1. The Word Of Forgiveness
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what
they do"
Luke 23:34
MAN HAD DONE HIS WORST. The one by whom the world was made had
come into it, but the world knew him not. The Lord of glory had tabernacled
among men, but he was not wanted. The eyes which sin had blinded saw in him no
beauty that he should be desired. At his birth there was no room in the inn,
which foreshadowed the treatment he was to receive at the hands of men. Shortly
after his birth Herod sought to slay him, and this intimated the hostility his
person evoked and forecast the cross as the climax of man’s enmity. Again and
again, his enemies attempted his destruction. And now their vile desires are
granted them. The Son of God had yielded himself up into their hands. A mock
trial had been gone through, and though his judges found no fault in him,
nevertheless, they had yielded to the scream and shouts of those who hated him
as they cried again and again "Crucify him".
The failed deed had been done. No ordinary death would suffice
his foes. A death of intense suffering and shame was decided upon. A cross had
been secured: the Saviour had been nailed to it. And there he hangs - silent.
But presently, his lips seen to move – is he crying for pity? No. What then? Is
he pronouncing curses upon his crucifiers? No. He is praying, praying for his
enemies - "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them: for they know not what they
do"
This first of the seven cross-sayings of our Lord presents him
in the attitude of prayer. How significant! How instructive! His public ministry
had opened with prayer (Luke 3:21), and here we see it closing in prayer. Surely
he has left us an example! No longer might those hands minister to the sick, for
they are nailed to the cross; no longer may those feet carry him on errands of
mercy, for they are fastened to the cruel tree; no longer may he engage in
instructing the apostles, for they have forsaken him and fled. How then does he
occupy himself? In the ministry of prayer! What a lesson for us.In praying for
his enemies not only did Christ set before us a perfect example of how we should
treat those who wrong and hate us, but he also taught us never to regard any as
beyond the reach of prayer. If Christ prayed for his murderers then surely we
have encouragement to pray now for the very chief of sinners!
One other thought concerning this prayer of Christ. We are
shown here the efficacy of prayer. This cross-intercession of Christ for his
enemies met with a marked and definite answer. The answer is seen in the
conversion of the three thousand souls on the day of Pentecost. I base this
conclusion on Peter's statement in Acts, "And now, brethren, I wot that through
ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." It is to be noted that Peter used
the word "ignorance" which corresponds with our Lord’s "they know not what they
do". Here then is the divine explanation of the 3,000 converted under a single
sermon. It was not Peter’s eloquence which was the cause but the Saviour’s
prayer. And, Christian reader, the same is true of us. Christ prayed for you and
me long before we believed in him. Turn to John 17:20 for
proof. "Neither pray I for these (the apostles) alone, but for them also which
shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20). Our
Lord was a High Priest and-as such-He was required to make an offering for the
sin of His people and also to intercede for them- that's what the High Priest
did on the Day of Atonement this was the true Day of Attonement, and our High
Priest is doing His job.The sacrifice He offers to God for us is Himself. After
doing that, He prays for us, that God would accept the sacrifice and give us the
Blessings that flow from it-the 1st of which is...Forgiveness.
Once more let us profit from the perfect exemplar. Let us too make intercession
for the enemies of God, and if we pray in faith we also shall pray effectively
unto the salvation of lost sinners.
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do."How sad to think this terrible tragedy is still being repeated! Sinner, you little know what you are doing in neglecting God’s great salvation. You little know how awful is the sin of slighting the Christ of God and spurning the invitations of his mercy. You little know the deep guilt which is attached to your act of refusing to receive the only one who can save you from your sins. You little know how fearful is the crime of saying, "We will not have this man to reign over us". You know not what you do. You regard the vital issue with callous indifference. The question comes today as it did of old, "What shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?" For you have to do something with him: either you despise and reject him, or you receive him as the Saviour of your soul and the Lord of your life. But, I say again, it seems to you a matter of small moment, of little importance, which you do. For years you have resisted the strivings of his Spirit. For years you have shelved the all-important consideration. For years you have steeled your heart against him, closed your ears to his appeals, and shut your eyes to his surpassing beauty. Ah! you know not WHAT you do. You are blind to your madness. Blind to your terrible sin. Yet are yov not excuseless? You may be saved now if you will. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." 0 come to the Saviour now and say with one of old, "Lord, that I might receive my sight."
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do."
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