::::r"“5:'p* 64Then,” Said Jesus, “Father Forgive Them”
Rev l S- Penn, pastor
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL
5Jihton Chapel AME Zion Church
1901 Rouen Ferry Road
Rev Morgan w Tann. minister
East"stonewall AME Z.on Church
1339 Griers Grove Road
Rev James E. McCoy, minister
Gethsemane AME Z.on Church
531 Campus Street
R'v George E Battle Jr„ minister
Grace AME Z.on Church
319 s Brevard Street
Rev Smith Turner III, minister pastor
Greenville Memorial AME Zion Churcl
6116Monfieth Drive
Little Rock AME Z.on Church
AM N. Myers Street
Williams M White, minister
Wails Memorial AME Zion Church
nn Bancroft
Rev. J. T. White, minister
BAHA'I
Baha'i Faith
1^4122 Providence Road
BAPTIST
Antioch Baptist Church
3701 Monroe Road
Rev Preston Pendergrass, pastor
First Baptist Church
1020 South Church Street
Rev J. B Humphrey, pastor
First Mount Zion Baptist Church
1515 Remount Road
Rev. F. G Lowery, pastor
Friendship Baptist Church
1301 Beatties Ford Road
Rev. Coleman W Kerry Jr., pastor
Gethsemane Baptist Church
1300 S Winnifred Street
Rev. C. S. Dewberry, pastor
Greater Mount Sinai Baptist Church
1243 West Boulevard
Rev Norman E. Kerry, pastor
Greater Providence Baptist Church
I87t Cleveland Avenue
Rev J, W. Wallace Jr„ pastor
Macedonia Baptist Church
1401 Hatferas Avenue
Rev. L. J. Wallace, minister
Mayfield Baptist Church Memorial
700 Sugar Creek Road
Dr L Diggs, pastor
Mount Carmel Baptist Church
412 Campus Street
Rev. Riddick, pastor
New St. John Baptist
Newel l-Hickory Grove Road
Rev. R. H. Leak, pastor
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
517 Baldwin Avenue
Rev. Andrew Culthbertson, pastor ~
St. Luke Baptist Church
1100 Rodney Avenue i* *••• •«
Rev, L. D. Parker, minister
St. Paul Baptist Church
1401 N. Allen Street
Rev. Paul W. Drummond, pastor
St. Paul Community Baptist Church
2200 Julia Avenue
Salem Baptist Church
5310 Salem Church Road
Second Calvary Baptist Church
114 Nelson Avenue
Rev. J. M. Kennedy, pastor
Tabernacle Baptist Church
1135 Redbud Street
Rev. w. A. Rorle, minister
University Park Baptist Church
3154 Senior Drive
Rev. James E. Palmer, pastor
EPISCOPAL
Christ The King Center
435 E. 17th Street
Father James Jenyon, Priest
EVANGELICAL
United House Ot Prayer
3331 Beatties Ford Road
Finer C. Wilkerson, pastor _
Derlte House Ot Prayer
7530 Cheshire Road
Elder S. Ford, pastor
LUTHERAN
ynwct ot Peace Lutheran Church
3001 Beatties Ford Road
Rev. Bryant E. Clancy, pastor
METHODIST
Cathey Memorial AME Church
474 Chicago Avenue
Rev Ell Price, pastor
Logan Chapel CME Church.
4505 Parkton Road
Rev James L. Cotton, pastor
weeping Willow AME Zion Church
304 Billingsley Road
Rev. J. W Henderson, pastor
, Simpson Gillespie United Methodist
540 Winston Street
Rev. James McCellum. minister
PRESBYTERIAN
Amay James Presbyterian Church
7400 West Boulevard
Rev M A. Cochrane, paster
First United Pretybterien Church
»t N. E 7th Street
Rev 6. J Moore, pastor
Grier Heights Presbyterian Church
325 Shy tend Avenue
Memorial United Presbyterian Chu
2400 Beatties Ford Road
Rev. H, W Givens, pastor
St Paul United Presbyterian Chur<
Robinson Church Road
Rev. Robert L Walton, pastor
Statesville Avenue United Presbyte
3004 Statesville Avenue
Rev. Wilburn M Sanders, minister
PRIMITIVE BAPTIST
Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Ch
747 W. Trade Street
Rev Thomas W Samuels, pastor
Harareth Primitive Baptist Church
2230 Bancroft Street
Rev James A Frieson. pastor
TEXT: “And when they were
come to the place which is called
z'° Calvary, there they crucified him,
and the malefactors, one on the right
hand, and the other on the left.
THEN SAID JESUS', Father forgive
them; for they know not what they
do.’’-Luke 23:33-34
One subject takes the form of the
adverb “THEN,” expressing the
time, or setting of a particular event
or action. “Then, said Jesus, Father
forgive them, for they know not what
they do.”
To fully grasp the subline signifi
cance of this statement we must first
understand the action preceeding it.
The verse preceding our text reads,
And when they were come to the
place, which is called Calvary, there
they crucified him, and the malefac
tors, one on the right hand, and the
other on the left. THEN said Jesus,
Father forgive them.”
Here we are face to face with the
capstone of the Church’s mission, to
be stewards over the great heritage
of love left to us by our Lord Jesus.
Here love is demonstrated rather
than communicated. We have been
entrusted with many of God’s gra
ces. But today let us look at the
major possession we have from the
Father. Jesus has made us to be
stewards over His love. These are
His very words, “Love ye one ano
ther, as I have loved you” (John
id. ii-vi.). iius love mat me ramer
bestowed upon us is not our own. We
are but “vessels meet for the Mas
ter’s use” in pouring out His love to
those who are unloved as well as
thos^ who seem unlovable.
In this is demonstrated the cha
racter of the church in the communi
ty. The church does not live as a true
witness to the mainifold love of
Christ by the height of her spire, the
stateliness of her edifice, nor the
dignity of those who worship at her
altar, but by that action which grows
out of the “then” situations of life as
she lives out her creeds in the
market place. -
■ As the second century of the Ame
rican Church draws to a close, there
is a demand that our deeds outreach
our creeds. Today, as well as in
Jesus’ day, there is a need for love in
EXPRESSION rather than love un
der DISCUSSION. It was so in Jesus’
time that pity had replaced compas
sion. For you see, pity is demonstra
ted by hot flashes of uninvolved
- concern which diminishes as sud
denly as it was aroused. But com
passion is demonstrated by a co
mitment that stays riveted to the
task until the hurt has been resolved
or the crisis has passed.
. In order to perfect our witness we
must often return to these words of
Luke about our Saviour: “Then said
Jesus, Father forgive them...”
I’m convinced that no sweeter
words have ever reverberated upon
the human heart than these of Jesus.
When did Jesus resort to forgive
ness? THEN, when all ugliness of
mankind had been hurled into His
precious face. THEN,when spittle
leaked into the corners of His mouth,
THEN He prayed, “Father, forgive
them.” How sweet it forgiveness?
Forgiveness is the honey from the
comb of God’s eternal mercy. The
church must practice the policy of
Jesus. Jesus had no problem with
practicing what He preached. Often
in our lives we cannot bring the two
together. But in the life of Jesus the
gulf is bridged. During the ministry
(John 13:35;.)
often about forgiveness. This
strange doctrine of forgiveness awa
kened the questioning mind of Peter.
“How oft,’’ he asked “shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive
him, till seven times?” Peter_want
ed to be legal and stay within the
confines of the law. But Jesus re
ponded by affirming that the law of
love sets no limits on forgiveness. “I
say not unto thee, until seven times;
but, until seventy times seven.” To
forgive, taught Jesus is not an act of
the law, but an attitude of love.
If we would win the world for
Christ, it must be by our acts and
attitudes of love. “By this shall all
men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to the other”
(John 13:35;.
THIS BICENTENNIAL YEAR
FINDS THE CHURCH STANDING
AT THE CROSS ROADS OF DECI
SION. What will we do? Will we
continue to tread the low road,
giving lip service only to the high
challenges of Jesus, or will we take
the high road of love, making our
selves vulnerable to the agonies that
go with the life lived under the
reproach of the cross? All of us have
our “then” opportunities.
IN CONCLUSION LET US AGAIN
VISIT THE TEXT, “THEN SAID
-JESUS, FATHER FORGIVE
THEM...”
He said this when the mob crowd
had arrested Him from prayer meet
ing with His sleepy disciples.
“THEN!”
This was His Heavenly prayer
when earthly hopes failed. He pray
ed, “Father forgive them...”
Well, He could have prayed, Fa
ther send Michael, Gabriel and*.
Raphael, let them strike my eiu^
mies dead, and rescue me from this
cross...But, “THEN” He said, “Fa
ther, forgive them...!”
What a prayer this was! Jesus
prayed because He knew that love
always wins. Love is right, and right
always wins. No wonder Wesley
wrote:
“Love divine, all love excelling
Joy of heaven, to earth come down!
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
All Thy faithful mercies crown.”
The Church must follow on in His
footsteps; though they lead us into
the dark valley and the eerie shadow
of death. It led Him there. But His
love was transforming and trans
cending love. It transformed the
cross into a lauching pad that cata
pulted Him into the ages as Lord of
^-Eternity. His love transcended the
grave, transforming it into a tunnel,
through which He walks with every
believer into the bright light of
victory at the other end. "THEN
said Jesus, Father...”
ATTEND
THE
HOUSE
OF
WORSHIP
OF
YOUR
CHOICE
TAKE
SOMEONE
WITH
YOU
YOU'LL
BOTH
BE RICHER
Presented by
Rev. Norman E. Kerry,
Pastor
Greater Mt. Sinai
Baptist Church
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