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Continuing our analysis of the penultimate chapter of Luke’s Gospel, this week, please read verses 33-38. If possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 23:33-34 (The Message)
‘When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.” Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them.’
Modern culture and society is, in my opinion, in a bit of a mess to say the least. In a recent poll, the question was of UK residents ‘Do you think life is better than it was 50 years ago?’ Only about 40% of the people believed that the UK was a better place to live now than in the 1960s. With all the improvements to technology, health care and general well-being, it is sad that it is still not a better place to be.
We don’t have the space here to really explore this in detail but I believe that there are a few core reasons for the results received. In 2016, there were approximately 695,000 babies born. This compares to approximately 875,000 fifty years previously. Life expectancy in the 60s was about 72, now it’s just over 80. Few children are being born but people are living longer. Immigration is also increasing and the net result of all this is that the population of the UK has increased from about 54 million people in 1966 to about 65 million in 2016. There are more and more people living on this island and yet, it is becoming an increasingly isolated existence. It’s quite common for someone to spend days and days without ever having a meaningful conversation with anyone else. There are people in work with me who never speak to the people sat at the desk opposite them. They live alone, travel to the office in their car and do all of their shopping online. People are becoming almost completely self-absorbed. They are only interested in their own well-being and rarely spend any time thinking of others.
Jesus is fully God and yet one part of the Trinity. One significant importance of this truth is the relationship and communion between the Godhead. We were made in God’s image and need to have relationships with others. We were never meant to live in isolation. God actually said “It is not good for man to live alone.” A significant problem with isolation is that we don’t know how to treat others nor do we know how to properly react within relationships. If spoken to harshly or if something happens that is not in our own interest, forgiveness will never be offered to the offending party. I know of so many people who blatantly state that they will never ever forgive someone for what’s been done to them.
In this context, the words of Jesus stand in stark contrast and yet the lesson we should learn shines like the brightest star in the darkest night. Jesus’ prayer to His Father to ‘forgive them’ wasn’t a self-seeking statement to show how wonderful He is. It is a practical example of how He taught His followers to act. In life, He instructed His disciples to forgive unconditionally, not just once, but repeatedly. The warning was that if they didn’t forgive, they in turn would not be forgiven by God. In death, Jesus hasn’t changed this command: Forgive.
Society is worse now because it is moving away from the teachings of Jesus. It is becoming a place that isn’t just uncaring toward the things of God, it is becoming increasingly anti-Christian. Let us not become like society but be determined to live a Christian life and, when required, demonstrate the forgiveness that Jesus exemplified on the cross.
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