Father, Forgive Them Series

6. And yet, there is something familiar about these who hung Jesus on the cross. Almost as though when I look at them, I see myself. For I am certain that Jesus would have made me uncomfortable. Jesus would have challenged my views and made me question my understanding of God, especially when I thought I had God all figured out. So at the same time that I think perhaps Jesus should have prayed something like, “Father, let me come home and forget the cross, it just won’t work.” I find myself really glad that Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” Because when He prayed that prayer, it was for me and it was for you.

7. And the whole act of hanging on the cross was a way of demonstrating God’s forgiveness to us. The very first words Christ said on the cross were the very reason He was there to begin with. To ask the Father to forgive us. But here is the good news for many today. Christ’s cry, “Father, forgive them” has not only been spoken from the cross. But every minute of every hour of every day, Christ calls out on our behalf. Christ asks His Father to forgive the one who places His trust in Christ. Jesus asks God to forgive the one who is willing to admit their sinfulness. Christ agrees with the Father to forgive the one who has really messed up their lives with drugs or alcohol or sexual immorality, divorce, abortion, or any other lifestyle that contradicts the will of God when they come to Him and throw themselves on His mercy.

8. You see, if anybody could really be blamed for messing up, it would be Judas who gave Jesus away for practically nothing. Or Peter who denied knowing Christ at all. Or the soldiers who dragged Jesus from court to court, Pilate and Herod. Or the soldiers who flogged Him. Or those who spit at Him, or those who placed the thorns on His head, or those who taunted Him and yelled obscenities at Him. Or those who hammered the nails into His hands and His feet. Or those who manipulated the crowds to demand the crucifixion of Jesus. If anyone could be considered to have really messed up big time, it would be these.

9. And yet, even for these, Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” If Christ can forgive those who were most to blame for putting Him through a terrible and painful death like that, isn’t it possible that He can forgive you? Isn’t it possible that if we want to compare sins and faults that you’ve not put Christ to death on a cross and if you haven’t done that, you maybe haven’t messed up as badly as you might think and that in spite of whatever it is you have done, Christ can indeed forgive you? And more than that wants to forgive you? Is it possible that Christ’s prayer, “Father, forgive him. Father, forgive her.” Is being said for you right now? Why not come and experience either for the first time, or perhaps you need to feel His forgiveness again. As we sing our closing song, I want to encourage you, if you want Christ to seek His Father on your behalf, don’t wait. Come to the altar as we sing this closing song and open yourself up to what He wants to do in you and through you. Let’s sing. Hymn #243.