Highlights: DIVAS for Christ Seven Last Words Good Friday Service

Hosted by DIVAS for Christ (Divinely Inspired Virtuous & Victoriously Anointed Sisters), seven preaching women presented the Seven Last Words of Christ on Good Friday, March 29th, at Shawnee Christian Church. This was a glorious Good Friday service! The Spirit of the Lord moved among the congregation as the ministers preached with power.

Preaching the Seven Last Words, also known as the Seven Last Sayings of Jesus on the Cross, were Rev. Yvonne McCoy, Chaplain, Norton Hospital; Rev. Syvoskia Bray Pope, Associate Minister, St. Peter United Church of Christ; Rev. Mary Frances Stiner, Associate Minister, First Gethsemane Baptist Church; Rev. Brenda Burney, Chaplain, Veterans Administration Hospital; Rev. Angela Lee Price, Associate Minister, St. Stephen Church/Founder, Jesus Saves Ministries; Rev. Cassandra Harris-Gray, Co-Pastor, New Mt. Zion Church, Shelbyville, KY; and Rev. Amariah McIntosh, Pastor, Phillips Memorial CME, Lexington. The Mime Ministry of Speechless For Christ rendered a stirring liturgical presentation.

The Lord has promised that His word shall not return void! So, with the help of the preaching ministers, we have prepared to share with you these brief highlights featuring main points in the ministers' own words from each of their sermons. May the Lord add a blessing to the readers and doers of His most Holy Word.

"Good Friday is a reminder that it's Friday but Sunday is coming. Lest we forget Gethsemane and the agony, we must be led back to Calvary. We were truly blessed by the Divas for Christ seven anointed women who preached the seven last words and reminded us of the cost for our debt cancellation. Jesus paid it all and now we are debt free! Thank you for Calvary" Rev. Altonnette Hawkins, Pastor, Shawnee Christian Church and Founder, Divas for Christ, Louisville, KY.

The 1st Word:

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). "Jesus' final words were not recorded just for posterity, but for a purpose. He wanted us to hear his heart at the moment it was being poured out for us. When the nails pierced the hand of Christ, love poured forth and love covered a multitude of sins. We can see the love that pours out from His wounds, directed at us! He gave His life so that we may live. We are forgiven because He was forsaken - that is amazing love! We have been freely forgiven; therefore let us freely forgive and love one another just as Christ demonstrated His love for us." Rev. Yvonne McCoy, Chaplain, Norton Hospital, Louisville, KY

The 2nd Word:

"And Jesus replied, I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43 NLT). "We have the assurance at the cross from Jesus, that in our darkest hours he will remember us, he will lead us, he will guide us and never forsake us. He has prepared a place for the repented sinner. The bible teaches un 2 Chronicles, ‘If my people will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then they shall see and hear from heaven.” Jesus came for the lost sinners, when we leave this place, we are going to a heavenly paradise where we will have joy, peace and everlasting life." Rev. Syvoskia Bray Pope, St. Peter United Church of Christ, Louisville, KY

The 3rd Word:

"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son. Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother. And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home" (John 19:26-27). "My sermon was entitled, 'Adopted From the Cross.' If I could summarize my comments on adoption, it would be as baptized believers we are are adopted into the family of God, we are kin to each other, and we are family. This adoption began on the cross when Jesus made a way for John to adopt his mother, Mary, take her into his home, and treat her as his mother. However, thanks be unto God, the adoption process did not stop there. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, a way was made for us to be adopted into the royal family of God, and we are connected to each other as sisters and brothers, as one family under God, a royal priesthood/family of adopted, baptized believers." Rev. Mary Frances Stiner, First Gethsemane Baptist Church, Louisville, KY

The 4th Word:

“And about the ninth hour Jesus gave a loud cry, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, My God, my God, why are you turned away from me?" (Matthew 27:46). "My sermon was entitled, 'The Turning Point.' As Christ hung on the cross, a gift for us, one hundred percent human and divine who carried all the sins for humanity, the Word who became flesh… at this moment he experienced the weight of the world’s evil, He was destine to bear. The scripture says God cannot look on our sins, so as the Messiah bore those sins, God looked the other way, but held the hand of the Son of Man. This moment Christ cried out was a pivotal point in the events of the crucifixion. A cry to remind us to hold to God’s unchanging hands no matter what you are going through . . . . The crucifixion of Christ paid for the sins of all humanity; the turning point for salvation, and the fulfillment for His service for His creation." Rev. Brenda Burney, Chaplain, Veterans Administration Hospital, Louisville, KY

The 5th Word:

After this, Jesus, knowing all that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" Now a vessel full of sour wine was siting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, and put it to His mouth ( John 19:28-29 KJV). Jesus secured a drink for his thirst as he suffered on the Cross. Jesus was thirsty because of how he was structured, he was fully God and fully Divine; because how he secured, for others first, and himself last; and because of how he satisfied, the Scriptures and not self. Isn't it ironic that in this crazy, mixed up world within which we live, that we are quick to satisfy self before others; self and not Scripture? Having been separated from his Father for the first time in his life, above all, Jesus thirsted for God. Jesus was thirsty because of how He satisfied the Father at the Cross, and He ought to be our source of satisfaction today. Drink from his cup! Min. Angela Lee Price, St. Stephen Church/Jesus Saves Ministries, Louisville, KY

The 6th Word:

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30). "My words "It is Finished" March Madness...the Highlights 1. Jesus came with an assignment from God. He had a mandate to shut down the power of the kingdom of darkness. 2. Redeem us from the state of sin. 3. Usher in the kingdom of God. He accomplished this by giving himself up for this following the game plan of God even unto death. Satan and his dominion was conquered and the devil has no hold on us. We have all victory in Christ. The state of sin is broken. No longer condemned, we are free in Christ. His blood covers our sins. Hallelujah! We live in a new Kingdom with God no longer bound but as kingdom citizens with all rights as believers. What... Good News....such madness for him to go through in order to receive these blessings, but he finished the plan on the cross and proclaimed to all, IT IS FINISHED!!!!" Rev. Cassandra Harris-Gray, New Mt. Zion Baptist Church/Creative Spirits Counseling Center, Shelbyville, KY

The 7th Word:

"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46). "If Jesus could trust God enough to put his spirit in God's hands, why can't you trust God to put the things of your life in his hands? There's no safer, better place to be." Rev. Amariah McIntosh, Pastor, Phillips Memorial CME Church, Lexington KY

To find out more about Divas for Christ, an interdenominational sisterhood open to all women of the Christian faith, log onto divasforchrist.org.

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