Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Summary: Forgiving as the Lord forgives, sets the bar fairly high. Fortunately, Jesus shows us how it is done.
”I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
— John 13:15
The quote above is Jesus speaking. The scene was the last supper before he was crucified. It was the Passover meal, the celebration of God’s final curse on the Egyptians before Pharaoh finally let Moses lead the Israelites out.
On this special day, the day celebrating God passing over the Hebrews but killing the firstborn of their oppressors, Jesus prepared to die.
Just as the firstborn of Pharaoh died all those years ago, the firstborn of God would also be put to death. In the same way that death freed the Hebrews from Egypt, the death of Jesus frees all who believe in him from death.
Knowing humanity would soon kill him, Jesus prepared himself to forgive us — all of us.
At the same time, he needed to teach us how to avoid falling into Satan’s trap again. We are enslaved by sin and it is a sin to harbor hate and judgment toward our neighbors. So Jesus stripped off his outer clothing and dressed as a servant would dress. Then he knelt before his disciples and did what a servant would normally be required to do.
He washed their feet.
Then he said, ”I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
After he had been arrested, falsely accused, spat on, beaten, ridiculed, whipped, put on trial, and convicted, he was nailed to a cross and hung there bleeding while suffering incomprehensible pain.
It was then that he set another example for us. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Can you do that?
Can you forgive as Jesus did?
Can you see through the blood and the pain and the hurt? Do you see your tormentors as God sees them?
If you can, you will want to forgive them, just like Jesus did. If you can’t, don’t worry. The Holy Spirit will help.
Application: Practice forgiveness. Every day.
Food for Thought: What does our willingness to forgive say about how much God is a priority in our lives?
Another example if this is the Deacon Stephen. He was just a regular person like you and I. But he was full of “faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6: 5). And clearly Jesus and love for others was a priority in his life. When the religious leaders had him killed for sharing the truth of the gospel with them, he sounded a lot like Jesus.
Acts 7: 59 – 60: While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
I find it remarkable that as he died a painful death, he prayed for the forgiveness of his persecutors.
His willingness to forgive did say a lot about his relationship to Christ – to his persecutors and to us. So we gave another example from someone who followed Jesus unto death. If Jesus is our priority, we will follow suit.
Thanks Rich!
Yes, Stephen was “all in” as they say!
Great example Rich!
What does our willingness to forgive say about how much God is a priority in our lives?
The will and the power to forgive others of their sins against us comes from God, and is the path to peace for His people as we live in His will over our own. We who have been forgiven all our sins continue life in the peace of God as we as we extend this gift to those around us.
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14
But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. Matthew 6:15
Thanks, Ron!
There is a very real power to forgive that comes from knowing that we have been forgiven first.
What does our willingness to forgive say about how much God is a priority in our lives?
That question has some teeth. 🙂
At the very heart of our walk with the Lord is redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. Holding that perspective means letting go of everything we have known and experienced, and holding onto the hope that Christ brings to us for eternity. In a very real sense, being unwilling to forgive others means our priorities lie in mitigating our own past in order to secure a future for ourselves by ourselves, and not in giving our past to Christ and embracing the hope through Christ. By not being willing to forgive others we are saying we are the priority, and not God.
An unforgiving heart is a barrier to God, a barrier to the redemption, reconciliation, and restoration of our lives.
Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 5:23-24 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Thanks, Chris!
You make a very important point! We cannot afford to have any space between ourselves and our God. Well said!