Father Forgive Them
Philadelphia Baptist Church
9/23/2007 Sun. a.m.
Father Forgive Them
Luke 23:32-49
Vs 34 “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
“And can it be that I should gain” page 203
Refrain: Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should’st die for me?
Introduction: Someone once said that you can truly know a man’s heart by his last words. If you knew today was your last, what words would come out of your mouth? If you were being led away to execution, what would you say? The perfection of Christ is magnificently displayed by His last words, seven phrases He said from the Cross. Today, we will look at the first phrase: “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
1. The Definition of Forgiveness. To forgive is to release another person from a debt that they owe me as a result of a wrong they have done against me. There are three elements to forgiveness.
First, I am wronged.
Second, there is a sense of debt, that person owes me something.
Third, forgiveness is releasing that person, canceling the debt. It is to say, “You hurt me, and there is a sense of debt and obligation that accompanies that hurt, but I release you, I forgive you, I cancel the debt.”
| “Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness, and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.” |
On the tombstone of Copernicus (15th Century Mathematician) is the following inscription:
I do not seek a kindness given Paul,
nor do I seek grace given to Peter.
But that forgiveness which thou didst grant to the robber, that earnestly I crave.
2. The Essence of Forgiveness. The essence of forgiveness is found in the first three words of this statement: Father, forgive them.
A. The Source of Forgiveness. The source of all forgiveness is God. Human beings cannot forgive the debt of sin that we owe to God. The church cannot forgive the debt of sin we owe to God. Religious ceremonies and liturgies cannot forgive the debt of sin we owe to God. Only one person can forgive sin.
B. The Means of Forgiveness. Who is making this request? Jesus. God is the source of forgiveness, God cancels the debt, we owe the debt to God, but the means of that forgiveness is through Jesus Christ. In fact, the name Jesus means savior. He came to this earth to suffer and to die and to rise again so that through Jesus the Savior we could be forgiven by a holy God.
C. The Benefactors of Forgiveness. Father, forgive them. It’s God forgiving human beings, you and me. Father, forgive them. So you have the essence of forgiveness.
| Clogged PipesSuppose you went into a restroom to find a commode had been used again and again without anyone having bothered to flush it. Suppose, being a brave (or desperate) soul, you edged close enough to flush it. But the drain was so clogged that the water backed up, spilling the entire mess across the floor. That’s a picture of a human heart that refuses to flush away its anger, resentment, and bitterness. The unhealthy debris builds up and backs up until the person’s life becomes toxic and repulsive. It spills into other people’s lives. That’s why Ephesians 4:32 tells us to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave each of us. Colossians 3:8-14 tells us to rid ourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice … Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. The grace of God demonstrated in Jesus Christ is a plunger that can unclog the heart and clear the pipes. Discover the power of forgiveness!! |
3. Questions About the Forgiveness of Christ from the Cross. This statement raises some difficult theological and moral issues; issues like, who is Jesus forgiving? Of what are they forgiven? Does God forgive people without people asking forgiveness? If these people are forgiven, does that then mean that they are “off the hook with God”? Let’s look at these questions.
A. Who Is Jesus Forgiving? In this passage, Jesus has a specific group in mind. Is He speaking of religious leaders or the crowds? The context actually makes it very clear. Verse 32 tells us that when they arrived at Golgotha, they crucified Him, that is, the Roman soldiers. That group of soldiers was assigned the military duty to crucify all of these criminals. They were doing their duty.
B. Of What Did Jesus Forgive Them? The Father certainly would have unbelievable wrath towards those who crucify the image of His glory! Jesus forgave them of their crucifixion, their execution of Himself.
C. Does God Forgive People Without Their Asking? The answer is no. The Bible makes it clear that we must confess our sins to God to be forgiven (1 John 1:9). The principle of both Old and New Testament is that forgiveness is premised on confession and repentance with one historical exemption: at the foot of the cross where Jesus, on the cross, asks the Father not to hold this sin of crucifixion against the soldiers who nailed Him to the cross.
D. Were the Soldiers Off the Hook with God? Were they forgiven of all of their sins? No. It only means that Jesus asked that this one sin of crucifixion not be held against them. They were, like we are, fully responsible and accountable to God for all of the sins that they had committed.
E. Why Did Jesus Specifically Forgive This Sin? First, Jesus was simply practicing what He had preached. This was entirely consistent with His teaching (Matt. 5:43–48). Second, Christ was offering a model, an example for all believers. When we are misrepresented, rejected, persecuted, and unjustly treated, our response must be like that of our Savior.
Conclusion: So I ask you a question: what about the people who have wronged me, or oppose me, or harass me? What is my response to them? If we will practice the forgiveness of Christ, people will begin to ask us the reason of the hope which lies within us.