Father, forgive them
By Ray Pebble, First Baptist Church in Lincoln

[March 27, 2024]  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” He asks God to provide forgiveness for them.

Now Jesus spoke seven things from the cross. He spoke to one of the thieves and said, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.”

Then He spoke to His mother and John and said, “Behold your mother, behold your Son!” and gave the care of his mother to the apostle John who was standing far, far away. And then for three hours, the whole earth was dark, and He spoke not at all.

After the darkness, He spoke to God, and He said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And then He spoke to the soldiers and said, “I am thirsty,” and they gave Him the sponge. And then He spoke to Himself and said, “It is finished.” And then He spoke to God and said, “Into thy hands I commit my spirit.”

But the first thing he said, before any of those was, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” His first words were words seeking divine forgiveness for the world’s most wretched sinners. Certainly, this is Jesus, the Father, running to embrace the stinking prodigal, isn’t it? Jesus even said that the more someone is forgiven, the more they love, so He set Himself up to forgive great sinners so that He might experience from them great love.

Peter says that when He was reviled, reviled not again, and that when he was being abused, He did not cry out for vengeance. (1 Peter 2:23-24) Stephen picked up on this, and when Stephen saw his life being crushed out by bloody stones, Stephen, following the Lord said, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” This is a general prayer.

To understand what is meant by this, it is a general prayer for all the world to know that there is no sin against the Son of God that is so severe it cannot be forgiven if one will repent. That’s’ the message. If there is forgiveness for these people, there is forgiveness for anyone. You cannot get beyond this. By our Savior’s horrible death and His triumphant resurrection, we, by faith, can experience the blessings of salvation.