James Fetterly's sermon, "The Word of Forgiveness" delves into the profound and multifaceted nature of Jesus Christ's death on the cross. Fetterly begins by reflecting on the nature of Christ's death as both a natural outcome of His incarnation and a unique event. Unlike every other human, Jesus, being sinless, did not die for His own sins but as a spotless lamb, taking upon Himself the sins of humanity. This death was not only unique but also miraculous and supernatural, preordained before the foundation of the world and executed with Jesus's own authority over life and death.
The sermon then moves to an examination of Luke chapter 23, verses 32 through 43, highlighting Jesus's word of forgiveness from the cross despite the merciless insults hurled at Him by various groups: the bystanders, religious leaders, soldiers, and even the criminals crucified alongside Him. Fetterly underscores the mercy and forgiveness Jesus demonstrated, praying for those who persecuted Him in ignorance, fulfilling prophecies, and exemplifying His teachings on forgiveness.
Fetterly points to Acts 2 and 4, noting the fulfillment of Jesus's prayer as thousands in Jerusalem, including religious leaders and possibly soldiers, came to faith after Pentecost, showcasing the power of Christ's forgiveness and the spread of the Gospel.
The sermon further explores the significance of forgiveness as foretold in Isaiah 53 and manifested on the cross, emphasizing Jesus's role as an intercessor for humanity. Fetterly discusses how Jesus, by asking the Father to forgive, shows His identification with humanity and His fulfillment of the divine requirement for atonement for sins, including those committed in ignorance.
Fetterly draws practical insights from Jesus's actions, reminding believers of the importance of praying for others, even in the absence of their repentance, and highlights the human heart's need for forgiveness and redemption through Christ. He concludes with a call to recognize and receive the redeeming love and forgiveness offered by God through Jesus Christ, inviting listeners to embrace the grace that transforms lives and secures eternal fellowship with God.
In summary, Fetterly's sermon on "The Word of Forgiveness" is a deep reflection on the significance of Jesus's death, focusing on the themes of forgiveness, redemption, and the transformative power of God's love, as demonstrated through Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
James Fetterly's sermon, "The Word of Forgiveness" delves into the profound and multifaceted nature of Jesus Christ's death on the cross. Fetterly begins by reflecting on the nature of Christ's death as both a natural outcome of His incarnation and a unique event. Unlike every other human, Jesus, being sinless, did not die for His own sins but as a spotless lamb, taking upon Himself the sins of humanity. This death was not only unique but also miraculous and supernatural, preordained before the foundation of the world and executed with Jesus's own authority over life and death.
The sermon then moves to an examination of Luke chapter 23, verses 32 through 43, highlighting Jesus's word of forgiveness from the cross despite the merciless insults hurled at Him by various groups: the bystanders, religious leaders, soldiers, and even the criminals crucified alongside Him. Fetterly underscores the mercy and forgiveness Jesus demonstrated, praying for those who persecuted Him in ignorance, fulfilling prophecies, and exemplifying His teachings on forgiveness.
Fetterly points to Acts 2 and 4, noting the fulfillment of Jesus's prayer as thousands in Jerusalem, including religious leaders and possibly soldiers, came to faith after Pentecost, showcasing the power of Christ's forgiveness and the spread of the Gospel.
The sermon further explores the significance of forgiveness as foretold in Isaiah 53 and manifested on the cross, emphasizing Jesus's role as an intercessor for humanity. Fetterly discusses how Jesus, by asking the Father to forgive, shows His identification with humanity and His fulfillment of the divine requirement for atonement for sins, including those committed in ignorance.
Fetterly draws practical insights from Jesus's actions, reminding believers of the importance of praying for others, even in the absence of their repentance, and highlights the human heart's need for forgiveness and redemption through Christ. He concludes with a call to recognize and receive the redeeming love and forgiveness offered by God through Jesus Christ, inviting listeners to embrace the grace that transforms lives and secures eternal fellowship with God.
In summary, Fetterly's sermon on "The Word of Forgiveness" is a deep reflection on the significance of Jesus's death, focusing on the themes of forgiveness, redemption, and the transformative power of God's love, as demonstrated through Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
The Cross of Christ. Last time we looked at the cross as a mystery of mysteries, that the death of Christ was natural. That is to say that Christ took on flesh. He humbled himself. He became obedient even to the point of death, the death on the cross. He physically died. But we also said that it was a unique death. It was unique because from the garden and even in the epistles we know that in the day that you sin, you shall surely die. But Jesus is that spotless lamb. He had no blemish. There was no guilt or sin found in him. Or as Paul said, he knew no sin. Jesus had a unique death because he had not worked for the payment of death. Every other man that dies, every other woman that dies, dies because of original sin and actual sin. But that wasn't the case for our blessed Savior. But it was also a miraculous death. It was a miraculous death because before the foundation of the world, he was the lamb slain for his people. It was already foretold. It was already written down in God's book. It was, yes, miraculous. But it was also supernatural. It was supernatural because he had control over every aspect of what was about to happen, what was happening, and what would happen. Jesus said in John chapter 10, in that marvelous passage about the Good Shepherd, he says that he lays down his life. He does this so that he would take it up again. No one, no one takes it from Jesus, but rather he lays it down according to his own will. He has authority to do that, to lay it down and then to take it up again. No one else can do that. This is supernatural. That's what we discovered last time as we considered the cross. This morning I would like for us to open up our Bibles to Luke chapter 23. And we will read verses 32 through 43. Luke chapter 23, we will see the word of forgiveness from the cross. Verse 32, we read,"Two others who were criminals were led a way to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called the skull, they crucified him. And the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they cast lots to divide his garments.' And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, 'He saved others. Let him save himself. If he is the Christ of God, his chosen one.' The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, saying,'If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.' There was also an inscription over him,'This is the king of the Jews.' One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, 'Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.' But the other rebuked him, saying,'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.' And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' And he said to him, 'Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.'" In this marvelous text, we'll see the word of forgiveness coming from the Savior. But before that occurs, I would like to draw our attention to the merciless insults, the merciless insults. And these insults are coming from four groups of people. Notice those that are standing around the cross. Cast your gaze back to verse 34. And there we see that he had people that were standing around him. They crucified him. And he obviously says, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' But then we have in verse 35 that there were the people, there were the crowds, there were the bystanders that were watching. They were there. Also, we see in verse 35, we see the rulers, the religious leaders, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, those that were in the temple. And they were also hurling insults at Christ. And then in verse 36, it wasn't just the crowds that were there, nor the rulers, the religious leaders, but it was also the soldiers, the centurions, those that were crucifying him. And if it wasn't worse than that, we also see in verse 39 that even those that were hung on the cross, on his right and on his left, were also railing on him. Yes, they were scoffing, they were mocking, they were ridiculing him. They were railing him. And it was merciless. Can you just imagine in all of your suffering that this would be happening to you? Well, this is what was happening to Christ. And notice what they say. Look at verse 35 one more time. Verse 35, they're saying, 'He saved others.' They're doing this in a mocking, jeering way.'He saved others. Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the chosen one. If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself,' is what the soldiers were saying. And the criminals, they said, 'Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.' It is kind of interesting when you look at it. They gave titles to Christ, the chosen one, the king, and Christ. And in all three of those ways, they were also saying that he had power to save, or at least they thought that he claimed that he had power to save, and then they were hurling now their insults towards him. But what did Christ do in verse 34? There we see how merciful he was. He just says, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' Now, since we have our Bibles open, let's take a look at Acts 2. Let's just see how merciful the Savior really is when we consider these four groups of people. In Acts 2 and verse 41, we read, 'So those who received this word were baptized, and they were added that day about three thousand souls.' These are the people that were in Jerusalem. These are the people that had heard the preaching at Pentecost, and the church was added too. And if we look at chapter 4 and verse 4, we find, 'And many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of men came to about five thousand.' These are the people. These are the crowds that could have been there, that Jesus said, 'Lord God, would you forgive them?' And it was answered. Do you see your face among the crowd, among the bystanders? Maybe you're outside of Christ, and you have mocked His work. There is hope for you. There is a word of forgiveness for all of us. But it wasn't just the crowd. We also see in Acts chapter 3 verse 17 that even the rulers were redeemed. Verse 17 of chapter 3 of Acts.'Now, brothers, you know that you acted ignorantly, as did your rulers.' The rulers acted ignorantly. And in chapter 6 verse 7 of Acts, as we see the church growing and expanding, we have one of these summary statements about how Christ's church cannot be defeated, because the word of God continued to increase. You see that in chapter 6 verse 7? God's word is unleashed through the apostles, through the preaching and the teaching, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Isn't that wonderful? Now, no doubt, you have had friends that were very religious, and people that are religious are the hardest to evangelize. You may think that I can't break through them, because they have been programmed to think in these false teachings and doctrines that it is impossible to bring them to Christ. But I have news for you. The apostles just proclaimed the good news, and the prayer of Christ from the cross was answered. Hallelujah. But it was also the soldiers, even in our own text. Going back to Luke chapter 23, we see that the centurion, the Roman soldier, saw all that had happened, and he said, "Certainly, this was an innocent man. Certainly, this was the Messiah, and he believed." We can also see that in Matthew 28 verse 54, where it was more than just one soldier, one centurion, but it was several of them. When men were doing their worst, Christ was giving a merciful word, and the Lord God was answering that. Even at the foot of the cross, there were some that were converted. And of course, the criminal, as we read in our text today,"Today, you will be with me in paradise," he believed. Isn't that wonderful? This is wonderful, that when all else is going wrong, when you have the crowds, the rulers, the soldiers, the criminals, all hurling their insults at Christ, he kept entrusting himself to the one who judges righteously and gave a word of forgiveness, and God the Father answered that. That is the first word we need to hear from the cross. Whatever you think about the cross, you should think,"There is forgiveness for me, and there's forgiveness for my family. There's forgiveness for the world." Whatever classification you find yourself in, there is no one who is so far out that has sinned so much that can't be forgiven by Christ. Isn't this great? This is good news. Sinclair Ferguson helps us by reflecting on the cross, and he says the following,"When Paul preached the cross, he preached a message which explained that this instrument of rejection had been used by God as an instrument of reconciliation. Man's means of bringing death to Jesus was God's means to bring life to the world. Man's symbol of rejecting Christ was God's symbol of forgiveness for man." This is why Paul boasted about cross. Well, let's look at seven ways to look at this word of forgiveness. What do we see here first but what Scripture says in Isaiah 53? If you turn there in Isaiah 53, we see that this word of forgiveness was in fulfillment of the prophetic word found in Isaiah 53, one of the servant psalms of that great prophet. In Isaiah 53, we can see ten declarations that were prophesied about Jesus on the cross. What are they? Well, one is that he was despised and rejected of men. Two, that he was a man of sorrow. He was acquainted with grief. Three, that he was wounded, that he was bruised, that he was chastised on our behalf. Furthermore, four, he was led to the slaughter. He did this as a silent lamb five before his shears. Yes, all of this is recorded in Isaiah 53, but it goes on. Six, not only did Jesus suffer at the hands of man, but he was also bruised by the Almighty God. Seventh, Jesus poured out his soul even to death. Eight, he was buried in a rich man's tomb. Nine, he was numbered with the transgressors, even as we read on his right and on his left. But will you look at Isaiah 53 verse 12 since we're there? This is what I want you guys to see. Ten, that he makes intercession for the transgressors. We just saw that there was forgiveness, not just for the transgressors on his right and on his left, but for all of the crowds, for all of the religious leaders, for all of the soldiers, there is a forgiveness. But it wasn't that it just happened on the cross at that particular moment. As great as this is that he makes intercessions for the transgressors on the cross, I want you guys to know in Hebrews chapter seven verse 25 we read,"Consequently, he," that is Jesus, "is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him." Why? Since he is always, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Jesus in his active ministry even right now is praying for his own. Isn't that wonderful? This is a word of forgiveness."Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Another thing that we see is that this is where Jesus identifies with the people. Let me try to build this up for us. During his earthly ministry, you remember when the paralytic came to him or the woman that anointed his feet. Jesus said, "Your sins are forgiven." As the God-man, he has the divine prerogative to forgive sins. He did that on his ministry. In fact, the scribes, the Pharisees, they were overwhelmed by that and said,"You are claiming to be God. This is blasphemy. Who can forgive sins but God?" They were right. Only God can forgive sins. Later on when he healed that paralytic, Jesus said,"But that you might know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive." He said to that infebul person, "Pick up. Rise. Take your bed and walk." Let me give you something physical that you can see so that you can know spiritually I have the prerogative to forgive sins. Jesus is the God-man. He can forgive sins. But on the cross, he is a representative of us. He is a representative of mankind. And so he doesn't grant forgiveness to the thief or to the soldiers or to the crowds or the religious leaders. Rather, he asks the Father to forgive them. And of course we see in John 12, verse 32, he says,"And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself." And that's exactly what he did. He drew men to himself. But when he is identifying with his people, it was that hanging there as our representative that he was no longer in a place of authority where he might exercise his own divine prerogatives. Therefore, Jesus takes the position of a supplicant before the Father. Thus we say that when the blessed Lord Jesus cried,"Father, forgive them," we see him absolutely identified with his people. No longer was he in the position on earth where he had the power or the right to forgive sins. But rather, he's interceding for sinners just like we must also intercede for sinners. There's no thing that we see from the cross as a word of forgiveness. We see God's estimation of sin and the consequences of sin. You remember in Leviticus 5 and also Numbers 15, where if a person committed sins that were unintentional, then there would still need to be a sacrifice for those sins. David talks about his secret faults."Lord, forgive me of them." Sin, whether you know that you've done it or not, still needs forgiveness. Sin is always sin in the sight of God, whether we are conscious of it or not. Sins of ignorance need atonement just as truly as do conscious sins. So here we see at the cross something that we can learn. We can learn how high is God's standard and how great our need really is. So therefore, we should praise God Almighty for an atonement that he gave to us, which is of infinite sufficiency to cleanse us from every single one of our sins. Isn't that wonderful? Yes. Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. We also see a fourth thing from the cross, and that is that the human heart is full of blindness. They're spiritually darkened to what they do. They know not what they do. Of course, they knew that they were crucifying Jesus. Yes, they knew that, but they didn't know what it meant. When Jesus said they know not what they do, he meant that they were ignorant of the enormity of their crime. They knew not that it was the Lord of glory that they were crucifying. The emphasis is not on that they know not, but on that they know not what they do. Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. A fifth thing that we see from the cross, and that is the lovingly exemplification of his own teaching. You remember on the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 44, where Jesus says, "Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you." Is he not doing that from the cross? Yes, he is. He is praying for them, and that is showing love for them. But also in Jesus' teaching in Luke 7, verses 3 and 4, Jesus says, "Pay attention to yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in a day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." But a question that comes is, what if they don't repent? Could Jesus forgive from the cross if they weren't repenting to him? Well, that is a great question. And you also ought to pay attention to how he phrased it, because once again, he didn't grant forgiveness to them. He prayed that they would have it. But on a practical application, suppose the offender does not repent. Am I not to forgive him? No, you're not to forgive him. But let there be no misunderstanding of our meaning here. Even though one who has wronged me or you does not repent, nevertheless I must not harbor ill feelings against him. There must be no hatred or malice or cherish in our heart. Yet, on the other hand, I must not treat the offender as if he had done no wrong. That would be to condone his offense. And therefore I would fail to uphold the requirements of righteousness, and this, as believers, we must never do. God never forgives where there is no repentance. So no, for the Scripture declares that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There must be a confession of sin. One more thing on this matter. If one has injured me and repents not, while I cannot forgive him and treat him as though he has not offended, nevertheless not only must I hold no malice in my heart against him, but I must also pray for him. Here is the value of Christ's perfect example. If we can't forgive because they haven't confessed sin, they haven't repented, we can pray that God would forgive. A sixth thing that we see from the cross, and that is man's greatest need. The question that you might ask is what is the most important matter? What is the most important matter when you're on your deathbed? Well, the answer is quite simple. What's your relationship to Christ? Have your sins been put away by the blood of the Lamb? Is there repentance and forgiveness for you? Well, it was proclaimed that there is repentance and forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ. This is our great need. Our great need is for us to hear the gospel, that there is a word of forgiveness, and for everyone who believes in Christ, every one of their sins, past, present, and future, have been laid to rest, and we no longer are under the law, but we are freely justified in Christ. In praying for forgiveness of His enemies, Christ struck right down to the root of their needs, to my needs, to your needs, and their need was the need of every child of Adam. Let me ask you some questions. Have you been forgiven? Have you? Have your sins been remitted? Have your sins been sent away? Are you by grace one of those to whom it is said, in Colossians 1.14,"In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins?" Roy Lessing helps us with our greatest need by saying this. If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness. So God sent us a Savior. Seventh and finally, from the cross we see a word of forgiveness of the triumphant redeeming love of God. When they had come to the place called Calvary, they crucified Him. And the criminals, one on His right, one on His left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know now what they do." Then Jesus said, "It was then that Jesus said,'Then when man had done his worse, then when the vilest of the human heart was displayed in its climactic devilry, then when with wicked hands the creature had dared to crucify the Lord of glory.'" What do we see? We see Him uttering that of forgiveness, that He might have utterly have-- He could have called down a malediction upon them. He might have loosened thunderbolts of righteous wrath to slay them. He might have caused the earth to be ripped open and to swallow them up alive into the pit. But no, that is not what happened. No, it wasn't. Though subject to unspeakable shame, though suffering, excruciating pain, though He was despised, though He was rejected, though He was hated, nevertheless, Jesus cries out,"Father, forgive them! Father, forgive them!" This was the triumph of redeeming love. Aren't you grateful for this? Have you experienced this triumph of redeeming love of you being forgiven of all your sins? Oswald Chambers helps us in closing. Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. It cost God the cross of Jesus Christ before He could forgive sin and remain a holy God. Once you realize all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held in a vice constrained by the loves of God. Ode to be constrained by that love, Ode to have that word of forgiveness pronounced upon us. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I do pray for everyone that is hearing my voice, that they would know Your forgiveness. Lord, for those of us that are in Christ, that we would be so grateful and thankful for what has happened on the cross. Our sin debt has been paid in full. We have the hope of eternity, Paradise, living with You forever and ever where You will be our God and we will be Your people. Lord, for those that are in this room, that have not bowed the knee, they need forgiveness. Would You confront them in their sin? That they would despise their life and that they would look upon the glory of Christ, the One who makes intercession and forgiveness for His people. It's in His name we pray. Amen. www.mooji.org