Jesus Has the Final Say

This week we come to the first of seven words from the lips of Jesus on the cross recorded in the gospels. This first word comes from Luke 23:13-38 - “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
It's been said that we only see the true character of a person when they are suffering and under pressure. The rest of the time it's all too easy to put on a good front. On the cross, having been betrayed, unjustly sentenced to death, mocked, beaten, spat at and nailed to a cross, in the midst of such suffering and pressure we see the true character of Jesus. In the first of seven words from the cross, we are shown the heart of Son, and the heart of his Father - 'forgive them!' As Isaiah prophesied, "He was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors."

At the moment of his own deepest, personal need, Jesus meets our greatest need - forgiveness. This word of forgiveness is at the heart of the Word of the Cross, the power of God to those who are being saved. We never move beyond this. We never get to a place where we have 'made it' and no longer need forgiveness. How wonderful it is to know our Father is always 'ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love' (Nehemiah 9:17).