JESUS THE CHRIST PRAYED FOR US

PROCLAMATION

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.  Then said Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ …”  Luke 23:33-34 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Luke, the physician.  After Jesus was arrested, the guards began to mock Him, and beat Him, and insult Him. (Luke 22:63-64)  The next day they took Him before the council of elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law.  They questioned Him and decided that He was guilty of blasphemy. (Luke 22:66-71)  Then they took Him before Pilate who questioned Him but could find no fault in Him. (Luke 23:1-4)  Hearing that He was a Galilean, Pilate had Him taken to Herod. (Luke 23:5-7)  After he questioned Him and mocked Him, Herod sent Him back to Pilate. (Luke 23:8-15)  Again finding no fault in Jesus, Pilate was going to release Him, but he gave in to the requests of the crowd and released Barabbas, and ordered that He be crucified. (Luke 23:13-25)  After the soldiers scourged Him, (Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; and John 19:1) they took Him to Calvary, nailed Him to a cross, and placed Him between two criminals.  Before He died on the cross, Jesus prayed and asked God in heaven to forgive all of us. (Luke 23:26-34)  The people in the crowd, and the rulers, and the soldiers mocked Him.  One of the criminals who was crucified beside Him also insulted Him.  The other criminal rebuked him and asked Christ to remember him when He gets to His kingdom. (Luke 23:35-43)  Jesus said that day he would be with Him in paradise.  Then He cried out with a loud voice, breathed His last breath and died. (Luke 23:44-46)

 

APPLICATION

The seven last sayings of Christ on the cross are documented in the four gospels, although no one gospel has all seven sayings.  The gospel of Luke records three of them including this one, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)  Here Christ was clearly praying for the soldiers who crucified Him, but also for His enemies, for those who wanted Him crucified, and for those who made His crucifixion necessary.  That last group includes all sinners, including those of us today. (Romans 3:23)  He who had no sin, took on all of the sins of the world so that we might be saved. (John 1:29 and 1 John 2:2)  He paid the price for our sins to offer us a chance at salvation. (Romans 6:23)  We ought to be thankful that He prayed for us, that He died for us, and that He rose from the dead for us.