A Word Of Divine Forgiveness

Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
April 14, 2002 P.M.

A Word Of Divine Forgiveness

Reading - Luke 23.33-38

Jesus hung on the cross for six hours... From nine in the morning until three in the afternoon. During that time He spoke seven short sentences. It is interesting to note the circumstances surrounding these seven final phrases... For instance...
- The first three statements were uttered in broad daylight...
- While four were uttered in absolute... unnatural... unexplainable darkness.

All seven of these statements had to do with relationships...
- The first three had to do with His horizontal relationship with others... His fellow man.
- While the last four had to do with His vertical relationship with God.
- The first three dealt with His compassion for others.
- His last four dealt with His own suffering... And the meaning of His death.

An individual's last words are often of great interest... importance... and significance.
- Loved ones stand close...
- Stay quiet in anticipation...
No one wants to miss their final... parting thoughts.

Go with me now to the Roman place of crucifixion... It was well known to everyone in Jerusalem. This barren... rocky outcropping above the city was called KRANIUS in the Greek. Kranius is the Greek word from which we get our word cranium. It meant the place of the skull, because from a distance it resembled a human skull. In Hebrew... It is called GOLGOTHA... In Latin it was CALVARY.

Let us draw near and listen closely to the very first words Jesus utters at the cross...
FATHER FORGIVE THEM... FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

This first statement by Jesus is a prayer... An intercessory statement on behalf of those who were responsible for what was happening to Him. You see, when man had done his worst, Jesus prayed...
- Not for retaliation...
- Not for retribution...
- Not for revenge...
- Not for justice...
- But for mercy... for the guilty party.
He prayed that His enemies would be exempt from the consequences of their evil deeds. He didn't pray this prayer after His wounds had healed... But while they were still occurring.
Amazing Grace!!

Years later... Peter wrote this about this moment: When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He bore our sins on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.

Note with me three interesting observations about this prayer for forgiveness:

First... These words are a fulfillment of Scripture... of Prophecy.
Seven hundred years before the cross... Isaiah wrote... After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great... Because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many... (WATCH IT NOW)... He bore the sins of many... and made intercession for the transgressors. With this first statement from the cross... Jesus fulfilled that part of Isaiah's prophecy.

The second interesting thing about this statement is that it is a continual action. The Greek construction and verbiage implies that Jesus kept on repeating the words... Father forgive them... Father forgive them... Father forgive them... The NASV affirms this by saying in verse 34... But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
- Perhaps as they drove the nails... He was saying... Father for give them....
- When they nailed His feet... He was saying... Father forgive them...
- When they lifted the timber into the hole with flesh tearing pain... He was saying... Father
forgive them.
- As they gambled for his clothing... He was saying... Father forgive them.
Even though He was suffering pain at the hands of His enemies... He prayed for them.
Amazing Love... Mercy... and Grace.

OK... Let's note each idea expressed by Jesus in this prayer and see what we can learn.

Jesus addresses this prayer to His Father. Jesus came bringing the FATHERHOOD of God in a real sense. The Jews of old never visualized God as their Father, except in broad symbolism. But Jesus came teaching that God was His Father... and that He is our Father. Jesus is the one who came teaching that we pray... Our Father who art in heaven. Jesus came saying... If your earthly fathers know how to give good gifts...
- If they will provide for you...
- Protect and sustain you...
- If they will accompany you in trouble...

How much more does your Father know how to give good gifts. QUESTION!!...
- When we are being crucified...
- When we are being poured out...
- When we are at the end of our rope...
- When people are unfriendly and abusing us... taking advantage of us...
Are we found taking this problem to our Father?... I hope so.

Notice something here... As far as we can determine... All have abandoned Jesus except ONE!!... His father. Church... We must know tonight that regardless of...
- How dark the moment...
- How lonely the road...
- How severe the pain...
- How uncertain tomorrow...
God will never leave us... This is His promise by the Psalmist and repeated by the Hebrews writer... HE WILL never forsake us.

And listen to this... His promise is to answer our prayers... And... OR... To work all things out to our benefit... To our betterment. Now church... I don't know what all that means for sure... But I do know that we can trust Him explicitly. You see, God took this moment of pain and uncertainty and turned it into a blessing for Jesus... And a blessing for you and me here tonight. I wonder what He can and will do in answer to our prayers when we are being hurt and abused by others? You see... When we can't see the hand of God working in our life... Go to Him in prayer. Then trust Him to treat us as a Father would His child... Because that is what we are.

Secondly... Jesus asked for God to forgive them.

It is interesting to note that, up to this point in His life, Jesus had never asked the Father to forgive anyone. Did you know that? It is true that at certain times while on this earth, He did forgive sins Himself. Jesus said to the paralytic... Take courage... My son... Your sins are forgiven. Then He said... He did this so that the world might know that He had the power to forgive sins. But now... He appeals to the Father in heaven to forgive them.

This is an amazing request isn't it?
- If someone beat us with leather straps which had stones and metal tied to the ends...
- If someone pressed a crown of sharp thorns on our head...
- If someone stripped us naked for all the world to see...
- If someone brutally hit us in the face with their fist and open hands...
- If they spat in our face...
- If they drove square iron spikes into our hands and feet...
- If they crucified us on a cross...
Be honest now... Would we pray... Father forgive them?

Church... How can we say yes...
- When we can't forgive the guy who cut us off at the intersection?
- When we can't forgive the sister who didn't speak to us in tones we thought she should have used at the store?
Indeed... What an amazing prayer... And what an amazing heart behind the prayer

You see church... Anyone can love the lovely and lovable... Anyone can forgive the forgivable. But genuine followers... True disciples of Jesus are unique.... holy... set-apart people. We are called to love the unlovely... To forgive the unforgivable. Church... In this life... Perhaps nothing has a greater impact on those around us than when we forgive those who mistreat us and abuse us... Telling them we forgive.

The third part of Jesus' statement is the object of His prayer. Father forgive THEM for THEY do not know what they are doing. Who are the THEM??.. Who are the THEY??

ONE... The unbelieving Jews.... The Scribes... The Pharisees... The Sanhedrin... All of those who called for His arrest, trial and crucifixion. I mean the Sanhedrin knew that they had bribed false witnesses to make the charges stick. They were guilty... And they knew that they were guilty.

SECONDLY... The Romans were guilty... They were the ones who carried out this crime against an innocent man. Pilate is the one who sentenced Him... Pilate knew he had condemned an innocent man. He knew he had given in to a blood thirsty mob. Harod mocked Him... The soldiers drove the nails. The Romans were guilty of killing the Son of God. Yet... Jesus prays for their forgiveness.

We must point out tonight that this kind of forgiveness... This kind of attitude is not within human nature... But is a fruit of the Spirit. Only a transformed heart... a metamorphosed heart... a child of God, could pray for their enemies. Only one who loved others with an agape love could utter such words... And indeed we see just this occurring as they stoned Stephen. God help us to forgive and pray for all... Even those who prosecute us.

Then, number four.. Jesus said... For they know not what they do.

Just what Didn't they know? Yes... The Sanhedrin knew what they were doing... Killing one who said He was the Messiah... One whom they were jealous of... and politically afraid of.
Yes... Pilate knew he had sentenced an innocent man to die.
Yes... The unbelieving Jews in the crowd knew that they were making fun of a righteous man.
- What they Didn't know was the significance of their act... The enormity of their crime.
- What they Didn't know was that they were killing the Son of God... The Creator or the universe.
- What they Didn't know was that they were killing the One who came to forgive them... Save them.
- What they Didn't know was that they were killing the promised Messiah.
The reason we know that they Didn't know is from Peter's statement in Acts 3.15-17... You put to death the Prince of Life, the one whom God raised from the dead... I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.

Someone asked... Well... Was Jesus' prayer answered... It certainly was....
- Right before their eyes that day two men confess Jesus...
- The thief on the cross who said... Remember me when you come into your kingdom.
- The Centurion who said... Surely this was the Son of God.
- Many of those on the day of Pentecost... Who had mocked Him... Or perhaps participated in His death responded to Peter's first Gospel sermon.
- In Acts 6.7 we find... The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. Perhaps and probably... The same priests who did not believe at the crucifixion.

You see... Jesus prayed for the lost... And His prayer was answered... SO... SO... We should be praying for the lost. Praying for the lost whom we may not even know. And... like Jesus... we should expect our prayers to be answered... because we are doing all we can within God's will to effect that answer. You see, Jesus not only prayed for their forgiveness, He died to make it possible. Are we willing to pray for the lost... and then do all we can to make their forgiveness possible? Sobering thoughts... RIGHT?

Well... Let's finish the lesson with some quick lessons for us....

This narrative tells us that ignorant sin is still sin... and must be treated as such. These people were ignorant of the significance and enormity of their sins. Yet they were guilty before God... And were destined to suffer the consequences of their acts, had they not responded to the Gospel. This idea is affirmed by Paul in Second Thessalonians 1.6-9... Where he writes... God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God... And ... Those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.

Church... What an awesome responsibility this places on us...
- To study the scriptures...
- To know what God expects of us
- To make sure that all our sins... Sins of ignorance and intentional sins are both covered by the blood of Jesus.

Secondly... We must know that we were a participant at the cross.
Not only did Jesus pray for those of His day and time... Those who participated that day in His crucifixion... He prayed and died for us. Listen carefully as I read these words form Colossians 2.13-14... When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

The Hebrews writer alludes to the fact in Hebrews chapter 6... That when we sin... When we turn our backs on God in rebellious acts... We crucify Him afresh... Anew... Again and Again. God help us to understand that INDEED, our guilt of sin makes us each one participants in His crucifixion.

Then finally tonight... Jesus is our example in absolute forgiveness.

Listen to these scriptures...
Matthew 5.38-48... You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 6.12-15... Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.' For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Romans 12.17-21... Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 5.10-12... Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Amazing, isn't it, that Jesus was not like some of we preachers. He practiced what He preached...
- He turned the other cheek...
- He loved His enemies...
- He prayed for His enemies...
- He never made any attempt at retaliation... But allowed God to be the avenger....
- In fact, He forgave and saved His enemy.

You see church... This idea of Forgiveness sounds like a marvelous idea until we are the one who has to do it... RIGHT?? God Help us become more like Him... Amen??... Amen!!

If you are here tonight... and would like to be forgiven of all your past and present sins... You can be... By faith... Repentance... And by New Testament baptism.

Perhaps as a child of God... We need to acknowledge some sin to God. Peter says... He is just... and if you will do that He will forgive us.

Come to Jesus... Come enjoy absolute... total forgiveness... As we stand and sing together.
Will you come??