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A PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS! Luke 23:32-35 INTRODUCTION: What do you do in times of
crisis? Panic – no – Pray – yes! In times of crises, Jesus was in constant
prayer! In the Upper Room he prayed for Simon Peter to have a strong faith. In
the
The Via
Dolorosa (way of suffering), was a narrow, winding cobblestone street in the old
city of
“Father” Jesus taught his disciples to pray by saying, “Our Father.” Our Father which art in heaven.” Jesus indicated to the disciples that he was from the Father and he said he was co-equal with the Father. “He who hath seen me, hath seen the Father. When Jesus was going back to heaven, he said, “I go to my Father.” He gave a mandate to his disciples on earth. He said, “As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” Father! Oh what a touching word! Dads today must live before their children to give them good memories of their earthly father.
Meaning - Jesus in the model prayer had earlier taught his disciples to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Forgive is such a precious word. The etymology of the word is to “let the pot drop.” It means to drop it, let it go as young people would say. “Let it go.” Let it drop. Quit hanging on to that resentment. Quit harboring that grudge. Let it go. Let it go. Drop it. That’s forgiveness. God’s forgiveness available. Forgiveness is not an excuse to sin more. Forgiveness is not a pardon, an escape, or amnesty. Forgiveness is simply to take the sin debt for another! The Father had a great feast prepared, but the forgiveness was only effective when the boy repented of his sins in the far country and came home. There is forgiveness available, but forgiveness is never real until there is repentance of sin. The forgiveness was made possible at the cross, but those soldiers never got forgiveness for they never repented of their sin. Much of the crowd at the cross never went to heaven. They went into eternity without God and yet Jesus had made possible the forgiveness of their sins. Forgive others – seek not revenge. Samson’s prayer “Avenge my enemies” is not a Christian prayer. On the cross, Jesus did not seek to revenge, but forgiveness. He prayed, “Lord, drop it. Don’t avenge it. I’ll pay the debt.”
Spiritual Ignorance! Certainly they knew what they were doing. They actually put Jesus on the cross. They drove the spikes into his hands and into his ankles. What they didn’t realize was that they were crucifying the Son of God and the enormity of their sin. They thought they were getting rid of a problem. But no spiritual ignorance will suffice today! We know who Jesus was and we have the Bible and 2,000 years of history and witness. CONCLUSION Remember Forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself. It is not something you do FOR someone else. It is not complicated. It is simple. Simply identify the situation to be forgiven and ask yourself: “Am I willing to waste my energy further on this matter?” If the answer is “No,” then that’s it! Forgive and move on with your life asking God for strength and wisdom. Forgiveness works! It is often difficult, AND it works! We often think of forgiveness as something that someone who has done us wrong must ask of US. There is a better way. I suggest that you focus on offering forgiveness TO the person who has wronged you. To not forgive them is like taking the poison (continuing to suffer for what they did or didn’t do to you) and expecting THEM to suffer. Alexander Pope once said, “To err is human; to forgive, Divine.” Believe it! And practice it! Dr. Charles Horton |
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