Forgiveness

1.     ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do’ - Luke 23:34

2.     ‘Today shalt thou be with me in paradise’ - Luke 23:43

3.     ‘Woman, behold they son! … Behold thy mother!’ - John 19:26

4.     ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ - Matthew 27:46

5.     ‘I thirst’ - John 19:28

6.     ‘It is finished’ - John 19:30

7.     ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit’ - Luke 23:46

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As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, whowas on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carryit behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women whomourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters ofJerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. Forthe time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, thewombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then “‘they will sayto the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if people dothese things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Twoother men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When theycame to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with thecriminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgivethem, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up hisclothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneeredat him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’sMessiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. Theyoffered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, saveyourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the kingof the jews. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’tyou the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him.“Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We arepunished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man hasdone nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into yourkingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me inparadise.”
- Luke 23:26-43

Mixer

As we prepare for the Easter Celebration and the celebration of our Go First Leaders, what is a way that you are going first in your family, the church and the community? How can you inspire others to Go First?

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Sermon Questions

Scriptures: Luke 23:26-43, Romans 12:19

1. What impacted you most from this message?

2. In order to anchor ourselves in the cross and prepare to celebrate Easter, one must sit with the reality of having offended God. Is this something you think about? Has this turned you away from God, or toward God - and why?

3. Pastor Jared started out the message with an example of the trophic cascade in Yellowstone National Park with the gray wolves. If we stop focusing on the crucifixion, it creates a trophic cascade in our faith. How does the crucifixion, like the gray wolf, keep the order in our Easter Celebration?

4. Jesus tells the Daughters of Jerusalem not to weep for Him. The punishment for their sin - and yours - now falls upon Jesus on the cross. You can now stand on the righteousness of Christ when the final judgment day comes. If you believe this is true, what are some things that you can put at the foot of the cross? How do you feel knowing you no longer have to pay for them?

5. In the same light, having received the kindness of God, what stops you from not passing this kindness on?

6. Pastor Jared pointed out that every person prays like the first criminal on the cross: I don’t care about my soul, just save my skin. How is the 2nd criminal’s approach to God (save my soul) different from the 1st? How are you approaching God in your prayer life? How has this message helped you to move from a faith that is skin deep to soul deep?

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Serve

Did you know we send out weekly newsletters with opportunities to volunteer and Go First to serve our community? Want to hear more? Join this group to receive the weekly Impact updates.

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Pray

Join us in prayer for the newly commissioned Go First Leaders. Pray that they find ways to Go First in every season of their life with their families, the church, the neighborhood, and at work.

Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Mark 16:15