cares for, and protects His children. This ought to speak to ourhearts today.