Jesus - Forgiving
Who do you say that I AM? • Sermon • Submitted
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Good Morning…Welcome to New Hope...
Good Morning…Welcome to New Hope...
Series info...
Imagine with me for a few moments… Think about that someone in your life that is closest to you. Who is the person, or persons, that you’ve grown so very close with? Maybe it began as a casual friendship - you weren’t looking for a close friend, but that’s what it turned in to. Maybe it was even a person that you used to despise and they turned out becoming one of your best friends (The guy who turned out to be my best friend in high school, couldn’t stand him in junior high).
This is someone you trust wholeheartedly - You’d trust this person with your checkbook
This is someone you’ve shared life with - You’ve been through thick & thin
This is someone who’s been there for you - Even in your highs & lows
This is someone who you’ve been there for - Sacrificed time
This is someone who you know you can call & they can call you any time
This is someone that can finish your sentences
Best friend from high school; Friend from work; Spouse; Someone in your family; Someone you share life with
Now… Here’s the next step… And for some of you this morning this could be incredibly sensitive. I want you to know that I get it and understand that this might stir up some things in you that you’d rather not think about or you’d rather forget or you’d rather not remember. Honestly, it stirs up some stuff in me, so I don’t do any of this lightly. But it’s important this morning.
Maybe who your thinking of is a best friend from school; maybe it’s a close friend you work with; maybe it’s someone in your family; maybe it’s a spouse.
The next step is to imagine (and some of you may not need to go far because it’s happened to you, or it’s a reality in your life) that this person has betrayed you. They have deeply wounded you in some fashion. Now, I don’t mean they necessarily hurt you physically, but they have wronged you.
They’ve broken a promise; They’ve talked about you behind your back; They’ve been disloyal to you; They’ve let you down; They’ve deceived you; They’ve stabbed you in the back; They’ve cheated you in some way; They’ve denied that they even knew you
Let me pause and ask you a question. What are thinking of this person? What would you like to do to this person? How would you like to treat this person? What do you wish would happen to this person?
Mark 11:25
But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m done. How could they? Why would they? What did I do to deserve this? Why does this have to happen to me? I thought we were close. I thought we were friends.
In we find Jesus and his disciples together in Jerusalem celebrating the Passover.
He took some wine and gave thanks for it and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”
He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people - an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me.”
Jesus’ closest followers who had been with him for a significant amount of time then began arguing among themselves who would do such a thing. Which then turned into an argument amongst themselves about who would be the greatest among them.
Jesus then turns to one of his closest followers, Peter, who was part of his inner circle and says, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, Peter, you will deny three times that you even know me.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.
This is the same man who Jesus had said, “Peter, I have pleaded in prayer for you, that your faith would not fail.” Jesus knew peter would deny him, yet he pleaded on behalf of Peter.
A little while later, Jesus leads his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. He asks for their help. He asks for their support. He asks that they keep watch with him. And they fail. They don’t just fail the task…they fail Jesus. Instead of pleading in prayer they decided to sleep.
Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples who had journeyed with him, betrayed him and had conspired with the religious leaders for 30 silver coins. We’re told that at the end of this encounter that “everyone deserted him and fled.” (Mark14:50)
These are his closest friends;
These are his ardent followers;
These are those who he has shared the last years of his life with…
and they’ve left him, they’ve denied him, they’ve betrayed him. (Hold that thought)
They took Jesus to the home of the high priest. The guards who were keeping Jesus, blindfolded him and began mocking him. They repeatedly beat him while hurling insults at him.
He was taken before the elders, leading priests, and religious teachers who questioned him and wrongly accused him.
They then took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor, and pleaded their case. Pilate, with the pressure of appeasing the people, but understanding Jesus was innocent, sent him to Herod Antipas because Jesus was a Galilean. Herod just wanted to see Jesus do a miracle and eventually got bored because Jesus wouldn’t comply. They mocked him by putting a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.
Pilot then calls all of Jesus’ accusers together and announces his verdict of NOT Guilty. But the crowd began to roar with a mighty voice CRUCIFY HIM…KILL HIM...
Pilot again argued with them, but they shouted all the louder…CRUCIFY HIM…CRUCIFY HIM
Pilot again pushed back at the crowd for a 3rd time, but the mob shouted louder and louder demanding that Jesus be crucified. So Pilot granted their demand and sent Jesus to be crucified.
So they forced Jesus to carry his cross through the streets of Jerusalem while the people continued mock, spit, and beat him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross in between two criminals - one on his right and one on his left.
Jesus’ closest followers betrayed him
Jesus’ strongest critics despised him
In his greatest time of need, everyone left him
With all that… What’s Jesus’ response?
His response: “Father, forgive them...”
His response: “Father, forgive them...”
Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
col
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Now let’s go back to the very beginning and what I asked you - Think of that one person or persons. The person who has wronged you; betrayed you, walked away from you; hurt you; said something you didn’t like
You may say to yourself - you don’t understand what I’ve been through; You don’t know what’s happened to me
(NLT)
23“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,
24leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
Communion
Jesus says to his disciples, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”
He took some wine and gave thanks for it and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”
He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people - an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me.”
You may say to yourself - you don’t understand what I’ve been through; You don’t know what’s happened to me
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
You may say to yourself - you don’t understand what I’ve been through; You don’t know what’s happened to me