Father Forgive
Today we begin a new series. I want us to spend the next seven weeks examining each of the seven sayings of Christ upon the cross. The series will take us up to Easter Sunday and the resurrection. Three of these sayings we will look at were addressed to God the Father. Four of the sayings were addressed to people. Our text for this morning is found in the Gospel of Luke:
When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. Luke 23:33-34 (NASB)
A woman sat in a pastor's office and said, “I think I’m going to kill myself.” The pastor asked, “Why?” She said, “I don’t have any reason to live anymore.” She told the pastor how all of her friends had deserted her. How she couldn’t get a job. How she didn’t have any money. How everything that she valued in the world was gone. She even talked about her children—how they had deserted her too. She said, “Pastor, when I told my oldest son that I was thinking about killing myself, he said, 'Mom, why don’t you just go ahead and do it. No one really cares about you anyway. If you would go ahead and do it - that's one less thing I would have to worry about.’”
How do you forgive in a situation like that?
A man called his pastor on the phone and said, “Pastor, could I come see you?” As they sat together the story was told. He said, “My wife left me for another man a few years ago. It hurt like crazy. But after a while she got tired of him, so she decided to come back to me. I thought it was the right thing to do - so I let her come back. Everything seemed fine for a few months but then she left me again for the same man. She stayed with him for a while but then she came back a second time and I thought everything was going to be fine. But then she left me again after a few months ago. Every time she leaves it hurts me deeply - like I'm being stabbed in the chest with a butcher knife. She’s been with him for a while now. But she just called me up this morning and she said, 'I want to come back.' Pastor, I’m not sure I want her back. I don't want to go through that again. I can forgive somebody once or even twice but I’m not sure I can forgive her a third time.”
How do you forgive in a situation like that?
How do you forgive?
In our text today we find these words:
.... there they crucified Him.......
There is no great detail, just a simple statement - there they crucified him. We cannot begin to imagine the agony that Jesus endured while upon the cross. But we all know the story - don't we? The physical suffering would have been horrifying.
By the time he got to the cross he had been beaten within an inch of his life. His back had been torn to shreds by the whip. His face was disfigured and swollen where they had ripped out the beard by the roots. On his head a crown of thorns stuck under the skin. He was a shell of a man.
.... there they crucified Him.......
They laid the cross out on the ground and they laid the body of Jesus on it. He moved - he moaned - he didn’t do much. They pierced his hands and his feet by driving spikes through them all. New wounds - new blood - new pain.
.... there they crucified Him.......
What happened that day was horrendous. What happened that day was horrible. What happened that day was hideous. Yet Jesus said:
"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34a (NASB)
Folks - that leads me back to the original question: How do you forgive in a situation like that? Here is what Jesus does. He prays.
His prayer is short. His prayer is to the point:
"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
Let's examine the prayer of Jesus this morning:
It is a:
I. Prayer of RELATIONSHIP
Then Jesus said:
"Father."
What a powerful word this is coming from the lips of Jesus. It is the first word that was spoken by him as he hung on the cross. "Father." It is a word of relationship - beyond any other relationship. No one used this term like Jesus used this term. God the Father has an extremely intimate relationship with God the Son.
One of the mysteries that we know is that Jesus was fully God and yet he was fully man. He had a oneness with the Father yet at the same time he had a separateness from the Father. But no matter what he was going through he consistently looked to the Father. In the book of John Jesus says:
"I and the Father are one." John 10:30 (NASB)
Jesus spoke as being one with the Father. I like the fact that we can call God Father also - don't you? I like it when we can say together:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)
Who taught us to pray like this? Do you remember? Of course you do. Jesus did. He said when you pray - pray like this:
Our Father.....
He is our Father - because we can have a special relationship with him because His son Jesus Christ. The prophets of old did not pray in this manner. Abraham, Isaac or Jacob did not pray like this. Mosses did not pray like this. David did not pray like this. For centuries no one addressed God in such an intimate manner. Then Jesus the only begotten son cried out: "Father......"
As Christ hung upon the cross - robed in human flesh - wrongly accused and beaten - he prayed to the One he knew he could always count on: "Father......"
You see the prayer is about relationship. It is about faith and hope and trust. It's about knowing the One who knows us best. The One who will never leave us or forsake us. The One who will walk with us - even through the valley of shadow of death.
Jesus is hanging upon the cross. He is beaten. He is bloody. He was bruised. He could hardly move. But he still has power of the Father on his side. He could still cry out to the Father - and is what he did.
Father....... is a prayer of relationship. But that's not all - it is:
II. Prayer of FORGIVENESS
"Father, forgive.......
If this had been you or I hanging upon the cross - I don't think forgiveness would have been the first thing on our mind. Likely I would have prayed about the pain of the cross. I would have prayed about the injustice of the cross. I would have prayed that God would set things right. My prayers would have been directed toward my needs and my desires to escape my suffering.
But Christ is not concerned about his physical well being. He is not praying that the suffering might end. He is not seeking a means to escape this awful torture and death. He is praying for the needs of those who were responsible for His crucifixion.
"Father, forgive.......
Christ could’ve prayed for anything at that moment. He could have prayed, "Father, destroy them." He could have prayed, "Father, condemn them." But He didn't.
He could've prayed, "Father, take away the pain. Father, lessen my suffering. Father, give me strength." But He didn't.
He prayed for mankind's greatest need. He prayed for forgiveness.
"Father, forgive.......
He knew that people need forgiveness. It's the same today as it was back then. Oh sure - there are lots of people today who don't think they need forgiveness - but they do! There are those who have wronged someone. There are those who have hurt someone. There are those who have been mean and ugly. They know that they have been hurt themselves - yet they believe that they are tough enough to take it. The pain that has been inflicted by them and upon them could be forgiven. The pain could disappear. How sad it is that they don't know that there is forgiveness offered.
"Father, forgive.......
As Christ endured the torments of the cross, His genuine passion was revealed. His desire was to see men receive forgiveness. His desire was to see men receive salvation. His passion was to provide for their redemption. His passion was their forgiveness.
The Old Testament says it this way:
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
The first words from the cross are for forgiveness. They are for salvation. This prayer is a prayer of forgiveness but it is also a:
III. Prayer of IDENTITY
Who was Jesus talking about when he said, "Father, forgive them.....".
Who are the “them”?
I think it is those who are responsible for His death. Those who put him on the cross. Let me ask, "Who was responsible?"
Some would say, “It was the Roman soldiers.” They were ones who crucified Him. They are the ones who nailed Him to the cross. They are the ones who killed Him. It was their job - you know. They had the responsibility and task to make sure that the crucifixion was carried out in the proper manner. Yes they killed Jesus.
Some would say, "But wait a minute. All the soldiers were doing was carrying out the orders that were given to them." That is true - isn't it? The commander had order it. The commander made sure the mission was accomplished. He is the one who was responsible. Yes he killed Jesus.
But wait a minute - what about Pilate? Isn't Pilate partially to blame also? Isn't he the one who tried to wash his hands of the whole matter - but he still allowed Jesus to be taken to be crucified. Yes he helped kill Jesus.
Others would ask, “What about Judas? Didn’t Judas help kill Jesus? He was with Jesus for three and a half years and yet he betrayed Him.” Yes he helped kill Jesus too.
But what about all the leaders of the Jews that came to Jesus in the first place and wanted to see Him crucified? Aren't they guilty too? Aren't they the ones who wanted Jesus killed from the start? Aren't they the ones plotted to see him dead? Aren't they responsible for the death of Jesus? Yes they helped kill Jesus too. All of them are responsible.
But it doesn't stop there does it? Because there is a sense that all of us are "them" - too. No we did not live at the time when Jesus was alive - but all of us are guilty. All of us are responsible. All of us sent Jesus to the cross. For Jesus went to cross because of sin - and who sitting here today is sinless? All of us have fallen short of God's glory. The Bible says:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 (KJV)
And:
It is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." Romans 3:12 (ESV)
If forgiveness is to come - Jesus needed to go the cross. Hebrews tells us:
With blood almost all things are purified according to the law, and apart from blood-shedding forgiveness does not come.
Hebrews 9:22 (YLT)
It is my sin - it is your sin that sent Him to the cross.
And Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them....."
"Them" is us......
But the prayer is even more. It is a:
IV. Prayer of UNAWARENESS
"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34a (NASB)
Surely in this world there are those who had been exposed to truth. There are those who have heard the teachings of Jesus. They may even acknowledge that He was not like other man. They know that Jesus is special and yet they reject Him.
"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
There are those in this world who call themselves Christian - but they are really not. They may wear a cross around their neck - but it is only a piece of jewelry. They may even go to church on Sunday - but they live like the Devil on Monday. They don't take the teachings of Jesus seriously. In their hearts they have no concern or desire to be godly.
"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
There are many in this world who have no clue about the true nature of Christianity. They are unaware of God's plan for their lives. They are unaware that Jesus is the Messiah. They are unaware that Jesus is the Savior of the world. But they have not looked for Him - they have not sought Him. They are comfortable where they are at spiritually.
"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
Our Lord knows that He is the hope for all humanity. Apart from Him there is no forgiveness of sin. Without him all would remain condemned before God. Christ prayed for mercy upon sinful people, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
He wanted them to have the opportunity of salvation and forgiveness of sin.
And finally - it is:
V. Prayer of COMPLETENESS
Many who look upon Calvary’s hill see it as a failure. Jesus had talked about being the Son of God. He talked had about His kingdom reigning forever. He had even talked about life - eternal life. Now to them it appears that all this talk was all in vain. The whole thing appears to be nothing more than tragic mistake. There is no royal crown - only a crown of thorns. There are no crowds of followers - only a mob who cried for his crucifixion. Many might see this as the end of the story.
But the story doesn't there. We know the rest of the story - don't we? The world may not understand - but we do. We understand that Jesus was God’s Son. We understand that Jesus was faithful to the Father. We understand that Jesus was obedient to the Father. He was obedient even to death on a cross. We understand that by His death we have life - eternal life.
Jesus first words from the cross were:
"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34a (NASB)
Jesus last words from the cross were:
"It is finished." John 19:30 (ESV)
The sacrifice has been made. Forgiveness is offered. Salvation is offered.
At the beginning of the sermon I asked a question, "How do you forgive?" How do you forgive when the situation is horrible? How do you forgive when the situation is horrendous? How do you forgive when the situation is hideous? The answer is, "We forgive because Jesus did."
"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34a (NASB)
