Introduction: You can see eroded into the limestone
tow sockets for the eyes, a place for the nose and maybe a place for the mouth.
Skull Hill, they called it Golgotha. It was the place where the Romans did
their killing. The soldiers were ready to do their dirty work. They were Roman
soldiers. They weren’t followers of the law. They were simply soldiers who had
a job to do.
So it’s nine
am and up the road comes a group of people. The soldiers know that tow of the
men being crucified are just average, ordinary criminals but the third man the
one from Nazareth his case is different . They don’t really know who he is.
They know it’s important because they sense the buzz in the crowd. The people of Jerusalem at least some of them
loved to come out and watch the crucifixions but today there were more people
than usual a bigger crowd, noisier, waiting for action to begin.
Up the road
comes a parade of people led by a man carrying a cross half a man, half a
creature from the worst sufferings of the previous night. He had been beaten
within an inch of his life. His face was swollen and on his head a crown of
thorns. a man already more dead then alive. They laid the cross on the ground
and they laid the body of Jesus on the cross. One hand over here, one hand over
there. Wrapping rope around this arm and around that arm rope around the
legs. With the ropes in place they began
to pull the cross up. They lowered it carefully and it fell into place with a
thud. And there was Jesus naked and exposed before the world. “ Get the dice.” Someone
said.” Lets roll dice for his clothes.”
What Did Jesus Mean?
What happened
that day at Skull Hill was unforgiveable. When you crucify the Son of God you
have done that which is beyond forgiveness and yet Jesus said in his first
words from the cross “ Father forgive
them for they know not what they do” Luke 23:24 Jesus offered forgiveness
to the men who was murdering him. Jesus asked His righteous and holy father in
heaven to forgive his murderers while they were murdering him.
Its’ helpful
to understand how Jesus responded to his crucifixion
·
He
doesn’t offer a word in his own defense
·
He
doesn’t condemn Herod or Pilate or the Jewish leaders
·
He
doesn’t not proclaim his own innocence
·
He
doesn’t turn against God
·
He
doesn’t not attack his attackers
·
He
doesn’t attempt to save himself
·
He
doesn’t blame anyone though many were to blame
Instead he
prays Isaiah 53:14 explains the
significance of this cry from the cross.’ For he bore the sin of many and made
intercession for the transgressors.”
Exactly what
does it mean to forgive the unforgivable? That’s the problem posed by Jesus’
first cry from the cross. Our God is forgiving God.” The Lord, The lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to
anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and
forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” Exodus 34:6-7
As I study
the remarkable words of Jesus tow things come to mind that will help us
understand how to forgive the unforgiveable
1: We must give up trying to force
people to understand how much they hurt us.
I was once
deeply hurt by my friend and I said something like this in my mind” I would be
willing to forgive him only I thought he knew how badly he hurt me. But again I
thought it’s impossible because as long as I hold to it I will never forgive my
friend for years
If you are
going to forgive you must give up all the bad memories of that particular
person . Until we do that forgiveness will remain a distant dream. Always remember what Jesus said” father
forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.” The soldiers knew that they are killing the
man named Jesus but they don’t know who he really is they don’t understand his
true identity .
Sometimes we
refuse to forgive people because we want the other person to feel what we felt
when they hurt us so badly. But if you make your pain the price of forgiveness
you will never forgive because no one else can ever pay that price.
You do not
forgive because they deserve forgiveness
You do not
forgive to gain personal advantage over them
You forgive
because of God’s grace
You forgive
because that’s what Jesus did for you.
2 We must remember that God forgave us when we
were unforgivable
This is where
the words of Jesus become very personal. We are included in his prayer. “ father forgive them …. Who was
included in the word them? The soldiers, the mob, the women, the disciple,
Pilate, Gaiaphas, Caiaphas, Annas and the Jewish leaders but also you and me
were included He was praying for you and me too
Would you
like to become like Jesus? I suggest we should start forgiving people who have
hurt us. To forgive us Jesus had to give his life and to forgive others we will
have to give up our anger, turn away from bitterness. We all have reserved a
room in our heart a hidden storehouse of hatred and revenge It is a dark room
filled with pain and anger and we keep it locked . It is room that God will not
enter without our permission. But I ask you to open the room and invite the
Lord. Today with happy hearts lets open the door and invite the Holy Spirit and
say Come in and do your work in me.
Prayer: Thank you Father for taking care of
my needs until this hour and also thank you Father for taking care of all those
people who are reading this message now. Father forgive us for not forgiving
others. In Jesus’ name I pray Amen.
