For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. After a series of unfair trials in the dead of night, Jesus Christ was sentenced to death by Pilate, the Roman magistrate. While still in great agony and suffering, Jesus was subjected to humiliating and painful scourging at the hands of the Romans. He was then nailed to the cross. In an act of Godly mercy and forgiveness, Jesus Christ said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. When Jesus said, It is finished, and took his last breath, he gave up the ghost. The veil of the temple was rent entwined from top to bottom and the Earth did quake and the rocks rent. Even the very Earth was mourning the death of its creator. And an onlooking Roman centurion declared, Truly, this was the son of God. The death of Jesus Christ is one of the most important events in human history. It is the ultimate and transcendent act of love, forgiveness and redemption. Jesus not only died for us, he lived for us by fully completing his infinite atonement while on the cross, saving humanity from death and hell. One aspect of how we can apply Christ’s sacrifice to our lives is through forgiving those who have wronged us and ending conflict and contention in our lives. [00:01:20.620] – Speaker 1
President Nelson said, I repeat my call to end the conflicts in your life. Exercise the humility, courage, and strength required to both forgive and to seek forgiveness. I invite you to seek an end to a personal conflict that has weighed you down. Could there be a more fitting act of gratitude to Jesus Christ for his atonement? If forgiveness presently seems impossible, plead for power through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ to help you. As you do so, I promise personal peace and a burst of spiritual momentum. As we take President Nelson’s invitation to heart, we can identify forms of conflict and contention in our lives and seek to end them. Because of the Savior sacrifice for us, we don’t ever have to carry our burdens alone. In the scriptures, Jesus Christ tells us that he will give us rest if we just come to him. He says, My yoke is easy and my burden is light. He invites us to come into his arms of mercy and love to find healing and peace in him. As we go through difficult challenges in life, remembering the events of Easter Week helps us to remember also that Jesus knows us personally and intimately. [00:02:27.620] – Speaker 1
He will help us carry our burdens, whatever they may be. Through his infinite atonement, there is no end to his ability to heal and extend mercy and salvation to all who truly repent and follow him. Thanks for watching with us today. You can also study Matthew 26 59 through 75 and Matthew 27 1 through 61 to gain additional insights into what we discussed. Additional links, videos, music, and resources are included below. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about Jesus’ ability to help us through grief and loss. See you there.