Hindsight
Over the next couple of months we're going to be experimenting with some changes to the prayer guide. For this sermon series "Hindsight: How Easter brings clarity" we're going to try connecting the prayer guide to the Sunday messages. If you didn't get a chance to participate in the service, you can view all of our messages on our website.
Opening Prayer
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture - Luke 23:23-34
23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then
“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Jesus' Forgiveness
Jesus said and did a lot of things that are mind blowing to read about today. He healed blindness, sickness, spoke difficult truth to powerful people, walked on water, changed water into wine, and even raised someone from the dead!
This statement found in Luke 23 that Jesus uttered on the cross seems more unbelievable than any of the miracles recorded in the Gospels.
Jesus had just been betrayed, unfairly arrested and beaten, and was now being crucified on a cross. The cross is a word and image used so much in Christianity that it loses most of the shock and horror it would elicit 2,000 years ago.
The physical pain people went through to be crucified is quite simply unimaginable.
It is in this weakened, hurting condition that Jesus speaks these words that would require unimaginable strength for most of us on our best days.
But thank God he does.
The Bible talks about how Jesus on the cross bore our sins (I Peter 2:24). Jesus' incredible forgiveness is what ultimately brings us new life.
Reflection
Create some space to reflect on your life in God's presence. Sit with God and these questions to help fix your eyes on Jesus and his posture of forgiveness towards us.
- Confess your sin to God without sugar coating or minimizing
- Ask Jesus for forgiveness
- Spend some time receiving his forgiveness
Here's some ideas for receiving his forgiveness if you feel stuck:
- Imagine Jesus in the room with you verbally offering you forgiveness for the specific things you confessed.
- Write your sin down on a piece of paper and shred/trash/burn it as a representation that Jesus has completely dealt with your sin.
- Imagine yourself at crucifixion. Look at Jesus as he looks at you and offers forgiveness.
- Confess your sin to someone else and ask them to speak Jesus' forgiveness over you.
Prayers of Petition
God invites us to cast our cares on him because he cares for us. God is all-together good, already knows what we need, and is eager to give us good things. So we don’t need to pray out of anxiety or fear, but confident trust. Spend a few minutes making your requests known to God.
- For the church
- For others
- For myself
Closing Prayer
Lord make me an instrument of Your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand.
To be loved, as to love.
For it's in giving that we receive
And it's in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen