A Father Who Forgives

Real Dudes,
I had the privilege of being able to preach this past Sunday for Father’s Day at Grace Community Church here in Grinnell. Below are my sermon notes. I’ll leave you to read through these this week and next. Hope the words in this message will cause each of us to grow in Him.
Enjoy!
Nate
 
Title: A Father Who Forgives

Luke 23:34a (NIV) Jesus said [prayed], “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

• This verse contains a few qualities that are difficult for believers to practice today.
• Praying.  
  • Whether young believer and or more mature…it can be stressful, anxiety, embarrassing, and avoided. 
• And Forgiving. 
  • Cancel Culture…write them off or, 
  • Avoid confrontation…Ignore the issue, rather than face it.
  • Hide.  

 
Who was Jesus praying to? 

• His Father…this fascinates me that He (God the Son) prays to His Father…a perfect God. Man-God on display.  
• Why? 
• To set an example. Matthew 6:9-13…reveals to us the model prayer.  

What was Jesus’ request? 

• For His Father to forgive. 
• Did God the Father need His Son to come to Him with a request? Would God the Father not carry out His own will as He saw fit? They were messing with His Son…He turned away (Matthew 27:46).  
• You see, Forgiveness means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt…refusing to make them pay for what they did.
• In Jesus’ model prayer. 
  • Matthew 6:12 (NIV)  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
• For Relief.
  • In the movie The Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man desired to have…a heart. Eventually, the Tin Man received his heart and here’s what he said, “Now I know I’ve got a heart, ‘cause it’s breaking…”
  • Luke 22:44 (ESV) And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
  • Man-God prayed…Mark 14:36 (NIV) “Abba, Father,” He said, “all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.” 
• For His Followers. 
  • John 17:20-26
  • Cheering you on. To Pray and ask. To Forgive as I have.

Who is the “them”?

• The ignorant one’s mocking and persecuting Him. 
• The one’s Satan uses as a distraction. 
• Spiritual warfare is real. 
  • Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  
• His own people. Sometimes Satan tries to turn family members against other family members. 
  • John 1:11 (NLT) He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.

He prayed Father, forgive…wipe their slate clean, pardon them, cancel their debt. Who? The one’s mocking, persecuting, and rejecting Him. 

Jesus prayed to His Father, so Who do we pray to? 

• The Lord’s Prayer has the wording “OUR Father,” not “MY Father.”
• Romans 8:15 (NIV) The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 
• That’s why Jesus gave us the model prayer to pray to God the Father…our Abba Father too. 

 
How should we pray when mocked, persecuted and offended…by family members, by co-workers, by our brothers and sisters in-Christ? 

• As we learned from Christ’s example…not from the examples we’ve learned from the Gentiles/Flesh. 
• Ephesians 417-20 (NKJV) 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ,
• Philippians 2:5 (KJV) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 

• Reverentially begin the conversation and be willing and obedient…apply what He communicates back to you. 
• Matthew 7:7a (NIV) Ask, and it will be given to you…”
• John 15:16; 16:23 (NIV) …whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 
• John 14:14 (NIV) You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it.
• James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
• You might say, “But you don’t understand what they did to me, or said about me.”
• Matthew 5:44 (NKJV) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
• Listen, just leave the results to Him…He’ll answer your prayer in His perfect way and time. 
• You may wonder why God is allowing such difficult trials for His children.
• Passing these tests and applying these truths provide evidence and proof of your salvation. 
  • 1 Peter 1:7 (NLT) These trials will show that your faith is genuine. 
  • Choose to pass the test, regardless of what choice others make…avoid retakes as much as possible.
• He won’t give you more than you can handle…He’ll provide an escape route.  
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Challenge: 

• Children…God gave you a special sense of picking up on tension in the life of your father. Most likely you can sense when your earthly father is holding on to unforgiveness. I pray that this message will initiate you to encourage your earthly father to forgive someone. 
  • Pray for your earthly father. 
    • There’s just something about knowing that others are praying on your behalf. Your earthly father would love to know you’re praying for him. 
• Father’s…
  • be humble enough to receive that challenge from your child…to have your child praying for you. Don’t discourage them from praying for you.  
  • if you’re hanging on to unforgiveness, then ask the Lord for wisdom as to how to forgive difficult people in your life. 
    • Trust that God will reveal to you the perfect way in which to forgive others. 
  • Strive to be remembered as A Father Who Forgives.

I’ll leave you with these lyrics from the
Song: Forgiveness by Matthew West
It's the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don't deserve

It's the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just to real
It takes everything you have just to say the word...

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It's always anger's own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It's the whisper in your ear saying 'Set It Free'

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It'll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it's power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness