A Lesson On Forgiveness
Scripture: Luke 23:32-34
"32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice."
Observations:
There's no greater portrait of forgiveness in the Bible than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, being beaten, crucified, mocked, and executed through the torture of the cross. There is hardly a more bewildering statement in all of Scripture than His words to his executioners as He is left hanging to die, "Father forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." (vs. 34). On the one hand the soliders knew exactly what they were doing when they were doing it. They had been given orders to put Jesus to death, which they forcefully followed. Although it wasn't their idea, they followed their orders and became included in teh list of individuals in history who were responsible for the death of God's Son. While they obviously knew what they were doing, on many other levels, they had no idea of the consequences of their actions entailed. Jesus understood, and Paul would later affirm, that while it was earthly human beings that were carrying out his death, ultimately the real forces behind His suffering were not flesh and blood but were spiritual powers of darkness (1 Corinthians 2:8; Ephesians 6:12). Paul's point is that every act of sin and suffering we experience can be attributed to the spiritual darkness that was introduced into the world via satanic forces who are ultimately responsible for the present reality of sin.
Application:
In the truest sense people really do commit sin because "they don't know what they're doing" and therefore we who follow in the example of Christ can and should ask God to forgive them as we ourselves become the embodiment of His mercy on their sins. This is no easy task. Everything in our nature runs contrary to this. But God asks nothing of us He was not willing to do Himself. Of anyone in history Jesus understands what it means to forgive those who wrong you. His example forces us to view our injustice in the same way He viewed His, as acts done in ignornace motivated by the our true enemy, the unseen powers of darkness. When we examine the sins of others more from God's perspective (from above) rather than our own perspective (from below), it frees us to follow in the footsteps of Christ and helps us to "love our enemies" (Matthew 5:44) and forgive them whenever we are wronged.
Prayer:
Father, teach us to see as You see and to do as You do. Give us an eternal perspective on life so that we can become the dispensers of Your grace and mercy You would have us to be. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
"32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice."
Observations:
There's no greater portrait of forgiveness in the Bible than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, being beaten, crucified, mocked, and executed through the torture of the cross. There is hardly a more bewildering statement in all of Scripture than His words to his executioners as He is left hanging to die, "Father forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." (vs. 34). On the one hand the soliders knew exactly what they were doing when they were doing it. They had been given orders to put Jesus to death, which they forcefully followed. Although it wasn't their idea, they followed their orders and became included in teh list of individuals in history who were responsible for the death of God's Son. While they obviously knew what they were doing, on many other levels, they had no idea of the consequences of their actions entailed. Jesus understood, and Paul would later affirm, that while it was earthly human beings that were carrying out his death, ultimately the real forces behind His suffering were not flesh and blood but were spiritual powers of darkness (1 Corinthians 2:8; Ephesians 6:12). Paul's point is that every act of sin and suffering we experience can be attributed to the spiritual darkness that was introduced into the world via satanic forces who are ultimately responsible for the present reality of sin.
Application:
In the truest sense people really do commit sin because "they don't know what they're doing" and therefore we who follow in the example of Christ can and should ask God to forgive them as we ourselves become the embodiment of His mercy on their sins. This is no easy task. Everything in our nature runs contrary to this. But God asks nothing of us He was not willing to do Himself. Of anyone in history Jesus understands what it means to forgive those who wrong you. His example forces us to view our injustice in the same way He viewed His, as acts done in ignornace motivated by the our true enemy, the unseen powers of darkness. When we examine the sins of others more from God's perspective (from above) rather than our own perspective (from below), it frees us to follow in the footsteps of Christ and helps us to "love our enemies" (Matthew 5:44) and forgive them whenever we are wronged.
Prayer:
Father, teach us to see as You see and to do as You do. Give us an eternal perspective on life so that we can become the dispensers of Your grace and mercy You would have us to be. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
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