The Heart of Forgiveness
Luke 23:34
Good morning, I want to start out today with a story…
Imagine this: A mother stands in a courtroom, face-to-face with the man who murdered her only son. The room is silent, thick with tension. Everyone expects her to demand justice … maybe even vengeance. But instead, her voice breaks through the silence: "I forgive you." The man crumbles, Tears stream down his cheeks. The weight of his guilt meets the unexpected force of grace … and it undoes him.
How does someone do that? How do you forgive the unforgivable? It feels impossible … until we remember the cross. Jesus, battered and bleeding, looked down at those who mocked Him and yet He didn’t curse them… He didn’t condemn them… He forgave them. That same power to forgive is offered to us today.
I. Forgiveness Begins in the Heart
Let’s look at Luke 23:34 … Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.
Jesus, hanging there, suffering on the cross, didn’t lash out or curse His executioners. Instead, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Jesus wasn’t waiting for an apology. He didn’t need them to feel sorry first. Forgiveness wasn’t about them at all, it was about His heart, it was about His obedience to the Father.
That’s where forgiveness starts, in the heart. It’s a decision … a willingness to release the offense, even when the other person doesn’t deserve it, even when they haven’t changed. Forgiveness is an act of faith, It’s trusting that God will handle the justice, and that our hearts deserve peace more than they deserve revenge.
I’ll be honest … this isn’t easy. I remember having to forgive my own father, even after he had passed away. He was never going to say “I’m sorry.” He wasn’t going to make it right. But God wasn’t asking me to wait for that. He was asking me to let go of the weight. And when I did? The freedom was unbelievable. (feel free to use this if you like)
Forgiveness Reflects God’s Character
You see, Jesus wasn’t just forgiving the Roman soldiers … He was showing us the heart of God. From Adam and Eve to the Prodigal Son, God has always been a God of mercy.
Ephesians 4:32 reminds us, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
When Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them,’ He wasn’t just speaking to the soldiers. He was speaking to all of us. He knew our sin, our mistakes, and He still chose mercy. That’s the forgiveness we’re called to reflect." We forgive because we’ve been forgiven. It’s that simple … and it’s that hard.
Forgiveness isn’t natural… It’s supernatural. It’s not in our human nature to let go of betrayal or pain. But that’s why God sent the Holy Spirit … He sent the Holy Spirit to empower and enable us to extend grace.
Let me ask you something … When people see how you handle being wronged what do they see? Do they see a reflection of God’s grace? Or do they see bitterness?
Forgiveness Transforms Relationships
Can I give you a hard learned truth this morning? Unforgiveness doesn’t just hurt the other person … it poisons us. It hardens our hearts, it steals our joy, and it builds walls. So, what does forgiveness do? Forgiveness breaks chains and it brings freedom … sometimes to the other person… but always to us...It always brings freedom to us.
Not every relationship will be restored … and that’s okay. But here's what's important ... forgiveness restores you.
There’s a story about a young man named Chris. His sister was killed by a drunk driver. Chris spent years trapped in bitterness, hating the man who took his sisters life. One day, Chris realized that his unforgiveness wasn’t punishing the man … it was punishing him. So He wrote a letter to the man in prison, telling him he forgave him and when they eventually met face to face, Chris extended his hand and said, “I’m free now … and I want you to know that you can be too.” That man found Jesus in prison, and it started with forgiveness.
If Jesus could forgive on the cross… if Chris could forgive that man… what’s stopping us?
Conclusion:
Who do you need to forgive? What hurt do you continue to hold on to?
Listen when I say this … Forgiveness doesn’t excuse the wrong… It doesn’t pretend the pain wasn’t real… It simply means you have decided not to let that pain define you anymore.
Let me leave you with this image: (take a straight chair and sit it beside the cross)
Picture an empty chair beside you … and Jesus sitting in it. He’s listening as you tell Him why you can't forgive that person. He nods; he understands your pain. Then He asks, ‘Will you trust Me with this hurt? Will you forgive, not because they deserve it, but will you do it because I forgave you?’ (pause a moment)
What’s your answer going to be?
Forgiveness is what sets you free. Remember that mother in the courtroom? Her forgiveness wasn’t weakness … it was strength, the kind of strength that can only come from a heart surrendered to God. That same strength is waiting for you today." Life is to short to hang on to the hurts and pains…
"When you stand before God one day… what if He forgave you the way you forgive others? Would you hear ‘Well done, My good and faithful servant’? Or would He see a heart still chained to bitterness? Remember … forgiveness doesn’t excuse the wrong… but it does release you from its power. Don’t let someone else’s sin hold you captive any longer."
Closing / Invitation
We’ve talked a lot about forgiveness today … the kind that starts in the heart, reflects God’s character, and transforms our lives. But now it’s time to make it personal.
I want you to close your eyes for a moment. Who is it you need to forgive, what is it that you need to let go of… Maybe it’s someone from years ago… Maybe it’s someone close to you, Or maybe... it’s yourself. I want you to picture Jesus standing beside you. He’s not angry. He’s not disappointed. He’s looking at you, his eyes full of love … the same love that held Him to the cross when He said, “Father, forgive them.”
Now He’s asking you: “Will you trust Me with this? Will you lay it down? Will you choose freedom today?”
If you’re holding onto unforgiveness, Jesus invites you to come and lay that burden down… He’s saying you don’t have to carry it anymore, give it to Me…
If you need to forgive someone, come and pray. If you need God’s strength to take the first step, come and ask. If you need to experience God’s forgiveness for yourself, the cross is still enough… and Jesus is waiting with arms wide open.
Don’t leave today still chained to bitterness and pain, Freedom is here. Grace is here. Jesus is here… Let’s Pray
