Forgiveness Archives - Mountains and Ministry Blog

Father Forgive Them

By Pastor Dennis Hester | April 10, 2020

This Good Friday service can be found here.

Jesus spoke seven times while hanging on the cross outside the gates of Jerusalem. The first of those seven sayings are found in Luke 23:34. “Father forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing.”

Who were “they”? Who was it Jesus had on His mind when He spoke these words to His heavenly Father. Though it is impossible to know the mind of Christ beyond what He has revealed in His word, I believe there are many of us on His mind.

The Tormentors

Jesus had just been nailed to the cross with spikes driven through His wrists and feet. In the previous hours, He had been stripped naked and publicly scourged to the point of exhaustion. He had a crown of thorns driving into His scalp with rods. His beard had been torn from His face as He was spat upon. Could Jesus have had these tormentors on His mind when He called out, “Father forgive them”?

The Materialists

All four Gospels tell us that a group of soldiers took His clothing. Then they gambled over His outer tunic by casting lots. With three men suffering above them and mourners gathered around them, these cold-hearted men focused on what they could gain in material goods. Like them, we often worry about material things in this world while men are dying and people are suffering all around us. Could Jesus have on His mind those who were too focused on this world to see what mattered for eternity when He cried, “Father forgive them”?

The Betrayers

Hours before His trusted disciple Judas consummated his betrayal of Christ with a kiss (Matt. 26:49). Judas had been the treasurer of Jesus’ band of twelve disciples. He had walked with the Lord for three years. Jesus invested precious time teaching Judas and caring for him. Yet, Judas chose to turn his back on His teacher for a small sum of money. Was Jesus thinking of Judas’ betrayal, or all of us who may eventually betray Him, when He spoke those first words on the cross?

The Deniers

Jesus had three most trusted followers – Peter, James, and John. The night before the cross Peter made the boldest promises of commitment. Regardless, it was Peter who denied ever knowing Jesus when Jesus was on trial (Luke 22:54-62). It had only been a few hours. Was Jesus thinking of Peter and all those who would deny knowing Him when they faced the threat of persecution? Jesus forgave Peter and restored Him in the days to come. Maybe it was those deniers for whom Jesus asked forgiveness, because we “don’t know what we are doing.”

The Unfaithful

Mark tells us that when the soldiers arrested Jesus to the garden all of His disciples disappeared. Mark 14:50, “Then they all deserted him and ran away.” Judas had already betrayed Him and Peter would soon fervently deny him. Additionally, all of the other disciples simply ran away at the time of Jesus’ greatest need. Only John would eventually appear at the foot of the cross where he stood alongside Mary (John 19:26-27). Was Jesus thinking of His close friends who fled when trouble came as He said, “Father forgive them”?

The Religious

In the verse following Jesus’ statement, we find the religious leaders scoffing. These men claimed religious superiority. They were supposedly followers of Jesus’ heavenly Father. They had memorized the sacred texts that would point to Jesus as the Messiah. Yet, their hearts were so hardened by religion they completely missed the Christ when He stood before them. Does Jesus look upon the religious with tears and cry out, “Father forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing”?

The Onlookers

In Luke 23:35, we also find the ambiguous group simply referred to as “the people stood watching.” These were the onlookers. They were not involved in Jesus’ crucifixion. They had not betrayed Him or denied Him, because they simply did not know Him. They were observing the spectacle with interest but had no “skin in the game.” Yet, what happened on the cross that afternoon would have a direct impact on their eternity. Like “the people” in verse 35, we stand gazing upon Christ on the cross and our eternity will be determined by what we do with His death.

The Two Criminals

The passage also has two other key figures – the criminals who died on either side of Christ. Those two men represent us all. Like us, they had committed “crimes” and deserved to die. God’s word makes clear that we all have sinned and our sin separates us from God “for the wages of sin is death.”

One of those criminals looked at Jesus and yelled insults at Him. The other looked to Jesus and asked for mercy. He confessed that he was a sinner and deserved to die. He recognized that Jesus had done nothing wrong. In that moment, he made a simple request, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus responded with what must have been the sweetest words that criminal ever heard, “Today I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Those Who are Forgiven

Jesus had all of us on His mind when He cried out, “Father forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.” He fulfilled His purpose on the cross crying out, “It is finished.” He died to complete His mission of atonement for your sin and my sin. He died for the tormentors, the materialistic, the betrayers, the unfaithful, the deniers, the religious, and the onlookers. He died for us all! He offers the gift of forgiveness for all of us.

We are left with a simple choice portrayed by the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus. We can insult Him with our unbelief. Or, we can accept who we are, our need for a savior, and trust Him with our soul. He has offered the gift of forgiveness. We now choose our response.

What will you choose?

What will you do with Jesus who is called the Christ?

Around the Charcoal Fire

By Pastor Dennis Hester | April 8, 2018

Many precious memories have been made around a bed of glowing coals in the midst of family camping trips. As a young boy I remember stoking the fire on the banks of Lake Travis at a place dad called the “Narrows.” We’d swim and ski during the day. Then we’d run trotlines every five or six hours, even during the night. Of course, someone would make sure to keep the fire going while the boats were out on the lake

My love for camping and campfires has continued throughout life. I grew up toasting marshmallows, but it was Susan who introduced me to a delicacy called S’mores. Since then I’ve taken pride in becoming the best S’more toaster on the planet. Whether near the beaches of Florida, canyons of Utah, sequoias in California, mountains in Alaska, or near the geysers in Yellowstone, camping is just not the same without the glowing coals of a waning campfire. It is when the logs are burned down, and the coals are glowing bright orange and white that one finds the perfect heat for toasting marshmallows or cooking fish.

The Charcoal Fire in John’s Gospel

This kind of fire is mentioned twice in the Gospel of John. It is around the anthrakian (translated “charcoal fire” or “fire of coals”) that we find two important events in the life of Simon Peter. Events that Peter must have remembered the rest of his life.

Peter’s Denial

The first time we find Peter around the charcoal fire is in John 18:18. Jesus had just been arrested after a long night of prayer in the garden. Peter had promised to remain faithful only a few hours earlier. However, he had fallen asleep there in the garden. Things moved quickly in the dead of night. Judas betrayed. Powerful men came. Jesus surrendered. And now at the coldest part of the early morning, Jesus was being questioned while Peter warmed himself by the charcoal fire.

It was in those moments of exhaustion, confusion, and fear that Peter found himself at his weakest. Within earshot (and eyeshot) of Jesus, a young servant suggested that Peter was one of the Galilean’s friends. Peter denied it. Then another recognized him. He denied knowing Jesus again. Then a third said he’d seen them together. This time Peter denied with even more fervor.

Then it happened, just as Jesus said. A roster crowed at the dawning of the morning. Peter knew what he’d just done. He looked toward Jesus and Jesus was looking directly at him. His heart was broken. He’d done the very thing he promised he’d never do. He denied his teacher, his mentor, his friend when Jesus needed him most. Peter went away and wept.

Peter Returns to Fishing

Much had taken place in the intervening weeks. After watching Jesus beaten, nailed to the cross, and die, Peter had seen the empty tomb. Jesus even appeared to him and the others a couple times. But things still weren’t the same. Peter had found out just how weak he was. He had denied Jesus. His future was uncertain, and he wasn’t sure what to do next. He decided to do the one thing he knew well – go fishing with a few of the others.

After a full night on the water, they caught nothing. As the sun began to rise, a man standing on the shore began to chat with them. He told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. When they did, their nets were full!

Jesus on the Shore

The memories began to rush in like a flood. John shouted it, but Peter already knew! The man on the shore was Jesus, the Lord! Peter couldn’t wait on the boats and fish. He just dove in the water and swam to Jesus. When they gathered around, they found that Jesus had prepared a perfect cooking fire, a charcoal fire, and served them a breakfast of fish and bread.

The boats were nearby on the shore. The nets were full of fish. And their bellies were full of fish. As they sat around charcoal fire, Jesus looked at Peter and asked him a probing question. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Peter’s replied, “Yes, Lord. You know I love you.” Jesus told him “Feed my sheep.”

Jesus asked a second time in a slightly different way. Again, Peter replied in the affirmative. Then a third time, Jesus asked “Do you love me?” Peter replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

Peter is Restored

It must have been then that Peter realized the depth of what was happening. Of course, Jesus knew that Peter loved Him, but did Peter know that he loved Jesus. He denied Jesus at such a crucial time. Certainly, Peter was a failure as a disciple. What he needed to know was that Jesus already knew and Jesus wasn’t finished with him.

Peter had given up on himself and gone back to fishing. Jesus wasn’t ready to leave Peter in that place. Peter was to be the leader of His church. He would feed Jesus’ lambs, shepherd His sheep, and feed them when Jesus was gone. Peter needed to be reminded that he had been called away from the boats and nets three years earlier. Now was no time to return to that life.

Jesus needed him to respond to the call to become a “fisher of men” now more than ever. He needed a reminded that he loved Jesus more than the boats and nets and late-night expeditions. He loved Jesus “more than these.” Jesus still had a job for him that bore eternal rewards.

The Warmth of a Charcoal Fire

The charcoal fire (anthrakian) only appears two times in all the New Testament. The first time Peter was huddled around it keeping warm as he denied Jesus and journeyed into a dark valley of despair. The next time Jesus had prepared the fire on the shore. As Peter sat around with his Lord, he was reminded of his love for Jesus and the purpose to which he had been called years earlier. Peter was restored to the mission for which he had been called. He was to be a fisher of men.

Here’s betting that Peter rarely sat around another fire without remembering his weakness and Jesus’ forgiveness. The charcoal fire did more than warm his hands, it warmed his heart.

The glowing bed of hot coals is a gentle reminder that Jesus has a purpose for me. Even when I fall and when I fail, He is able to restore me. In fact, He already knows and His plan remains.