Last time we had Bible study, we discussed what was happening during the week before the crucifixion. His week we’ll begin to look at the seven things Jesus said during the crucifixion beginning with This statement, “Father, forgive them they don’t know what they’re doing!”
When Jesus was put on the cross, He made seven
statements. We’re going to look at each
statement to see what that speaks to us.
(Luke 23:33-35)
And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."
So as He was being crucified, He looked out at those who had
cried out for Him to be crucified and asked God to forgive them.
This was an important message to those that were there. He
spoke to them many times about forgiveness.
1)
As He
teaches them to pray:
(Matthew 6:8-13)
"Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
“Forgive our debts as we forgive others.”
2)
He
explains the forgiveness part of the prayer:
(Matthew 6:14-15)
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
If we won’t forgive, we can’t expect forgiveness.
3)
How often should we forgive?
(Mat 18:21-22)
Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother
sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him,
"I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Now before we get out our calculators and determine that 7
times 70 is 490, so that’s all we have to forgive, let me explain that what
that really means is ALWAYS! We need to forgive always.
4)
Love your enemies and pray for them, forgive
them.
(Luke 6:35-37)
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Love your enemies.
How easy is that to do. Pray for
them. God is our example. He is kind to the unthankful and evil. This is difficult, but it is expected. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Maybe not by your enemies but by God.
How many of us pray for those who treat us badly?
(Luke 6:28)
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
Pastor Gene LaValley, (from our church in Toronto, Canada)
told a story of him and his brothers as children tormenting a young Christian
girl. They teased her, and mocked her
and made her cry. They were not saved in
those days. He said that she got her
revenge on them. She prayed for them and now both of them are preachers.
The Power of Forgiveness
As we see Jesus on the cross, He calls out a powerful
prayer, “Father forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing.” What a powerful example of loving your
enemies.
We have a difficult time forgiving people for small
things. “He yelled at me!” “He hurt my
feelings.” “She broke up with me!” “He said something that embarrassed me.”
Sometimes things happen that are big things, “I loaned him
money and he didn’t pay me back.” “He
borrowed my car and wrecked, and didn’t reimburse me.” “He cheated on me with
another woman.” Those are difficult
things to forgive.
At conference one year, a woman told a story about her
son. There were three young men who
caused her son, also a young man, to lose his life. There was a trial and the three boys were
convicted of negligently causing an action resulting in the death. They were minor and sentenced to a youth
prison. This mother, at the sentencing
part of the trial, stood up and declared that she forgave the boys who were
being sentenced. Then she went to the prison
faithfully to visit them, she prayed for them, and she witnessed to them. All three of them got saved and eventually
were pastors in our fellowship.
Jesus, on the cross serves as a powerful example of
forgiveness.
(Luke 23:35-38)
And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God." The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself." And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Think about this:
These people called out for Him to be crucified. Crucifixion is the most brutal form of
execution ever devised by man. Basically,
you die from blood loss and suffocation over many hours. While He hung there, people mocked him,
sneered at him, called out things to Him.
They offered Him vinegar to drink, told Him if He was the chosen of God,
to save Himself.
He’s there looking out at them, hearing them, knowing what
they’ve done and still He calls out for forgiveness. If you were in the process of being murdered,
could you cry out for your murderer’s forgiveness.
The forgiveness of the three young men by the woman I spoke
about resulted in their conversion and salvation. Look at this.
One of the Roman guards who witnessed the crucifixion and
saw all that happened that day said this:
(Mat 27:54)
So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding
Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared
greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
They had doubted and mocked, the saw the things that
happened on the cross. They saw the
earthquake and the sun go dark. They saw
and heard Him cry out for forgiveness and the other things. This one centurion calls out “Truly, this was
the Son of God.”
Can You Forgive?
As you can see, we are expected to forgive. The Bible even tells us that if we can’t
forgive others, we can’t receive forgiveness ourselves.
(Matthew 6:14-15)
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
I want to leave you with a parable: (I will read
this)
(Matthew 18:24-35)
And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
Jesus spoke this parable when Peter asked Him how often he
should forgive. The pint of the parable
is that we have been forgiven much by God.
Our sin put Jesus on the cross, we are as guilty as those who called out
for His crucifixion. We have a choice whether or not we will act like the “wicked
servant” or not.
I know how I was before I was saved. I knew I was a sinner. I knew that what I was
doing was a violation. I grew up in a
catholic school, so I was taught those things.
I made choices. I know that God
forgave me much. I had to learn to
forgive.
(Ephesians 4:32)
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
(Luke 7:47)
Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."
I want to say one last thing. I know forgiveness of other people is
difficult. We all have hurts and
sufferings that are caused by others.
Forgiveness is for you. It releases you from carrying the bitterness and
hurt that you’ve been laboring under.
When we dwell on all the hurts it can lead to depression and other
things, like hatred, bitterness, suicide all of that. I’m speaking from experience here. Forgiveness us for you.
If someone hurt you unintentionally, they don’t even realize
it. If they hurt you intentionally, then
they don’t care. But you can release
that pain by forgiving them.
A lot of the times we think forgiveness means we have to go
back to the way it was, but the relationship may change. For example, if I loan you my car and you
wreck it and then call me up and tell me, “Your car is in the junk yard and you
owe a towing fee.” If they don’t make it
right, I still have to forgive them, but I don’t have to let them borrow my car
again. I may not even hang out with them
anymore, but I’m not going to harbor anger and hatred in my heart. I can still
be polite and not get angry if I see them or hear their voice or someone else
mentions them.
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