FORGIVE THEM FATHER (Repost from 9/20/09)

Welcome to your 24/7, week long online church service. What a great day to celebrate the gift of life God has given us.

I feel an expectation today!! I believe God has anointed this church service. Enter into the grace and mercy of God in this place. Please remember and understand everyone is welcome in this online church. This is a place of salvation (through Jesus Christ), a place of healing. Tell you what! Let's turn in your Bible to I Peter 2:24 and read it together.

Peter writing to isolated believers in northern Asia Minor stated:

“Who his own self (Jesus) bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness. By whose stripes ye were healed.”

There you are, my friends. He bore our sins so we could be saved and He took the painful, beating stripes on His back for our healing. That is why we take healing prayer requests seriously in this church. Thank you, Jesus, for all you have wrought for us when you died on that cross. Thank you for taking the humiliation and beating that now provides healing for our mind, body and spirit. Yes Lord, we will take that cross more seriously. Your sacrifice will not be in vain. Can we agree on that, my friends?

I've heard preachers say “We are beyond the cross.” But seriously folks!! We must never forget Jesus died on that cross for us and because of his death and resurrection, we can be saved. We must never forget or minimize the cross and its place in our salvation.

I remember when our son, David, was a small boy. I took him to a small Baptist church in Clintwood, Virginia. There was a guest preacher. I believe his name was Roger Adkins. He was preaching about the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He described the ruggedness of the cross, the pain of nails being driven through the hands and feet of Jesus, the blood flowing from his side. (I remember my grandmother saying she could hear Bro. Adkins without her hearing aid. I'm smiling as I write that). Bro. Adkins related, as Jesus hung on that old rugged cross, the Romans pierced his side. A big mistake on their part, because that blood that flowed from the side of Jesus didn't just drop on the ground of calvary. But, that shed blood bounded to every place on earth so man could be saved.

Thank God for Jesus, my friends! Always remember the cross of Christ and what it stands for. By the way, my son David is now a pastor and I believe if you asked him, he will look back some thirty years ago and say – I'll never forget Roger Adkins, the man of God who was a big influence on me.

It seems ladies and gentleman, that our church services now begin with the first words produced. Obviously, our service has begun.

All week God has been dealing with me about preaching about the importance of forgiveness in the believer's life. I know you have heard in church how deadly unforgiveness is. Let's look at it from this angle: The entire basis of Jesus coming to earth was to be a sacrifice for our sins so we could be cleansed and forgiven of all of our sin. Our heavenly Father is a God of mercy and forgiveness and He expects man to be the same way. Turn to Daniel 9:9.

“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have sinned against thee.”

Yes my friends, God is ready to give us his mercy and forgiveness even though we have sinned and turned our backs on Him. Do we have that same character? Can we forgive people who have done us wrong? Do we show mercy and forgiveness to all? Probably not, right?

As we talked about the cross previously, what do you think Jesus was thinking or saying? It would probably be important, don't you think? Please turn in your Bible to Luke 23:24. Let's see what brother Luke has to say. He relates that Jesus said these words while hanging on that cross:

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his garments and cast lots.”

There are two important points here. Jesus said “Forgive them, they don't know what they're doing.” Folks, many of the people you have been bitter against and unwilling to forgive, don't even know they did anything wrong to you. Holding this bitterness and unforgiveness in your heart only hurts you. It is also like a firewall between you and God. It's time to let it go once and for all.

It doesn't matter if it is an old friend, your parents, a pastor or a church. It doesn't matter how hurt you are over something. God wants you to be rid of anything that separates you from Him. Turn to God, my friends. Ask Him to supply you with His mercy and forgiveness and then extend that to the person that you feel has offended you so badly.

Also, even though Jesus forgave them, they still gambled away his clothes.....point made!! Forgiveness doesn't depend on how the person being forgiven behaves. Listen folks!! I know God is speaking to someone who will enter this online church service this week. God is extending his mercy and forgiveness to you. It is time to make it right. It is time to drop the burden.

I have to make a point at this time that you may not like. I would be doing you an injustice if I didn't give you this information. Please turn to Mark 11:25-26. Read carefully and thoughtfully. This is Jesus talking, do you think it is important to listen and act upon what Jesus has to say?

“And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have ought against any: that your Father also, which is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses. But, if you do not forgive, neither will your Father, which is in heaven, forgive your trespasses.”

Seems like Jesus is pretty serious here, doesn't it? Well folks, I've done my part. This message is for someone to take to heart and act upon. Forgive and give mercy, unload the burden, be totally free, my friends.

God Bless you,

Bro. Bob