Good Friday: “Father, Forgive Them”

How uncomfortable, how disturbing, yes, worrisome, earthly debts can be! Many a man rolls restlessly on his bed, another loses his sanity, a third may kill himself, in despair over heavy indebtedness.

But far more alarming is our debt with God, our sin. If this remains unpaid, it will result in eternal imprisonment in hell.

This debt drove Peter to bitter tears; Judas, sly though he thought himself, to a horrible suicide; and Luther to the cloister and near despair.

This debt of sin rests all the heavier on us because our conscience tells us that of ourselves we can never appease the wrath of the just and holy God. And, as many as try to pay debt with works of their own invention are still under the curse of the law, for “by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in God’s sight” (Rom. 3:20).

The cost of our redemption is too great to be left in our own hands. God must put the whole transaction into the hands of His own dear Son, Jesus Christ. This tremendous task occupied every moment of Jesus’ life from his birth to this hour on the cross on Good Friday. Having completed His mission, He is now able to bequeath unto sinners, who may come to repentance, the benefits of His perfect life and substitutionary death in the words, “Father, forgive them.”

These words are spoken not only on behalf of those murderers around the Cross, but are directed also to us on Good Friday. It is actually our sin that crucified Jesus. The Jews, the high priests, and Pilate are representatives of the whole human race. And just as they and their sins represent you and me, so there is forgiveness offered if we may learn to mourn about our sins and fall on our knees before Him, who gave His life as a sacrifice for helI-worthy sinners.

In line with these cross-words Peter says at the day of Pentecost, or a few days later: “And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” (Acts 3:15). And further he said: “And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers” (verse 17). King Jesus does not wish to minimize the sin of the Jews. That was great indeed.

Already in Jesus’ lifetime the Jews had closed their hearts to the influence of His clear words. Now it came to the final moment that they crucified the Savior. With few exceptions, these people under the Cross had not yet committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, for which there is no forgiveness. It was not until they had rejected the testimony of the apostles concerning Jesus’death and resurrection and the forgiveness of sins that God could give them, that God gave them over to the hardness of their hearts. But at the moment when Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them,” He was praying for His enemies. This is a wonder of free grace.

Is there comfort for us? No matter how great and numerous our sins are, Jesus can open your heart through the Holy Spirit, and make us to beg because of our great and awful sins.

May Good Friday be for you a day never to forget. Oh, to become as that one thief, a guilty sinner, begging for mercy! We know out of the precious Word of God that Jesus, on behalf of His Father in heaven, wholeheartedly forgave this man. Hear His precious statement: “Today thou shalt be with Me in Paradise!” All his debts were paid. Truly, a “goodly heritage” (Psalm 16:6).

The Almighty Lord of heaven and of earth might teach us that Good Friday is followed by Easter, and Easter with Ascension Day, and Ascension Day with Pentecost.

May the Lord give the necessary lessons for you and me.

Rev. AW. Verhoef is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Chilliwack, British Columbia.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen