"FATHER FORGIVE THEM"

Proclamation:

“Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’..."  Luke 23:33-34 (NIV)

Explanation:

According to the record of Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the Apostle Paul, these words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, as He hung on the cross at Calvary.  These words are considered to be the first words of the last seven saying of Christ on the cross.  After being ridiculed, beaten, surged and nailed to the cross, Jesus prayed to His Heavenly Father for the forgiveness of the people who were responsible for His suffering and crucifixion.

Application:

There are those who believe that Jesus prayed that prayer for the forgiveness of those Roman solders who were involved in His physical crucifixion.  However, most of us know that Jesus was actually also praying for forgiveness for His family and friends who deserted Him, and for the Jews, Sadducees and Pharisees in the crowd watching His suffering.  Additionally, most Bible scholars believe that He was also praying for all of us, all of humanity, because it was for the remission of our sins that the shedding of His blood, His crucifixion, His death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection was necessary. (Galatians 1:4 & 1 John 2:2)  The price He paid, He paid for all of us. (Romans 5:8 & 14:9)  We should remember that as we celebrate the period of Passover, the Passion Week, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday.  

Don't Encourage Or Cause Someone To Sin

"Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way." Romans 14:13 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul told the Christians in Rome to stop judging one another, and to stop saying and doing things which would cause someone else to sin.

We should not cause or encourage someone to sin. We ought not do anything in front of others, especially children, which if they imitate us, would cause them to sin. We should not seek company to participate in our sinful activities. We should be very careful of the example we set for others to follow. Do the right thing, the Christ-like thing, and encourage others to do likewise.

To Whom Much Is Given Much Is Required

"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:47-48 (NIV)

Luke, the physician, offers warnings and encouragements to the people. Those who do wrong but do not know any better, will still be punished for doing wrong. However, those who do wrong and know that what they are doing is wrong, will be punished more severely than the uninformed wrong doer.

More will be expected from those who are given more, entrusted with more, and who know more. When you know better, you should do better. Sin is sin, and wrong is wrong, but our punishment for wrong doing will depend upon our knowledge of right and wrong. When we know that what we are doing is wrong, and we continue to do it, our chastisement will be greater because of our willful commission of wrong. We need to pray for God's help in the avoidance of sins committed knowingly and intentionally.

Our Words Thoughts And Hidden Sins

"Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalms 19:12-14 (NIV)

Some people feel that if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds, then they are okay with God. The problem with that thinking is we do not really know what is good or bad from God's perspective. We think that some things are neutral, neither good or bad. The Bible says that all unrighteousness is sin. We commit sins that we are unaware of, in addition to those that we commit knowingly.

Therefore we should ask God for forgiveness of all of the sins we committed consciously and unconsciously, as well as sins of omission in addition to sins of commission. We should pray for God's help to guide our words and our thoughts, as well as our actions, that they may please Him. We need His help to keep our sinful nature from having rule over us and to keep us from hidden sins and willful sins.