Forgive Them - Sunday, April 5, 2020

Forgive Them Sunday, April 5, 2020
“But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they are doing.’”
Luke 23:34, NASB


The scene at this point is pretty bleak. There has been a betrayal, an arrest, a sham trial, beatings, and a death sentence. God calls for justice among His people (Micah 6.8), and these leaders of His people seem to know nothing of the term. Now, Jesus has been paraded through Jerusalem, a crown of thorns thrust upon His head, and nailed to a Roman cross. The most extreme form of execution and torture is playing out in front of the Jews. To add insult, the Roman guard is now playing a dice game to see who gets to claim the clothes Jesus had been wearing.
It is right in the middle of this dreadful scene that Jesus speaks His first words from the Cross. He says, “Forgive them.” There are 1,000 things I could muster to say before this phrase crosses my mind if I am the one on the cross. I think you are in the same boat as me here. How often do we struggle to offer or come up with words of forgiveness for much smaller offenses? 
The second part of Jesus’ statement is confusing, if we do not know the story of redemption that God is writing on the Cross. Jesus gives the reason for His call of forgiveness as “they don’t know what they are doing.” It would seem that they knew exactly what they were doing. If “they” refers to the chief priests, they knew they were charging a man with blasphemy. If “they” refers to the Roman guard, they knew they were executing a Jewish outlier. However, if “they” refers to humanity, then we didn’t know what we were doing. We are all in sin, whether we recognize it or not.

God has been writing this story of redemption for centuries. The culmination happens in the death and resurrection of Christ and the final chapter is at His return. It is in this story that we find ourselves to be lost and insufficient. Jesus’ call here for God to offer forgiveness is a compassionate demonstration that the actions of the chief priests, of Herod, of Pilate, and of the Roman guard were nothing less than Him fulfilling what God knew had to be done. If there is no sin, there is no Cross. But, if there is no Cross, there is no forgiveness for our sins.
Maybe you can think of Jesus crying out in this way, “Father, forgive people the ignorance of their sin. We are paying for their forgiveness now. If they come to You through Me, let them in.” Afterall, while we were still sinners, Christ died (Rom. 5.12). But, it is while we were sinners that Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them.”
Pray: Lord God, I thank you that my sins could be forgiven. Your Son, Jesus Christ, paid my cost. Please show me how to be compassionate towards others as you were compassionate toward me. Use me to bring others to this forgiveness. It is only through Jesus that this is possible.



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