Surprised by the Lord's Prayer

Jesus did not just teach forgiveness, he embodied it. He epitomized it! When he was falsely accused of being possessed by Beelzebul (another name for Satan, the prince of demons) he warned his accusers of the dangers of attributing the work of the Spirit to Satan. (Matthew 12:22-32) He did not want them to close the door on the Spirit’s work. Rather than seeking revenge for their libelous accusations, he offered help. When they tried to belittle him in the eyes of others, Jesus sought to lift them up in the eyes of God.

The best example Jesus gave of the power and effectiveness of forgiveness is found in the story of his crucifixion. Speaking of those who had betrayed him, those who unfairly arrested him, followers who abandoned him, witnesses who had lied about him, those who had tried him, convicted him, spat on him, beaten him, scorned him, taunted him, ridiculed him and nailed him to the cross, he said,

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

It is noteworthy that in the original language, it reads, Jesus kept on saying, “Father, forgive them.”

He said it repeatedly.

Exactly when he began to say it, the Bible does not tell us. Perhaps he began to pray those words:

• when Judas betrayed him,

• when his disciples abandoned him,

• when the fickle Jerusalem crowd changed their chant. Just five days before they had joyously pro-claimed Jesus their Messiah when they had shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David. On the preparation day before the Passover Sabbath they had proclaimed him worthy of death when they shouted, “Crucify him, crucify him”,

• when the religious leaders had twisted his words, had bribed others to lie and had sought to impeach his character,

• when Pilate washed his hands,

• when Jesus was beaten and mockingly installed as king with a cheap purple robe and a crown of thorns,

• when the wad of shame-filled spit struck and stuck on his body,

• when he staggered under the weight of the cross beam on the road to Calvary,

• when he was taunted!

Certainly those words rang out with each clang of the hammer pounding the nails through the flesh of his hands and feet as he was being nailed to the cross. Most likely he continued repeating them, when words of rejection and ridicule cut his heart deeper than the gashes caused by the whip. Words more painful than the nails pounded into his flesh! Most likely he kept repeating them as he noticed that only one of his disciples, John, had come to be there with him. The rest of the disciples had fled out of fear for their lives and remained in hiding. He kept on repeating them as he heard the continued taunts from the crowd and from his two companions in crucifixion. (Matthew 27:38-44)

He kept on repeating them as he bore the sins of the world which became the barrier between him and his Father’s presence and approval. And at the same time the world’s sins became the avenue of) his Father’s disapproval and wrath against the sins of the world.

Jesus offered forgiveness to people who didn’t deserve it.

• He offered forgiveness when it would have been easier to get revenge by calling down 10,000 an-gels to free him and destroy his accusers.

• He offered forgiveness out of love for the unlovable!

- Out of tender compassion for the hardhearted!

- Out of mercy for the merciless.

- Out of kindness for the cruel!

• He offered forgiveness for debtors by paying the debt they could not pay.

• He provided forgiveness for a world that treated him as a criminal instead of worshipping him as the Creator.

Regardless of when Jesus uttered those words of forgiveness: “Father, forgive them,” he said them with every sinner who has ever lived on his heart and mind! That plea for pardon included you and me!

And still does

!

Keeping this in mind, let’s go back to our opening illustration. Perhaps, as you read about Bernie Madoff, you saw him as one of the lowlifes of human history. Out of greed for money and power, he took advantage of thousands of people - not just rich people, but also many common, average people. He defrauded them! He robbed them of their future security. He destroyed their hard work, hopes and dreams. Perhaps you put him on the disgraceful pedestal of one of those who are unforgivable, as his son, Andrew had done.

May I remind you that:

* Jesus forgave a thief who was hanging next to him.

*He forgave Peter who had denied him.

*He forgave a woman who had been caught in adultery.

*He forgave Zaccheaus who overcharged common and poor people for their taxes and was considered a traitor.

*He forgave murderers, gossipers, idolaters and many more.

You name the sin, “big or little,” and Jesus’ plea for pardon, “Father forgive them,” covered every one of them. His plea embraced every sin you and I have ever committed. This includes the wrong acts, the hurtful and offensive behaviors we have committed and the good deeds we have failed to do.

The plea for pardon Jesus repeatedly uttered overwhelms us. Because of His plea for pardon we:

• have an awareness of the forgiveness Jesus came to this world to provide for all,

• are amazed at the depth and breadth of the forgiveness Jesus gives,

• have humility due to the undeserved forgiveness Jesus offers and

• become the recipients of the mercy, grace and forgiveness of God when we confess our sins and accept his amazing gift of forgiveness. For only those who accept his offer of forgiveness are forgiven.

Whatever sin we have committed, Jesus offers us forgiveness. When we accept the forgiveness, he has provided, we then experience the peace, hope and joy of being restored as a son or daughter of God!