30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 23 26-43 THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS 11 Luke 23 34 The nature of God
📖 Luke 23:26-43
Tue 21 Dec 2021 – The nature of God - Luke 23:26-43 - THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS (11) - Bible reading: Matthew 5:43-45
We learn precious lessons at the cross of Jesus. These lessons are necessary for us as we experience increasing persecution against the church.
Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.
This is considered the first word that was spoken by Jesus from the cross. " Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do ."
As we consider this statement, we must not think that Jesus spoke this statement just once, from the cross. Throughout His life, this was His disposition. This was how he responded to people, who were against Him. It was always a response of love, to love the unlovable and pray for their forgiveness and restoration.
This is such a phenomenal statement, spoken at a time when He was crucified. We can only imagine the physical torture that He was undergoing at that time. Yet, He was in a state of full consciousness.
As we look at this statement of Jesus, objectively, it does not add up.
This pain of the cross was being inflicted upon Jesus with purpose, intention and determination. They knew exactly what they were doing. Then how could our Lord say that they did not know what they were doing?
What was it that people did not know, which we must understand so that we too can have the same nature of Jesus when we as the church are persecuted?
God loves everybody. This is a fact that most people in the world do not understand nor accept. It is because God loves everybody that we too as His church are called to love our enemies.
Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' (44) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (45) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
God loves the good and the evil. He loves the just and the unjust. The sun and the rain are given to all, without discrimination.
People are doing many things that are totally against God, yet He provides for everybody.
People forget that God is a God of love. This is one of the reasons why Jesus said that God should forgive them for they do not know what they do.
Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.
People blame God for all the horrible evil that is being perpetrated in our world. When children are abused and molested, when innocent people suffer, when a person who does good is falsely accused and condemned. When all such evil take place in our world, people are angry with God and they reject God.
Friends, we need to understand that as much as we agonise over such awful wickedness that happens in our world, God is pained even more. He created and gave us a perfect creation, over which we were made to have dominion, in the character of God. In rejecting God, we have done all that we ought not to have done, against ourselves, against one another and against creation.
The pain and suffering that we see in our world today are man’s doing, not God’s. It is God, who is restraining and holding things back so that we do not undergo the full consequence of all of our actions. If we were to experience the full heat of the fallout of our ways, we would have all perished long ago. God is holding back the full consequences of man’s rebellion so that man will repent, return and be restored to God.
People are not able to see the bigger picture for the reason for the suffering in our world. Since people, out of a faulty understanding, persecute the church, we must pray for God to forgive them for they do not know what they do.
When we pray this prayer for people does it mean that we are becoming doormats and letting ourselves have a fatalistic mindset?
Loving people also involves correcting and admonishing people.
II Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
We develop in our own walk with God and this is how we develop others. We must correct and show people the ways of God. When we do so, we can expect that people will generally, not welcome our message. They may seek to harm us further but we will love people the way God loves.
Hebrews 12:6 FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
This is the outlook that we need to have as the church. We see this being demonstrated by Stephen. He corrected and admonished people because of the love of God for people that was being poured out in his heart. What was the response of the people to Stephen? They stoned him to death.
Acts 7:59-60 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (60) Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Through the ages, we have seen that this was how God’s people responded to those who persecuted them, for this was the nature of God.
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do
Thought to ponder
When you are persecuted, for being a disciple of Jesus, will you be able to say, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do”?