Let's look at Luke chapter 23 verse 33. We're going to start a new series that goes all the way to March 31st. The children are dismissed. And we're going to look at the last sayings of Jesus at Calvary's cross. Luke chapter 23. Let's go to Luke, to the gospel of Luke chapter 23. and I'll get to it in a second. If you have your Bible, your iPad, your phone, whatever you have that is God's Word in it, let's look at it at verse 33 and verse 34. in Luke chapter 23. It says, and when they come to the place, I'm sorry, which is called Calvary, they crucified him and their malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And their partner is Raymond and cast lots. Shall we pray heavily, Father? Thank you, Lord, for your willingness to go to Calvary. Lord, he came to this world with a mission. You know what the mission was, was Calvary's cross. Lord, in that time, Lord, the sins of the whole world laid upon your shoulders. You experienced, Lord, as you hang in that cross, the world turned their eyes away from you. God the Father turned his back on you because you were full of sin. Lord, my sin was there. How wonderful it is to be forgiven. Thank you, Lord, for your mercy and your grace this morning. Thank you, Lord, for Calvary, the hope that we have as Christians that heaven is a sure place. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. You may be seated. Sometimes, you know, back to basics is good to look at back to Calvary's cross. I said this morning in Sunday school, there was a survey done amongst Christians, amongst Christians, not people, people that claim to be Christians, an alarming 70% claim that Jesus is not God. What a sad thing to go to a church, sing praises and worship God, and don't believe that He is the one that He says He claims to be, the Almighty God, Jehovah. Yahweh I tell you what this church this pastor believes that Jesus is Yahweh Jehovah the almighty God that's who he is that's who he is so looking at the last moments of Jesus on the cross we can see that he didn't speak much but the few words that Jesus spoke were powerful profound words there were words of let me tell you this life Most of people that stood around the cross didn't pay much attention to the words of Jesus. But we should not be surprised because through the centuries, even to our day, many people still don't pay much attention to the last words of Jesus. Even today when we talk to people, they don't pay much attention to the words of Jesus. They could care less if many of them are about you. You know how many times a day I talk about my Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible, and people roll their eyes on you? and they say here he goes again oh yes here I go again you go again with your garbage music every day and your garbage talk shows every day I'll put my show on and praise God I put the Bible on you know that's what I do and I do it pridefully I don't try to be mean to anybody if you have the right to your ungodly music I have right to my godly music if you are right to your ungodly talk shows I have a right to have my Bible on because you know what I don't put that I believe in what I put there I want to praise my god every day because you know what today might be my last day or tomorrow might be my last day I don't know but as long as I live I want to praise my savior we don't just praise our savior at the church even though we meet together but we praise our savior when we are alone in a workplace, in the car, walking in the neighborhood, places to praise our Savior and to sing the songs of Zion. Because we believe that Jesus is the Almighty God, the one that took the form of a man who went to Calvary's cross, shed His blood for you and me. And the world is closing their ears on the words of Jesus. this christmas season on this christmas yeah this christmas just passed by this easter what i like to call resurrection sunday because easter is not is a not even a christian word but let's put the easter season just for the sake of people understanding those you're not christians you online watching let me put it this it's not about box bunny and chocolates all right oh it's a traditional thing it's good to see beep at him if you see him on the side of the road you know but it's not about that it's about what Jesus in his resurrection You know we Satan has a wonderful thing to do things and deceive people So he's the comes out Let's have those bright colors and those springy colors and happy colors and he's the bunny and I'm not against he's the bunny Don't get me wrong here. I'm just saying you cannot put him in the place of Jesus He doesn't fit there you know, but our world is doing that and we need to be careful as Christians and we don't do the same and We don't do the same. So Luke records for us Jesus' last words concerning the crucifixion of our Lord. There's no great detail, just a simple statement that came from the lips of Jesus here. And look what it says, Father forgive them for they now know what they do. Now you have to think about these words came through an immense intense pain. Remember Jesus has been scourged by the Romans. And he didn't come out of that thing and say oh look at me I got scourged now give me the cross. Oh no no no that's not what it was. You know I don't try to be gross here okay but his internals were showing up because he was ripped out. If you look at that scourging they had like metals and pieces of bones and sharp things and when they wrap around the body and when they pull it out flesh will come out. It was surprising that even Jesus made it alive because most people will die there. Most people. Jesus made out of there and they put a cross on him. You wonder why he fell many times? Somebody held the cross for him because the loss of blood, the weakness of the beaten that he got. And you know what? That's a physical aspect of it. okay so let's look at this this morning as we look at towards Easter Sunday and the resurrection I want to spend the several weeks and of course there's more than four weeks five weeks I have to preach two of those lessons at the night service to make so we can have all these words complete towards the end towards towards the Easter Sunday so Let's look at this from several points. We're going to look at this particular statement right here that came from the lips of Jesus from several points. Number one, if you have an outline, we say sovereign words. Luke says, Luke writes for us, then said Jesus, Father forgive them for they not know what they do and they're parted as remnants and cast lots. The God of life, the creator of all was paying for the sins of mankind. they were casting lots at the foot of the cross. Jesus was the greatest a great master teacher for he always used every opportunity to teach godly principles and in the midst of his suffering Jesus uses the opportunity to teach the principle of forgiveness. Why forgiveness? Why forgiveness from the foot of the cross? Because forgiveness is unnatural or very unnatural to all of us. It is easy for us to hold a grudge, it's easy to us to to be unkind and and mean to others but to grant forgiveness is a different story. It's easy for us to go to the person and say you like this and like that and like that and we spit out if you would under the sun and we go oh I feel good but to say when we admit that we are wrong and we to go back and say I forgive you that's a hard thing to do. because now you know usually when we go and tell or we think we're right tell them what they need to hear it's we're full of pride when we see we need to ask forgiveness that requires humility and some people are not willing to go there you see Jesus teaches us that even in our last breath we can still forgive those who have wronged us Most of the people standing around that cross were guilty of doing something wrong there. But Jesus didn't hold a grudge against them. He asked the father to forgive them. There were Christians there, yes. There were believers there, yes. But the majority of people there, they weren't believers. You see letter A is an unnatural request. We must keep in mind that Jesus Christ our Lord was fully God and yet he was fully man. He was 100% God, he was 100% man. It would be naive in our part to assume that Jesus in his humanity didn't suffer any pain at all. He felt every blow that he received. He felt the spit on his face. He felt the crown of thorns placed on his head. He felt the nails going through his hands and feet. He felt every physical evil action done unto him. He felt the same emotions that we feel. He felt the same pain that we feel. Jesus dealt with the same temptations that we endure. This was an unnatural request for humanity, for Jesus even to say, Father forgive them. So the flesh doesn't want to seek the good of the offender. He wants to bring retribution for the wrong of the aggression that the aggression have committed. So as Christ hung up on that cross, robed in human flesh, wrongly accused and beaten, he prayed that the Father might forgive the wrongs that they were committed against his only begotten Son. How many of us would pray that prayer? If you were hanging on that cross, would you pray that prayer? Or would you just spit judgment words towards the people? Can you follow that? Letter B is an unselfish request. Listen folks, all of us have been hurt. Right? All of us have been hurt. But I agree with me, it is hard to forgive. Very hard, especially if somebody hurt you really bad. But we can forgive. Can we? We can forgive. If this been a mere man hanging upon the cross, he would likely have prayed for God to judge the injustice that he was suffering on the cross. Humanity would have wanted the Lord to pour out his wrath upon those who committed such atrocity. Our prayers would have been directed towards our need and the desire to escape the suffering. Jesus Christ was not concerned about his physical being there. He was not praying that the sufferer would go away and his accusers would be judged. He was not seeking a means to escape this awful torture of death. He was praying for the need of those who were responsible for his crucifixion. Can you imagine that? They nailed him to a cross, they spit in his face, they put a crown of thorns on his head and still he said, Father forgive them. Wow And they're doing that to him right there. And what about the words that were said that's not recorded in the scriptures? What about the profanity that was spit out of people's lips? And about the fist that was put up towards the Son of God and was not recorded in the scriptures there? Only God knows. And God says, forgive them. I think sometimes how many profanities are said each day towards God in our world. How many despicable words are said towards God each day? Still God is merciful enough to forgive those people. Nobody can convince me that God is not merciful. He is very merciful and very gracious. Letter C is an unhindered request. At this moment in time, Jesus Christ is now limited in his ministry. I say this with due respect but he is no longer walking along the multitudes, he's no longer healing the sick, raising the dead, calming the storms or expounding the word. He's now separated from that aspect of that ministry. That ministry is gone but that doesn't mean that he is hindered in his request. He is hanging up on the cross beaten and bloody but he still has the power of God in him he had lived a perfect life free from sinning still has the ability to talk with his father even though he is bound to the cross committed unto that still Jesus still exercised the power of prayer Listen, we take for granted prayer and right in that moment, what does he do? He's praying to his heavenly father. Folks, let me tell you this. There is power in prayer. We need to believe that our God is a mighty, wonderful, unchangeable God. And when we pray, he listens. And when we think he doesn't listen, it's our lack of faith. He said, he said, Father, forgive them. That is a lot of faith right there. What about us? Listen we have to talk to our heavenly father believing because he's real. He's not a make-believe thing out there. Listen if you think God is a make-believe thing you got a problem. You got a major problem. You know who God is? The one who created me. The one who created everything that exists. He was always there. Oh I don't want to go in that one but let me tell you that that's who he is. Almighty unchangeable God. You see Jesus hanging on the cross full of sin and He uses the power of prayer. What a great example left for us to follow. He teaches us that it is possible to pray to the Lord for our enemies and those who do evil to us even in the most painful and critical moments of life. Jesus also gives us an example not to leave grudges against those who hurt us You say pastor that's easy to say. No it's not easy to say because I'm human as you are. It's easy to hold a grudge against a person than to forgive. Do you ever been hurt by somebody that you actually don't even smile at for the rest of the day. You're so hurt. I've been there. Am I the only one. I tell you I smile a lot and it's hard for me to. Well it sometimes happens. But God wants us to forgive Jesus demonstrated us that love is the key to forgiveness Why he asked that because he loved the unlovable. He loves his enemies Jesus demonstrated to us love should be the greatest motivator for everything that we do You see even though those religious people hated Jesus and wanted him dead Jesus loved them enough to pray for them Think about it. Jesus prayed to his father to forgive the actions of the enemies. Folks, how often do we pray for our enemies? You know what I hear? I hear a lot of people just, when they talk about somebody that hurt them, the emotions get up and high and there's no prayer there. We have to pray for our enemies. There's Jesus in the top of the cross right there praying, Father forgive them. But look what it says. Go to Matthew chapter 5 verse 43. I want you to see something about Jesus left this word for us concerning our enemies. Look there at Matthew 5 43. Look what it says. You have heard that it has been said. I said you heard it's not new to you. I shall love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. Is that transitional word ready? But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that despise you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your father which is in heaven, for you make it a son to rise on the evil and on the good. This is very true. And send a rain on the just and in the unjust. You see how merciful and good God is? There are people who literally it's practice evil continually every day and God said I send them rain too. You follow that? That's how merciful God is to them because God give them the opportunity to look up and say wow God is good. God gives an opportunity for every human being to be forgiven. Everyone. Point number two, we see sympathetic words. This is also a prayer of sympathy as Christ well understood the need of mankind. Jesus took behind that moment of hate and evil doing in the heart of man right there. He took that moment right there. He knew the destiny of mankind. He knew where the entire race of human race is heading to. And God in the fullness of time came to go to Calvary's cross so the human race won't go, all of us go to hell. that hey we say jesus persistence look at seismometry then jesus said the word is translated from the greek word lego which is is in the perfect tense right here that simply indicates a continuous action that confirms to us that christ prayed this prayer more than one time okay don't misunderstand me here he maybe only spoke the audience one but in his heart in his mind he's continually saying father forgive them for they don't know what they're doing father forgive them for they're not knowing what they're doing when they were when he was on the ground they were nailed to a cross he was looking at them and saying father forgive them for they're not knowing what they're doing to me father it was a continual thing only came out of his lips one time You see, we can pray with our minds. That's what Jesus was doing. He was suffering. He was hurting. He got a tremendous beat. Now, they put those nails right through his hands and through his feet. And he continually was saying, Father, forgive them. Never came out of his lips. But that's what the tense of the verse says right there. And Jesus then said, Jesus, let it be. We see Jesus petition. Jesus Christ couldn't pray for, couldn't couldn't pray for anything at this moment, yet his focus was on man's greatest needs. He prayed for the forgiveness of sinners. He knew that they were separated from God in sin. He knew that unless they were pardoned and forgiven, that their sin would result in eternal separation and death. He didn't pray, Father, condemn them or destroy them. He was not seeking their judgment. He sought their forgiveness. He couldn't pray for comfort while enduring the cross. He couldn't pray for strength to endure. He could pray for those things. He could even pray for the angels of heaven to rescue him from his torment. None of these petitions were offered from his lips. He prayed to the God the Father for mercy and forgiveness for mankind. Are you sensing the intensity of Jesus' prayer? Folks, this was not a senseless second prayer, so to speak. It was a loving and caring prayer. In the midst of suffering and the evil that was being done to our Savior, He looked at those men. He prayed for them. Think about it. We were not there, but we can use our imagination because all of us have one. Can you see the rage? those people's minds and eyes and as they took those nails and spike and just ran through his feet and his hands. It's not normal for somebody to get something and nail somebody to a pole. It's not a normal thing for human being to do. It's got to be rage and anger and wrath going on to have that hate to do that. They did it. Imagine when he was at the pole and they were scourging him. Jesus suffered immensely for me and you. Let us see, we see Jesus' passion. One could never doubt or deny the passion of Jesus Christ right here. It was beyond our ability to comprehend the torment of the cross. For an example, in the Philippines during Easter time, there are many people who march through the streets carrying crosses, and many of them also try to experience the pains of the cross by being crucified. Listen, please, I personally admire those people who try to imitate the Lord Jesus even through, and go through that, but let me tell you, but as much as they try, they can never compare what Jesus suffered for us. They didn't go to the Roman Paul. They didn't get scourged. They didn't get beaten like that. They didn't carry our sin like Jesus did. So much sin Jesus had on him that God the Father turned his back on his son. Can you imagine? When Jesus was hanging on the cross, Jesus was alone. The world turned its back on God. God the Father turned his back on his son. It's something that Jesus never experienced before. And I tell you what, we can look at the physical aspect, we don't understand the spiritual aspect. We never will. Maybe in heaven someday when we get to heaven, but Jesus did that for me and you I tell you what Praise the Lord for what he did Praise the Lord for Calvary for shed blood praise the Lord that Jesus went there willingly because he knew that you and I would be born many years later and you need a salvation And I need a salvation And folks, to this very day, thousands upon thousands are rejecting the free gift of salvation. They mock God, they laugh at God, laugh at His church, laugh at His people, laugh at everything that they call religious. You know what they say? The church is full of hypocrites. I think it's more hypocrites outside the church than in the church. They're denying and they're rejecting the very hope that they need. Let me put it this way. I saw a movie this week. And this man was very hurt. It was actually a painful movie to watch. This guy married and they have a little girl. She's six years old. The wife dies of cancer. And the girl comes down with the same cancer the mother had. And the mother, the kid died too. And he did not understand, he was mad at God. But before that, there was treatments going on. And he got mad at the doctor, and he grabbed the doctor, and he shook the doctor, and he said, What can you do for my daughter? My daughter cannot die. And he said, Sir, let me give you something for thought right here, so you can understand what's going on here. We're all dying. We're all going to die. We just tried to prolong life. But dying, all of us are going to die. I just don't know when you're going to die and I'm going to die. But that's the reality of life, which is true. See, doctors can prolong life. God came in here. He went to the cross so we can live with him for all eternity. And people, even today, are doing this. I don't want that gift. I don't want your salvation. You know why? Because they love their sin more than they love God. That's what it is. The Bible is clear what the Bible says. You see, he endured the torments of the cross. His genuine passion was revealed. His desire was to see men receive salvation. His passion was to provide to their redemption. His passion was the forgiveness and reconciliation of humanity to God. So number three, we see sincere words. Look again at our text, it says, Father forgive them for they do not know what they do. With our sincerity of heart, our words are meaningless. If we are to grant forgiveness to anyone, we must mean what we say. Folks, talk is cheap, for anyone can just speak. and they what they want but when we back our words with our actions our words become what powerful why these words are powerful because jesus back up his words with his life and he was sincere and salvation is true and real if we ask somebody to forgive us we have to ask somebody to say i forgive you be sincere in what you say otherwise the words are meaningless they don't mean anything have no base no no no weight no foundation no one took his life he gave us life so that we could live jesus is not a victim of the roman empire he gave us life words father forgive them for they not know what they do were meaningful meaning meaningful words for Jesus desire of desire was for those for those who were crucifying him to see the truth the truth that he was he was ended I'm sorry that he was indeed the promised messiah they could see that Jesus was the only hope that they have we're going to look about the two people on the cross how you put your faith and trust on some bloody mess next to you see we look at crucifix today we see oh look at the poor jesus you wouldn't even recognize him that's how much of a beaten jesus got physically we see this beautiful jesus no no it's not what it was no no no you would not recognize what was there but he did it for you and me. Now letter A we look at on that third point, man's ignorance. Jesus declared that they didn't even, I'm sorry, they didn't even know what they were doing. They hadn't perceived the enormity of the injustice that they were being crucified, they were being carried that day. Many of those men who are unaware of the lies, they would have been told about Jesus. Keep in mind that the religious leaders had nothing that they could point a finger at Jesus to. But they claim, their claims are full of lies. They claim, the claims display that they were the sons of the devil and as Jesus accused him to be or them to be. Jesus was falsely accused in order for that they would crucify him. Many of those men were crucifying an innocent man who ignorantly they told that he was guilty. Most were unaware of the holiness and perfection of Christ. You know why? Because in the past they killed the prophets as well. So when they were telling lies, so this is another one of the prophets that we're just going to get rid of it. No, he was the Messiah. Look what the Bible says. He came to his own and his own receive him not. The Jewish people were looking for political leader and forgot the scriptures when he was going to come as the promised Messiah, like God promised his people. And when he show up in the scene, nobody recognized him. The Bible says also to us today, when I come back, when I return, when I find faith upon the earth. It's amazing where we're heading, where Christianity is heading. We are bringing the world inside the church and we think it's okay. What a sad time that we're living in today. I rejoice that God is patient and loving. I'm glad that He went to the cross for you and for me. But I tell you what, these people are ignorant to the fact they were lied to. So they proceeded to crucify the Lord. So unfortunately, there are many people in this world who are ignorant when it comes to Jesus. His word, His promise, His gospel, and His heaven. They quote ignorant statements from the Bible that are out of context because they don't even have ever read a Bible themselves. Some people say this, the Bible says, God helps those who help themselves. You show me that in the Bible because I want to see that verse. It's not there. It's a made-up thing. You know what? God helps those who cannot help themselves. I cannot save myself, but God can. God can. When I get to heaven or when I die, I'll take care of myself. No, you won't. When I die, I'll go to heaven because I deserve. No, you don't. But I'm a good person. I never kill. I never stole. I never rob a bank. I'm good. No, you're not. Because we're talking to a holy God, not your buddy that you sit with and have a meal with or whatever. You see, let it be man's indifference. Surely there were those who had been exposed to the truth there. There were those who had witnessed the miracles. They had heard Jesus speak with authority and power. They had knowledge that he was not like any other man. They knew that Jesus was special and yet many of them rejected him. When Jesus walked through the city walls of Jerusalem, the people rejoiced and said, Hosanna. Can you say the rest? In the highest. They were celebrating the Messiah and most of them that celebrated that is the ones that said, Crucify Him! Crucify Him! It's amazing how people change their ways very quick. were different. They were not even aware of the of what they were doing here. I'm convinced that that Christ was praying even to those who rejected him. He wanted them to realize their need for for him and turn for him for salvation. There were those who were who had been confronted with the truth and rejected him. They too needed salvation there. Remember what Jesus preached and and that message and most of the people laughed. Only his disciples were left behind and what he said, do you want to leave me too? They broke Jesus's heart right there. Let us see, we see man's inadequacy. Inadequacy, I'm sorry. Our Lord knew that it was humanity only hope. Apart from him, they would remain in their sins, condemned before God. Christ prayed for mercy sent for many. He wanted them to have the opportunity of salvation and forgiveness. Let me put it this way, folks. Without Calvary, there's no heaven. Without the shed blood, because many religions don't even want to believe anymore in the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. Without the shed blood, there's no salvation. we think in our own little minds that we have that we are everything that it is we our own little gods and we got to heaven we deserve everything there's no we don't deserve anything we should thank god every day that he give us a new day you know what jesus went there and he went there because he want the human race to have an opportunity of salvation let me put it this way God created mankind. God made a perfect place, paradise, right? For men and women to be there. Who turned his back on God? Mankind. God never turned his back on men. And right there, God promised a Messiah, somebody that would come to redeem. men from their sin and through the ages people were looking for that promise and he came as he promised. He was born to Bethlehem Judea as a baby. He grew in the midst of his people. He preached the gospel. He healed the sick. He raised the dead. He did all that so they knew that he was what he said he was because what he was doing is it was that exactly what the scriptures preach to talk about it. People could read and say this is it. This is him and what they did they crucified him. in the midst of that cross when he wasn't hanging in that cross he said father forgive them they don't have no idea what they're doing here can you my mind sometimes if it goes there can you imagine when those people died the ones that got that that hammer and put that nail through his hands can you imagine when they die and they saw the very one that they crucified talking about face-to-face meeting right there I believe they recognize him the king of kings and the lord of lords. I believe that they're not they realize that they made a big mistake. You know what the lord asked father forgive them but ultimately those people had to open their mouths and ask forgiveness. The lord Jesus was asking the opportunity for them to have the opportunity to ask forgiveness and you know what it was available to them but ultimately we have to open our mouth and confess that he is lord of all. You see, He left heaven because of them and because of you. He went to Calvary because of you. He was crucified to pay the penalty that you can never pay. He rose from the dead for you and for me. Today, Jesus Christ offers you a free gift of salvation. If you're not saved, if you never received Jesus as your Savior, if you're online or here, this is not a game. This is not to get people to church. This is not about religion. It's about life because you will die. I will die. The rich and poor die. The famous die too. I mean, people are shook up. The other day is a guy from the Red Sox about three or four months ago. What's his name? I forgot his name. He died of cancer. His wife just died too. They left their kids behind and they were not very old. People say, well, you know, the rich have a lot of money. No, they die too. The rich and poor, they die too. And you know what? At the foot of the cross, no matter how much money you have, we're all the same. Needy people. Number four, we see sufficient words. I'm almost done. Sufficient words. Let's say, Father, forgive them for they don't know what they do. Jesus' few words were sufficient for people to turn their hearts, him. Most of the people standing there around the cross either witnessed, were recipients or heard of Jesus' miracles. They knew who he was. You see Jesus did what Jesus did was more than enough to prove that he was indeed the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. He really didn't need to do anything else to prove who he was because he did enough. For what the people that gathered there at Calvary witnessed in Jesus' last moments they should know that Jesus was the promised Messiah. What people needed to do was, by faith, believe in Him. You know why? But they did not. Listen, folks. People are doing the same thing today. Here's what happens. Easter Sunday. bunny, chocolates, yes, let's go have the egg hunt, all these things, hi wonderful, hey want to come to church, listen to the resurrection service, oh forget about that, that's just boring stuff, they forgot who God is, they totally forgot about who God is, I was a pastor but you being, no I'm not, I'm not being serious with you, they forgot about who God is, they forgot of what he have done at Calvary's cross, They forgot that he shed his blood for them. Look at our world today. I watch a football game and I see, what, 35, 80, 60,000 people there screaming. I mean, I remember one game in Foxboro that like it was like, wow, many snow, eight, nine inches of snow and they're over there throwing snowballs at each other. I said, I wonder if we opened the church if it was nine inches of snow. Nobody shows up. But to go to a football game, everybody goes, you know why? Because they forgot God. You know, hell is full of people with good intentions. They forgot God. They forgot what Jesus had done for them. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they don't know what to do. So what do you know what God does? God gives them 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, 50 years, 80, 90 years. if we let's say I said that this morning let's say if they give God give that a person 90 years how many hours are they how many seconds are they and God said you have the opportunity to ask me for forgiveness and I will forgive you the spies of what you have done you know what they do I'm not saying all of them but many of them they die without God They don't need God. That's what they do. They totally forget of who God is. The world is full of those type of people. Jesus says he did all for us to understand who he is. I conclude with this. This is a moving account of the time that Jesus spent on a cross. It was a time of suffering unlike any ever, I'm sorry, any ever endured. His focus was not upon the pain, but upon humanity. Jesus Christ was concerned for those who needed a savior. He prayed for a sinful world and as he bled and died. Jesus Christ died so that all might be forgiven and have eternal life. Do you know him as your personal savior? Let me put it this way, if you were to drop dead right now, are you 100% sure that you're going to heaven? I grew up in a religion that says, nobody knows, this is a big mystery. The Bible says, these things was written that you may know. And that verse is written in present tense for every human being that reads this, that these things, good things, The scriptures were written that you may know that in them you can find eternal life In Jesus you can have heaven in Jesus. There's a hope that goes beyond the grave. Oh I don't care when I die. I die or you should care I'm not afraid of dying or you should be afraid of dying Why because if you're not saved you're not going to heaven. I Oh, so I'll go to hell where there's a place where I get my guitar, my drums, I'm gonna have fun with my friends. No, you're not. How do you know you're gonna have that? Who told you that? Really, who told you that hell is a good place? Who came and told you that? Nobody, that's a make-believe stuff. But Jesus told a story about someone that is there, still there, because there's no way out. See, people think that, listen, we have one life to live. one decision to make. We reject Jesus or we accept him. We believe who he is or we reject him. And it's for every single person to do. It's not about church. It's not about, you know, if I'm a member of that church, I'll go to heaven. No, no, no, no, no. It's about Jesus and Jesus alone. Put your faith in place in Jesus Christ alone. He is the Savior. We have to believe in what he said to be true. We have to believe that he's God Almighty. We have to believe that what he did is enough to save us and say, I'll put my faith in you, Lord. Are you there? Father, forgive them for they not know what they're doing. Let's pray heavily, Father. Thank you, Lord, Father, for those words. And according to the scriptures, Lord, to the tense of the verb, we can understand that you continually said those words. Father, forgive them for they not know what they're doing. Lord, how many people even today that we have in our world will put you back on a cross and do even worse to you today? The heart of men is desperately wicked, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for salvation. Thank you, Lord, that we have hope that goes beyond that cold grave. Thank you, Lord, that we have a new heaven and new earth promised for us, and we'll be with you for all eternity. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. If you could stand, please. We have a song of invitation this morning. Page 131, Jesus paid it all. If you doubt what Jesus has done for you, he paid it all for you. I have heard the Savior say, Thy strength indeed is small. Child of weakness, watch and pray. Do you know someone that never received Jesus as Savior? Pray for them. Pray continually. Pastor how long? As long as it takes. How long that person live? Pray for that person. Have the opportunity, tell them about the love of Christ. Tell them how much God loves them and care about them. That he went to Calvary's cross to die for them. What about, oh pastor I have a lot of enemies. Pray for your enemies. Don't you know before you got saved you were an enemy of God? And God saved you. Folks, salvation is a wonderful gift. A gift that we don't even comprehend. But I tell you what, I'm glad I'm saved. And I believe that you're glad you're saved too, isn't it? I know if I die today or tomorrow, you know what? I'm going to be in the presence of my Savior for all eternity. What a wonderful hope! You know the world lives for the weekend and vacations. We live for the Lord. You see that? And all the other blessings of life come right along with it. But the world says you know I can't wait when they got to work on Monday. Oh is that Friday yet? Oh so live today forget about Friday. Friday will come and it's time. But that's what they do. Because they have no hope. They just want, oh, is that Friday yet? No, no. Today's Monday. I told people I love Mondays. Really? Yes, I do. Because I don't know if Tuesday will come. You know what? It is, you know, one day at a time. One day at a time. Each day is a blessing. Each day, 24 hours to praise the Lord. You say, Pastor, you don't know where I work. No, you don't know where I work either. But we can praise the Lord where we are. Let's say, Lord, thank you. sing this song, Jesus paid it all, what a wonderful song. second verse, our last verse. Lord now indeed I find thy power and thine alone can change the leprous spots and melt the heart of stone Jesus paid it all, all to him I own. Sin has left a cleansing stain. He washed his white as snow. amen so tonight we will continue on our series on the minds we talk about different types of minds and tonight we look at another mind tonight so if you uh we encourage you to come to church tonight as we have our second worship service uh wednesday night service we are going to bible study and of course before you leave have a piece of cake celebrate brother tom's birthday and all the other marshals martians not marshals martians martians there you go anyway but let's encourage each other and of course if you go out in the world this is the season uh on which you know we celebrate the lord's resurrection uh and so it is a season of thinking so lord give an opportunity don't be ashamed tell somebody about jesus christ they need to save you they need to save you let's pray it would be dismissed heavenly father Thank you, Lord, for this series that we just start. Thank you, Lord, for your words from the cross. Father, forgive them, for they now know what they do. Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness. Lord, we sometimes take for granted the forgiveness that you have given us, the privilege that we have to call you our Heavenly Father, and the privilege we have that someday we are going to be with you in heaven for all eternity. Lord, I pray for each person here. Bless them, guide them. If there's someone unsaved here, may they call upon You for salvation today. Those online as well. Lord, they will put their faith and trust in You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.