This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 00:00:20.82\00:00:22.95 Thanks for joining me. In 2005, a young man walking 00:00:22.95\00:00:27.26 along a street in Benton Harbor, Michigan, was arrested for 00:00:27.26\00:00:30.96 dealing drugs and spent the next four years of his life 00:00:30.96\00:00:33.80 in prison. Except he wasn't guilty. 00:00:33.80\00:00:37.50 The police officer who arrested the young man framed him for 00:00:37.50\00:00:40.90 a crime he didn't commit. Well, that same crooked cop 00:00:40.90\00:00:44.64 himself spent time in prison, and after both men had been 00:00:44.64\00:00:48.04 arrested they found themselves working alongside each other 00:00:48.04\00:00:50.75 in a coffee shop run by an employment agency. 00:00:50.75\00:00:54.35 The former police officer apologized to the man that 00:00:54.35\00:00:58.99 he had falsely arrested and falsely accused, 00:00:58.99\00:01:02.09 and that young man who had spent four years in prison, 00:01:02.09\00:01:04.69 and lost what he described as everything, 00:01:04.69\00:01:07.60 forgave him. He forgave him. 00:01:07.60\00:01:12.27 Forgiveness is so important that Jesus said in Matthew 6, 00:01:12.27\00:01:15.94 verses 14 and 15, "For if you forgive men their 00:01:15.94\00:01:20.11 trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 00:01:20.11\00:01:24.41 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will 00:01:24.41\00:01:28.62 your Father forgive your trespasses." 00:01:28.62\00:01:32.49 Forgiveness is really that important, and yet I think it's 00:01:32.49\00:01:36.16 fair to say that most everybody has forgiveness issues. 00:01:36.16\00:01:39.86 You get wronged by a spouse, a teacher, an employer, a friend, 00:01:39.86\00:01:45.60 a neighbor, a colleague. Sometimes forgiveness doesn't 00:01:45.60\00:01:49.57 come easily, and sometimes it doesn't come at all. 00:01:49.57\00:01:54.84 Today, a story of tragedy, a story of forgiveness, 00:01:54.84\00:01:59.05 a dramatic gesture made when blame could easily 00:01:59.05\00:02:02.05 have been assigned but instead was set aside 00:02:02.05\00:02:05.22 in grace and tolerance. Coventry, England, is located 00:02:05.22\00:02:10.36 95 miles northwest of London. It has a population approaching 00:02:10.36\00:02:15.16 350,000, about the same as Honolulu, Hawaii, but 00:02:15.16\00:02:19.60 geographically it's the same size as Jefferson City, 00:02:19.60\00:02:22.60 Missouri. Six-hundred fifty-thousand 00:02:22.60\00:02:25.41 people live in metropolitan Coventry. 00:02:25.41\00:02:28.31 Historically, Coventry has been an important manufacturing city. 00:02:28.31\00:02:32.98 The modern bicycle was invented in Coventry by a man 00:02:32.98\00:02:36.38 named James Starley. His and other bicycle companies 00:02:36.38\00:02:40.79 concentrated here in Coventry. Over time, many of them 00:02:40.79\00:02:45.36 developed into motorcycle manufacturers and then 00:02:45.36\00:02:48.53 car manufacturers. Jaguar's corporate head office 00:02:48.53\00:02:52.50 is located in Whitley on the south side of Coventry. 00:02:52.50\00:02:57.51 The city was founded in 1043 and was the capital of England for 00:02:57.51\00:03:02.04 a time in the 15th century. And being such an important city 00:03:02.04\00:03:05.85 industrially, it became a target for the Luftwaffe, 00:03:05.85\00:03:10.42 the German air force, during World War II. 00:03:10.42\00:03:14.86 At the time of the war, factories here also produced 00:03:14.86\00:03:18.16 armaments and munitions and aircraft that were important 00:03:18.16\00:03:22.66 in the British war effort. So Coventry was a high priority 00:03:22.66\00:03:27.37 for the German military, and in 1940 Coventry found itself at 00:03:27.37\00:03:34.11 the receiving end of what is now referred to as the 00:03:34.11\00:03:38.21 "Coventry Blitz." The British Isles hadn't fallen 00:03:38.21\00:03:43.39 to a European invasion since the Norman Conquest of 1066, 00:03:43.39\00:03:48.02 but now Great Britain was all that stood between Adolph Hitler 00:03:48.02\00:03:51.26 and total European domination. Britain had held the German 00:03:51.26\00:03:55.43 Luftwaffe off during the Battle of Britain, 00:03:55.43\00:03:58.20 but Germany's attacks were far from over, and 00:03:58.20\00:04:00.77 Great Britain couldn't breathe easily. 00:04:00.77\00:04:04.14 The Luftwaffe's tactics were first to drop incendiary devices 00:04:05.57\00:04:09.44 on targets. These would start fires that 00:04:09.44\00:04:11.88 would do massive damage and light the way for the next 00:04:11.88\00:04:14.72 wave of bombers. More than 500 German planes took 00:04:14.72\00:04:18.65 part in the attack on Coventry, November 14, 1940. 00:04:18.65\00:04:23.96 More than 200 fires swept through the city. 00:04:23.96\00:04:26.96 More than 4,300 homes were destroyed. 00:04:26.96\00:04:29.83 In fact, two-thirds of the buildings in Coventry were 00:04:29.83\00:04:32.73 destroyed or badly damaged. Only three other British cities 00:04:32.73\00:04:37.04 suffered more damage in Luftwaffe attacks 00:04:37.04\00:04:39.87 during World War II than did Coventry. 00:04:39.87\00:04:43.14 The damage was so great that Nazi propaganda minister, 00:04:43.14\00:04:46.68 Joseph Goebbels, would later describe cities that 00:04:46.68\00:04:50.09 had been similarly attacked as having been "Coventried." 00:04:50.09\00:04:55.86 Five hundred sixty-three of Coventry's 238,000 inhabitants 00:04:55.86\00:05:00.23 died in the attack. The number would have been much 00:05:00.23\00:05:03.77 higher if residents weren't in the habit of leaving for the 00:05:03.77\00:05:07.20 countryside each evening, as the air raids almost always 00:05:07.20\00:05:11.04 took place at night. 00:05:11.04\00:05:14.61 Among the many buildings destroyed in that 00:05:16.38\00:05:18.31 devastating attack was St. Michael's Cathedral, 00:05:18.31\00:05:21.65 or Coventry Cathedral. It was built in the 14th century 00:05:21.65\00:05:26.09 and it was the city's most famous landmark. 00:05:26.09\00:05:29.36 The first incendiary bombs fell on the cathedral at about 00:05:29.36\00:05:32.06 8 o'clock that night, igniting a fire that voluntary 00:05:32.06\00:05:35.76 firefighters were quickly able to extinguish. 00:05:35.76\00:05:38.80 However, more bombs soon followed, and the flames and 00:05:38.80\00:05:42.74 the explosions that engulfed the city swept through the 00:05:42.74\00:05:46.54 old cathedral, reducing it to rubble. 00:05:46.54\00:05:51.05 Today, only ruins remain of that old cathedral, and on the wall 00:05:59.45\00:06:05.13 behind the altar of that devastated building can 00:06:05.13\00:06:08.70 be read the words, "Father forgive." 00:06:08.70\00:06:12.67 Now there's a story behind that. I'll share it with you in 00:06:12.67\00:06:16.17 just a moment. 00:06:16.17\00:06:17.84 [music] "Promises of Power" is our 00:06:18.77\00:06:30.42 free offer for you today. This little book is a collection 00:06:30.42\00:06:34.12 of some of the most powerful promises found in the Bible, 00:06:34.12\00:06:38.29 and it's ideal for sharing with somebody else who needs to be 00:06:38.29\00:06:41.13 encouraged by the great promises in the Bible. 00:06:41.13\00:06:44.77 Now, to get your free copy, just call 1(800) 253-3000 00:06:44.77\00:06:49.20 and ask for "Promises of Power." There's no cost; 00:06:49.20\00:06:53.58 there's no obligation; it's absolutely free. 00:06:53.58\00:06:56.18 You can call 24 hours a day. Now, if the line's busy, 00:06:56.18\00:07:00.25 please keep trying. You can also request 00:07:00.25\00:07:02.58 "Promises of Power" by writing to: 00:07:02.58\00:07:04.62 It Is Written, Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401, 00:07:04.62\00:07:09.96 and we'll mail a copy to your address in North America. 00:07:09.96\00:07:13.40 Now, please note: this free book is limited 00:07:13.40\00:07:15.33 to the supply on hand. For immediate access, you can 00:07:15.33\00:07:19.23 download a free electronic version of the book 00:07:19.23\00:07:21.10 "Promises of Power" from our website, 00:07:21.10\00:07:22.90 ItIsWritten.com. Our toll-free number is 00:07:22.90\00:07:26.61 (800) 253-3000, and you'll find us online 00:07:26.61\00:07:31.48 at ItIsWritten.com. 00:07:31.48\00:07:35.52 [melancholy tones] Thanks for joining me 00:07:38.42\00:07:46.86 today on It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 00:07:46.86\00:07:50.23 I'm in Coventry, in the county of West Midlands, 00:07:50.23\00:07:53.27 right about in the center of England. 00:07:53.27\00:07:56.30 It's the birthplace of Frank Whittle, 00:07:56.30\00:07:58.34 who invented the jet engine, and it's the reputed site of one 00:07:58.34\00:08:02.08 of England's most interesting legends. 00:08:02.08\00:08:06.35 The story goes that in the 11th century, the wife of 00:08:06.35\00:08:10.12 the Earl of Mercia appealed to her husband in behalf 00:08:10.12\00:08:13.86 of the suffering citizens of Coventry, who were being 00:08:13.86\00:08:17.83 crushed under the weight of his oppressive taxation. 00:08:17.83\00:08:21.43 After repeatedly appealing to the man, he agreed that he would 00:08:21.43\00:08:25.00 roll back those taxes if she, his wife, agreed to ride through 00:08:25.00\00:08:31.24 the streets of Coventry naked. So, after asking the good people 00:08:31.24\00:08:36.21 of Coventry to stay indoors and to pull their blinds, 00:08:36.21\00:08:39.91 Lady Godiva did just that. Now, there was one man who, 00:08:39.91\00:08:44.69 that day, did not respect her request for privacy. 00:08:44.69\00:08:49.36 His name was Tom, and that's where today we get the term 00:08:49.36\00:08:54.30 "peeping Tom." 00:08:54.30\00:08:57.87 Now, that's just a legend, but what's not a fable is what 00:08:58.57\00:09:03.14 happened here in 1940, when Coventry was bombed during 00:09:03.14\00:09:07.78 World War II. What happened was an inspired 00:09:07.78\00:09:12.01 act that appeals to the heart and calls on human beings to 00:09:12.01\00:09:16.58 reach beyond hate and war to reconciliation and peace. 00:09:16.58\00:09:25.53 Following the bombing of the cathedral, a stonemason noticed 00:09:25.53\00:09:29.40 two charred beams lying together in the shape of a cross, and 00:09:29.40\00:09:34.90 he tied them together and put that cross up in the ruins 00:09:34.90\00:09:38.97 of the cathedral. The original charred cross 00:09:38.97\00:09:43.71 is here at Coventry Cathedral, while a replica is on display 00:09:43.71\00:09:48.18 in the ruins of the church. The cathedral provost, 00:09:48.18\00:09:53.72 Richard Howard, made a cross of three roofing 00:09:53.72\00:09:57.16 nails taken from the ruins. Today 160 of these crosses exist 00:09:57.16\00:10:02.10 in different sites around the world, and they've become 00:10:02.10\00:10:05.67 symbols of peace and reconciliation. 00:10:05.67\00:10:09.44 But there's something else the provost did that calls 00:10:09.44\00:10:12.11 to hearts today. 00:10:12.11\00:10:14.94 [rhythmic drumming] 00:10:15.68\00:10:19.21 After the bombing of the cathedral, 00:10:21.72\00:10:23.59 with England still in the grip of battle with its enemies, 00:10:23.59\00:10:26.42 and while the ruins of the cathedral were still 00:10:26.42\00:10:28.32 smoldering, Howard took a piece of chalk 00:10:28.32\00:10:31.23 and wrote "Father forgive" on the wall behind 00:10:31.23\00:10:35.73 the altar. Father forgive. 00:10:35.73\00:10:39.53 The BBC's Christmas Day radio special that year was 00:10:39.53\00:10:42.64 broadcast from right here, among the ruins of the 00:10:42.64\00:10:45.67 cathedral, and during that time Howard told the world 00:10:45.67\00:10:49.21 that from then on the cathedral would work with people that 00:10:49.21\00:10:52.61 had once been England's enemies to promote a kinder, 00:10:52.61\00:10:56.58 more Christlike world. A cross of nails can also be 00:10:56.58\00:11:01.26 found at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, 00:11:01.26\00:11:05.06 Germany, which also was destroyed during World War II. 00:11:05.06\00:11:10.37 Father forgive. 00:11:12.40\00:11:14.57 [ethereal music] 00:11:16.00\00:11:19.84 Howard did not write Father forgive them; 00:11:20.54\00:11:23.68 he wrote simply Father forgive, because as the Bible says, 00:11:23.68\00:11:27.68 "all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God." 00:11:27.68\00:11:31.39 We all need to experience God's forgiveness, not simply 00:11:31.39\00:11:34.99 the people who offend us. And what Richard Howard was 00:11:34.99\00:11:39.23 writing about was not some small thing. 00:11:39.23\00:11:41.30 It wasn't an uncomplicated act. Instead, it was an aggressive 00:11:41.30\00:11:45.87 act of overwhelming hostility, and it seems it was something 00:11:45.87\00:11:51.37 that might well have been avoided. 00:11:51.37\00:11:54.88 The German military had a sophisticated system for 00:11:54.88\00:11:57.45 encoding its communications, but the Enigma Cypher Machine, 00:11:57.45\00:12:02.15 developed before World War II, had enabled the British to 00:12:02.15\00:12:06.96 intercept and understand some of the messages the Germans 00:12:06.96\00:12:10.79 were sending. A book written in 1974 by a man 00:12:10.79\00:12:15.13 who worked on cracking the Germans' codes claimed that 00:12:15.13\00:12:20.24 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill knew about 00:12:20.24\00:12:23.14 the attack on Coventry before it took place and yet chose not 00:12:23.14\00:12:28.51 to take evasive or defensive action for fear that it would 00:12:28.51\00:12:32.11 let the Germans know that England had worked out their 00:12:32.11\00:12:35.08 codes and prompt the Germans to use new codes, 00:12:35.08\00:12:38.95 launch further attacks, take more lives, and perhaps 00:12:38.95\00:12:42.86 prolong the war. Now, some historians say 00:12:42.86\00:12:45.93 Churchill did not know about the attack on Coventry in advance, 00:12:45.93\00:12:49.03 but if he did, we can understand his burden as those German 00:12:49.03\00:12:52.77 planes came bearing down on this place here in Coventry. 00:12:52.77\00:12:57.17 It has been said that Churchill said his decision to do nothing 00:12:57.17\00:13:00.44 about the Coventry attacks in order to prevent them aged him 00:13:00.44\00:13:04.68 20 years. The British, thanks to the work 00:13:04.68\00:13:09.35 of the team led by codebreaker Alan Turing, did crack 00:13:09.35\00:13:13.32 the German codes. Historians say Turing's work 00:13:13.32\00:13:17.09 shortened World War II by between two and four years. 00:13:17.09\00:13:22.90 Father forgive. But how do you forgive something 00:13:22.90\00:13:26.60 like a war? How do you forgive something 00:13:26.60\00:13:30.24 like a devastating attack on a city, an attack that destroyed 00:13:30.24\00:13:34.14 the 700-year-old cathedral in which you minister? 00:13:34.14\00:13:39.18 Now, Coventry was also the site of another heinous event, one 00:13:39.18\00:13:42.75 that took place 400-or-so years before the Coventry Blitz, 00:13:42.75\00:13:47.79 and one that most people would find very hard to forgive. 00:13:47.79\00:13:52.93 I'll have more in just a moment. [hopeful music] 00:13:52.93\00:13:57.13 "Every Word" is a one-minute, Bible-based daily devotional 00:13:57.13\00:13:59.63 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw, and designed 00:13:59.63\00:14:02.14 especially for busy people like you. 00:14:02.14\00:14:04.84 Look for "Every Word" on selected networks or watch it 00:14:04.84\00:14:07.84 online every day on our website, ItIsWritten.com. 00:14:07.84\00:14:12.51 [upbeat hopeful tune] 00:14:13.28\00:14:17.35 Psalm 51 is David's beautiful psalm of repentance. 00:14:19.02\00:14:21.92 Notice what David says in Psalm 51, verse 2, 00:14:21.92\00:14:24.89 "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse 00:14:24.89\00:14:27.40 me from my sin." Now, notice: wash me thoroughly. 00:14:27.40\00:14:31.03 Two things with that: David had no intention of 00:14:31.03\00:14:33.70 carrying on in the sins that he'd committed. 00:14:33.70\00:14:36.00 He wanted to be washed, made clean. 00:14:36.00\00:14:37.94 He wanted the dirt gone; not only gone but thoroughly gone. 00:14:37.94\00:14:41.98 It wasn't "forgive me of this, 00:14:41.98\00:14:43.81 but I want to keep doing it." David wanted to be made new, 00:14:43.81\00:14:46.51 transformed. And that's the goal of 00:14:46.51\00:14:48.85 repentance. Not just forgiveness for a 00:14:48.85\00:14:50.85 certain deed but total cleansing from sin. 00:14:50.85\00:14:53.59 If you come to God half committed, wanting to give 00:14:53.59\00:14:56.29 Him part of your life, it's just not going 00:14:56.29\00:14:58.83 to work very well. But when you are willing to 00:14:58.83\00:15:01.00 surrender to God completely, God will forgive you and 00:15:01.00\00:15:04.80 cleans you, like He forgave and 00:15:04.80\00:15:06.74 cleansed David. I'm John Bradshaw for 00:15:06.74\00:15:08.70 It Is Written. Let's live today by every word. 00:15:08.70\00:15:11.97 [music] Planning for your financial 00:15:13.07\00:15:17.51 future is a vital aspect of Christian stewardship. 00:15:17.51\00:15:21.62 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer free planned 00:15:21.62\00:15:24.69 giving and estate services. For information on how we can 00:15:24.69\00:15:28.09 help you, please call (800) 992-2219. 00:15:28.09\00:15:32.83 To receive additional materials on the advantages of life income 00:15:32.83\00:15:36.16 plans such as a charitable gift annuity, which can provide you 00:15:36.16\00:15:39.67 with tax benefits and income for life, call today, or visit our 00:15:39.67\00:15:44.27 special website, www.HisLegacy.com. 00:15:44.27\00:15:49.98 You can also write to It Is Written, 00:15:49.98\00:15:51.88 Planned Giving and Trust Services, 00:15:51.88\00:15:54.42 P.O. Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401. 00:15:54.42\00:15:59.72 Our toll-free number again is (800) 992-2219, and our web 00:15:59.72\00:16:04.43 address is HisLegacy.com. [music] 00:16:04.43\00:16:13.00 [somber contemplative tones] Thanks for joining me 00:16:14.17\00:16:24.11 today on It Is Written. When German bombers attacked 00:16:24.11\00:16:27.78 Coventry, England, in November of 1940 during World War II, 00:16:27.78\00:16:32.29 more than 500 people were killed, the city was devastated, 00:16:32.29\00:16:36.29 and Coventry Cathedral was completely destroyed. 00:16:36.29\00:16:40.83 The day after the attack, the leading minister at 00:16:40.83\00:16:43.77 Coventry Cathedral wrote on a wall behind the altar, 00:16:43.77\00:16:47.57 in the ruins of the cathedral, the words "Father forgive." 00:16:47.57\00:16:52.37 The inference was that we all--not just our enemies, 00:16:52.37\00:16:55.51 not just those who have wronged us--but we all need to be 00:16:55.51\00:16:59.05 forgiven, because we've all wronged God. 00:16:59.05\00:17:03.79 Father forgive. Today in Coventry, there's a 00:17:03.79\00:17:07.32 memorial to a group of people known as the "Coventry Martyrs," 00:17:07.32\00:17:12.19 a group of Protestant believers executed for their faith 00:17:12.19\00:17:15.70 in the 16th century. They were Lollards, adherents of 00:17:15.70\00:17:20.40 a reform movement initiated by John Wycliffe. 00:17:20.40\00:17:26.01 Among other things, these people advocated that the Bible should 00:17:26.01\00:17:29.64 be translated into English. They maintained that the state 00:17:29.64\00:17:32.85 should stay out of the affaires of the church, and given that 00:17:32.85\00:17:36.79 at the time there was a state church, that was a big deal. 00:17:36.79\00:17:40.32 They opposed the veneration of idols. 00:17:40.32\00:17:43.46 They did not believe in confession to a priest nor that 00:17:43.46\00:17:46.36 the Catholic church was the true church. 00:17:46.36\00:17:49.03 They were against corruption in the church, and at the time 00:17:49.03\00:17:52.40 there was plenty of it. Also, they believed in praying 00:17:52.40\00:17:57.91 in English, which at the time was not the done thing. 00:17:57.91\00:18:02.78 Well, in the 1500s, beliefs like this meant that you were pitted 00:18:02.78\00:18:06.65 directly against the establishment. 00:18:06.65\00:18:09.65 Yet you'll notice, these were not moral-ethical issues. 00:18:09.65\00:18:12.99 These were simply personally held beliefs. 00:18:12.99\00:18:16.66 These were people's choices as to how they would express their 00:18:16.66\00:18:20.53 own personal faith in God. [somber piano music] 00:18:20.53\00:18:32.01 Their award was death. They were burned at the stake. 00:18:32.01\00:18:36.85 Not far from here, nine of them, nine or so between 00:18:36.85\00:18:40.72 1512 and 1522; three more, 30 or so years later. 00:18:40.72\00:18:47.06 One of them was a minister of the gospel who believed in just 00:18:47.06\00:18:51.66 two of the church's seven sacraments, and that wasn't 00:18:51.66\00:18:55.76 enough for the church. He had to die. 00:18:55.76\00:19:00.20 One was a woman who was about to be released when it was 00:19:00.20\00:19:03.84 discovered that she had on her, written on a piece of paper, 00:19:03.84\00:19:07.68 the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, 00:19:07.68\00:19:11.48 and the Apostle's Creed. When that discovery was made, 00:19:11.48\00:19:14.52 she was condemned immediately and burned at the stake. 00:19:14.52\00:19:20.22 Some were executed because they dared to teach their children 00:19:20.22\00:19:22.72 to say the Lord's Prayer in English. 00:19:22.72\00:19:26.49 For that, they died. This memorial demonstrates that 00:19:26.49\00:19:32.10 their faith, their commitment to God, their courage and fidelity 00:19:32.10\00:19:36.74 to the Word of God hasn't been entirely forgotten. 00:19:36.74\00:19:40.64 In fact, there are several streets very near here that have 00:19:40.64\00:19:45.28 been named after the Coventry martyrs. 00:19:45.28\00:19:48.62 [somber piano cont.] You hear about things like that, 00:19:48.62\00:20:00.30 real events that happened to real people, 00:20:00.30\00:20:03.97 perpetrated by religious leaders, and it's easy to 00:20:03.97\00:20:08.54 imagine that forgiveness could be really difficult. 00:20:08.54\00:20:13.21 But then you think about that inscription, 'Father forgive.' 00:20:13.21\00:20:17.88 [somber violin and piano] Father forgive, written after 00:20:17.88\00:20:31.53 more than 500 innocent people were killed in a bombing raid. 00:20:31.53\00:20:37.10 Are some things just too bad to forgive? 00:20:37.10\00:20:41.70 Let's go back to what Jesus said. 00:20:41.70\00:20:43.51 It's challenging, and it's also unambiguous. 00:20:43.51\00:20:48.78 Matthew 6, 14 and 15 again: "For if you forgive men their 00:20:48.78\00:20:53.95 trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 00:20:53.95\00:20:59.15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will 00:20:59.15\00:21:03.29 your Father forgive your trespasses." 00:21:03.29\00:21:07.66 [violin and piano cont.] Now, let's think about 00:21:07.66\00:21:25.95 something Jesus did. The creator of the universe came 00:21:25.95\00:21:29.68 to the world to be the savior of the world, and yet He was 00:21:29.68\00:21:33.89 arrested for crimes He did not commit. 00:21:33.89\00:21:36.79 His sham of a trial was horribly interfered with by people who 00:21:36.79\00:21:40.93 intimidated the judge, telling him that if he didn't find 00:21:40.93\00:21:44.17 Jesus guilty, he was no friend of Caesar. 00:21:44.17\00:21:47.20 Pilate said that he found no fault in Jesus; yet in spite of 00:21:47.20\00:21:51.14 that Jesus was taken away, nailed to a cross, 00:21:51.14\00:21:56.64 where He died for you and me a horribly cruel death 00:21:56.64\00:22:02.55 and then Jesus forgave them. 00:22:02.55\00:22:08.96 He prayed saying, "Father forgive them, 00:22:09.46\00:22:13.09 for they do not know what they do." 00:22:13.09\00:22:15.66 That's recorded in Luke 23:34. Coventry Cathedral today stands 00:22:15.66\00:22:22.14 for reconciliation. If standing for vengeance could 00:22:22.14\00:22:26.11 ever be justified, well you could understand that the people 00:22:26.11\00:22:29.78 of Coventry harbored vengeance in their hearts instead 00:22:29.78\00:22:33.38 of forgiveness. But no. 00:22:33.38\00:22:36.38 The motto here is "Father forgive." 00:22:36.38\00:22:42.16 [somber music ends] 00:22:42.16\00:22:45.99 There's enough unforgiveness and hatred in the world today 00:22:46.86\00:22:51.37 as it is. Christians are called not to 00:22:51.37\00:22:54.80 perpetuate that but to put an end to it. 00:22:54.80\00:22:58.54 Sometimes, that means you're going to make the decision 00:22:58.54\00:23:01.48 to forgive. Forgiving does not mean that 00:23:01.48\00:23:05.21 what happened to you was okay. What happened here years ago 00:23:05.21\00:23:09.72 was not okay. Forgiveness simply means that 00:23:09.72\00:23:13.29 you are refusing to stay chained to whoever it was, 00:23:13.29\00:23:16.73 or whatever it was, that hurt you. 00:23:16.73\00:23:19.89 Forgiveness isn't letting somebody off the hook, 00:23:19.89\00:23:22.66 other than forgiveness lets you off the hook 00:23:22.66\00:23:25.37 of bitterness and hatred. Forgiveness is you telling 00:23:25.37\00:23:30.57 yourself and the world that you're going to move forward 00:23:30.57\00:23:34.41 now without malice. [slow positive piano music] 00:23:34.41\00:23:51.39 A woman in Kansas received news that her parents had 00:23:52.03\00:23:54.66 been murdered. The killer got way with $17.00 00:23:54.66\00:23:58.90 and an old pickup truck. The parents lost their lives. 00:23:58.90\00:24:03.77 Sue sat through the trial and then visited the man in prison. 00:24:03.77\00:24:08.88 People thought she'd lost her mind. 00:24:08.88\00:24:10.85 It even caused a bit of a rift in her family. 00:24:10.85\00:24:14.22 But when she visited the man, she said to him, 00:24:14.22\00:24:16.42 "I don't know what to say to you, but I want you to 00:24:16.42\00:24:19.32 know that I don't hate you. My grandmother taught me never 00:24:19.32\00:24:24.23 to use that word. She said we're here on this 00:24:24.23\00:24:26.59 earth to love one another, that's what Jesus would do." 00:24:26.59\00:24:31.77 Later on she said, "If you're going to get over the 00:24:31.77\00:24:35.20 trauma of something like that, you really have to forgive." 00:24:35.20\00:24:40.81 She said, "You need to forgive, and then get on with your life. 00:24:40.81\00:24:45.81 It's what Jesus would do." Well, it is what Jesus did. 00:24:45.81\00:24:50.82 It's what the people of Coventry did. 00:24:50.82\00:24:53.32 And it's what Jesus will do in your life when He really has 00:24:53.32\00:24:57.23 your heart. [music] 00:24:57.23\00:25:09.34 "Promises of Power" is our free offer for you today. 00:25:09.34\00:25:13.38 This little book is a collection of some of the most powerful 00:25:13.38\00:25:17.08 promises found in the Bible, and it's ideal for sharing with 00:25:17.08\00:25:20.92 somebody else who needs to be encouraged by the great promises 00:25:20.92\00:25:24.39 in the Bible. Now, to get your free copy, just 00:25:24.39\00:25:27.26 call 1(800) 253-3000 and ask for "Promises of Power." 00:25:27.26\00:25:33.09 There's no cost; there's no obligation; 00:25:33.09\00:25:35.80 it's absolutely free. You can call 24 hours a day. 00:25:35.80\00:25:39.57 Now, if the line's busy, please keep trying. 00:25:39.57\00:25:43.07 You can also request "Promises of Power" 00:25:43.07\00:25:44.87 by writing to: It Is Written, Box 6, 00:25:44.87\00:25:47.98 Chattanooga, TN 37401, and we'll mail a copy to 00:25:47.98\00:25:52.75 your address in North America. Now, please note: this free book 00:25:52.75\00:25:55.88 is limited to the supply on hand. 00:25:55.88\00:25:58.02 For immediate access, you can download a free electronic 00:25:58.02\00:26:01.12 version of the book "Promises of Power" 00:26:01.12\00:26:03.06 from our website, ItIsWritten.com. 00:26:03.06\00:26:07.03 It Is Written is a faith-based ministry, and your support makes 00:26:07.03\00:26:10.43 it possible for us to share God's good news with the world. 00:26:10.43\00:26:14.40 Your tax deductible gift can be sent to the address on your 00:26:14.40\00:26:17.07 screen, or through our website at ItIsWritten.com. 00:26:17.07\00:26:20.98 Thank you for your continued prayerful support. 00:26:20.98\00:26:23.85 Again, our toll-free number is (800) 253-3000, and our web 00:26:23.85\00:26:28.72 address is ItIsWritten.com. [music] 00:26:28.72\00:26:35.69 Let's pray together. Our Father in heaven, 00:26:37.13\00:26:39.93 I thank You today for Jesus, the One who died that we 00:26:39.93\00:26:42.80 might live, the One who gave us a perfect example of 00:26:42.80\00:26:46.50 forgiveness. I pray today that anybody 00:26:46.50\00:26:50.11 battling with issues of forgiveness in their life would 00:26:50.11\00:26:53.78 find true forgiveness and the peace that comes with it, 00:26:53.78\00:26:56.91 in Jesus. Gives us grace to let go of 00:26:56.91\00:27:00.08 hurts, to hold no grudges, to bear no malice, 00:27:00.08\00:27:03.55 that Your character might be exemplified in our lives. 00:27:03.55\00:27:07.79 Thank You for the example of those in Coventry, who committed 00:27:07.79\00:27:11.19 themselves to forgives and reconciliation. 00:27:11.19\00:27:14.56 And might that be our experience. 00:27:14.56\00:27:16.46 Friend, if that's what you need from Jesus, He'll give it to you 00:27:16.46\00:27:18.53 now if you'll ask Him for it. He'll bring His grace and peace 00:27:18.53\00:27:22.00 and forgiveness into your life. And if you need personal 00:27:22.00\00:27:25.01 forgiveness from Jesus, know that God is ready to 00:27:25.01\00:27:28.14 forgive you now. Lord, we thank You and we pray 00:27:28.14\00:27:31.81 in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:27:31.81\00:27:37.49 [soft piano music] 00:27:37.49\00:27:49.76 Thanks for joining me today. 00:27:51.43\00:27:53.07 I look forward to seeing you again next time. 00:27:53.07\00:27:55.00 Until then, remember, it is written: 00:27:55.00\00:27:58.71 Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that 00:27:58.71\00:28:03.28 proceeds from the mouth of God. 00:28:03.28\00:28:06.35 [hopeful anthem] 00:28:06.35\00:28:23.83