The Prayers Of The Cross 05
Lk. 23:34; Matt. 27:46; Lk. 23:46
Three times Jesus prayed on the cross. Father forgive them,
they know what they do; My God, My God, why have you
forsaken Me? Father into thy hands I commit My spirit.
These are not just words of sentiment. Prayers of the suffering
Son of God dying for our sin.
a. Jno. 1:14, The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...
Why? Why did He do that?
Paul tells why in Phip. 2:5-9; Heb. 2:17.
Jno. 3:16, says it all.
God had one Son who was unique and priceless. No other like Him.
He was perfect in every way. Absolutely holy, obedient and without
sin.
But, God also had created children who were selfish, egotistical,
loveless, rebellious, unholy and given to sin. And God sacrificed
the only faithful Son He had left. Why? To redeem those adopted
children who had rejected Him and sold themselves to be the children
of a new father named Satan.
All of this was to make us understand how very much God loved
us.
Thats what makes these prayers of the cross so unique and
priceless.
Thats why they are recorded and preserved for us. They are
living proof of how much God loves us and want us home by His
side.
These prayers are the tearful, heart-broken voice of God, in the
garden, crying out, My Adam, My Adam, where are you?
These prayers reveal Christs great struggle with the forces
of Satan and the demons of hell to free us and give us the final
victory over sin, death and the power of Satan.
Rom. 5:12-17. That says, death reigned and ruled over us and brutalized
us, until on the cross, Jesus set us free. Thats the message
of the cross.
2 Tim. 3:16-17.
That says, Every scripture has a message that speaks to
the heart of every man and woman in every age. Thus it behooves
us to study and learn the lessons of Gods Word and apply
our hearts to wisdom.
Lk. 23:34, Father forgive them... That 1st prayer
reveals the deadliness of sin.
Forgive them of what? Sin, sin can paralyzed the conscience so
that sin no longer appears to be sin.
Case in Point: The soldiers at the foot of the cross do not know
that deity is being nailed to the cross. They dont know
Jesus. Just another criminal, enemy of the state, deserving crucifixion
according to Roman law.
In a sense, they dont know what they are doing. They are
calloused to this bloody routine.
They probably Cringed at their first crucifixion. Now as common
as eating breakfast. Thats a perfect example of how sin
is excused when it gets entrenched in the heart and becomes just
another life habit.
2. The same is true today. We can ignore sin and let our sins
slide. We can dismiss our sins with a shrug so often that they
no longer register and we become blind to sin. We can reach the
point where we can, sin and never think anything about it.
(1) You can excuse sin all you want to, but every excuse is just
another layer of
blindness that causes you to be more calloused and less sensitive
to Gods Word. Paul
describes this kind of person in 1 Tim 4:1?2, as those who, ...depart
from the faith,
giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking
lies in hypocrisy,
having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.
(1) Every searing with a hot iron makes a callous that causes
you to become insensitive and treat sin lightly. And thats
why people forget that every sin grieves the Holy Spirit and separates
them from God.
(1) Excuses cause us to treat sin lightly and forget that every
sin grieves God.
(2) David prayed, O God, cleanse me from secret sin.
But, before that could happen David had to be made aware of his
sin.
(3) We have the need for constant awareness of sin and to admit
our sin.
(2) For fellowship to exist, sin must be blotted out. Thats
why you need Jesus.
(1) Thats made possible only by the cleansing blood shed
by Jesus on the cross.
(2) He must blot out all sin. Not just heinous, brutal, vicious,
obvious sins.
(3) Not just the sins public opinion frowns on and condemns. Authorities
send you to prison for committing. Those the Church brands as
unbecoming.
(3) All sin. Even those society approves and excuses as, Just
my human failings that dont really harm anyone.
(2) God is holy, just. Not treat sin lightly, not ignore, not
wink at sin. Why? Sin killed His Son on the cross and Gods
not going to let that slide.
(1) Acts 17:30-31.
(1) 2 Cor. 5:10-11.
(2) The Cross cries out in compassion, Father forgive them.
But there is no forgiveness without Jesus.
(3) The Cross asks the haunting question, My God, My God
why have you
forsaken Me? God forsook His Son so He might not forsake
us.
(4) On the day you die, does the Cross permit you to sincerely
say, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit? Or
will you hear, Depart from Me, I never knew you.....Depart
into the deep darkness of outer darkness where there is weeping
and gnashing of teeth?
(2) How do you answer the questions from the Cross?
(1) Which do you choose? The Cross and life or self and eternity
without God?
(2) Acts 20:32.
Spur - 12/09/2001 am
|