So we're going to read from Luke chapter 23 starting at verse 26 down to verse 34.
Luke 23 starting at verse 26.
As the soldiers led Jesus away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country,
and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.
Jesus turned and said to them,
Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me.
Weep for yourselves and for your children.
For the time will come when you will say,
Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.
Then they will say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills, cover us.
For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
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.
Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
I'm going to ask Martin to come up.
Martin is a good friend, personal friend, and a friend to many of us here.
So we welcome you. It's good to have Alwyn as well today.
So, over to you, Mr. Kingman.
You might like to keep that passage open in front of you this morning as we look at this together.
It's good to be back with you again and a joy to be with you.
But more than that, a privilege to open up God's Word and to share it with you this morning.
People have long been fascinated with the last words of the rich and famous.
Apparently, Elvis Presley's last words to the audience at his very final concert were,
I hope I haven't bored you.
Reflecting on his life's work, Leonardo da Vinci said,
I have offended both God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.
It's hard to believe, isn't it, that those whose abilities were recognised by so many
could be left at the end of their lives feeling as though they had achieved so little.
Well, the Gospels contain some of the last words of the Lord Jesus.
But rather than being filled with remorse and regret and uncertainty,
we find many of the last words of Jesus are filled with confidence, with purpose and with certainty.
Now, there are seven of these moments on the cross and the passage that we read this morning contains the first of these.
It's a prayer and you'll find it in verse 34.
Jesus says,
Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.
A plot to kill Jesus has been forming for some time.
The Jewish religious leaders can't get rid of Jesus quickly enough.
Jesus has been put on trial, falsely accused and condemned to death,
even though he is not guilty of any crime.
But here is Jesus, and rather than longing for his own vindication,
he is praying for the people responsible for his death.
Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.
What we witness here is, first of all, the fulfilment of prophecy.
Much of the life of the Lord Jesus had been foretold and foreshadowed in the Old Testament.
The prophets had spoken of the place and manner of his birth,
but even more so, the Old Testament had spoken graphically about the nature of his death.
We sang earlier that song, Man of Sorrows, pointing us to Isaiah 53,
where we read of one who was despised and rejected by man.
One who took up our pain and bore our suffering.
One who was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities.
One who, we're told, was cut off from the land of the living.
And at the very end of that chapter, Isaiah writes,
he poured out his life unto death
and was numbered with the transgressors.
Now maybe at some point in your life,
you have been numbered with the transgressors.
A couple of your classmates have got up to mischief in the classroom.
The teacher arrives back and wants to know what has gone on.
Of course your friends don't un-up.
And what happens?
Well, the whole class get into trouble.
You're treated as though you have done something wrong,
even though you have done nothing wrong.
That's what Isaiah is saying here about Jesus.
He is numbered with the transgressors.
Even though he has done nothing wrong,
he's treated as though he were a criminal.
He's completely innocent.
And he's treated as though he were guilty.
Here's how Luke recorded in the passage that we read.
Two other men, both criminals,
were also led out with him to be executed.
And when they came to the place called the skull,
they crucified him there along with the criminals.
One on his right and one on his left.
You see, Jesus was numbered with the transgressors.
Now, as the Gospels recount the trials of Jesus,
it's pointed out over and over and over again
that Jesus was innocent of any crimes.
You ever Pilate's wife pleading with him?
Don't have anything to do with that innocent man.
Pilate tells Jesus' accusers,
you brought this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion.
I have examined him in your presence
and have found no basis for the charges against him
and neither has Herod's.
Pilate finally washes his hands in front of the crowd
who continue to call for his crucifixion
and declares, I am innocent of this man's blood.
Pilate.
Yet here Jesus is,
numbered with the transgressors.
Now, anyone should be able to see
that this is the greatest injustice.
And yet it is the very reason
that Jesus had come into the world.
to die in the place of sinners,
to take the judgment that we deserved upon himself,
to die in our place,
to be numbered
with the transgressors.
But if all that we can see
is the injustice of the crucifixion,
we have yet to understand
the good news of the Christian message.
Because the good news is
this very injustice.
Jesus was numbered with the transgressors.
Jesus took the place of sinners
so that you and I
could be forgiven
for our sins.
But Jesus is not only numbered with the transgressors.
We see him interceding
for the transgressors.
The prophet Isaiah continues,
for he bore the sin of many
and made intercession
for the transgressors.
Now, to intercede is to
go between,
to plead on another's behalf
as a lawyer would argue
his client's case before a judge.
And isn't that exactly
what Jesus is doing on the cross
as he prays,
Father,
forgive them
for they do not know
what they are doing.
He is interceding
for the transgressors.
In fact, Jesus' death
is the very foundation
on which this request
can even be made.
Jesus can make this request
because he is dying
in the place of sinners.
He's not asking God
to ignore their sin.
He's not asking God
to turn his back
on this injustice.
He's not asking God
to pretend
that this never happened.
No, Jesus is interceding
for the transgressors.
He is pleading
for the forgiveness
of sinners.
sinners.
And he can make
such a request
because he is
taking their place.
He's taking the judgment
that they deserve.
He's taking the judgment
that you
and I
deserve.
Now it's only
when we grasp that
that we understand
the Christian message.
The apostle Paul
would describe Jesus
as the son of God
who loved me
and gave himself
for me.
The apostle Paul
had come to understand
that the death
of Jesus
on the cross
is the very death
that he deserved.
He was the one
who should be
abandoned
by God
and rejected.
Not Jesus.
But the son of God
loved him
and gave himself
for him.
Jesus is numbered
with the transgressors
and he makes
intercession
for the transgressors.
You see
these words
of Jesus
on the cross
hold out
the possibility
of forgiveness.
Now perhaps
you have messed up
so badly
that you've
asked yourself
this question
how could
God
possibly
forgive
this?
Maybe it's
because of
the gravity
of the sin
that you've
committed.
It is too
big
for God
to forgive.
Perhaps
it's because
of the frequency
of your sins
that you have
committed.
There are
simply
too many
for God
to forgive.
But these
gracious words
of Jesus
on the cross
surely
point to
the possibility
of forgiveness.
No matter
how big
no matter
how
many
after all
what sin
could be
greater
than putting
to death
the eternal
son
of God
who had
come
in human
form.
John MacArthur
writes
the sin
they were
guilty of
was so
unbelievably
horrific
that if
these people
had not
actually
heard him
pray for
their forgiveness
they might
have assumed
that their
sin
was
unforgivable.
they might
have assumed
that their
sin
was
unforgivable.
After all
what sin
could be
greater
than this?
What the
apostle Paul
describes
elsewhere
as crucifying
the Lord
of glory.
if there's
a possibility
that this
sin
can be
forgiven
then there
is no
sin
too big
there is
no sin
too many
that the
death of
Jesus
cannot
pay for
it
and the
forgiveness
of God
cannot
cover it.
Now of course
they do not
know what
they are
doing.
Jesus puts
this sin
of the
crucifixion
in the
category
of sins
of ignorance.
He prays
Father forgive
them for
they do
not know
what they
are doing.
Now
exactly who
Jesus is
referring to
isn't very
clear.
Does he
mean the
soldiers
who have
nailed him
to the
cross?
Is he
referring to
the crowd
who have
called for
his crucifixion?
Is he
talking about
the Roman
authorities
who have
sanctioned
his death?
Could he
even mean
the Jewish
religious leaders
who have
plotted to
kill him
for some
time?
But the
Apostle Paul
seems to
take the
broadest
and the
most generous
of those
interpretations
when he
writes in
1 Corinthians
2 verse
8
none of
the rulers
of this
age
understood
it.
For
if they
had
they
would
not
have
crucified
the
Lord
of
glory.
If
they
had
really
understood
who
Jesus
was
none
of the
rulers
would have
sanctioned
his death.
Not the
Jewish
religious
leaders
not the
Roman
authorities
Pilate
would not
have
handed him
over to
the crowd
and the
soldiers
would not
have
nailed him
to the
cross
none
of them
they
would
not
have
dared
to
plot
the
death
of the
creator
of the
world
to
seek to
destroy
the one
who is
immortal
and
eternal
to
pass
judgment
on the
one
who
alone
would
pass
judgment
on
every
human
being
who
ever
lived.
If only
they had
understood
who
Jesus
was
they
would
not
have
dared
to
lay
a
finger
on
him.
But
they
did not
understand
this
was a
sin
of
ignorance.
But
sins
of
ignorance
still
make
us
guilty.
That's
clear from
the fact
that
Jesus
prays
for
their
forgiveness.
Forgiveness
isn't
needed
when
someone
hasn't
done
wrong.
It's
their
guilt
that
requires
forgiveness.
But
you know
that too
if you've
tried to
plead your
case with
a guard
who has
pulled you
over for
speeding.
Do you
know what
speed you
were doing?
The guard
asks.
No,
I thought
I was
doing the
right speed.
Didn't
you see
the 50
kilometre
sign as
you entered
into the
village?
Sorry
officer,
I didn't
see the
sign.
The guard
starts to
take down
your
details.
Your
ignorance
is not
going to
free you
from your
guilt.
Your
ignorance
will not
protect you
from those
three
penalty
points
and that
now,
believe it
or not,
160
euro
fine.
But it's
the same
in all
kinds of
areas of
life.
Whether
it's paying
your income
tax or
not putting
money in
the parking
meter,
your
ignorance
does not
free you
from your
guilt.
A fine
still has
to be
paid,
whether
you knew
you were
breaking
the law
or not.
You see,
there's an
expectation
that you
should know
the law
and obey
it.
If you're
driving on
the roads,
there's an
expectation
that you
know the
rules of
the road
and that
you obey
them.
It's your
responsibility
to know
them.
You should
know better
and ignorance
is no
excuse.
Now,
the same
is true
here.
Jesus
has spent
three years
in public
life,
teaching to
vast crowds,
healing the
sick,
demonstrating
his power
over nature.
He has
clearly identified
himself as
the promised
Messiah.
For anyone
who wants
to know
the truth
about Jesus,
there has
been more
than enough
evidence.
I didn't
know
just won't
cut it.
Ignorance
is no
excuse.
Now,
perhaps there
are some
people here
this morning
who've had a
very casual
approach
to Jesus.
Jesus'
identity is
not something
that you've
really given
that much
thought to.
And to be
honest,
you're quite
content
in your
ignorance.
And your
hope is
that perhaps
your ignorance
will save
you.
Sorry,
officer,
has perhaps
worked for you
before.
But it
does not
work,
and it
will not
work with
God.
Sins of
ignorance
still make
us guilty.
now,
perhaps this
prayer of
Jesus
still leaves
you with
some puzzling
questions.
How,
after all,
was Jesus'
prayer answered?
And what
exactly is
Jesus praying
for?
After all,
if Jesus
is God,
doesn't he
have the
authority to
forgive sins?
Hasn't he
declared other
people to be
forgiven?
Like the
lame man
whose friends
brought him
to Jesus,
or the
woman who
was caught
in adultery?
If Jesus
has the
authority to
forgive sins,
why is he
praying to
his heavenly
father to
forgive them?
Now,
the answer
to Jesus'
prayer is
not by an
indiscriminate
pardon.
That's not
what's happening
at the cross.
We might think
it sounds like
that.
As though
Jesus is
granting a
pardon to
anyone who
is involved
in any way
with his
crucifixion.
It might
appear that
Jesus is
throwing out
pardons as
freely as
Donald Trump
in the last
week of his
presidency.
But that's
not the case
at all.
In fact,
Jesus has
just warned
of a
coming
judgment.
Jesus has
told the
mourning women
that instead
of weeping
for him,
they should
weep for
themselves and
for their
children.
Indeed,
the coming
judgment will
be so
severe that
mothers will
wish that
they had
never had
children.
And grown
men in
fear will
long that the
mountains would
fall on them
and cover
them.
this is no
indiscriminate
pardon where
everyone escapes
judgment.
Instead,
Jesus is
doing the
very thing
that he
had taught
his followers
to do.
Remember the
words of
Jesus in
Matthew 5
and verse
44.
Love your
enemies and
pray for
those who
persecute you.
you.
Jesus isn't
like that
long line
of disgraced
politicians
who set
standards for
the average
member of
the public
and then
disregards those
standards
themselves.
No,
Jesus lives
out what
he has
taught.
Love your
enemies and
pray for
those who
persecute you.
Now,
it is a
difficult
thing to
pray for
those who
have hurt
you.
It is not
easy to
wish good
for someone
who has
caused you
harm.
And left
to ourselves,
we want
just the
opposite.
we wish
for bad
things to
happen to
the person
who has
hurt us.
And rather
than praying
for them,
we would
call down
curses from
heaven if
we could.
God,
but the
Christian is
to leave
judgment with
God.
No matter
how much
someone has
sinned against
you, their
sin is
primarily
against God.
However
much someone
has hurt
you, first
and foremost,
they have
disregarded the
commands of
God.
However
much someone
has harmed
you, they
have rebelled
against their
loving creator.
And the
offence against
you, no
matter how
great it
may be,
that offence
peels into
insignificance
in comparison
to their
offence
against God.
If anyone
has the
right to
demand
justice,
surely it
is the
man who
is hanging
here upon
the cross.
But here
is Jesus,
God the
Son,
come in
the frailty
of human
flesh.
And he
speaks these
words, if you
like, not as
the eternal
Son of God,
who has the
authority to
forgive,
but as a
human being
like you
and I,
praying for
those who
are persecuting
him,
loving even
his enemies.
Here in the
dying hours of
Jesus' life,
we see the
perfect human
being,
what you
and I
are meant
to be,
praying that
his Father
in heaven
would forgive
those who
have treated
him so
terribly.
Now I'm
sure we've
all heard
it say,
I'm sure
we've
repeated
this,
to err
is human,
to forgive
divine.
And maybe
we say it
thinking that
gets us
off the
hook.
But as
human beings
made in
the image
of God,
to be like
God,
here we
see Jesus
in his
perfect
humanity,
praying for
those who
are persecuting
them and
praying for
their forgiveness
just as he
has taught
us to
do.
You see,
the answer
to Jesus'
prayer doesn't
come by an
indiscriminate
pardon,
but through
the declaration
of the
gospel message.
the answer
to Jesus'
prayer begins,
if you like,
some weeks
later.
On the
day of
Pentecost,
after Jesus
has risen
from the
dead and
returned to
heaven,
Peter stands
up in front
of a large
crowd and
he declares
Jesus to
be both
Lord and
Messiah.
He tells
the many
Jews who
have gathered
for this
festival that
God had
shown Jesus
to be who
he claimed
to be by
miracles,
wonders,
and signs,
but that
they,
with the
help of
wicked men,
put him
to death
by kneeling
him to
the cross.
He tells
them of the
resurrection,
of Jesus'
return to
heaven,
that he
will come
from heaven
again to
silence all
of his
enemies.
And the
crowds are
moved in
their hearts
to ask,
what shall
we do?
What will
we do?
And Peter's
response
couldn't be
any clearer.
Repent
and be
baptized,
every one
of you,
in the
name of
Jesus Christ
for the
forgiveness
of sins.
Here is the
answer to
Jesus'
prayer,
an answer
that comes
through the
gospel message,
that every
person who
turns from
their sins
and trusts
only in
Jesus,
receives
the forgiveness
of sins.
Every sin,
no matter
how big,
no matter
how many.
And why?
Because the
only truly
innocent
person who
ever lived
was numbered
with the
transgressors
and made
intercession
for the
transgressors.
The
sinless
one
took our
place
so that
we who
turn from
our sins
and trust
in Jesus
might know
the forgiveness
of God.
And it was
for this
very reason
that Jesus
had commissioned
his first
disciples
to declare
this good
news,
this message
of forgiveness
that comes
through the
cross of
Jesus.
And it's
for this
very reason
that God
has placed
his people
in this
very
town.
It is
the very
reason
that this
church
exists.
It is
the reason
every
gospel
church
exists.
To
bear witness
to the
forgiveness
of sins
that they
have found
only in
Jesus.
And to
declare that
same
promise of
forgiveness
to everyone
who will
turn from
their sins
no matter
how big,
no matter
how many,
and trust
only in
him.
Let's pray
together.
Father, as
we think of
the one
who hung
on that
cross,
we know
of all
people he
did not
deserve to
be there.
We know
that only
he was
completely
innocent
of all
sins.
and yet
we thank
you that
you have
helped us
to come
to understand
that he
hangs there
not for
the wrongs
that he
has done,
but for
the wrongs
that we
have done.
Father, we
know that it
was we
who deserved
to face
your judgment,
that it was
we who
deserved to
be cut off
from the
land of
the living.
But,
Father, we
thank you that
that judgment
fell on
Jesus
instead of
us.
And we
thank you
that there
is no
sin too
big,
that there
are no
sins too
many,
that cannot
be covered
by the
forgiveness
that is
found in
Jesus,
because he
has paid
it all.
And so,
Father, we
pray that you
might remind
us of the
forgiveness
that we
have received,
and that we
might look to
Jesus, not
only as the
one who
forgives us
of sin,
but shows
us what
it means
to love
and to
forgive those
who have
harmed us.
And we
ask this in
the name of
the Lord
Jesus.
Amen.
We're going
to stand and
sing a song
together before
Johnny comes
to lead us
around the
Lord's table.