[0:00] Can we open our Bibles, please? Luke chapter 23, reading at verse 34. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
[0:21] Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Muhammad Sadiq Khan was the eldest of what has become known as one of the 7-7 bombers of London.
[0:43] He was one of the Islamic extremists who had a suicide bomb around him and who gave his life in the cause which he thought was valuable.
[0:54] His last words were absolutely fascinating. 27 minutes long, he poured out this essay of bile and hatred towards mankind.
[1:04] He articulated the hatred that he had for the Western world and he articulated his own perverse religion. And isn't it true that the last words are often significant?
[1:18] Last words are often poignant. Well, over the next few days, as God gives us the liberty and as God gives us freedom of expression, we are going to be looking at some of the last words of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[1:33] But then again, isn't there a peculiarity? Because we very often talk, rightly so, about the seven words of Christ from the cross.
[1:45] But the wonderful thing is that they are not last words at all, are they? In one sense, yes, they are last words because they were words spoken as he was about to die.
[1:57] But they're not last words because he did die and he rose again. And so that tells us right away that in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are dealing with a figure who is so different to anyone else.
[2:14] The Lord Jesus Christ died as no man ever died. And indeed today he lives as no man lives. And we live through him. Now the method of dying on the cross allowed him to do that.
[2:30] It's intriguing indeed. Why did the Lord die on the cross? Why was he not speared to death? Why was he not hung? It seems that in the strange providence of God, the death on the cross was long and lingering and indeed agonizing.
[2:47] But it gave him an opportunity from the most horrific pulpit ever. The pulpit of a cross to speak to humanity over the ages.
[3:00] Love and teaching to the very end. Our problems very often finish us. But in the Lord Jesus Christ, indeed, he was not finished until it was finished.
[3:14] So why the subject of the words from the cross? Why is it indeed at communion seasons, we talk and we always seem to emphasize the atonement and the crucifixion?
[3:32] Well, there's probably two reasons. The first one positive. The second one negative. There is no other subject important as the cross of Christ.
[3:45] That's why he came. He did not come to give us an example. He didn't come to just live. And in the cross there is the answer to our deepest needs.
[3:57] And indeed in the cross there is an answer to our deepest problems. I don't know what your problem is tonight. I don't hardly know any of you. I don't know what burdens we're taking along here this evening.
[4:12] For many of us we look fine on the outside. We're sorted. Everything looks absolutely great. But many of us tonight are bringing along deep burdens in our own souls.
[4:25] But the wonderful thing is that the cross sheds light on every single one of these burdens. But you know there is one fundamental question.
[4:38] And it was a question articulated by Job in the Old Testament. And the question is how can a man be right with God? That is the ultimate question.
[4:50] Now the Bible teaches that the cross is the most important subject that can ever be taught. In the church of Jesus Christ there are many issues which we discuss.
[5:05] There are many issues which come on to the agenda of preaching. But you know these issues are rated in order of importance. Paul himself 1 Corinthians 15.3 says this.
[5:21] For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance. That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.
[5:32] That he was buried and that he was raised. You see there are different degrees of importance in things that we teach. But friends there is nothing as important as the cross.
[5:46] And where we stand on the cross defines us as a people. Where we stand on the cross defines us as individuals. So we talk about the cross because it is a matter of first importance.
[6:02] But I wonder sometimes about the contemporary church. I wonder so much have we lost our way.
[6:18] Because peripheral issues seem to dominate. You buy the books. And the books are about how to handle poverty.
[6:29] How to handle wealth. The books are about relationships. The books are about all sorts of things. All these things are incredibly worthy issues. But if we are to magnify any issue above any others.
[6:47] It's the cross. A man called David Pryor famously says. We never move on from the cross. Only into a more profound understanding.
[7:00] Of the cross. One man said this. The cross is a blazing fire. At which the flame of our love is kindled. But we have to get near enough to it.
[7:15] For the sparks to fall on us. Beloved. Here is a litmus test. Are the issues that we talk about ones that warm our hearts.
[7:29] Are the issues that make us glow as believers. The issues that really make us excited. Like the two in the road to Emmaus. Did not our hearts burn within us.
[7:42] As we walk with him in the way. And as he opened up the scriptures. This weekend in Stornoway. We want warmth. Indeed.
[7:53] I can speak for you. But I want warmth. My heart which grows so cold. My heart which can be so backslidden. And even sometimes in a role of prominent leadership.
[8:04] And yet behind that. There is a cold heart. A heart which is backslidden. A heart which is far from God. How can my cold heart be warmed.
[8:16] It can be warmed by thinking. Of the cross. By God's grace over the next few days.
[8:26] We are going to be thinking about the cross. To the point. I hope. Of obsession.
[8:38] Because the early believers. Were called Christians. That word means. They were people with the Christ obsession. They were obsessed.
[8:49] With the glory of God. They were obsessed. With the beauty of Christ. And I want this weekend. By. And it's only the spirit that can create this. That we are obsessed.
[9:01] By the cross. That it's the talk in our homes. That it's the talk in our hearts. So we come here to this.
[9:15] Father forgive them. You know of course it was predicted in. Psalm 22. You know that. You know it was predicted in Isaiah 53.
[9:26] Verse 12. For he bore the sin of many. And made intercession for the transgressors. Jesus. But as we look at this verse tonight.
[9:38] I want us to notice. Four things. Number one. The power. Of prayer. It's a prayer isn't it.
[9:48] Father forgive them. For they know not what they do. Number one. The power. Of. Prayer. Do you see it there. In verse 33.
[9:59] Me. And there. They. Crucified him. There they crucified him. We've all seen the pictures.
[10:10] Rightly or wrongly. I'm not going into that at this point. And there's someone. It's sterile. Aren't they? The pictures of the cross. There he is. Hanging there.
[10:21] With his loin cloth. Covering his modesty. Shouldn't we be even more thankful. That there was no video there. Recording the.
[10:32] The. The impact of the nails. Going in. The pain. And the cries. Think of the. Awesome. Pain. Of the crucifixion.
[10:42] And the humiliation. Of our saviour. Naked. Before the world. It would have been no shame. If he'd prayed for himself. It would have been no shame.
[10:54] At that point. When he was undergoing. Traumatic. Physical pain. If he had prayed. Like Peter. Lord save me. Well we see.
[11:04] The power of prayer. He was praying there. Wasn't he? And he wasn't praying. Not even for his friends. But he was praying. For those responsible.
[11:14] For his death. You read about it. From the beginning. Of the chapter. How everybody. Seemed to turn against him. How Pilate turned against him. How the Roman authorities.
[11:25] Turned against him. How Herod turned against him. How the soldiers. Turned against him. How arguably. The crowd. Turned against him. The whole crowd. They were shouting. Crucify him.
[11:37] Crucify him. The original. Actually says not. Father. Forgive them. And in fact.
[11:49] I don't use ESV. I'm just noticing. The text here. And Jesus. Should really say. Prayed. Not just said.
[12:01] And even not just. Prayed or said. But he kept. On. Saying. And praying. As they drove. The nails in. As they were.
[12:11] Gambling away. His clothes. You see. He had the power of prayer. And he's praying. For these enemies. It's the sort of Jesus.
[12:22] We have. Isn't it? I think of Hebrews. 7. 25. You know. The. Writer to the Hebrews. There is. Comparing. Jesus.
[12:35] The great high priest. To all the other priests. And. And remember. He notes there. He. The writer to the Hebrews. Laments. Other priests. Dies. Other priests.
[12:48] Die. But he says. Of Jesus. He holds. Priesthood. Permanently. Because. He continues. Forever. Consequently.
[13:00] It says. He is able. To save. To the uttermost. Those who draw near. To God. Through him. Since he always. Lives. To make intercession. For him. You see there. The power of prayer.
[13:11] It was on the cross. Father. Forgive them. Father. Forgive them. I think of a scene. A few months ago. It's a windswept.
[13:25] Island. Graveyard. Rain is pouring down. It's howling. The mourners are there. We've just buried. An 89 year old woman.
[13:36] And. And. After the service. The daughter. Comes up to me. She takes my arm.
[13:49] She's got tears in her eyes. She's not converted. And she knows it. And with tears in her eyes. She says. David.
[14:01] It's mum gone. Who will pray for me. Now. Now. And I was able to say to her.
[14:16] Yes. By God's grace. I will pray for you. But listen. There is one. In heaven. Who ever. Lives. To make intercession.
[14:27] For you. There is one tonight. If you feel that there's nobody. And this earth is yet. Praying for you. If you think that you're so peripheral.
[14:38] And small. And at the edge of the crowd. And you think nobody's praying for me. We've got a great high priest. The one who prayed for me. The cross is praying for you. Even now.
[14:49] You see. When man was doing his worst. Christ was doing his best. Christ. The power of prayer. You see.
[15:02] It's not our prayer. First of all. It's his prayer. The second application of this.
[15:13] Though not the main one. Would be that. In every. Element of the Lord's life. We record prayer. Don't we? His public life.
[15:25] Began with prayer. His baptism. His prayer. His passion. As he died. Was bathed. In holy conversation. And here he is.
[15:40] His hands. His feet. Impaled. He couldn't move. But he could still.
[15:52] Move the universe. He could do nothing. Physically. At one level. But he prayed. The power of prayer.
[16:08] Beloved. It's so simple. And elemental. But. God is teaching us that. Through. This verse. We see the power of prayer. But then secondly.
[16:19] Notice the perversity. Of sin. Father. Forgive them. For they. Know not what they do. The perversity of sin.
[16:34] I want to focus on one word. The word them. Forgive them. Forgive them. Who were? Who were them? Pardon the grammar.
[16:45] Herod. Herod. Pilate. The crowd. The soldiers. Yes. But I'm in there.
[17:00] I'm one of them. It's the perversity. Of sin. The 2004 movie.
[17:16] The Passion of the Christ. And again. I'm not. Going into the rights and wrongs. Of that. That's for another day. But the director of that.
[17:28] Mel Gibson. He actually appears in the movie. At one point. When you see the nails.
[17:39] Going into the hand. Gibson's hand. You see. Hammering the nails in. Again.
[17:50] I'm not. Passing any judgment. On the man. I know. Zero. About his. Religious affiliation. But in this.
[18:04] One area. At least. He was right. He said this. And I quote. It was me. That put him. On the cross. You see.
[18:14] That's the perversity. Of sin. Beloved. We're not here tonight. As good people. We're not coming with our own.
[18:28] Self-righteousness. I can look very ministerial. In my white shirt. In my dark tie. Looking the part. But underneath it.
[18:40] Is a perverse human being. Who crucified. The Lord of glory. This is no light thing.
[18:53] Our sin. Cannot be excused. By a very simple. Just forgetting it. It was a big thing. Many of you know.
[19:07] The contemporary. Poem. Behold the man. Upon a cross. My guilt.
[19:17] Upon his shoulders. Ashamed. I hear. My mocking voice. Call out.
[19:29] Among the scoffers. It was. My sin. That held him there. Until it was accomplished. His dying breath.
[19:41] Has brought me. Life. I know. That it is finished. Did these people know.
[19:56] What they were doing. Well. Scripture says. Forgive them. For they know not. What they do. They did not know. They were crucifying.
[20:07] Their Messiah. This highlights. The perversity. Of sin. You see. In sin. In all of our sin. There is a combination. Isn't there. Of ignorance.
[20:18] And knowledge. Pilate. Did not know. That Jesus of Nazareth. Was the eternal. Son of God. Neither begotten. Nor created. He did not know that. But he knew something.
[20:33] Verse 8. He had heard about him. When Herod saw Jesus. He was glad. For he had long desired. To see him.
[20:43] Because he had heard about him. And he was hoping. To see some sign. Done by him. You see. He knew. Something about Jesus. He knew that Jesus. Was a.
[20:54] An extraordinary. Figure. He did not know. Of course. That he was the Messiah. When Jesus said. They don't know.
[21:06] He wasn't. Excusing them. He's simply saying. They didn't. Realise. The enormity. Of their actions. They didn't realise.
[21:18] That. The one. In whom. They were shouting. Crucified him. Was the one. Who. Was worshipped. By angels. The one. Who spoke. And the universe.
[21:28] Come into being. The one. Who was surrounded. Adoringly. By the choir. And court of heaven. The one. Who was altogether. Lovely. The one. Who just had to speak. And the universe.
[21:39] Would be. Created. The one. Who would speak. And the universe. Would dissolve. When we sin.
[21:55] Often. Often. We feel guilty. We feel guilty. But. We're not. Often. Aware. Of that. In my own life.
[22:08] Conviction. Of sin. Recently. Has been. Far. Greater. Than it was. 35.
[22:20] Years. Ago. When I came. To know. Christ. Christ. Man. Called Paul. Tucker. Describes. Sin. As. I love this description.
[22:32] A little bit of hell. Let loose. It's the perversity. Of sin. It led. To the. Crucifixion.
[22:42] Of Jesus. You see. We're simply. Not aware. Of the repercussions. Of it. How. One. Little. Simple. Act. Seems. To be. So. Far. Reaching.
[22:54] Herod. Wasn't. Aware. Of it. Pilate. Wasn't. Aware. Of it. The soldiers. Were not. Aware. Of it. The perversity.
[23:05] Of sin. Have you seen. The power of prayer. We've seen. The perversity. Of sin. Thirdly. Very briefly. Here. We notice.
[23:17] The humiliation. Of Christ. Father. Forgive them. Now. Homework.
[23:29] Can you find. Anywhere else. In the New Testament. Where Jesus. Gives.
[23:40] The father. The prerogative. Of forgiveness. Can you? Again. And again. In the gospels. Normally.
[23:52] There is Jesus. Himself. Who forgives sins. Luke 520. Just as. As an example. When Jesus. Saw their faith. He said. Friend.
[24:03] Your sins. Are forgiven. Agree with me. I think that's true. But we see. The. Humiliation.
[24:14] Of Christ. Here. Yes. He. He. Laid aside. The appearance. Of divinity. When he was born. In the stable.
[24:26] Yes. He. Laid aside. The. Grandeur. And privileges. Of divinity. When he. When he was. When he was. Thirsty. Sitting beside.
[24:37] The woman. At the well. When he was. Tired. When he was. Exhausted. There he was. So human.
[24:48] And now. The humiliation. Gets. Deeper. And deeper. And deeper. He has. The power.
[24:59] To forgive. Sin. But again. He lays. It. Aside. At this point. And he.
[25:10] Asks. His father. To do it. He steps. Away. From his. Own. Authority. But at the place. Of curse. He still.
[25:21] Has that. Relationship. And will develop. That. God willing. In the next few days. The humiliation. Of Christ. It's in the power.
[25:37] Of prayer. The perversity. Of sin. Thirdly. The humiliation. Of Christ. Fourthly. We notice. The love.
[25:50] Of Christ. We see his love. At several levels. In this text. Don't we? Perhaps.
[26:02] The most obvious. Level. Is. He practiced. What he preached. No malice. No bitterness.
[26:15] There they were. Bitterness. Engraven. In their. Twisted faces.
[26:28] Hatred. They wanted. To kill him. They were. Killing him. And he offers them. Forgiveness. He loves.
[26:42] His enemies. And we are his people. We love it. We do not.
[26:57] Bury the hatchet. Leave the handle. Exposed. To use it again. At the first possible. Opportunity. No. We.
[27:08] Have the same spirit. Don't we? Forgive them. Is that what.
[27:21] The impression is. Of believers. In Scotland. Today. Those of us.
[27:36] Who preach. Do we live up. To our sermons. I cannot. Speak for anyone else. I don't. I don't. Because.
[27:50] I'm not. Perfect. But he. He is. He lives up. To his sermons. He loved. His enemies. But more than that. More.
[28:00] More. More. He offers. Forgiveness. To men. When they have done. Their worst. Man's. Deep. And primary.
[28:11] Need. Is to have. Their sins. Forgiven. Father. Forgive them. Now. Let's. Just. Tease out.
[28:23] This idea. Of forgiveness. Why. Do we want. To be forgiven. Why. Do we have. This need. For our sins.
[28:35] To be forgiven. This shows. The perversity. Of our sin. Because sometimes.
[28:46] At the heart. Of wanting. Our sins. Forgiven. There is a degree. Of self-centeredness. Because. Our consciences. Are at us. And we want.
[28:59] To quiet. In our consciences. Our consciences. Is like a toothache. Isn't it? There. In our souls. And in our beings.
[29:10] Constantly. Reminding us. That we've fallen short. We've broken the law. Our consciences. Are nagging us. And we're saying. I want rid. Of this. Conviction. Of sin.
[29:21] I want rid. Of the pangs. Of conscience. Of conscience. We want forgiven.
[29:32] Because we want rid. Of the pain. However. I don't know.
[29:44] Where you are. Tonight. Traditionally. Wasn't it? The Friday. Of a communion. Was looking at. Marks of grace. Distinguishing.
[29:56] The experience. Of a believer. Contrasted. To the experience. Of someone. Who was a mere. Hypocrite. An outward.
[30:07] Professor. As opposed. To one. Who was. Really changed. By God. And regenerate. A mere. Outward person. Wants rid. Of the pain.
[30:17] Of conscience. A real. An outward. Professor. Wants rid. Of the pain. Of us. Nagging. Conviction. Of sin. Because it's. Keeping them. Awake at night.
[30:27] It's disturbing. Their lives. But someone. Of whom. God.
[30:38] Is working. wants to be forgiven. Because they want. They want. God. They want. All of God. They want. Communion. With God.
[30:48] And fellowship. With God. They've seen his love. They have experienced. His grace. They see. And experience. His drawing. Power. They see him. As he is. He is holy.
[31:00] He is. Huge. He is eternal. They are simultaneously. Repelled. By his holiness. But they are also. Drawn towards him. That's the experience. Of a child of God.
[31:11] And they want. More of God. They want more of Jesus. More of Jesus. Would I know. More of his love. To others. Show. More of his love. More of his love. But all our sins.
[31:24] Are barriers. Between us. And God. But have you come. To that point. When you are. You couldn't care less. About all the other barriers. You think. I want to know him.
[31:36] I couldn't care less. About all the things. That are stopping me. Getting to him. I want him. Forgiveness.
[31:46] Is important. Because it leads us. To God. I was reading.
[32:00] A book. By a man called. Stephen Charnock. Puritan. The most. Catchy title. Of a book. A discourse. On the forgiveness.
[32:11] Of sin. Charnock. Says. I think. One or two things. About forgiveness. He says.
[32:26] Think about God's. Willingness. To pardon. Hold on.
[32:39] Beloved. What's your view. Of God. Is he. Is he. Like some. Surly.
[32:51] Bank manager. Who. Is putting. Barriers. Between you. And great riches. Is he. Is he. Is he. Someone.
[33:01] Who is. Instinctively. Hard. Think. Of his.
[33:13] Willingness. To pardon. He. He wants. To remove. The sins. Of his people. As.
[33:27] Charnock. Says. He casts. Them. He. Doesn't. Lay. Them. Gently. Aside. God.
[33:39] Doesn't. Just. Get our sins. Puts them. To the side. Takes them up. He.
[33:49] Throws. Them. Away. He. Cannot. Abide. The sight. Of them. He. Is. Resolved. To.
[33:59] Cast. Them. So. Far. Away. That. He. Will. Never. Take. Notice. Of. Them. Anymore. That's. His. Willingness. To. Pardon. He.
[34:16] Will. Cast. Our. Sins. As. Far. Away. As. The. Arm. Of. Omnipotency. Can. And. That. Is. Very. Far. And.
[34:33] It's. All. Our. Sins. All. Of. Them. For. How. Long. Forever. Things.
[34:47] Cast. Into. The. Depths. Of. The. Sea. Lo.
[35:04] With. Nacional. Do you feel that you. were nailing the hands by the nails and is that grief stopping you from professing stopping you from loving hear his words today Father forgive them have you sought forgiveness not to alleviate your conscience but because you want to know more of God I pray that you will know that forgiveness which is full and is free let's bow our heads before God gracious God we bow in your presence today we thank you for the free grace of Christ for his forgiveness
[36:24] Lord we confess it was my sins that held him there ashamed we hear our mocking voice turn that mocking voice into the voice of praise the voice which said crucify him change it so that it will sing a new song I shall not die but live and shall the works of God discover forgive us as you have promised Amen Amen Amen
[37:25] Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen