Best of: Last Words of Jesus

Hello this is Matt slick from the match look like podcast right defend the Christian faith and lay out our foundation of the truth of God's word. Your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. What were the last words of Jesus before he died on the cross for you and for me I'm Stu Epperson post of truth talk happy holy weekend happy resurrection so excited to celebrate our living Lord today are truth awkward and take you back a few years when we were interviewing about my book last words of Jesus. Those profound words. Jesus proclaimed from the cross. As he died, the Lamb of God slain. Stay tuned. Be encouraged sure this will you with some friends and family, especially this time of year when so many folks are going to church and not sure why. Well were in a tell him the good news of Christ in his death for us – as a solicitation or offer awesome truth talk affiliates all over the country to carry this program and thank you for praying force they call partners and happy resurrection.

Talk now. Your hosts Stu Epperson we are turning things around. As I get though mostly is more than phenomenal.

But it's a phenomenal time hunting tomorrow if I'm I miss my guess is palms Sunday and so how cool is it that I get to talk to really one of my longest and best of friends about a project that he's worked on for years and years that you been Laura put on his heart especially for this time of year.

The last words of Jesus.

You've heard lots of stuff on it, but you can really hear this group today.

Entry talk like us were here with Stu Epperson as the guest of this to is I fictionally calling us to be God put this on your heart some time ago, can you take us back to that moment where he felt God was leading you to do this this book project, and I think you ought to get you beyond what they will show you my voice is been struggling so bear with me, but this was funded to interview here because this is kind of work was born really know in a lot of different ways but we been talking about the original title VII words of life and the tree of death which always was changed to last words of Jesus, but really, the Lord just burned these words of Christ from the cross my heart and I taught I go everywhere I talked all kinds of people and in probably a talk too much, which is why my voice is struggling but it's also kind allergies do and so many people are just like me or where I was three years ago with what okay so let me think about what Jesus said he done the cross does your listening, driving around where you are just on your mind will quick. Just think what what he say you know what did he say welders at some about forgiveness or there's that thing about some some crook up there, you know, hanging next to him in any etalk's mom about some dealing and maybe maybe I could've probably got three or four deep. Honestly about three years ago I probably would've gotten a C-. Maybe a D+ now keep in mind a 56 is still higher struggling academics, but I just put not just the intellectual knowledge of China what all he said would like. I start looking these words and that's what led to this book is not as I started looking Robbie at these words from the cross.

It started working on me and this is a this is this is sacred ground. This is so much bigger than all of us. This is like the Lord Jesus Christ the Savior of the universe, the one who died and bled his dying words, not his last words. Always leaving out books last words of Jesus, not his final words because these are his last words as he died, but as he's dying there.

He utters these profound statements, so I set out on a journey to find out how many. First of all, things did he say right and little clue that's only chapters in the book that's only songs on a song on the whole album is come out of this work and talk about little bit too but what what did he say and what did he mean by what he said and were these verses found no good I can actually turn to a chapter and verse and and maybe figure out where they are found in what all the other things in the Bible that point to these profound sayings of Christ and the rich meaning a thousand years, for he died.

The prophets were talking about. The psalmist was talking about the death of the Savior that the good Shepherd would lay his life down the sheet and then all the New Testament applications of these words and then all the way up to the early church and the guys that are dead.

By the way are a lot wiser than me, so we went and grabbed a bunch of their just profound in sacred hymns and sacred writings, what they said and hence the book last words of Jesus and a whole lot of real deep personal things in my own life that got us there several broad sweeping answer, but a great question, yeah. And for those of us that are close to stay linen with truth broadcasting. It's been a journey for all of us because honestly just likes to if you'd asked me three years ago what they work is no way but now I can tell you my art and I've had to think through a lot of that stuff for myself and it's taken me on a journey of discovery, but can you take us on a bit of a you know people can read the book, I understand, but you know, here it is the day before the triumphal entry right can you take us on a bit of a journey up there just exactly right palm Sunday on the scene of the cross, which is where the book goes this is a book that really get you mean it really gets me like I can't read some parts of it without tearing apart without tearing up because it's so tender and it's really what kind cool is it's honestly not about the author like people see all student wrote a book will cool while you're an author when they actually read like who wants a there's another author the author and finisher of our faith, because it's really so focused on him, and when you go to that point. It is an absolute opposite. It's the absolute opposite of what was going on Palm Sunday with the same mob a crowd. This is a crowd now on that on Good Friday were talking about a mom that crowd. Interesting how the biggest we say a mob versus a crowd. The insinuation there, but the crowd is waving palm branches hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name for Christ and his triumphal entry, which is what were celebrating this time year and that's kinda each day of the week is just a sacred weakness was called holy week and so the book really leads up to that point, which is why I'm so encouraged were playing this you may hear this in a different time zone you may hear this at Christmas time. But this is relevant because Jesus Christ is alive in his death is made us free, and so this is an evergreen topic right but the same crowd that was calling for Jesus to become king and deliver in warrior right in emancipated them from this this open press of Roman rule and even this this sadistic oppression.

They were under for all these years as the Jewish is a chosen people of God, the same crowd is now Good Friday clamoring for his death in the contrast in that you know and wise Good Friday Good Friday so this time year. A lot of people are affected pastors taking his old church duties words of Christ, any like my book is it's kind of a simple way and that's why try to do member the kiss method. Keep it simple stupid the trademark Robbie that's kinda what I tried to make it simple like what you what you say in the let's get into the word for word, so that anybody, someone out there who's just checking the God you just turn his radio show on your driver in Michigan you're listening to truth talk like who are these nuts well here's a very basic book about Jesus that will help you, check things out and see what is this about what he say is he died and only Lincoln Center know what MLK said I know Napoleon said I know what other famous people said is a guy but what Jesus Christ say is he died on the cross as an account it will gets into it and of course this time year amplifies even more because everyone is talking about it. I know Robbie this about the only time you go to church is over something like that was a thousand – I left the dog to the havoc that it will get Dr. Guy McGuire who looks down and knows whether that point yet he's missed count headsets. Let's go on to the end. Again, because there's not really cool. You taught me, and it sent me on such a journey has been and what time the word since you put me what you said the six word from the cross which was it's finished. And interestingly, he also pointed out that it was the sixth day of creation. It was finished and then at the end of Revelation it is done on the right happens and interestingly the sixth of the seven spirits of God from the light in Isaiah S is the fear of the Lord which is, like the beginning of wisdom right so let's go to the seventh. On that same plane for moment and okay the last words Jesus said from across was in your hands I commit my spirit. He was resting similar to the seventh day of creation.

He was resting similar to the seventh spirit of God, which is to rest on Eric delight in the fear of the Lord is how did you get there, man. I mean I was not allowed that God took you on something that others just elided my heart since I read wasn't a Truth Network to your program king in pursuit in a Maven Christian card I duties. I love how you weave everything in a different way unit is with cargo. There's just one song in the background is a difference know, but no you know enough stillness during it's crazy I just got a new book on this subject from a guy who's been dead for like 100 years and I'm reading and it's just unbelievable like where is my primary search, use it for, you know, brother. Thanks, but the seventh one thing think about is folks, into thy hands. First of all, he starts with prayer. Three of the seven sayings from across her prayers.

He starts with father forgive them. He closes with father in the hands, and that something's and then if if if you are there near the scene and encourage people to go there.

I really do I really want you, this we going out every day together, and Paul said I'm crucified with Christ to eat so I will boast only the cross of Christ.

This was a big deal when you go there and you look the one whose hands created the world. We talked with the creation right and said his good his hands are nailed to a tree splintered Roman cross. His answer nailed to a tree in here he is committing his spirit all that he is into the father's mighty hands.

What a great image just right there and then it goes on a course this is a Jewish bedtime prayer commonly in the Hebrew moms and dads and pray with her children and we get to go to bring Tom lives in the wrong. We left our hero. He was finishing up this concept in your hands I commit my spirit.

Here we are a week away from the give some insights or are you doing great about with but this book last words of Jesus that final Anastas Damron lots also graciously endorsed the book, said a and what's know what you're think everything you said from across and she said I just love that father, into thy hands I commit my spirit and there's so much for so many juicy morsels and that one prayer of Christ.

It's from Psalm 31.you know, a Psalm of David and the fasting part about that Psalm is is the next part. The be of that verse. The other half of the verses father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

Thou hast redeemed me oh God of truth, but the fasting part of Jesus seventh thing from across his final thing was, he didn't say that last part is he's the Redeemer right and he is the truth right so it's kind of really fasting. The more I study that I got and I had no idea I shared a couple things like that with her son that she knew and some is not stew that's conical know and but just how tender that is and how the fact it every day every second every breath you're breathing right now God is in control of it and God is going to decide your times may take you home tomorrow. People listening to me have been completely besieged by grief.

They've left lost a loved one and your family members.

A friend we have no idea is for the Psalms also teach us to number our days, Jesus Christ lived as he died, depending upon in commending his spirit into the father's hands and see that's where are you connected to God's hands and you look I did a whole study in the book on the hands of God has to the creative hands to redeem us hands delivers hands to protect the mighty hands of God, but it does hands had to be pierced and had to be, as it were destroyed and dismembered so that we can be made whole right and so we could become members of the body of Christ, so Jesus Christ in those final words is just releasing and he's laying his life. That is like this is a life taken away by these awful millions of Satan. This isn't he is in control. Time is interesting. He bows his head see crucifixion because our opening, lifting her head to inhale.

See the struggling 68 what suffocation is what kills the water in the lungs try to solve every breath you're Jesus humbly graciously bows his head see makes this statement and bounces it and so this is the last statement course it gets a lot of light in this idea of peace is what really should come upon us all the peace let the peace of Christ rule in your heart. Colossians 3 says, and so I get a lot of peace and you know really.

The Lord gave me a song. Rob you know you want talk about that and we have some special guest in here to that of Hannah Whitman on I know a lot of people listening or piloting how I get my hands on, just as it is a tapestry not tapestry of what Stu did. But what Jesus did and then this becomes illuminated through workouts and teach all and you can get that you we've been together all day it going yet to figure out story. I know that only American elided the day we made it using Christian bookstores.

It really is kind like you vote for. You vote for a movie I going to secrecy fireproof using the calling hey I like that. That's good and they say will put more music that I like the passion of Christ. Well, when you go by this book at a Christian bookstore or Barnes & Noble's any bookstore that carries it, then yours make a statement sailboat for that. So I would encourage you, but you don't put yourself aside, don't go get five or 10 copies for your friends, your neighbor Jeff to neighbors to get a copy of them. Sears Easter gift that will dry to Christ. Why not what what's it you know what you heard and it's it's it's a compelling thing you know last words of Jesus arose, and it would last words are but this writer will take them to the cross in over this really focus on who Jesus is what he says he died so last words of Jesus.com is the website you just remember that the book last were just@a.com. It's also@ourwebsitetruthtalklive.com TruthNetwork.com if you go directly last words, if you stuck a little video of me talking a bit about how this came about in some of the endorsers and stuff and then there's a music album which allow that this part of the tapestry that there is a tapestry with his books about a part of this is really the music that is has been born out of it. That is a big part of the worship experience that could be available for you this Easter is to engage in this whole package which includes the music and we are blessed to have a big piece of that with us right now all we have a Nashville professional, godly man whose God used to know right. Many a lot of music you heard in your worship service around the world. This guy right here. Sit in my left is written it in.

I'm a start talking less Robbie because of my my voice and all that but I wanted I want to bring on Richie King's more to talk about how this all came about. I will just say this guy gave me a song.

During this process. In this book is a song, the God gave me in a poem, the guy gave me that the poems in chapter 2 of the song is intermittent throughout basically the course of the song seven words of life. He cried seven words and his last breath seven words Jesus died seven words of life from the tree of death, and so in there.

Some stanzas there's a bridge and a course. You need people in your life that understand music which I don't and so never merely this yet.

Why don't I held the CD up to a friend of mine recently isolate you got my monthly CDs on this is powerful stuff is music and I know you have the book and stuff like that but you and they said with a little bit of kind of hesitation.

Their eyes as it's due, how to assess but are you on there.

I said no I'm not that I hope you write one of the songs are like a bunch of much of this like is if I tell my mother there like running as best they can for the hills. And so, but that's the best part about as I'm not on another the other that I had a part so what Richie and Holly Johnson did in Hilla what you tell more about his Richie is you all made the song the poem – song I wrote into something of its own to pass the mic over to Richie. I just appreciate you brother and I want to thank you for music as open doors my daughters a bit and euchre with you and you guys use that to get them closer to God and to go to New York in the overseas to share Christ in God is used in a mighty way that a guy like you could be in Hollywood or natural all the time just you know making money just right using producing on this whole thing so maybe you could talk a bit Robbie little Hitler McDuck don't get much to talk life softball hitting was some little bit and start weed as we bring Richie King's more to the mic or your brother.

It's great to be here with you.

Thanks so much to an Richie Batt song that I I was blown away when I heard it because you wrote it.

I was like oh well, what we got and it literally blew me away. I was just flabbergasted at the whole production.

Can you gotta take it through how you you saw the words and then somehow you got put music and how that all happened well and again even just echoing Stu's point music is such a powerful way to communicate a message, and then I asked that the time that Stu and I spent an ass.

I just spent time with that text and just began, poring over it and living it and and I love movie soundtracks to that's another thing that I that I just feel like you know a movie without music is just lifeless and to feel like that you could take what Stu the that the seeds in the that the truth of what he has shared in this and be able to put it in a setting to create a moment where you you get lost in that moment and it becomes.

It just washes over you from that the time that for that song first starts out for me.

I love music that paints a picture of a text and as an arranger in the music that I've had the opportunity to do for churches and really all over and in so many different ways. I love to take that orchestra and I love to take all those pieces and be able to create something that that is God inspired but but just has a sense of timelessness to it to where you are just in that moment totally.

And that's what I felt like as we were riding the song so as we come out of this next break here can hear this song.

It's called the words of words of life and on the CD last words of Jesus Richard King's more. You can find are the last words of Jesus.com and going bookstore and many other outlets. We come back and we are back with this kind of unusual but fun to talk live today. Robbie Gilmore, hosting to get out this phenomenal book song is just a worship experience that that God has provided for us to really enjoy this particular Easter and if you're like me, you're sitting there thinking wow that song right there man that need to be okay. I met song is amazing. But God did that through all these different ways that things were orchestrated. Can you kind of cellist Valley connected the dots here in a student brought this text to me. You know was just really praying you know as I do. As I begin a project in a God who do you want to be involved in this. How can we communicate this in the most powerful way, and to provide an atmosphere for it for you to speak and got kept bringing my mind Holly Johnson who is a song songwriter worship leader great friend and so I just kind of began talking to Holly and just said hey Holly I got this this idea that Stu has has written this poem/song that I feel like there if there is to be such power in this so we got together and began just really kind of taking that that raw text and putting it in a song form and it just we just had a sense that God was just leaving us and God was writing this song through us even as we got through the whole song and led to that huge cinematic film score bridge and then brought the whole thing down at the end to the very words of Jesus that were in that chorus.

Father forgive them bring peace and pardon through my last breath and it just stops that just to me it just grabs you and it just takes you right there and you realize this. This not only was the son of God, but he he has experienced everything that we experience on this earth and yet he still gave his life for us and what an expression of love that that we can't even fathom an end to be able to take and capture that in and then to be able to once the song was written be able to bring in incredible studio musicians that that I have been involved with for many years. Friends of mine in Nashville that that just kinda take the germ of that idea that I can guide them through the process and that they can begin creating tracks for this and and then to have the whole thing come together and just to hear it and it's it's just hearing everything in my head come to life for me.

There's that is, that's incredible. That's just what a rewarding thing it's it's so fascinating to me that the body of Christ was broken here at the cross we see that the course Easter comes as result, but here we see his life being brought out through tremendous harmony.

In my view you got Stu's you know God gives him an a thing to think about these words and so he begins to write and then he put something on Richie's heart and he brings in these phenomenal God-given talents that each of them has a unique part of the harmony of a unique instrument. There, there's bagpipes in the CD. There's all sorts of different instruments and so through this whole thing like the whole body comes together so that we can begin to worship what it is that will started out there in a 2000 years ago in Calvert. Of course, Jesus is is really our worship leader.

I mean in a lot of respects and how we worship what an example of worship as he went through everything that he did for the three and half years and then led us to true worship in spirit and in truth. As he told the woman at the well and then this example of worship and then to be able to to place on our hearts how we can worship him through our gifts and through our abilities and realize that that God created us for community and worship in different people bring different parts and for us to be able to express that not only creates or fulfills that what God is putting put in us as he created us to worship him. But he also created us to inspire others to know him through our worship both people that know him and people that are far from him that we have an opportunity to offer our gifts and know that God is going to use not only is he our audience and not only is the body of Christ our audience but but the the world that is far from Christ is another audience of our worship. God is always the object, but our audiences are very varied. You know it's it's a wide group and yet he can use us and he chooses to use as he could do it without us. But the fact that he invites us into what he is doing. It's is phenomenal me and as you are saying that a picture talk that I never noticed before. But as you may know, I teach special needs at Calvary, which in people with autism and Down syndrome and think.

See in spite of what they may or may not have in the way of knowledge worship is every bit as fulfilling, incomplete, and when they hear a piece of music they get. It is the end of their heart. Perhaps more than I do. And so the interesting about music is is that the path is level there for everybody to experience things. There is, they would hear the last words of Jesus the CD and then there's a songbook right Richie and people that want to find out how to do the music themselves tells about the song yell at one of the things that that I have on my heart is really to give resources to those in the body of Christ that want to to take and use these in their worship services and their their own worship, personal worship as well as just kind of all over the place and and of course I wanted to create this resource. So we put together a book, a songbook that has every one of these songs and it. They there and a solo versions for those that are the piano players we've taken and all the songs from cello parts to sax parts.

The rhythm parts to violin every everything that we recorded. We have created a resource that in a book you can take that whole book and use it in your church or wherever you want to and that's available at our website. Richard King's more.com but we my heart is is grounded in the local church and and to be able to provide a resources is just another way that I feel like God is given me the opportunity to to help to inspire the body of Christ when we come back so much more on the Latin word platform is awesomely awesome so or man with Richie things more in the last words of Jesus.

Special treetop live vision before actually palm Sunday evening. Rob but Rich, I love the way God treats things bring something like wow I can see his hand and that we are connecting the dots here. Was there something in the production of the CD were used at all.

Clearly, look what God is done here. You know we were recording the vocal for the song. Were you there. And of course that's that such a familiar song in our churches that we sung you know around Easter time about every year and I think a lot of times we we look at it in terms of the whole global picture all of us, the church, all singing that together but something that really happened.

That really spoke to me as is more Christian who is a worship pastor and he and I have led worship in so many different settings and just a great friend and just a heart for for God and love for Christ, as he began singing as we roll that track for the first time as he began communicating that text, and any saying were you there when they crucified my Lord.

It was almost such a per it became such a personal statement of every time he sang my Lord. It was like I was seeing layers of him peel back and he was singing about his heart just like you know what what I desire for when people are worshiping and I'm leaving and worship God. Would it be personal to them right where they're living through whatever heart ache through whatever struggle through whatever joy, whatever they're experiencing in their life. At the time God is calling them to worship and I felt like at that moment. I mean I was seeing in Mark's heart and just hearing that come through on the recording and as he began to to sing the different verses of that. It just took me totally right there to the cross and and just kind of another kind of piggyback on that story. Mark does a lot of crusades with Will Graham and just this past week he's in the Philippines. He and will are leading crusades and I think of the very first city. They were in 14,000 people over 2000 people came to know Christ and made decisions for Christ at this at the service will will is speaking about the cross.

Mark is doing a sound check and and he said he singing were you there and he said it was a powerful moment, he said, literally. During the sound check. People that were just in that arena. At that moment began standing up as Ceci saying were you there and he said people were weeping and he said literally as he sung it that night before. Will spoke it was you could just sense the presence of God in that place as they came face-to-face with Christ who he was all that he had done for them and they were responding and they were responding in worship and just and and just that that emotion that just being overcome by being in that moment realizing all that Christ had done for them and and I know that as this is the show airs there in the there in the middle of their second crusades, which I know they'll be Bartleby singing it again. So just be in prayer for that God will just continue to move and use this music and just ways that that greater than we could ever imagine. Richard King.com I will any moment. So you'll be hearing more all right as we ran on. This is really cool as it was too smart that he take you near the cross show in a very special song that Stu knew and Richie can you set up that song force just a prayer of a reader of the book and listener of this soundtrack.

You know once that one prayer that I would have for you is that Jesus would keep you near the cross, knowing that that is the source that is the life that is but because of what Christ did on the cross we can experience all that he is done for us and because of his death we experience life. This song is just a blessing to have Charles Billingsley lead the song and sing the song Charles have been friends, a friend of mine for probably 25 years and to see his ministry in the way God has used him and S2 in our dreaming about this. We said you know Charles would be the one to communicate this.

So Jesus, keep me near the cross.

You see the is is in the this is the Truth Network