This years "eureka" moment

Most pastors, at least those who are honest, will tell you that preparing sermons for Christmas and Easter is challenging because everyone knows the facts and it is difficult to make it “new” each year. Perhaps that is why pastors change churches so they can reuse material.

I find the same holds true for me as a maturing Christian. I don’t want these significant events to come and go and become “routine” for me. I make an effort to read the Scripture passages and listen to the sermons at these times to find something new, some new interpretation or something I just have not seen or heard before.

This past Easter as I read through the familiar Easter passages nothing was becoming this year’s “eureka” moment. Then I read again one of the “last words of Christ” from the cross. “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing”.

At first I agreed that this was true. They didn’t really understand what they were doing. They did not understand who Jesus was and the significance of what was happing, the moment of salvation for the whole world. But, then again, they did know what they were doing. Some were simply following the crowd “if these people are so worked up about this then I am in”. Others were following the religious leaders, their pastors, and understood at least that this man was a threat to their faith and the practices and they had to unite with their leaders to stop him. Some, the religious leaders, knew that there traditions and their positions were being threatened and they had to get rid of this troublemaker.

Yet, from the cross Jesus asked for their forgiveness because of their lack of understanding. Of course if it were me on that cross I highly doubt that I would have been saying these words. I am quite sure that other things would have been on my lips, perhaps defending myself, probably complaining, and likely blaming.

So, what about me, now in 2010? This same Jesus stands at the side of His Father, the God of Heaven, and says when I fail “Father forgive Him, he is one of mine, one of those you have given me.” Most times I know what I am doing when I sin. I have been a follower of Christ for a long time and I know hat the Scriptures teach about right and wrong, about sin. Yet there are times when I don’t yet really understand what I am doing. In either case, whether I acknowledge my sin because I know I sinned and ask forgiveness or I carry on in ignorance or in rebelliousness He is there saying to the father “Forgive Him”.

I am so glad that Jesus was able to plead for forgiveness those around Him at the cross because it gives me confidence to know that in the same way He pleads for my forgiveness. When I stand at Heavens door in His good time I will hear Him say “Forgive Him, He is one of mine.”

Ted Robbins
 
Ted is the Director of Property for Christian Horizons.