Come and join us at our Good Friday Service at Deliverance Jesus Is Coming Church, where Bishop Vanessa Everett is our Pastor. Each speaker delivered a powerful message on the Last Seven Sayings of Christ. They serve as a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for humanity. I pray each one inspires you to reflect on the significance of this day. Stream Live Service!
I will share my message here.
And Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34, AMP
Forgive means to pardon. God’s not counting our sins against us.
Death by crucifixion was a brutal and inhuman way to punish an offender. And during Jesus’ most agonizing and horrific time of His life, He asked His Father to forgive all those who orchestrated His demise. That included the crowd who chose Barabbas over Him and said crucify Him. He asked forgiveness for the Roman soldiers who arrested him, hit him with their fists, and beat him. They even mocked and humiliated Christ, then nailed Him on the cross. He even asked for forgiveness because of the two thieves. And likewise, forgive the religious leaders who carried out His arrest and trial.
He submitted and showed compassion in the face of extreme injustice. Why? Why would He do something so utterly ridiculous when He could have as easily commanded a legion of angels, which would have been 6,000 or more, to recuse Him?
The answer is that they do not know what they are doing.
1. Jesus understood those responsible for His death were doing so out of ignorance and had no clue about the full implications of their actions.
2. He put into practice what He taught in The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:43-44, You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Here we have Jesus, who is persecuted by the prosecutors and asks God to forgive them. Sweet Jesus! Are you ready to drink from the cup that Jesus drank from?
His message challenges us to forgive 70 x 7. On earth as it is in heaven because in heaven there is no unforgiveness, but forgiveness takes center stage. While on the cross, Jesus interceded for the sinners by living out the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12; which says, Yet He, Himself bore and took away the sin of many, And interceded [with the Father] for the transgressors.
Say what? Yes, just like Jesus, who was not guilty, forgave all of them, we must forgive, regardless of the severity of their offenses. It does not mean a person should not be held accountable for their actions. Nor should you act as though nothing happened. Still, when you forgive, you set your soul free to be who God created you to be. When you practice unforgiveness, getting even, and paying back, you give the one who wronged you power over a part of your life. Nobody would have that type of control over you.
Likewise, the scars of unforgiveness are bitterness, resentment, anger, oppression, and depression. However, the blessings of forgiveness include compassion, empathy, patience, humility, and gratitude. So, do you want to be free or hold yourself hostage and forfeit the joy of the Lord flowing in your life? I dare you to forgive 70 x 7.
But Sis. Vernita, you do not understand. That drunk driver caused the death of my child. Allow forgiveness to take center stage and forgive him.
I have a right to be angry. You do not know the pain they inflicted on me. Let forgiveness show up and show off and forgive them.
I trusted you, and you betrayed my trust. Come on, forgive, take over in my life. Forgive. Whatever the offense is, be like Jesus, who is grace unmerited, giving us what we do not deserve. He is mercy unleashed through compassion and kindness. The Lord gives it to us to relieve our sufferings and to show His faithfulness now and forever.
Let me invite you into the Court Room of Jesus Christ. During court, when a
Judge sustains the objection; the judge allows the objection and excludes the evidence. When Christ asked His Father for His offenders' forgiveness, He sustained their offenses even though they rightly deserved the sentencing His Father could have given them. In other words, Christ excluded their false accusations, the beating and humiliation, and everything they did to Him. Jesus threw it out as if it never happened by allowing forgiveness to take center stage.
God could have said because you paid witnesses to lie about my Son, guilty! You choose Barabbas, a criminal over Christ, guilty. Every Roman soldier who did as they were ordered was guilty. Instead, Jesus is showing us how to pray for those who hurt us, model His example, and understand that sometimes people do wrong because they just do not know any better. They are ignorant of their actions, so Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they’re doing! Are you ready to drink from the cup that Jesus drank from? I sure am!
TIME FOR REFLECTION: At some time in our lives, we had to choose to forgive or not to forgive. Please encourage somebody today by sharing the blessing you received by choosing to forgive. Leave your comment below, hit that heart, and share!
I pray the musical selection, Name Above All Names, by Charity Gayle, stirs your heart and reminds you of why Christ forgave those who crucified Him. Let us follow His example and forgive 70 x 7!
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