Thursday, March 8, 2012

Jesus Forgave His Tormentors

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” -- Luke 23:34a

The crowd watched as Jesus suffered on the cross. The religious leaders laughed. The soldiers mocked him. Even one of the criminals hanging beside Jesus hurled insults at Him.

What did Jesus do? How did He retaliate? He asked God to forgive them because they didn’t realize what they were doing.

That is just such a powerful lesson and one we frequently move right on past. Yeah, we know we’re supposed to forgive. But we want to wait until the other person admits he’s wrong. We want to wait for a better day, when maybe it doesn’t hurt so much. We want to wait until that person deserves forgiveness. We want to wait until we feel like it.

Jesus didn’t. While they were still tormenting Him, while He hung in pain and agony, Jesus forgave them. Did they admit they were wrong? No. Did He wait until He arose from the grave? No. Did they deserve it? No. Jesus forgave first -- and so must we.

It’s rarely easy. It’s especially hard when the other person refuses to admit the wrong he’s done. It’s even harder when the wrong continues -- again and again and again. How much must we take? How many times must we forgive? However many times it takes.

Do you realize that we were part of that crowd that stood around Jesus that day? We might not have been there in bodily form but we were there just the same. We are the remnants from that day, the sinners who inhabit the earth. Jesus didn’t just forgive His tormentors. He forgave all sinners who cry out to Him in faith and repentance.

Somehow we know intellectually that Jesus died to take our sins upon Himself. We understand that. But we rarely think of ourselves as part of that disbelieving crowd. It is easier, no doubt, because we live on this side of Calvary. But had we lived in Jerusalem that day, would we have reacted any differently?

And, yet, Jesus forgave us. We are free to take our sins, our mistakes, our regrets, and place them at the foot of the cross. We can hear Jesus say those powerful words of forgiveness and know that, indeed, we are forgiven.

As we walk away, we are to remember that our forgiveness came at great cost. God’s Son died for my sins and for your sins. Just as He died for the sins of the person who has wronged you. Forgiveness is rarely easy. But it is necessary because it’s what Jesus taught us to do.