Luke 22: 54-62 and Luke 23:26-49
Key Verse: Luke 23:34a- “Jesus said, Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Encounter Christ
Hi everybody, I hope everyone is having a good time at the conference and had a good time paintballing. hopefully you won’t be too tired to listen to God’s word. I’m going to start with a quick prayer.
Since arriving here last night, we have listened to two different messages. First, we heard a message from Peter about the calling of Peter, where we learned about the building of his relationship with Jesus. Secondly we heard a message from Patrick about the identity of Peter in Jesus Christ, where we learned how Jesus gave Peter a new identity as the future of his church. My passage is no different than these except, I want to focus on a different aspect of Peter’s relationship with Jesus, or you could say breaking the relationship with Jesus. Through this passage I want to look at how Peter betrays the relationship with Jesus, but moreover I want to look at the forgiveness of Peter.
Part 1: Peter’s Denial; Luke 22: 54-62
My passage starts at Luke 22 verse 54, but I want to start by looking at the beginning of the chapter to set some context for what is to come. Luke starts of by writing about the festival of unleavened bread. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it is the celebration and commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. As we learned in Exodus, God told the Israelites to commemorate the exodus, with a week long festival in remembrance. Passover starts on the 15th day of the 7th hebrew month and lasts for 1 week. And if we look at chapter 22 verses 7 -10 we see the disciples and Jesus celebrating it together in Jerusalem.
During the passover meal with his disciples, Jesus says to Peter in verses 31 and 32, “ Simon,simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you SImon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back strengthen your brothers.” However in verse 33 Peter says that he was ready to follow Jesus to prison and death, but rather jesus continued to say that Peter would be tested and would deny him 3 times before the rooster crows.
Later, Jesus then left to the mount of olives to prepare for his arrest. As Jesus was praying at the mount of olives Judas came with armed guards and religious leaders to come and apprehend Jesus to be lead away.
Now let's look at the the passage, Luke starts his account of Jesus’s trial with verse 54, If someone could read this for me?, “Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.”
During this trial 2 disciples had followed Jesus: Peter and John. According to John’s gospel Peter had stopped in the courtyard and John went into the house of the high priest. However, I want to focus on Peter and what happens with him. In the second part of verse 54, Luke mentions that Peter followed at a distance. I want to take a little bit of time to look at the significance of this action. For the last 3 years since the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Peter had always been with Jesus. As we heard in Peter’s message we see Simon Peter being called along with James, John, and Andrew as the first disciples. And since, then they had been with Jesus ever since. Peter had walked alongside Jesus, slept next to Jesus, ate with Jesus, and even worshiped with him, but in this instance Peter followed at a distance.
For someone to follow someone this closely for three years, you would think they would be with him at the pivotal time before their death,
Why would Peter be following Jesus and a distance then?
Let us examine Peter’s attitude at this moment in time. Peter experienced the emotion that we know to be fear. This fear appeared as indecisiveness in Peter’s commitment that he had made to Jesus. Peter’s fear impeded his ability to follow Jesus as his disciple. Many times when we are faced with difficult circumstances, we make decisions based on our emotions and especially fear. And it is no different when you are following Jesus. There will be times when you will experience fear, but a lot of the times we will just dismiss following jesus because it pulls us out of our comfort zones. It seems as though Peter only wanted to follow Jesus closely when it was convenient for him. And that is the same for many of us. When difficulties come our way, can we say that we were following Jesus? If you can answer yes, are you really following Him, closely, even today?
As we learned in Peter’s message Peter dropped everything to follow Jesus, because Jesus does not want someone who follows him half heartedly instead he wants them to drop everything to follow him. Key word Everything. Jesus wants full commitment. Following Jesus is not just a thing that you can put some effort in, but it takes your all effort and sacrifice to follow him.
However in the case of Peter, he had this self confidence, this hot shot attitude that he could do anything. He said in verse 32 that he was ready to follow Jesus to prison and even death, but he was not. His confidence in his worldly abilities blinded him from being able to see what Jesus was telling him. Peter was weak and fell to the traps of Satan. He succumbed to fear and when the servant girl had asked him if he was a disciple he denied it, and then denied it again, and denied it again. He fell into a pattern of fear because no matter confident and proud he was, he could not fight satan; he could not fight the power of fear by himself. Peter’s pride was his downfall. He did not realize that what Jesus had predicted was going to be true because he thought he was invincible.
Once Peter was accused, he went into survival mode. He just wanted to look after himself. His mindset was about himself and himself only. Even after Jesus had told him exactly what happened Peter still did not realize what happening. He did not remember that jesus told him he was going to deny him 3 times. You would think that he would remember the words that Jesus spoke but he didn’t. If someone could read verse 61 for me.
“The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”
That’s right, Peter did not remember what Jesus had said until he had looked at him. Many times we don’t realize our sins until it's too late, or many times we dismiss them completely. Jesus’ look reminded him of what he had done. I feel like, many times as Christians we do not realize what is wrong until we see ourselves in relationship to Jesus. We do not realize notice our sin until we see the holy Jesus.
Now, I want to ask you what do you think Jesus’ look was like?
As I read this passage for the first time, I remember thinking about what this look was. I first thought it could be like a chastising or rebuking look, but now it seems as if Jesus gave a look of love and reconciliation to Peter. For in verse 62, “he went outside and wept bitterly.” Peter had realized what had just happened and wept bitterly because at that moment he realized his own sin of pride. Peter’s pride in his strength had failed him. However, Jesus showed the ultimate act as a good shepherd. Even through his pain he still managed to help his disciples to realize their sins and and struggles.
The assurance of Christ’s knowledge of Peter’s sins melted his heart, and this assurance paved the way for his love and forgiveness. The tears that Peter shed, which are out of regret do not wash away the sin, but they come from the assurance that Christ’s love, that like a flood, has swept the sin away.
I myself if this context am just like Peter. Throughout this year, I was blessed with so many different things especially being able to get into college. I saw this triumph not as a blessing but rather I worked so hard for this. I saw getting into Northwestern as my own accomplishment. My sinful nature told me don’t thank God, but praise yourself. I am just like Peter, I think that I can just put my head down and not listen to what people are saying and things will come out alright but God humbles the proud and I realized that the hard way. Through Peter’s denial I saw God’s grace to humble me even through my pride. Jesus gave me that look that allowed me to see my faults and sins clearer. And Jesus had forgiven me through his death that we will talk about next.
Part 2: Jesus’ Forgiveness; Luke 23:26-49
Now we get to the crucifixion of Jesus.
So, according to Luke 23 verse 32, Jesus was lead from pilot’s house to be crucified. As Jesus was taking this journey, I want all of you guys to close your eyes and picture it.
Imagine this, not sleeping the previous day, and you have puncture wounds on your forehead and bruises and cuts all over your body from being flogged and whipped. Then you’re forced to carry a cross that weighs around 165 pounds, up a hill thats a quarter of a mile. Imagine this for a second.
And finally in verse 33 when they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. I don’t think any of us could really picture what this looks like
So, I just want to show you a video about Jesus’ crucifixion. I think this is as close as we can get to seeing Christ on the cross. This video is really graphic. So if you don’t want to see what will happen, then you can cover your eyes.
This video is from the movie “Jesus”. As you can see in the video, Jesus is going through so much pain. I don’t think any of us could imagine what this is like, but then Jesus said in verse 34 my key verse,
“Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
As we saw in the video, He was going through the hardest and most painful thing He’s ever had to endure. Yet He was praying. What’s even more impressive is that He was praying for, our forgiveness.
When times are good and you’re healthy, maybe you’ll look at others’ needs and try to help them. But when times are bad, when we feel wronged, persecuted or feel pain, we have a “woe is me” mentality and focus on ourselves. We want to be at the center, with the whole world revolving around us.
It might not be a surprise to you to see Jesus praying in the midst of this trial, but to see what He’s praying for should. We could understand if He was praying, “Father, they nailed me to a piece of wood. I came to save them and now they’re trying to kill me! Father, strike them dead and let’s start all over.” That would be understandable, but very unlike Jesus. Or maybe, “Father, I know I have to endure the cross for the salvation of your people, but it’s so difficult and painful, so please help me to endure it.” That would be a really understandable prayer. But He doesn’t pray that either.
During the time when it would be understandable and expected for even Jesus to be self-focused, He was being utterly others-focused. His focus was on God and those around him. And in the end he said, “Father, forgive them.”
I know we’ve probably heard these three words many times, but I want to take some time to really break each one down, and the significance that they hold.
So first there’s Father.
Obviously whenever we pray, we pray to the father, however that is not what I want to look at. I want to look at why would Jesus say it on the cross. Why would Jesus cry out to god only on the cross?
When Jesus was on the cross, He now became the atonement for the sin of the world. So now Jesus could ask his father for the forgiveness of the world because he had taken it upon his shoulders. His sacrifice allowed him to ask for the forgiveness of the world because Jesus took the wages of sin on himself, which is death.
The second word in this phrase is forgive.
A lot of times, I feel like we all, including myself take this word for granted. Jesus did not have to ask God for forgiveness for us, Jesus didn’t have to die for us, . He didn’t have to do anything for us but yet he did. Jesus’ infinite love and mercy was poured out for us because We are all sinners but he bore the whole sin of the world with his death.
The last word is them.
Jesus wanted to forgive not only those who had wronged like the religious leaders and the centurions, but everyone there. Also He wanted to forgive Peter and the even the whole world and this forgiveness had and has no exceptions. Anyone can experience God’s forgiveness if they ask for it. Jesus is holding his arms open to welcome you if you just ask. For in 1 John 1:9, he says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
All three of these words are shown in action in one of the most beautiful stories in the bible: The forgiveness of the penitent criminal.
It doesn’t say much in the bible about who these two criminals, but I want to look at their words and actions, next to jesus on the cross.. Now let's look at verse 39, if someone could read this for me?
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
This criminal who hung there was trying to survive. He wanted to somehow escape this death. But the other criminal who hung there said in verses 40 and 41, “But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
This criminal had accepted his punishment and realized the holiness of Jesus Christ, he saw the perfection of Jesus and through his perfection he had seen his sins. The criminal hanging on the cross recognized his sins, and asked jesus for his forgiveness. And the most beautiful thing happened. Jesus said Today you will be with me in paradise. Jesus had forgiven his sins. And in this short time he went from a criminal to a citizen of heaven.
As I was going through the passage and reflecting about the penitent criminal, I struggled to grasp the thought about what it was talking about. Because whenever people talk about the crucifixion they always have this big grand story about how Jesus’ forgiveness changed their lives just like in the criminal story. But as i wrote, I had such a hard time to think of something like that. But it’s not about the ending, it’s about your desire to ask for forgiveness. And that’s what we see in all the miracles that jesus performed, the desire to come to Jesus, and many of the times they came for forgiveness. Jesus wants us to have that desire, that’s why i believe he looked at Peter, he wants us to have that desire for forgiveness. I honestly repent for not having this desire. I replaced my desire of Jesus with the chase of worldly pleasures. I wanted to fill my life with the love and recognition of others, but really it prevented me from really seeing that Jesus just wanted me to come to him in repentance. I crucified Jesus, because I tried to fill Jesus’ forgiveness with my own desire. And as I writing this message, I realized that I needed to have that desire to come to Jesus and be forgiven.
Now we come to the end of jesus’ life where he finally takes his last breath .If someone could read verses 44 and 45 for me?
“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.”
These events are huge, but they would never happen without his death and forgiveness. If you guys weren’t here for our exodus study, I’ll explain the significance of these verses. First of all in the temple in jerusalem, there were 2 rooms. The holy place, and the most holy place. The curtain separated the two rooms because the most holy place was the dwelling place of god. No one could come into the room except the high priest. But Jesus tore this curtain.
Jesus is the bridge now, he filled the gap between man and god. He is that mediator between us and God because Before in our dirty and sinful lives, we were not allowed in god’s presence but by his death we are cleansed and are allowed into the presence of Holy God.
This is the fullness of the Gospel. That even though we sin, Jesus died on the cross for us so that we may be forgiven of those sins when we repent and believe in Him. We don’t deserve this grace, because we are all sinners and in fact don’t deserve anything. And, That is what easter is about, not all the easter bunnies and the things that people secularized it as but it is about the death of Jesus christ and that he has forgiven our sins through his death. Jesus’s death is the most important event in history. His death gives everyone life if they choose to believe in him and We are able to be with Jesus in paradise. I pray that as this easter season comes into full swing that we may be able to have that moment to see Jesus on that cross and come to him in repentance, that moment where we can all weep in realization of our sins. For the real reason of easter is to celebrate Jesus’ death and reflect on what it really means to you personally.
I want to challenge you guys to think about, what is hindering you from coming to jesus in repentance, what are your excuses, maybe social pressure by the crowd, fear like peter’s, or just plain ignorance by the people around.
Whatever the reason is, let us hear the prayer of Jesus on the Cross and receive forgiveness today., because there’s forgiveness everytime we come to the cross of Jesus.
Can we read the key verse all together.
Key Verse: Luke 23:34a- “Jesus said, Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Encounter Christ
Hi everybody, I hope everyone is having a good time at the conference and had a good time paintballing. hopefully you won’t be too tired to listen to God’s word. I’m going to start with a quick prayer.
Since arriving here last night, we have listened to two different messages. First, we heard a message from Peter about the calling of Peter, where we learned about the building of his relationship with Jesus. Secondly we heard a message from Patrick about the identity of Peter in Jesus Christ, where we learned how Jesus gave Peter a new identity as the future of his church. My passage is no different than these except, I want to focus on a different aspect of Peter’s relationship with Jesus, or you could say breaking the relationship with Jesus. Through this passage I want to look at how Peter betrays the relationship with Jesus, but moreover I want to look at the forgiveness of Peter.
Part 1: Peter’s Denial; Luke 22: 54-62
My passage starts at Luke 22 verse 54, but I want to start by looking at the beginning of the chapter to set some context for what is to come. Luke starts of by writing about the festival of unleavened bread. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it is the celebration and commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. As we learned in Exodus, God told the Israelites to commemorate the exodus, with a week long festival in remembrance. Passover starts on the 15th day of the 7th hebrew month and lasts for 1 week. And if we look at chapter 22 verses 7 -10 we see the disciples and Jesus celebrating it together in Jerusalem.
During the passover meal with his disciples, Jesus says to Peter in verses 31 and 32, “ Simon,simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you SImon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back strengthen your brothers.” However in verse 33 Peter says that he was ready to follow Jesus to prison and death, but rather jesus continued to say that Peter would be tested and would deny him 3 times before the rooster crows.
Later, Jesus then left to the mount of olives to prepare for his arrest. As Jesus was praying at the mount of olives Judas came with armed guards and religious leaders to come and apprehend Jesus to be lead away.
Now let's look at the the passage, Luke starts his account of Jesus’s trial with verse 54, If someone could read this for me?, “Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.”
During this trial 2 disciples had followed Jesus: Peter and John. According to John’s gospel Peter had stopped in the courtyard and John went into the house of the high priest. However, I want to focus on Peter and what happens with him. In the second part of verse 54, Luke mentions that Peter followed at a distance. I want to take a little bit of time to look at the significance of this action. For the last 3 years since the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Peter had always been with Jesus. As we heard in Peter’s message we see Simon Peter being called along with James, John, and Andrew as the first disciples. And since, then they had been with Jesus ever since. Peter had walked alongside Jesus, slept next to Jesus, ate with Jesus, and even worshiped with him, but in this instance Peter followed at a distance.
For someone to follow someone this closely for three years, you would think they would be with him at the pivotal time before their death,
Why would Peter be following Jesus and a distance then?
Let us examine Peter’s attitude at this moment in time. Peter experienced the emotion that we know to be fear. This fear appeared as indecisiveness in Peter’s commitment that he had made to Jesus. Peter’s fear impeded his ability to follow Jesus as his disciple. Many times when we are faced with difficult circumstances, we make decisions based on our emotions and especially fear. And it is no different when you are following Jesus. There will be times when you will experience fear, but a lot of the times we will just dismiss following jesus because it pulls us out of our comfort zones. It seems as though Peter only wanted to follow Jesus closely when it was convenient for him. And that is the same for many of us. When difficulties come our way, can we say that we were following Jesus? If you can answer yes, are you really following Him, closely, even today?
As we learned in Peter’s message Peter dropped everything to follow Jesus, because Jesus does not want someone who follows him half heartedly instead he wants them to drop everything to follow him. Key word Everything. Jesus wants full commitment. Following Jesus is not just a thing that you can put some effort in, but it takes your all effort and sacrifice to follow him.
However in the case of Peter, he had this self confidence, this hot shot attitude that he could do anything. He said in verse 32 that he was ready to follow Jesus to prison and even death, but he was not. His confidence in his worldly abilities blinded him from being able to see what Jesus was telling him. Peter was weak and fell to the traps of Satan. He succumbed to fear and when the servant girl had asked him if he was a disciple he denied it, and then denied it again, and denied it again. He fell into a pattern of fear because no matter confident and proud he was, he could not fight satan; he could not fight the power of fear by himself. Peter’s pride was his downfall. He did not realize that what Jesus had predicted was going to be true because he thought he was invincible.
Once Peter was accused, he went into survival mode. He just wanted to look after himself. His mindset was about himself and himself only. Even after Jesus had told him exactly what happened Peter still did not realize what happening. He did not remember that jesus told him he was going to deny him 3 times. You would think that he would remember the words that Jesus spoke but he didn’t. If someone could read verse 61 for me.
“The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”
That’s right, Peter did not remember what Jesus had said until he had looked at him. Many times we don’t realize our sins until it's too late, or many times we dismiss them completely. Jesus’ look reminded him of what he had done. I feel like, many times as Christians we do not realize what is wrong until we see ourselves in relationship to Jesus. We do not realize notice our sin until we see the holy Jesus.
Now, I want to ask you what do you think Jesus’ look was like?
As I read this passage for the first time, I remember thinking about what this look was. I first thought it could be like a chastising or rebuking look, but now it seems as if Jesus gave a look of love and reconciliation to Peter. For in verse 62, “he went outside and wept bitterly.” Peter had realized what had just happened and wept bitterly because at that moment he realized his own sin of pride. Peter’s pride in his strength had failed him. However, Jesus showed the ultimate act as a good shepherd. Even through his pain he still managed to help his disciples to realize their sins and and struggles.
The assurance of Christ’s knowledge of Peter’s sins melted his heart, and this assurance paved the way for his love and forgiveness. The tears that Peter shed, which are out of regret do not wash away the sin, but they come from the assurance that Christ’s love, that like a flood, has swept the sin away.
I myself if this context am just like Peter. Throughout this year, I was blessed with so many different things especially being able to get into college. I saw this triumph not as a blessing but rather I worked so hard for this. I saw getting into Northwestern as my own accomplishment. My sinful nature told me don’t thank God, but praise yourself. I am just like Peter, I think that I can just put my head down and not listen to what people are saying and things will come out alright but God humbles the proud and I realized that the hard way. Through Peter’s denial I saw God’s grace to humble me even through my pride. Jesus gave me that look that allowed me to see my faults and sins clearer. And Jesus had forgiven me through his death that we will talk about next.
Part 2: Jesus’ Forgiveness; Luke 23:26-49
Now we get to the crucifixion of Jesus.
So, according to Luke 23 verse 32, Jesus was lead from pilot’s house to be crucified. As Jesus was taking this journey, I want all of you guys to close your eyes and picture it.
Imagine this, not sleeping the previous day, and you have puncture wounds on your forehead and bruises and cuts all over your body from being flogged and whipped. Then you’re forced to carry a cross that weighs around 165 pounds, up a hill thats a quarter of a mile. Imagine this for a second.
And finally in verse 33 when they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. I don’t think any of us could really picture what this looks like
So, I just want to show you a video about Jesus’ crucifixion. I think this is as close as we can get to seeing Christ on the cross. This video is really graphic. So if you don’t want to see what will happen, then you can cover your eyes.
This video is from the movie “Jesus”. As you can see in the video, Jesus is going through so much pain. I don’t think any of us could imagine what this is like, but then Jesus said in verse 34 my key verse,
“Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
As we saw in the video, He was going through the hardest and most painful thing He’s ever had to endure. Yet He was praying. What’s even more impressive is that He was praying for, our forgiveness.
When times are good and you’re healthy, maybe you’ll look at others’ needs and try to help them. But when times are bad, when we feel wronged, persecuted or feel pain, we have a “woe is me” mentality and focus on ourselves. We want to be at the center, with the whole world revolving around us.
It might not be a surprise to you to see Jesus praying in the midst of this trial, but to see what He’s praying for should. We could understand if He was praying, “Father, they nailed me to a piece of wood. I came to save them and now they’re trying to kill me! Father, strike them dead and let’s start all over.” That would be understandable, but very unlike Jesus. Or maybe, “Father, I know I have to endure the cross for the salvation of your people, but it’s so difficult and painful, so please help me to endure it.” That would be a really understandable prayer. But He doesn’t pray that either.
During the time when it would be understandable and expected for even Jesus to be self-focused, He was being utterly others-focused. His focus was on God and those around him. And in the end he said, “Father, forgive them.”
I know we’ve probably heard these three words many times, but I want to take some time to really break each one down, and the significance that they hold.
So first there’s Father.
Obviously whenever we pray, we pray to the father, however that is not what I want to look at. I want to look at why would Jesus say it on the cross. Why would Jesus cry out to god only on the cross?
When Jesus was on the cross, He now became the atonement for the sin of the world. So now Jesus could ask his father for the forgiveness of the world because he had taken it upon his shoulders. His sacrifice allowed him to ask for the forgiveness of the world because Jesus took the wages of sin on himself, which is death.
The second word in this phrase is forgive.
A lot of times, I feel like we all, including myself take this word for granted. Jesus did not have to ask God for forgiveness for us, Jesus didn’t have to die for us, . He didn’t have to do anything for us but yet he did. Jesus’ infinite love and mercy was poured out for us because We are all sinners but he bore the whole sin of the world with his death.
The last word is them.
Jesus wanted to forgive not only those who had wronged like the religious leaders and the centurions, but everyone there. Also He wanted to forgive Peter and the even the whole world and this forgiveness had and has no exceptions. Anyone can experience God’s forgiveness if they ask for it. Jesus is holding his arms open to welcome you if you just ask. For in 1 John 1:9, he says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
All three of these words are shown in action in one of the most beautiful stories in the bible: The forgiveness of the penitent criminal.
It doesn’t say much in the bible about who these two criminals, but I want to look at their words and actions, next to jesus on the cross.. Now let's look at verse 39, if someone could read this for me?
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
This criminal who hung there was trying to survive. He wanted to somehow escape this death. But the other criminal who hung there said in verses 40 and 41, “But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
This criminal had accepted his punishment and realized the holiness of Jesus Christ, he saw the perfection of Jesus and through his perfection he had seen his sins. The criminal hanging on the cross recognized his sins, and asked jesus for his forgiveness. And the most beautiful thing happened. Jesus said Today you will be with me in paradise. Jesus had forgiven his sins. And in this short time he went from a criminal to a citizen of heaven.
As I was going through the passage and reflecting about the penitent criminal, I struggled to grasp the thought about what it was talking about. Because whenever people talk about the crucifixion they always have this big grand story about how Jesus’ forgiveness changed their lives just like in the criminal story. But as i wrote, I had such a hard time to think of something like that. But it’s not about the ending, it’s about your desire to ask for forgiveness. And that’s what we see in all the miracles that jesus performed, the desire to come to Jesus, and many of the times they came for forgiveness. Jesus wants us to have that desire, that’s why i believe he looked at Peter, he wants us to have that desire for forgiveness. I honestly repent for not having this desire. I replaced my desire of Jesus with the chase of worldly pleasures. I wanted to fill my life with the love and recognition of others, but really it prevented me from really seeing that Jesus just wanted me to come to him in repentance. I crucified Jesus, because I tried to fill Jesus’ forgiveness with my own desire. And as I writing this message, I realized that I needed to have that desire to come to Jesus and be forgiven.
Now we come to the end of jesus’ life where he finally takes his last breath .If someone could read verses 44 and 45 for me?
“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.”
These events are huge, but they would never happen without his death and forgiveness. If you guys weren’t here for our exodus study, I’ll explain the significance of these verses. First of all in the temple in jerusalem, there were 2 rooms. The holy place, and the most holy place. The curtain separated the two rooms because the most holy place was the dwelling place of god. No one could come into the room except the high priest. But Jesus tore this curtain.
Jesus is the bridge now, he filled the gap between man and god. He is that mediator between us and God because Before in our dirty and sinful lives, we were not allowed in god’s presence but by his death we are cleansed and are allowed into the presence of Holy God.
This is the fullness of the Gospel. That even though we sin, Jesus died on the cross for us so that we may be forgiven of those sins when we repent and believe in Him. We don’t deserve this grace, because we are all sinners and in fact don’t deserve anything. And, That is what easter is about, not all the easter bunnies and the things that people secularized it as but it is about the death of Jesus christ and that he has forgiven our sins through his death. Jesus’s death is the most important event in history. His death gives everyone life if they choose to believe in him and We are able to be with Jesus in paradise. I pray that as this easter season comes into full swing that we may be able to have that moment to see Jesus on that cross and come to him in repentance, that moment where we can all weep in realization of our sins. For the real reason of easter is to celebrate Jesus’ death and reflect on what it really means to you personally.
I want to challenge you guys to think about, what is hindering you from coming to jesus in repentance, what are your excuses, maybe social pressure by the crowd, fear like peter’s, or just plain ignorance by the people around.
Whatever the reason is, let us hear the prayer of Jesus on the Cross and receive forgiveness today., because there’s forgiveness everytime we come to the cross of Jesus.
Can we read the key verse all together.
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