Luke 6:35-36 MSG “I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.”
Luke 23:33-34 MSG. “When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.”
Observation
Both of these passages are in red letters in my study Bible, which means that Jesus is speaking. Those who heard these words had so many that might fall into the category of enemy – the conquering Romans who worshipped pagan gods and ruled with a cruel hand, Samaritans who were half-breeds that had distorted the Jewish faith, other foreigners/Gentiles/pagans whom they must avoid, as well as those enemies arising from personal or family squabbles, the untouchable lepers and others with diseases, and even the religious authorities who disdained the “common folk” and kept heaping on rules for them to break which kept them out of God’s favor.
Today as then, these words are hard to swallow without choking on them. We struggle with both wanting to forgive and how to forgive those who have opposed, offended, hurt or damaged us in a way that has caused us to call them an enemy. How could Jesus on the Cross ask for the Father to forgive the man who drove the nails into His hands, the man who wielded the whip that laid open His flesh, the crowd which yelled, “Crucify!”, the religious leaders who planned and orchestrated His suffering? Because it was for them and all of us He died.
Impact on Me
Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
How do I get to this place – scorning the shame, setting aside my pride, disregarding what others may think of me – the place where, while enduring opposition, I can keep my eyes fixed on the joy of seeing my enemies, my untouchables, my socially unacceptables forgiven and redeemed? Only by surforrendering my pride, being willing to endure that shame, and allowing the Holy Spirit to expose and cleanse the ugly places in me that have harbored offense and labeled someone an enemy.
I need to recognize that the only true enemy who cannot be redeemed is Satan himself. His entire existence is focused on driving wedges between God and His creation, God and His children. The joy set before Jesus that allowed Him to endure the Cross was knowing that He was providing a way to remove those wedges so we can restore relationship with God and each other. Forgiveness dissolves those wedges. Satan has no defense against me when I am, like Jesus, set to forgive even the worst.
Prayer
Father, You are gracious, merciful, loving, forgiving and perfect in it all. I am far from perfect in all these. I give the Holy Spirit permission to seek out and expose the places in me where offense is evident or hiding. I ask Your courage and strength to confront my pride and any shame so I can give Him the freedom to deal with and clean up these areas. I commit to fix my eyes on Jesus as I minister Your grace and love to those You bring my way. Make it so, in Jesus’ name.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 