Sermon Notes - Luke 23 - Good Friday - Forgive Them - Littleby Baptist Church - April 18, 2025

1.     Thank you for being here this evening as we honor our Lord’s Sacrifice!

2.     If you have your Bibles open them to Luke 23.

3.     Luke 23:34

a.      Jesus was in the worst agony of His life… and His thoughts are not on ending the pain.

b.     His thoughts are on the needs of others.

c.      Those that are casting lots for his clothes.

d.     Forgive Them for they do not know what they are doing.

e.      But He was not just thinking about the couple of soldiers who were at the foot of the cross dividing up His clothes.

f.      Jesus’ request to the Father is much bigger than that.

4.     Luke 23:33

a.      Jesus was asking for forgiveness for those who had a hand in crucifying Him.

b.     Those who hammered the nails into his hands.

c.      Those who hammered the nail into his feet.

d.     Those who lifted the cross and dropped it into place.

e.      These people racked Jesus’ body with significant pain.

f.      They were killing Him.

g.     Forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.

5.     Luke 23:18-21

a.      They chose Barabbas over Jesus.

b.     They shouted Crucify Him!

c.      They were calling for His death.

d.     Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.

6.     Before that Jesus stood before Herod Antipas.

a.      Luke 23:10-11

b.     They accused Jesus.

c.      They mocked our Lord.

d.     They disrespected the one who is going to die for their sins.

e.      Jesus was asking for the Father to forgive them.

7.     Luke 22:63-65

a.      Those serving the High Priest beat their God.

b.     They are His chosen people.

c.      They mocked Him.

d.     They made fun of Him.

e.      Yet our Lord asked for them to be forgiven.

8.     Peter was warned by Jesus that he would deny Jesus that night.

a.      Peter refused to believe it.

b.     Luke 22:56-62

c.      Peter denied his friend and Lord.

d.     Jesus was asking for Peter to be forgiven.

9.     Luke 22:47-48

a.      Judas betrayed the man He spent years with.

b.     From what Scripture shows us, Judas’ guilt ate him up, he never repented, and ended up hanging himself.

c.      I would venture that Jesus wanted Judas to be forgiven.  

10.  Luke 22:2-6

a.      They sought the death of the person who came to save them.

b.     As much as they seemed to hate Jesus.

c.      He wanted them to be forgiven.

11.  Luke 20:1-2

a.      This may seem small to the other things we have looked at.

b.     A group of men, flawed as all of us are.

c.      Challenged the authority of the Lord of lords.

d.     They questioned Him.

e.      Jesus asked that they be forgiven because they obviously did not understand.

12.  In kind, Jesus wants us to be forgiven for all the times we do not understand.

a.      For the times we question Him.  

13.  Luke 19:45-46

a.      Most of those in the temple that day did not know any better.

b.     They were following the lead of those who knew what they were doing was wrong.

c.      Regardless of which group they belonged to…

d.     Jesus wanted them to be forgiven.

14.  Luke 23:34

a.      While Jesus was on that cross, He wanted all of them to be forgiven.

15.  Romans 3:23

a.      Jesus wanted all of us to be forgiven while He hung on that cross.

16.  He died so that the sins of the world can be forgiven.

17.  Isaiah 53:3

a.      They did not recognize the One that the Father sent.

b.     They did not understand the prophesies that foretold His coming.

c.      They looked for a way to end His teaching.

d.     To end His ministry.

e.      To stop His influence.

18.  Isaiah 53:4

a.      Jesus took it all on.

b.     The pain and sickness.

c.      In order that we could be forgiven.

19.  Isaiah 53:5

a.      His sacrifice made it possible for all who believe to be forgiven.

b.     He gave us a perfect gift.

c.      A gift that sets us free.

d.     A gift of true peace.

e.      One that is not limited by this world.

f.      Simply believe in Jesus and what He has done for us and be set free.

g.     Receive the pure gift of salvation through Jesus work on the cross.

20.  Isaiah 53:6

a.      We went astray.

b.     We have sinned.

c.      Jesus took the punishment we deserve.

d.     So that we may be forgiven.

e.      He paid our debt.

21.  Isaiah 53:7

a.      With a single word all the pain He was enduring could have been taken away.

b.     With a single word He could have been free.

c.      But not a word was uttered.

d.     So that forgiveness could be given to each person who did not know what they were doing.

e.      So that forgiveness could be found for each one of us.

22.  Isaiah 53:8

a.      Jesus died for us.

b.     He died to bring forgiveness.

c.      He died because we are lost without Him.

23.  Isaiah 53:9

a.      Normally those who were crucified were tossed in a mass grave.

b.     Yet, Jesus was buried in rich man’s tomb.

c.      A sign of His righteousness.

24.  Isaiah 53:10

a.      Jesus is the Lamb of God.

b.     The perfect guilt offering.

c.      His blood was shed so that ours sins could be wiped away.

25.  Isaiah 53:11

a.      Our Lord paid our debt.

b.     Our Savior took our place.

c.      He justified the many.

d.     He did all this so that forgiveness could be had by those who believe in Him.

26.  Isaiah 53:12

a.      Jesus will be raised to His rightful place as King of kings and Lord of lords.

b.     He will rule for all of eternity.

c.      Through His sacrifice, He will be given all who believe in Him.

d.     If we repent of our sins and follow Him, we will be with Him forever!

27.  Jesus endured all of this out of Love for us.

a.      He wants us to be forgiven.

b.     So that He can spend an eternity with us.

28.  1 Peter 2:24

a.      Jesus bore our sins and died on that cross so that our sins can be forgiven.

b.     So that we can be seen as righteous in the Father’s eyes.

29.  1 John 1:9

a.      Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”

b.     All we have to do is confess we are a sinner.

c.      Repent and follow Jesus and we are cleansed from ALL unrighteousness.

d.     No one is too far gone.

e.      If Jesus could forgive the high priests, the Roman soldiers, and all of the others.

f.      He can and will forgive you.

g.     Repent and follow Him.

h.     Come to Jesus before it is too late.

30.  If you want to make that commitment this evening, I would gladly pray with you.