Last year, tragedy struck the university campus as one young student stepped into another student’s dorm room and took his life.  This horrific event rocked our entire campus.

• Students who knew the young man who was murdered, mourned.
• Students who knew the young man who committed this heinous crime, mourned.

We never know when tragedy will suddenly march into our lives, but we can know the ONE who forgives all people.  Not many days after this tragedy, the young student’s parents came to collect his things from the dorm room and to transport their son’s body back to their home state.  We are offered a chapel service each Wednesday, and as I sat listening to our campus minister pray that day, I was unprepared for what occurred next.

The prayer ended and a stranger, a man I did not know, stepped on stage.  He picked up the microphone and said:  “Hello, you may not know me, but I am ___________’s dad.”  The father who had just lost his only son spoke to the crowd of students, educators, and university administrators—about the importance of FORGIVENESS.

As unimaginable as it was, there we sat, the entire campus in chapel that day, listening to a father speak of forgiveness—for the one who had just taken away his son’s future.

In the Bible, we read the apostle Paul’s words to the church of Ephesus—

This father understood the amazing gift of forgiveness he had received from the Lord, his Savior, making it possible for him to offer forgiveness that day in chapel.

We also read in God’s Word, the words in red, Jesus’ words, revealing His forgiveness for mankind:

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

As we are reminded of this biblical account, the question becomes:  How Jesus could speak these words, even as He was crucified on the cross?  But HE DID!

How could Jesus say this, as the Roman soldiers were gambling over His clothing?

The Roman soldiers were performing the crucifixion, one they were ordered to do.  This was a normal task, a routine one, in fact, and merely a procedure to the soldiers.

We read the Word of God, and we are astounded by God’s love, an abiding love for humanity that would send His only Son to us, to offer Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

GOD DID THIS FOR EACH ONE OF US!

•  Jesus did not speak these words of forgiveness to forgive those who were doing their duty that day.  &
• Jesus did not speak words of forgiveness for those standing there, who openly rejected Him.

FORGIVENESS remains available today because of what JESUS DID ON THE CROSS.

FORGIVENESS came with a cost—JESUS WILLINGLY GAVE HIS LIFE!

Without a doubt, Jesus exclaimed:  “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” to remind the whole world that He stands with open arms, offering HIS forgiveness, even for the ones tasked with the job of His crucifixion (the soldiers), who were driving the spikes into His body.

Consider God’s Truth—

• God’s Mercy does not give us the payment we deserve for our sin:  Death and Separation from Him when we die.
• God’s Amazing Grace reveals His faithfulness, His love, His compassion, and His Forgiveness.

We must believe and ask Jesus to forgive our sins—a necessary step of salvation.

We receive assurance of JESUS’ FORGIVENESS, for—