Cross Words

It’s A Beautiful Thing.

Pastor Mark Johnson Sunday March 8, 2015

Luke 23:33–34
Death on the cross was meant to be slow and agonizing.
It was meant to send a message and terrorize those watching.

There was nothing meant to be beautiful that day. But, in an instant, Jesus rose above the horror and spoke words that turned judgment to beauty, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

The first recorded words that Jesus spoke on the cross were not about judgment or revenge.

When we think about the cross, isn’t this what makes it beautiful: forgiveness?

Colossians 2:13–15

No matter how bad you or I have been, no matter how much we have blown it, Jesus took our sins to the cross and canceled our debt.

How do we forgive others for their painful actions? We struggle with our misunderstanding of forgiveness.

Jesus will never again put Himself under the power of such destructiveness.

As I face the need to forgive others I must remember the need for my own forgiveness.

The beauty of the cross is that Jesus made a way for my trespasses to be forgiven and for all others as well.

Forgiveness is open to all but fellowship only comes to those who seek it and repent.

We are called to be forgiving as Jesus is forgiving. As we forgive, He forgives us.

What can we learn from Jesus?

1. We can learn from how He saw their actions. “They know not what they do!”

Yet they didn’t know. They didn’t know the beauty, glory, innocence, power, majesty of the one before them.

Have you ever looked back on something you have done and wished for a do over?

Until that insight came, until your eyes were open, you were blind. Part one of forgiveness is recognizing the blindness of the offender. The beauty of Calvary is that Jesus recognizes our blindness.
2. We can learn from how He felt about them.

“Father forgive them.”

Yet Jesus sees their value. They are His creation. They are His children.

The beauty of the cross is in His love for all mankind. Forgiveness is about the intent of your heart.

Jesus in His love had the power of revenge and prayed for forgiveness.

3. Forgiveness is about who we want to be. Jesus wanted to be the Savior of the world.

You will live under one of two marks: the mark of the world or the mark of the cross.

Your greatest testimony to the world is to be marked by the beauty of the cross: forgiveness.