IMPACT FXBG | JESUS Said - Luke 23:33-34

Our savior, instead of spitting on his accusers, instead of calling down angels to do business with his accusers, instead of calling down the wrath of God to just end this whole thing, Jesus prayed for them. You understand how different that would have been to everyone watching? What a different scene that would have been while the thieves are spitting and mocking and yelling horrible things? There's this guy up here who did nothing but heal and love and forgive and he's not spitting on him. He's looking down. They've made a game out of selling his clothes and he's praying for them. [01:20:18] (56 seconds)  #PrayForYourEnemies

So when I live in an abundance of relationship with God, when I am comforted by his holy spirit, when I am confident in the truth of the gospel, when I am secure in my standing as a child of God, I can begin to offer to others what Jesus offered to me. Forgiveness. For example, when I know God is my father and I'm a child of God, I know he protects me, I know he never leaves me, I know he hears me, I know he loves me, I know that one day I will inherit the kingdom of God not as a nephew, not as somebody who had to be penciled in on the will, not because I was the last one standing, but as a child legally inherited. You can't hurt me. [01:10:57] (54 seconds)  #SecureInChrist

You know, there's another option too that maybe some of us today, you've never received the forgiveness Jesus can give you. You've kept Jesus at an arm's length. You like some of his teachings. You think church is generally a good thing, but you have kept Jesus at a distance. Meanwhile your brokenness and your sin is eating you alive. Friends, come to Jesus. Come to Jesus tonight. Give him your sin. Give him your filth. Give him give him your doubts. Give him your anxieties. Give him your secrets. And see if he won't rain forgiveness down on you like a waterfall of grace. [01:22:54] (51 seconds)  #ComeToJesus

It says there, we forgive them because they don't know. They don't know the glory of Christ because they've been blinded by their wealth in this world. They've been blinded by the pleasures of this world. They've been blinded by things that are temporary. He says, so when they hurt you they don't know the glories of Christ. And church for those of us who have been forgiven by Jesus, that should give us a little bit of compassion for them. Not to excuse their behavior but to say, oh lord, are you that blind? Are you that distant from God? [01:15:45] (49 seconds)  #CompassionNotCondemnation

But God shows his love for us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Think about that. What this truth is saying is that it was while you were an opponent of God that Jesus said forgive them. He didn't wait until the thief on the cross came to his senses and believed. He didn't wait until the centurion down there said truly this is the son of God while they're driving the nails in his hands, while they're bedding for his clothes, Christ died for them and us. [01:00:03] (46 seconds)  #LoveBeforeBelief

Like there are none of us in this room that are standing on righteous ground without the forgiveness of Christ. None of us. Like you may say, well I'm a moral person. I'm a good person. Then one day as you stand before the God of the universe, he he is not just a moral person or a good God. He is a perfect, holy, righteous and justice filled God. And I sure hope you're not hoping that you mustered up enough good works on this planet to stand before him by yourself. See, we need Jesus. [01:02:15] (44 seconds)  #WeNeedJesus

See, Jesus, when your offenders come at you and try to tell you that you're not good enough and you'll never be worth anything and you can't do this and what I did to you when you were eight years old is gonna stick with you and hold you back for the rest of your life. Jesus steps into the middle of it. And he says, I've already died for it. I died not for you to walk around hurt but so you could walk around maybe with some scars like me but in healing. [01:13:26] (34 seconds)  #FreedomFromThePast

Ain't that amazing? The first words out of Jesus's mouth was a prayer, but not for himself. Then that just immediately take you to the heart of God. That this whole crucifixion was not just about the suffering of Jesus, but it was about the suffering of Jesus so that you don't have to. Then on the heart of Jesus as the nails are being driven through his hands was asking for your forgiveness, that I would be forgiven, that you would be forgiven. [00:52:34] (33 seconds)  #PrayerOfForgiveness