A Sermon Preached From the Cross
Big Truth:
Jesus did not merely die on the cross — He revealed the heart of God from it.
INTRODUCTION
The cross was not silent.
In His final hours, Jesus spoke — not randomly, not emotionally, but purposefully.
These are not dying gasps.
They are deliberate declarations that reveal what salvation truly means.
Let’s see what the Bible actually tells us.
1) A WORD OF FORGIVENESS
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Luke 23:34
Truth revealed:
Grace comes before repentance.
• Jesus prays for sinners while they are still sinning
• Forgiveness is initiated by God, not earned by man
• The cross is not revenge — it is mercy
Key idea:
If forgiveness begins here, no one is beyond reach.
2) A WORD OF SALVATION
“Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43
Truth revealed:
Salvation is immediate, personal, and complete.
• No works, no rituals, no religious résumé
• Faith alone — at the last possible moment
• Eternal life begins the instant one believes
Key idea:
You don’t clean yourself up to come to Christ — you come to Christ to be saved.
3) A WORD OF RELATIONSHIP
“Woman, behold your son… Behold your mother.”
John 19:26–27
Truth revealed:
Redemption restores responsibility, not isolation.
• Jesus cares for others even while suffering
• Faith does not remove earthly duty
• The cross creates a new family
Key idea:
Salvation does not detach us from people — it calls us to love them rightly.
4) A WORD OF SEPARATION
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Matthew 27:46
Truth revealed:
Jesus bore real separation so we never would.
• The weight of sin fully placed on Christ
• Not symbolic suffering — substitution
• Quoting Psalm 22, pointing to fulfilled prophecy
Key idea:
He was abandoned so we could be adopted.
5) A WORD OF SUFFERING
“I thirst.”
John 19:28
Truth revealed:
Jesus entered total human weakness.
• Physical agony was real
• Scripture was fulfilled
• God understands human pain firsthand
Key idea:
There is no suffering you experience that Jesus has not entered.
6) A WORD OF COMPLETION
“It is finished.”
John 19:30
Truth revealed:
The work of redemption is complete.
• The debt is paid in full
• No additions required
• Salvation is not ongoing labor — it is accomplished victory
Key idea:
If it is finished, you don’t need to add to it — you need to trust it.
7) A WORD OF TRUST
“Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
Luke 23:46
Truth revealed:
True faith ends in surrender.
• Jesus willingly gives His life
• Death is not defeat — it is release
• Confidence, not fear, marks the end
Key idea:
The cross ends not in despair, but in trust.
CLOSING TRUTH
From the first word to the last, the message is clear:
• Forgiveness is offered
• Salvation is secured
• The debt is paid
• The Father can be trusted
The cross is not just where Jesus died —
It’s where sin lost, death was defeated, and hope was sealed.
Invitation:
You don’t need better timing.
You don’t need a better past.
You need the Savior who spoke these words — and meant every one of them.