My dear brother and sister Somalis; today we are going to talk about Jesus and how He forgave everyone who nailed Him to the cross and left Him there to die. Before Jesus died on the cross this is what He said to those who were killing Him:
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34.
“Markaasaa Ciise wuxuu yidhi, Aabbow, iyaga cafi, waayo, garan maayaan waxay samaynayaan.”
Yes it is true my dear brothers and sisters – Jesus died on the cross. This is a fact; this is confirmed in the Bible and in every other historical document that exists that speaks and understands the truth. Jesus died on the cross.
The Bible says:
“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” –1 Peter 3:18.
“Maxaa yeelay, Masiixba mar buu u xanuunsaday dembiyada. Isagoo xaq ah ayuu u xanuunsaday kuwa aan xaqa ahayn aawadood inuu inoo keeno Ilaah. Xagga jidhka waa laga dilay, laakiinse xagga ruuxa waa laga nooleeyey.”
Jesus died on the cross for our sins; He died so that God would forgive us for our sins; Jesus died to pay the punishment for our sins. He was killed so that we could live. And when Jesus was on the cross about to die He said:
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
“Markaasaa Ciise wuxuu yidhi, Aabbow, iyaga cafi, waayo, garan maayaan waxay samaynayaan.”
Let’s read what the Bible has to say about Jesus and His death upon the cross:
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.
The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.
When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.” – Luke 23:34-47.
“Markaasaa Ciise wuxuu yidhi, Aabbow, iyaga cafi, waayo, garan maayaan waxay samaynayaan. Markaasay dharkiisii qaybsadeen, wayna saami riteen. Dadkuna way taagnaayeen iyagoo daawanaya. Taliyayaashuna way ku qosleen iyagoo leh, Kuwa kale ayuu badbaadiyey, kanu ha isbadbaadiyo, hadduu yahay Masiixa Ilaah, kan uu doortay. Askartiina waa ku majaajiloodeen, oo intay u yimaadeen, ayay khal siiyeen, oo waxay ku yidhaahdeen, Haddii aad tahay boqorka Yuhuudda, isbadbaadi. Meel ka korraysay isagana waxaa ku qorraa qorniin leh, KANU WAA BOQORKA YUHUUDDA.
Xumaanfalayaashii deldelnaa midkood ayaa caayay isagoo leh, Miyaanad ahayn Masiixa? Annaga iyo qudhaadaba badbaadi. Laakiin kii kale ayaa jawaabay oo canaantay isagoo leh, Miyaanad xataa Ilaah ka baqin, waayo, isku xukun baad tihiin? Waayo, innaga waa inoo xaq, maxaa yeelay, waxaynu helnay abaalkii wixii aynu falnay, ninkanuse wax aan jid ahayn ma uu falin. Markaasuu ku yidhi, Ciisow, i xusuuso goortaad boqortooyadaada ku timaado. Wuxuu ku yidhi, Runtii waxaan kugu leeyahay, Maanta Firdooska ayaad igula jiri doontaa.
Haddaba waxay ahayd abbaaraha saacaddii lixaad, dhulka oo dhammuna gudcur buu noqday ilaa saacaddii sagaalaad. Qorraxdu way madoobaatay, daahii macbudkuna dhexda ayuu ka kala dillaacay. Markaasaa Ciise cod weyn ku dhawaaqay oo yidhi, Aabbow, gacmahaaga ayaan ruuxayga u dhiibayaa. Goortuu waxaas yidhi, ayuu ruuxii bixiyey. Boqol-u-taliyihii goortuu arkay wixii dhacay, ayuu Ilaah ammaanay oo yidhi, Hubaal ninkanu xaq buu ahaa.”
Yes my dear Somalis – the Bible is the Word of God and every Word in it is true. There is nothing evil or bad in the Bible; all the words in the Bible are pure and holy; all the words in the Bible give life; the Bible has the words of life. And many people are willing to die for believing in the truth that is in the Bible. Christians are killed all over the world because they have found the Bible to be the Word of God; Christians have found peace and joy in Jesus Christ because of what they have read and learned in the Bible; so do not argue with the truth – but believe what we are saying to you about Jesus Christ and you will have eternal life; you will have your sins forgiven.
There was a man named John Hus who lived in Czechoslovakia. He believed what was written in the Bible and for this some people wanted to kill him. John was put in jail but he refused to stop believing that what was written in the Bible; John believe that what was written in the Bible was the true word of God. When the accusers came to him and told him to say that the Bible is corrupt; John told them that the Bible is the true word of God; John could not lie to his accusers and tell them what they wanted to hear because John knew that the Bible is the true word of God. So they took John outside and tied him to a pole and put wood around him and told him that if he did not say that the Bible was corrupt they would burn him alive. John told them that he could not lie against God and His word in the Bible. So the evil men started the fire to burn John.
Instead of screaming John began singing a song so loud that everyone who was gathered at the place could hear him. These are the words of the song that John was singing while the fire came over him: “Jesus Christ! The Son of the living God! Have mercy on me!”
John Hus taught all the people who wanted to hear the truth that Jesus Christ died on the cross for all sins; John told the people that they should turn away from their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ who paid the penalty and was punished for their sins; John told people what was in the Bible and for this the evil men of this world killed him.
And the evil men of Jesus’s time killed Jesus; Jesus spoke the truth and never lied to anyone at any time; but the evil people of this world cannot stand to hear the truth; the evil people of this world do not want to hear the truth; the evil people of this world want to live in darkness and we know that they are evil by the things that they do.
But let us look to Jesus Christ – that author and finisher of our faith; let’s look to Jesus who began a good work in us and who will finish it by bringing us to heaven to be with God forever; let us look to Jesus who is filled with mercy, love and truth. Let us learn from Him; let us learn how we are to treat others when they are sinning against us. When they nailed Jesus to the cross, Jesus said:
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
“Markaasaa Ciise wuxuu yidhi, Aabbow, iyaga cafi, waayo, garan maayaan waxay samaynayaan.”
Jesus did not sin when the people came to kill Him even though Jesus was innocent; Jesus did not take revenge on those who did something evil to Him but He forgave them for what they did; Jesus forgave those who did evil to Him and did not harm them or want someone else to harm them for Him. He forgave them. So we too should forgive other people who have sinned against us; we too should forgive those who have sinned against us; do not keep hatred in your heart toward other people who have sinned against you, but like Jesus Christ say to God your Father:
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
“Markaasaa Ciise wuxuu yidhi, Aabbow, iyaga cafi, waayo, garan maayaan waxay samaynayaan.”
Amen…let us pray.