Tabor Baptist Church

This morning we looked at those who put Christ on the cross

• His heart was 'Father forgive them'
• Recap (of this morning)
  • Jesus came that people would have life - not to destroy them
  • Example of Samaritan Village
  • There will be judgment for those who do not repent
  • There will be life for those who turn and repent - this is great news for us
    • If when we crucify him afresh in our hearts, Jesus' heart is soft and gentle to us
    • Jesus longs for people to avoid hell
• We thought how this brought great comfort
  • But they provide us with a profound challenge
• Jesus prayed and worked for the salvation of His enemies - do we?
  • How do we respond to this?
• We have real enemies
  • John 16:2
  • John 15:21
  • How people treated Jesus - people will treat us
  • Matt 10:22, 5:11
• Sinners hate Jesus and want to get rid of Him
  • It is only natural that the world wants to get rid of Christians
  • The world hates Jesus and so they hate Christians
  • In extremis - torture, imprisonment and martyrdom
  • We should not be surprised at how people treat us - see how the treated Jesus
    • If not, then we need to question if we are truly living a Christ-like life
• How should we respond?
  • What would Jesus do?
    • We are Christ's disciples
    • We do as He would
  • Remember that Christ suffered (1 Pet 2:21)
    • He committed no sin, no deceit, no reviling or threatening (1 Pet 2:22-23)
    • We should respond 'Father forgive them'
      • Jesus seeks God to bring them repentance, bring the weight of their sin to the hearts, and cause them to cry out to God
  • Do we have the mind of Christ in this?
    • Example
    • Quote from song 'May the mind of Christ my Saviour'
• It can be done
  • We are commanded to love our enemies
    • Therefore we can do this in the power of the Holy Spirit
  • It has been done
    • Example of Stephen
      • The people's conscience was pricked
    • Example of John Huss
    • Example of Korean Man
    • We might not be able to do this
      • It is amazing what God can do in the hearts of his people
• It is supernatural
  • We cannot try to be better
  • We must be honest
  • We must ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit
  • We must acknowledge that we cannot do it
  • The Spirit gives us the desire and ability, but we must do our part
• Remember how Christ has dealt with us
  • Matt 18:21-22
  • Not 3 times as the Rabbi's taught, not 7 times as Peter though, but 70x7 - i.e. an infinite number of times
  • Jesus tells a parable to illustrate this point
    • The master forgives the servant who owes him a lot
    • Yet the servant is very hard hearted ... and refuses to forgive the servant who owes him little
    • The servant should have had compassion on his colleague
    • The servant had not appreciated what had been done for him
  • The challenge for us
    • Do we really appreciate what God has done for us?
    • We need to meditate on the immensity of what has been done for us
    • Quote from Song
• You never know what God can do with those you forgive
  • Example of Saul of Tarsus
    • 1 Cor 15:9, Gal 1:13
    • Acts 8:3 - like a lion with prey
    • Paul was saved and shown mercy
    • People praised and glorified God because of his transformation
  • Reading Acts 7:57-60
    • Stephen prayed for those who causing his death - as Jesus did as His death
      • In a sense he said 'Father forgive them'
    • Saul hears these words
      • Then the persecution arises / Saul lashes out
      • The word of God pricks people's consciences
    • Kicking against the goads
      • God had working in Paul's heart before the Damascas road experience
      • One was hearing Stephen pray
    • All this came from Stephen's willingness to pray, including for Saul
  • We should pray for the salvation of our enemies
    • Example of Coventry Cathedral
    • Think of the dying thieves - one repentant and one not
      • Was is Jesus' prayer that stirred up the dying thieves heart towards Him?
• Closing Remarks