Text: Luke 23:26-34Text: Luke 23:26-34

= Value of the Spoken Words = Value of the Spoken Words of God?of God?

Rev. 1:3 - God blesses the Rev. 1:3 - God blesses the one who reads one who reads the words of the words of this prophecy to the church, this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.it says, for the time is near.

Topic: “Father, forgive Topic: “Father, forgive them, for they do not them, for they do not know what they are know what they are

doing.”doing.”

John 14:6 - Jesus answered, John 14:6 - Jesus answered, “I am the way and “I am the way and the truth the truth and the life,” and the life,”

= John the Baptist in = John the Baptist in Preparation for Jesus: Preparation for Jesus:

Mark 1:4 - And so John came, Mark 1:4 - And so John came, baptizing in the desert region baptizing in the desert region and preaching and preaching a baptism of a baptism of repentancerepentance for the for the forgiveness of sins. forgiveness of sins.

= First Message of Jesus for = First Message of Jesus for the world:the world:Mt. 4:17 - From that time on Mt. 4:17 - From that time on Jesus began to preach, Jesus began to preach, “Repent,“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is for the kingdom of heaven is near.” near.” Luke 5:32 - I have not come to Luke 5:32 - I have not come to call the righteous, call the righteous, but sinners to but sinners to repentance.” repentance.”

= Last Prayer of Jesus for the = Last Prayer of Jesus for the World:World:Vs 34 - Jesus said, “Father, Vs 34 - Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for forgive them, for they they do not do not knowknow what they are doing.” what they are doing.”

How Does God’s Truth How Does God’s Truth Work for the Ignorant? Work for the Ignorant?

1. 1. Ignorance about Jesus on the Cross

Vs. 28 – Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.

What Kind of Ignorance does Jesus Reveal about Him toward the Cross?

Vs. 28 – Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.

(a) In the Will of God Philippians 2:7-8 – Jesus gave up his divine privileges;….. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

(2) In the Removal of SinCol. 2:13-14 - You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

(3) In the Victory over Satan.Colossians 2:15 - In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

2. 2. Ignorance about Jews in Jerusalem

Vs. 28 – Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.

Why Do You Think Jesus Instructs People to Weep

for themselves? Vs. 28 – Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.

Romans 4:25 - He was delivered over to death for our sins.

Romans 5:8 - While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Why does Jesus Instruct People to Weep over the

Children’s Future? Vs. 28 – Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.

Vs. 29 – For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’

Luke 19:41-44 - As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you

and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

The Siege of Jerusalem, AD 70 by Flavius Josephus

Throughout the city people were dying of hunger in large numbers, and enduring unspeakable sufferings. In every house the merest hint of food sparked violence, and close relatives fell to blows, snatching from one another the pitiful supports of life.

Refuse (rubbish, garbage) which even animals would reject was collected and turned into food. In the end they were eating belts and shoes, and the leather stripped off their shields. Bunches of withered grass were devoured, and sold in little bundles for four drachmas.

So, driven by fury and want, she committed a crime against nature. Seizing her child, an infant at the breast, she cried, "My poor baby, why should I keep you alive in this world of war and famine? Even if we live till the Romans come, they will make slaves of us; and anyway, hunger will get us before slavery does;

and the rebels are more cruel than both. Come, be food for me, and an avenging fury to the rebels, and a tale of cold horror to the world to complete the monstrous agony of the Jews." With these words she killed her son, roasted the body, swallowed half of it, and stored the rest in a safe place.

Luke 19: 43-44 – (1) The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. (2) They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. (3) They will not leave one stone on another.

3. 3. Ignorance about People before Jesus

Vs. 30 – Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

Rev 6:14-17 - The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to

the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

How Can We Prepare Ourselves for the Great

Day of Jesus? Rev. 6:17 - For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

What kind of Ignorance do You Think Jesus Cautions

Us Today? (1) People Can be Innocently

Wrong?Luke 6:39 - He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?

(2) People Can be Intentionally Wrong?

Ps 78:18 - They wilfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved

(3) People Can be Confidently Wrong?

Romans 10:2 - For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

1Timothy 1:7 - They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

A Case Study of Mistaken Confidence.

Philippians 3:6 - as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

Galatians 1:13-14 - For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

1Timothy 1:13 - Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

Hosea 4:6 - My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

Why did Jesus have to Weep over the People of

God? Rev. 6:17 - For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Luke 19:41-42 - As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.

John 1:10-11 - He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Can We be Confident of the Great Day of Jesus Christ? Rev. 6:17 - For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

2Tim. 4:6-8 - As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me — the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return.

Why do you think Paul was telling People in Tears

Today? Phil 3:18-19 - For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really

enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.

How Does God’s Truth Work for the Ignorant?

Ignorance about

1. Jesus on the Cross

2. Jews in Jerusalem

3. People before Jesus