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.
That’s what makes these prayers of the cross so unique and priceless.
That’s 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 Christ’s 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. That’s 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 God’s 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 don’t know Jesus. Just another criminal, enemy of the state, deserving crucifixion according to Roman law.
In a sense, they don’t 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. That’s 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 God’s 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 that’s 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. That’s why you need Jesus.
(1) That’s 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 don’t 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 God’s 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