“Generous with Our Forgiveness” – April 3, 2015

Luke 23:33-34 and John 19:28-37

Have you ever had someone say something or do something to you that was really unkind? I mean, downright awful? I can think of other descriptive words, too. Mean, nasty, despicable, evil. There are people like that in the world. In the world today, as well as throughout history. People who act and speak in a thoughtless manner, yes, but also people who act and speak in a deliberate way intended to hurt and to cause all manner of evil.

Tonight, we remember the events of that Passion Week, Thursday night through Friday afternoon, two thousand years ago. We will consider how unkind many people were to Jesus, our Lord. People who acted and spoke to Him in a deliberate way intended to hurt, and to cause all manner of evil. Imagine!

But first, let’s back up. Go back to the Upper Room, where the Rabbi Jesus and His disciples gathered together. They ate a Passover dinner, a Seder. Remembering that night so long ago when the Passover lamb was slain for the redemption of each Jewish household in Egypt. Remembering so long ago, as the head of each house smeared the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of each house so that the Angel of Death would pass over that house in the final plague on the people of Egypt. Remembering as the Jewish people fled from Egypt in such a hurry they were unable to allow their bread to rise. So they ate matzoh, or unleavened bread.

This Passover dinner in the Upper Room celebrated and commemorated the deliverance of the Jewish people from their slavery in Egypt. Jesus and His disciples remembered all of that. They came together to eat, to remember why that time, that night was different from all other nights. But Jesus added a whole new dimension to why that night was different. He instituted the Lord’s Supper. The Eucharist. We will remember this after the sermon, tonight.

The Passion narrative does not stop there. After dinner, after the bread and cup were shared by everyone present, Jesus went out to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed so earnestly and with such agonizing intensity! Yet, His friends, His disciples could not keep watch with Him. They were too exhausted. Imagine.

Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, slipped out during the Seder dinner. He went to the house of the Chief Priest and told them he would betray Jesus. With a kiss, a common greeting between two friends at the time. Imagine.

As we follow Jesus through the events of that night and on into early Friday morning, Jesus is led through several trials. He is scorned, mocked, tortured, and ultimately stands before Pilate. Jesus is sentenced to death. Death by crucifixion.

This kind of death is particularly horrible. A criminal’s death.

I am going to pause here, and take a moment to tell you what this service is not. It is not a service where we consider Jesus’ Seven Last Words on the cross. I have attended such services. Where there are a series of recitations of each Word, followed by a short message interpreting each one. Some churches commemorate Good Friday with the observance of the last day of our Lord’s life. They retrace the scenes, or the Stations of the Cross. These show that final journey of Jesus, to the cross. Emotionally moving, graphically illustrating the sights, sounds and feelings of those surrounding the cross, as well as Jesus, on that horrific day.

All over the world, today, people are remembering that awful journey. There are some who, just a few hours ago, walked that journey. Along the same roads where Jesus walked, through the old city of Jerusalem. Yes, it is incredibly sad to remember that our Lord was condemned to death, even death on a cross. A criminal’s death. People beat their breasts, and commemorate that agonizing journey. The stations of the Cross.

Instead, we will zero in on one particular word that Jesus spoke from the cross. We come to the end of our Lenten series of generosity. By looking at this word spoken by Jesus, I would like us to reflect on the magnitude of the generosity of our Lord. “Father, forgive them. For they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus is so generous that He forgives those who kill Him. Torture Him. Despise Him. Imagine what a kind, generous, God-sized heart Jesus had! Imagine.

I suggest to you tonight that you—that I—that we all consider how wide and deep Jesus’ forgiveness must be! Consider, with our friends at #40acts, who have given me these wonderful Lenten sermon ideas.

It is not easy to forgive! God knows, I have been wronged, I have had some awful things done to me. I’ve been wounded and in pain, and I bet you have, too! Others might mistreat us, even abuse us in a myriad of ways. Do you think it’s easy to put aside bitterness and resentment? Let me tell you. I know from experience. It is not easy.

Yet, that is exactly what Jesus does here. On the cross, no less! That diabolical device of torture, devised by the Romans to be a horrific instrument of death. If Jesus could forgive His killers and those responsible for His death, what does that mean for us, today?

I know what it means for me. I know that I have been moved to forgive those who have hurt me. God has urged me to forgive those who I have resented deeply, for years.

We can look at this tremendous act of forgiveness—all forgiveness begins at the cross. Jesus models for us what forgiveness ought to be like. What forgiveness can be. We are only able to forgive each other if we know what God’s forgiveness is like. Imagine.

Thank God that God has given us the promise that is faithful and true. Each Sunday, we proclaim God’s forgiveness of our sins. Each Sunday after our confession of sins, I make the statement, “Believe the good news of the Gospel—in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!”

Can you believe the good news that Jesus proclaims to us from the cross? He proclaims forgiveness. Jesus, struggling for breath on the cross, uses the last of His remaining breath and strength to speak. What does He say? He speaks forgiveness. Can we do any less?

Praise God. Jesus loves us this much. What love. What generosity. What forgiveness. Amen.

@chaplaineliza

Thanks to the kind friends at http://www.40acts.org.uk – I am using their sermon suggestions and notes for Lent 2015. #40acts Do Lent generously!

(Suggestion: visit me at my daily blog for 2015: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. Thanks!)