The Last Words

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Last words mean something,

They can show the heart of someone

They can be a last request

they can be important Instructions

or they can be what the person wants the world to see the importance of something

I wanted to share a couple of last words

They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance”: General John Sedgwick. In a very ironic situation, these were Segdewick’s last words before being shot under by a Confederate sniper

Die, why that’s the last thing I’ll do”: Groucho Marx.The American humorist quipped this before dying of pneumonia

Hey, fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? ‘French fries. James French, a convicted murderer, had this to say to a reporter about his impending execution by electric chair.

Jesus did not waste His words not one word through His ministry, and while on the cross this did not change.

Today we are going to start a series leading up to Resurrection Sunday called Last Words

Today we are going to talk about

Father Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do.

Let’s break this up a bit, I want to start with Father

Jesus similarly starts this prayer much like “Our Father”

What is interesting about Jesus calling God Father is that in contrast to the Old Testament this was really done

Elohim is used 2600 times

Yahweh appears 6828 times

Adonai appears 439 times

the word (OF) the Hebrew word for Father is used only about 15 times when talking about God

What does this all mean?

Well the High Priests in the Old Testament, even them would not use (Of) well referring to God.

But we are told to call God this

Matthew 6:9–13 NIV

“This, then, is how you should 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 today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

As Christians we can call God Father, but we should not be so flippant in calling God Father. This is something special, and we should have reverence when addressing God.

Forgive Them

This part of the Jesus last words is such a beautiful moment. Jesus in extreme pain, facing death in a matter of moments stops and Asks God to forgive the very people that are in the process of killing him.

Think about this for a moment

Jesus that knew no sin

2 Corinthians 5:21a NIV

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us.

in the midst of His the pain of the

Scourging that made the cross that much worse,

and the pain of the nails,

and the crown of thrones,

in the pain of the betrayal,

and the abandonment,

He uses one of His few breathes He has left, pushes Himself up to be able to speak and asks God to Forgive them.

If you want to be more like Jesus, you have to forgive

We are told time and time again to forgive

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Jesus even ties forgiveness to ourias

Mark 11:25 NIV

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

And in Matthew, it gets even more serious

Matthew 6:14–15 NIV

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

We are commanded to forgive and Jesus lead this example on the cross.

If you want to be like Jesus you have to forgive.

This is such a big deal, this is something not to take lightly

out of the seven last words that Jesus spoke, Forgive them was one of them and being the amount of effort and pain it took to say this we should be listening and acting on this.

Don’t think that I am just preaching at you, I am preaching to me too.

Forgiveness is not easy, the truth is people hurt us

People have lied to us

people have let us down

people have intentionally hurt us

people have unintentionally hurt us

people have done things that are unimaginable to us

But Jesus tells us to forgive them

Jesus is literally dying, taking His last breathes and He uses one of those last breathes to say, Father, Forgive them.

We should be learning from that, this should be shaping our lives

Consider the moment when Jesus hung on the cross, His last words resonating in the air, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' This profound expression of mercy amidst unfathomable pain serves as a model. It reminds us that forgiveness is not contingent on the actions of others but is a deliberate choice we make, something we can call upon in our toughest moments. Forgiveness is an act of strength that mirrors the heart of Christ.

Is Forgiveness Shaping Our Lives?

Is there someone that we need to forgive?

Are we holding on to that offense?

Are we letting it mold us?

I want to share a couple of quotes from a couple of Church fathers that drives this home

Nothing makes us so like God as our readiness to forgive the wicked and wrongdoers. St. John Chrysostom (349–407 AD)

If we say Christ is our Lord, then we need to act Like Him in our lives. Jesus for gave them on the Cross, BUT, Christ was on the cross for the forgiveness of OUR sins. and He tells us to forgive others and there is a pretty scary part of the verse

Matthew 6:14–15 NIV

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

God take forgiveness pretty seriously

If you are suffering from a bad man's injustice, forgive him—lest there be two bad men. St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD)

If we are in disobedience to God and unforgiving, we are now in sin as well.

When we respond to evil with resentment or revenge, we allow that evil to take root in us.

We are now in sin as well. We are harboring that resentment in us, we dwell in it, it pulls us away from God, we worry more about that offense than we worry about being more like Christ.

Romans 12:21 NIV

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

What is Good, that is to Forgive

Lord’s Table

Matthew 26:26–28 NIV

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.