SEVEN SAYINGS

THE WORDS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS–LUKE 23:34

Art Davison SEVEN SAYINGS 0 Comment
THE WORDS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS
LUKE 23:34,
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
Introduction:

Men have already done the worst! “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11). Christ made this world and gave breath to man, but man has rejected Christ as his Savior.

The eyes of man blinded by sin do not see the beauty that would cause them to desire him as their Savior.

Yet Christ died on the cross as a sacrifice for man praying: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Let us note some things about this prayer.

I. Christ Fulfilled the Prophetic Word.

Isaiah 53:12, “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

A. This does not refer to the ministry of Christ in the present.

1. It is true that He is able to save the soul, Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

2. This speaks about that which He is doing now for those who have believed on Him.

B. Isaiah 53:12 refers to the gracious act of the time of his crucifiction: “and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Note a list of 10 things in this passage:

1. “He is despised and rejected of men;” v. 3.

2. “A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,” v.3.

3. “But he was wounded…, he was bruised…: the chastisement of our peace…” v. 5.

4. “He was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:” v. 7.

5. “as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” v, 7,

6. Not only did He suffer at the hands of man, but He was smitten of God, v. 4.

7. “He hath poured out his soul unto death:” v. 12.

8. He was burried in a borrowed tomb, Luke 23:51-53.

9. “He was numbered with the transgressors;” v. 12.

10. He “made intercession for the transgressors.” v. 12.

II. We See Jesus Identifying Himself With His People .

A. “Father, forgive them;” vs. 28-31.

1. Never before this occasion had Christ invoked the pardon of the Father for others.

2. Before HE pardoned the sinners.

a. The paralytic, Matthew 9:2, “And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.”

b. The woman who washed the feet of Jesus with tears, Luke 7:48, “And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.”

B. Why did Jesus ask the Father to pardon them instead of declaring them forgiven?

1. Forgiveness of sin is a divine privilege. In Mark 2:7 the Pharisees asked: “who can forgive sins but God only?”

2. Jesus could not execute His divine powers from the cross.

a. He had power on the earth, Matthew 9:6, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.”

b. But on the cross he was lifted up from the earth, John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

3. Jesus was acting as a substitute identifying himself with His people, Isaiah 53:12, “and made intercession for the transgressors.”

III. Here We See The Estimate of Sin.

A. Ignorance is no excuse.

1. The people guilty of transgressing God’s law in the Old Testament brought an offering for sin, Leviticus 5:15-16, “If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: 16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.”

2. The Psalmist prayed, “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.” (Psalm 19:12).

B. Sin is always sin in the eyes of God. Ignorance is not innocence. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

THE WORD OF VICTORY–PART 2–JOHN 19:30

Art Davison SEVEN SAYINGS 0 Comment
THE WORD OF VICTORY
PART 2
JOHN 19:30

Introduction:

The cry of victory came from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ as the end of His suffering was realized. He had carried our sins to the Cross and there He suffered all of the agony required to pay our debt of sin. There He satisfied the justice of a righteous God and paid the price of our redemption.

Now let us look at His accomplishments on our behalf.

I. THE GOAL OF THE INCARNATION IS REACHED.

A. The Work of the Three Persons of the Godhead is seen here.

1. God the Father is especially concerned in the Government of the world. He rules over the works of His hands, Psalm 111:7, “The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.”

2. God the Son is especially concerned in the work of Redemption; He was the One who came here to die for sinners, Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”

3. God the Spirit is especially concerned with the Scriptures:

a. He was the One who moved holy men of old to speak the message of God, 2 Peter 1:21, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

b. He is the One who now gives spiritual illumination and understanding, 1 Peter 2:12-14, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13-Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14-But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

c. He is the One who guides us into the Truth, John 6:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

B. The Work of the Son.

1. A definite work was committed to Him.

a. Even as a boy He was taking care of the Father’s business. Luke 2:49, “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

b. He said that He was a greater witness than John the Baptist, John 5:36, “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”

c. Jesus glorified the Father, John 17:4, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

2. A Finished work was accomplished, John 17:4, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

C. Our Savior certainly finished what the God of Heaven gave Him to do.

II. THE ATONEMENT IS ACCOMPLISHED.

A. The Foreshadows of the Old Testament Fulfilled.

1. A covering from sin an its shame – typical of the coats of skins God provided for Adam and Eve – is now provided, Genesis 3:21, ”Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

2. The More Excellent Sacrifice – typical of Abel’s sacrifice – had been offered. Genesis 4:3-4; Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”

3. A shelter from the storm of Divine Judgment – typified by Noah’s ark – was now furnished, Genesis 6:13-14, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”

4. The Only-begotten and well-beloved Son – typified by Abraham’s offering up of Isaac – had been placed upon the altar, Genesis 22:1-13.

5. A Protection from the Death Angel – typified by the shed blood of the Passover lamb – was now supplied Exodus 12:1-30.

6. A Cure from the Serpent’s bite – typified by the serpent of brass upon a pole – was now made ready for sinners, Numbers 21:4-9.

7. The providing of a life-giving fountain – typical of Moses striking the rock – was now effected, Exodus 17:1-7.

III. FOUR PROOFS THAT CHRIST DID FINISH THE WORK.

A. The Rending of the Veil, Matthew 27:51, “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”

B. The Raising of Christ from the Dead, Matthew 28:5-6, “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6-He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

C. The Exaltation of Christ to God’s Own Right Hand, Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

D. The Sending of the Holy Spirit to the Earth, John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” John 16:7-11, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8-And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9-Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10-Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11-Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

CONCLUSION

We have now concluded six of the seven saying of our Lord on the Cross. In these sayings we have seen how God laid our sins upon the Savior and how He suffered in His own body the penalty of our sins.

What is left now is only to give up His life to complete the payment for our sins. One more remains to be heard from the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.

What will you do with Jesus now? You have heard how He suffered to pay for your sins on the Cross of Calvary. Will you receive Him as your Savior, or will you reject Him and pay for your own sin?

THE WORD OF VICTORY–JOHN 19:30

Art Davison SEVEN SAYINGS 0 Comment
THE WORD OF VICTORY
JOHN 19:30
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished.”

Introduction:

The ancient Greeks boasted of being able to say much in little – to give a sea of matter in a drop of language – was regarded as the perfection of oratory. What they were looking for is here found. “It is finished” is one word in Greek, ?????, “yet in that word is contained the ground of the believer’s assurance; in that word is discovered the sum of all joy, and the very spirit of all divine consolation.”

In Jesus’ words, “My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken Me?” we heard the Savior’s cry of desolation; in His words, “I thirst,” we listen to His cry of lamentation; now there falls upon our ears His cry of jubilation – “It is finished.” We have come from the TRAGEDY of the cross to the TRIUMPH of the cross.

I. “IT IS FINISHED.” WHAT WAS FINISHED?

A. All Scripture concerning His suffering and shame was not yet fulfilled.

1. There still remained the dismissal of His spirit, Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit:”

2. There still remained the “piercing” with the spear, Zechariah 12:10, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

3. There still remains the preserving of His bones unbroken, Psalm 34:20, “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.”

II. “IT IS FINISHED.” WHAT? HIS SACRIFICIAL WORK WAS FINISHED.

A. What yet remained was His death.

B. These are the primary elements of propitiation:

1. Three hours of darkness had passed.

2. The awful cup of God’s wrath was drained.

3. His precious blood had already been shed.

4. The outpouring of the wrath of God had already been endured.

III. “IT IS FINISHED.” THE FULFILLMENT OF ALL THE PROPHECIES WRITTEN OF HIM BEFORE HE SHOULD DIE.

A. Centuries before, the prophets of God had described step by step the humiliation and suffering of the coming Saviour.

1. Of the woman’s seed, Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

2. Born of a woman, Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”

3. His mother should be a “virgin,” Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

4. The seed of Abraham, Genesis 22:18, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

5. Of the lineage of David, 2 Samuel 7:12-13, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13-He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”

6. Named before He was born, Isaiah 49:1, “Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.”

7. Born in Bethlehem of Judah, Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

8. Of the tribe of Judah, Genesis 49:10, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”

9. Of His flight to Egypt and return to Palestine, Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.”

10. Of His forerunner, John the Baptist, Malachi 3:1, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”

11. Of His miracles, Isaiah 35:5-6, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6-Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”

12. He was prophesied as “poor and needy”, Psalm 40:17, “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.”

13. That He would speak in parables, Psalm 78:2, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:”

14. That He would still the tempest, Psalm 107:29, “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

15. Of His “triumphal entry,” Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”

16. That His person should be despised, Isaiah 53:3, “He is despised and rejected of men;”

17. Rejected by the Jews, Isaiah 8:14, “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

18. That He should be “hated without a cause,” Psalm 69:4a, “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head:”

B. Just as there is a set of prophecies regarding His first Advent, there is also a set of prophecies regarding His Second Advent

1. The first set of prophecies was literally fulfilled.

2. The Second set of prophecies regarding His Second Coming will also be fulfilled literally.

CONCLUSION

The word of VICTORY!! Jesus cries out the victory. He accomplished God’s will in order TO SAVE YOUR SOUL.

THE WORD OF SUFFERING–JOHN 19:28

Art Davison SEVEN SAYINGS 0 Comment
THE WORD OF SUFFERING
JOHN 19:28
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”
Introduction:

This is the fifth word from the lips of Jesus as He hung there on the cross of Calvary. The first was the Word of Forgiveness, the second was the Word of Salvation, the third was the Word of Affection and the fourth was the Word of Anguish. Now we focus on the Lord in the climax of His suffering on the cross. We see in that suffering, the man that God chose to be our Savior. He was 100% Man and 100% God.

I. PROOF THAT JESUS IS GOD AND MAN

A. Jesus advised us, Matthew 11:27, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”

1. Jesus knows the Father face to face.

2. Man knows the Father by faith, not by sight. Faith is the belief of the truth. The Son has revealed the Father to those who have trusted Christ as their Savior, John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

B. Paul speaks of the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS, 1 Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,…”

1. There is no “controversy” here.

2. God has manifested Himself in human flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ.

3. Paul calls this the “mystery of godliness.”

C. The Deity and Humanity of the Savior.

1. He was “the Branch of the LORD,” Isaiah 4:2, “In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”

2. He was Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

3. He was a Prophet like Moses, Deuteronomy 18:18, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

4. He was “the man of sorrows,” Isaiah 53:3a, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:” See also Micah 5:2; Mal. 3:1; Gen. 3:15; 2 Sam. 7:12-13; Isa. 42:1.

D. The One born in Bethlehem was the Divine Word.

1. The “Logos,” the incarnate Word of God, John 1:1, 14. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14-And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

2. Proof of His Sinless Humanity.

a. He entered this world as a babe, Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

b. He grew in “wisdom and statue,” Luke 2:52, ” And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

c. As a man He experienced fatigue, John 4:6, “Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.”

d. He experienced hunger, Matthew 4:2, “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.”

e. Jesus suffered “thirst,” (our text).

II. THE INTENSITY OF HIS SUFFERING.

A. In previous messages we have seen that Jesus began to suffer the most excruciating agony in the garden of Gethsemane. His Soul was exceeding sorrowful.

1. He was brought before Caiaphas in the middle of the night.

2. Then He was brought before Pilate for a lengthy trail.

3. He was sent to Herod and suffered at the hands of the Roman soldiers.

4. He was returned to Pilate again for another weary delay and a beating.

5. He was sentenced to death and carried His cross to Golgatha.

6. There His hands and feet were nailed to the cross.

7. For three hours He hung there is the blistering sun until midday.

8. At midday God turned out the lights of heaven and there was total darkness upon the earth until 3:00 PM. God could not look upon His Son because He bore my sins.

9. At last He cried, “I thirst.” “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

III. CHRIST’S DEEP REVERANCE FOR THE WORD OF GOD.

A. Jesus was the “Blessed Man” that meditated in God’s Law “day and night,” Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

1. The written Word was the basis for:

a. The forming of His thoughts.

b. That which filled His heart.

c. That which regulated His walk.

2. The Scriptures were His delight.

a. His defense against temptation.

b. His authority in regard to His teaching.

c. His appeal was ever to the Law and Testimony.

d. In His death-hour His mind dwelt upon the Word of Truth.

B. Jesus Examines Prophecy Concerning Himself.

1. He finds one prophecy remaining to be fulfilled.

a. Jesus was completely self-possessed, that is, in full command of his faculties, feelings, and behavior.

b. After 6 hours on the cross His mind and memory were unimpaired.

2. Jesus says, “I thirst.” Psalm 69:21, “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”

a. Jesus had refused a drugged drink, Mark 15:23, “And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.” (Myrrh, a plant’s sap having anesthetic properties.)

IV. JESUS’ SUBMISSION TO THE FATHER’S WILL.

A. In Death as in Life, the Scripture was to the Lord the Authoritative Word of God.

1. Jesus came “that Scripture might be fulfilled.”

2. Here he shows Himself in active obedience to the Father.

B. Jesus went the whole distance to fulfill the Word of God.

1. He was denied cold water and given vinegar.

2. Here we see Him suffering yet.

CONCLUSION

“I thirst” were the words that fulfilled the last of the prophecies regarding the suffering of Jesus on the cross. Our Lord carefully looked to the Word of God so as not to leave anything undone.

I am so glad that nothing was left undone, for my salvation is based on what Jesus did for me on that day.

What did he do for you on that day? Have you received the salvation that He gave His life for on Calvary? Don’t you think it is time you made that decision to trust Christ?

THE WORD OF FORGIVENESS–THE WORDS OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS–LUKE 23:13-16, 21-24, 33-34.

Art Davison SEVEN SAYINGS 0 Comment
THE WORDS OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS
THE WORD OF FORGIVENESS
LUKE 23:13-16, 21-24, 33-34.
Introduction:

Man has done his worst! “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11). Christ made this world and breathed the breath of life into man, but man rejected Christ as his Savior.

Man, blinded by sin, does not see in Him the beauty that he might desire to know Him as Savior.

Yet Christ died on the cross as the sacrifice for man’s sin, praying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

I. CHRIST FULFILLED THE PROPHETIC WORD IN ISAIAH 53:12.

A. This does not refer to the ministry of Christ in the present.

1. It is true that He is able to save souls as is said in Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

2. This speaks of what Jesus is doing now for those who have trusted in Him.

B. Isaiah 53:12 refers to the gracious act at the time of His crucifixion: “and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Note the list of 10 things regarding His suffering in this passage:

1. “He is despised and rejected of men; v. 3.

2. “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:” v. 3.

3. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” v. 5.

4. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:” v. 7.

5. “And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” v. 7.

6. Not only did He suffer at the hands of men, but was “smitten of God,” v. 4.

7. “he hath poured out his soul unto death: v. 12.

8. He was buried in the tomb of a rich man, Luke 23:51-53.

9. “He was numbered with the transgressors;” v. 12.

10. “And made intercession for the transgressors.” v. 12.

II. WE SEE JESUS IDENTIFING WITH HIS PEOPLE.

A. “Father, forgive them;” vs. 28-31.

1. Never before this occasion had Jesus invoked the forgiveness of the Father for others.

2. Before He pardoned the sinners.

a. The paralytic, Matthew 9:2, “And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.”

b. The woman who wash the feet of Jesus with her tears, Luke 7:48, “And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.”

B. Why did Jesus ask the Father to pardon those folks instead of Him pronouncing them forgiven?

1. Forgiveness of sin is a divine privilege. In Mark 2:7 the Pharisees asked: “who can forgive sins but God only?”

2. Jesus could not execute his powers on the cross.

a. He had power on the earth, Matthew 9:6, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.”

b. But on the cross He was lifted up from the earth, John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

c. Jesus was acting as the substitute, identifying with His people, Isaiah 53:12, “And made intercession for the transgressors.”

III. HERE WE SEE THE ESTAMATE OF SIN.

A. Ignorance is no excuse.

1. Those of the Old Testament, who were guilty of a transgression of the Law through ignorance, brought a sin-offering, Leviticus 5:15-16, “If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: 16-And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.”

2. The Psalmist prayed in Psalms 19:12, “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.”

B. Sin is always sin in God’s eyes. Ignorance is not innocence. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

C. Man needs forgiveness.

1. The thief recognized his need, Luke 23: 40-42.

2. Man is without excuse.

a. Because of the life of Christ, John 7:46, “The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.”

b. Because of His message, Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

c. Because of His prayer, “Father, forgive them;” Jesus prayed for all of us, John 17:20, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;”

CONCLUSION

Jesus prayed for you on that cross! It was for your forgiveness for which He prayed. He was intervening on your behalf before the God of Heaven.

You say, Preacher, I was not there. I did not crucify Jesus Christ! Yes, but your sin did! Now Jesus is asking the Father to forgive you that you might receive Jesus as your Savior.