Seven Sayings From The Cross-Father Forgive Them. (Hix)

Luke 23:34-Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Father-He doesn’t call Him, Almighty God, Supreme Judge, King Of All Ages, He calls Him Father, because this situation needed the love and kindness of a father, because of man’s wickedness!

Man has done all the evil they could to Him, first there was no room in the inn for Him to be born, then King Herod killed children looking for Him, the religious leaders have argued with Him, scoffed Him, condemned Him, accused Him, bribe His disciple, set up a mock trial with false witness, persuaded Pilate to crucify Him, they mock Him, and the soldiers have beat Him, slap Him, spit on Him, and gambled for His clothes.

So how does Jesus react to this? Does He cry out for mercy or pity? Does He proclaim judgment upon them?

No, He prays for them!

They cried out, “Crucify!” Jesus cries out, “Forgive!”

His hands that once healed the sick, now are nailed to a cross

His feet that had carried Him from one city to another to preach the gospel were now nailed to cross.

His lips that spoke the truth are going to be dry and cracked from dehydration!

He prays! What a lesson for us!!

When we are not able to help financial, or be there physically, we can pray!

When don’t have answer to their problem, we can pray!

When we don’t have the resources to help, we can pray!

When the physicians don’t know what to do, we can pray!

When all hope is lost, we can pray!

Maybe your health or maybe other demands upon your life, won’t allow to hold a position in the church, but you can pray!!!

Jesus is not only teaching us how to treat people who mistreat us (Bless those who persecute you) but also to pray for those seem unreachable!

Maybe you been praying for your wife, your husband, your parents, your child or children, but nothing has happened and it seem hopeless to pray any longer.

The answer to Jesus’ prayer came something like 53 days later.

Acts 3:13-17- The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.

But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

“Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Some of same people who cried out “Crucify Him!” are some of the same people who repent at Pentecost!

Maybe the soldier that slapped Him, or whipped Him, or drove the nails in His hands and feet, it may have been same soldier who said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”

Intercessory Prayer is like a missile that it can be armed with a delayed detonator.

We need to leave our children an inheritance of answered prayer.

God will be answering prayers we have prayed for our children.

Intercessory Prayer

This is a tremendous weapon for the church, there is absolutely no defense against it.

The devil has never invented anything to deter intercessory praying.

A lost person is defenseless against intercessory praying.

Some of you have invited lost people to church, and they don’t come.

Even when they do come they don’t have to listen. They can refuse to listen.

They can count the lights in the ceiling, flip through the hymnal, look around, play on their cell phone.

We can give them a tract. They can throw it away and refuse to pay any attention to it.

There is one thing, one weapon that there is no defense against, they cannot stop us from praying for them and God answering that prayer!!!