“Father Forgive Them” - Seven Last Words - Part 1

Should you forgive only if someone apologizes?

When someone hurts you, why should you forgive them? Maybe they betrayed you, lied about you, or broke your trust. The last thing you want to do is let it go. After all, forgiveness doesn’t feel like justice- it feels like letting them off the hook when they deserve consequences. It doesn’t feel natural.

But here’s the truth- forgiveness isn’t about what feels fair. If it were, no one would ever forgive or be forgiven. Your pain is real and your feelings are valid. Jesus understands that- He too, was betrayed, abandoned, and mistreated. Yet, Jesus forgave. He set the ultimate example of this, proving that forgiveness isn’t just important- it’s possible.

In our brand-new series, “Seven Last Words, Father Forgive Them”, Pastor Stu Hodges will walk us through the seven last sayings Jesus spoke as He hung on the cross- starting with “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. He’ll show us the reasons Jesus forgave along with what that means for us today.

Verses in the sermon:

Isaiah 53:7, Luke 23:34, 1 Peter 2:23, 2 Peter 1:21, Isaiah 53:12, Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 1:18, Romans 8:1, Luke 6:28, Matthew 5:9, John 20:25-28