"Father Forgive Them"

Luke 23:34 Father forgive them

1. Why does God Forgive? The answers is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not parish but have everlasting life

• God Forgives because WE all Need Forgiveness (Isaiah 53:6 “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”).

• God forgives because we are ignorant of our wrong doings? Jesus said “They know not what they are doing”.

2. How can God Forgive Us? The old gospel song goes: “I can tell you the time, I can take you to the place, I cannot tell how nor can I tell you the why. But He tell me all about it in the by and by”

• How can it Be Lauren Diagle “I am guilty Ashamed of what I've done, what I've become These hands are dirty I dare not lift them up to the Holy one” You plead my cause You right my wrongs You break my chains You overcome You gave Your life To give me mine You say that I am free How can it be How can it be”

• God can Forgive because God’s passion is to see your comfort

2 Corinthians 1:3-4the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any troubles with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

• God forgives us because He so desires to take our Worries away

• Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

3. Where Does God forgive?

• God forgives where Sin is filthy King David: Committed sins of adultery, deception, and murder in the story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11 & 12). In the book of Samuel David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

• God Forgives where there is Discriminations Apostle Paul (formerly “Saul of Tarsus”): Murdered, Harassed, and Persecuted Christians in the early Church . Paul write to Timothy “I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.”

4. When does God Forgive?

• God forgives when we come to our senses The prodigal Son When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

• God forgives when we are at our worst "Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. But he did evil in the sight of the LORD he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. ... So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen." II Chronicles 33:1-10

• Although we see this stubborn king being more wicked than any before him, notice how he responds when he is punished by the Lord."Therefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God." II Chronicles 33:11-13

• The text continues, mentioning Manasseh destroyed all of the idols upon his return, repaired the Lord's altar, sacrificed peace and thanksgiving offerings, and commanded the people to worship God. This man was able to turn back to God, and God was willing to receive him back. How can we do more wickedly than this king, who among other evils sacrificed his own children to idols?

5. In conclusion,

Why does God forgive because we need forgiveness?