After three years of ministry, during which Jesus spoke millions of words, His final hours on the cross were marked by just seven final sayings—known as the Seven Last Words of Jesus. Each one offers profound hope for our deepest struggles.
1. Forgiveness for Our Greatest Failures
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34)
In a cancel culture like ours, where one mistake can follow you forever, Jesus shows a different way. Even as His executioners hammered nails into His hands and feet, Jesus prayed for their forgiveness. That shows no sin is too great for His forgiveness. If Jesus could forgive His murderers, He can forgive you, too, no matter what you’ve done.
Jesus is our hope in our search for forgiveness.
2. Grace for the Unworthy
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43)
Jesus was crucified between two violent criminals. At first, both men mocked Him. But as the day wore on, one of the bandits changed his mind, came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and asked the Lord to remember him when He came into His kingdom. In reply, Jesus assured the man that he would be in paradise! He was saved!
The thief on the cross had done nothing to “earn” his way into heaven. On the contrary, he had done everything he could to earn hell. And yet, there was hope, even for him. The thief on the cross is a powerful example of salvation by grace. If he can be saved, then anyone can.
Jesus is our hope in our deepest need for grace.
3. Belonging for the Lonely
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home (John 19:26–27)
Loneliness is a silent epidemic. Even though people have never been more connected through the internet, marriages are broken, families are estranged, and society is deeply divided. Many Americans report feeling lonely once a day. Where can we find community?
As Jesus died, He created a new family between His mother Mary and His disciple John. In doing so, Jesus reminds us that when you believe in His name, you become a son or daughter of God (cf. John 1:12), and part of God’s forever family. In a world of disconnection, Jesus offers belonging.
Jesus is our hope in the ache for community.
4. Presence in Our Darkest Moments
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
Every believer faces times when God seems absent—what theologians call “a dark night of the soul.” Though theologians debate what exactly happened when Jesus cried out, the Lord’s words are a quote from Psalm 22, which begins in despair but ends in triumph. The Psalmist starts off by feeling abandoned by God, but slowly remembers that God had been with him since birth. The Psalm then turns into a Prophecy about the Messiah who would be rejected, only to get the victory in the end. Anyone who remembered that Psalm could see that Jesus was fulfilling prophecy right before their eyes.
While it may feel like God has abandoned you, the truth is He knows all about the pains you’re going through, and everything is happening according to His providence and plan, even if we don’t understand it all now.
Jesus is our hope in the depths of abandonment.
5. Fulfillment for Our Deepest Longings
“I am thirsty” (John 19:28)
Jesus suffered real thirst, which shows He shared in our human frailty. Yet, His thirst also points to a deeper reality. In a world where nothing truly satisfies—no relationship, career, wealth, or achievement—Jesus offers the “living water” that quenches our thirst forever (cf. John 4). As C. S. Lewis said, if nothing in this world satisfies us, it’s because we were made for another world.
Jesus is our hope in our search for eternal fulfillment.
6. Rest from Our Endless Striving
“It is finished” (John 19:30).
Jesus came to complete the work of salvation. The Lord’s death wasn’t a defeat but part of God’s eternal plan to pay for sin and make salvation possible. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” it was not a statement of defeat, but a declaration of victory! He completed the work of salvation! And because He finished, you can rest in His finished work. Salvation isn’t a payment, but a gift. God justifies those who stop working and simply believe (Rom 4:5). The world is an endless hustle that never stops, and that burns us out.
Jesus is our hope in our need for rest.
7. Peace in the Face of Death
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46).
Sociologists report that many Americans are in denial about the reality of death. We do everything we can to avoid facing it.
But Jesus shows us how to face death as believers. He died trusting His Father, and so can every believer. Death isn’t the end for those who believe in Him. He has promised us resurrection to life (cf. John 11:25-26). That means death is not the end but a beginning. We don’t need to be afraid. We’re going home!
Jesus is our hope for peace even in the face of death.
Now that we’ve covered Jesus’ last words, what about His first words after being raised from the dead?
8. The Hope Beyond the Cross
When Mary Magdalene found the empty tomb and met the risen Jesus, she didn’t initially recognize Him. He asked her,
“Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” (John 20:15).
That’s the question we all need to answer. Who are you searching for?
You won’t find ultimate fulfillment in money, fame, relationships, or success. You’re searching for the One who made you—the risen Christ.
He knows you completely—your fears, your failures, your sins—and He loves you still. More than that, He died for your sins, rose again for you, and now invites you to believe in Him and be saved.
Jesus is the answer to your every need and your hope for every struggle.
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Send your questions or comments to shawn@freegrace.in.
Read his latest book, The Myth of Tithing and the Joy of Grace Giving by getting it from us or from Amazon.
