April 18th
It’s a “HOW TO FORGIVE THE UNFORGIVABLE” (PART 1) Day
LORD, HELP US TO FORGIVE OTHERS, AS WE WANT TO BE FORGIVEN. AMEN.
Brothers and sisters, what they did the day they crucified Jesus was unforgivable. That’s the definition of what unforgivable is. When you crucify the Son of God, you have done that which is beyond forgiveness. It is truly unforgivable. And yet, Jesus said, in his first word from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
This was the unforgivable sin. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them.” That leads me back to the original question, a question which has great relevance for us today, a question which is not just theological or historical, but a question which a lot of us are wrestling with right now: How do you forgive the unforgivable? How do you forgive someone who has done something to you so terrible that it defies any attempt at human forgiveness? As I study this story, especially as I study the remarkable words of Jesus, two things come to mind that will help us understand how to forgive the unforgivable.It is possible to forgive the unforgivable by remembering that the people who are hurting you do not know what they are doing.
It is possible to forgive the unforgivable by remembering that the people who are hurting you do not know what they are doing.
If ever a statement seems to be obviously wrong, this is it. Someone says, “Pastor; you don’t understand. They knew exactly what they were doing. They knew what they were doing before they were doing it. They knew they were going to hurt me, and they went ahead and did it anyway.” When she told that lie, she knew what she was doing. When he double-crossed me, he knew what he was doing. When he stepped out on me, he knew what he was doing. When he broke, the marriage vows he knew what he was doing. She knew what she was doing. They knew exactly what they were doing. How can you even bring up that subject? They knew they would hurt me, and they did it on purpose. “Pastor, what do you mean?”
Consider Jesus. Who was he talking about when he said, “For they know not what they are doing?” Who is the “they” he is talking about? Judas was guilty. Pilate was guilty. Caiaphas was guilty. Annas was guilty. The Roman soldiers were guilty, and so were the Jewish leaders, the Pharisees and the scribes who conspired to put him to death. What about the mob? Yes, they were guilty. And what about the spectators who came to cheer and laugh and to mock? Yes, they were guilty. But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.”
Underline the word “what” because it is the key to the first saying of Christ from the cross. The key is not the fact that they do not know. The key is what. They do not know what they are doing. They know what they are doing, but they do not know what it means. They know what they are doing, but they don’t know who they’re doing it too. They know what they are doing, but they don’t know what the ramifications are. That is to say; they are guilty of killing a man, but they are guilty of much worse than they know. They are guilty of killing the Son of God from heaven. “They Need Forgiveness More Than They Know.” When Jesus cried out, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” he was saying “Father forgive them because they need forgiveness more than they know.” “Father, forgive them because they are in desperate need of forgiveness, and they don’t even know it.”
The same is true with the people who hurt you. They need forgiveness more than they know. It’s true; they knew what they were doing when they made that telephone call or when they wrote that letter when they said that thing that tore into your heart when they left and walked out. They knew exactly what they were doing, but they didn’t know the enormity of it. They didn’t know how bad and how terrible it was. They only knew on the surface. They didn’t know down deep, and they can never know down deep how badly they hurt you. The people who have hurt you need your forgiveness more than they need anything else in the world. They need it more than they know. And they will probably never change until they get it. And some of them won’t change even after they get it. But still, you have to forgive them. That’s the deeper meaning of this first word from the cross. You can forgive the unforgivable if you remember that the people who have hurt you so deeply don’t at the deepest level know what they have done to you. Forgiveness is what they need, and you are the only one who can give it to them.
This is Rev Dr. Wm. Rocky Brown, 3rd letting you know that GOD and I Love you, and we approve this message because we want to motivate your mind, body & soul. So be happy and enjoy the blessings of The LORD today my friend! Please subscribe to my website to receive these messages daily at http://www.yourspiritualmotivation.com. You can also buy my publication: “800 SAYINGS BY OLD FOLKS WHO RAISED US” from Amazon.com or www.wmrockybrown3rd.com or by email: wmrocbe@aol.com or by calling 215-480-5333. The cost is $20.00 s/h included.
