Mercy Spoke | Pastor Tommy Hodges | Compassion Church Dickson

Feb 22, 2026 • Tommy Hodges

In Luke 23:34, Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In His darkest moment, betrayed, beaten, mocked, and nailed to a cross, mercy came out.

This message dives into a powerful truth: Pressure doesn’t create what’s inside you, it reveals it. And when the weight of the cross pressed Jesus, mercy was already there.

🔹 Before They Knew

They saw wood, but not redemption. They saw a criminal, not a Savior. Spiritual blindness doesn’t remove reality, and blind doesn’t mean innocent. Culture, sin, pride, and feelings can cloud our vision. Yet even in their blindness… He stayed.

🔹 Through The Pain

This wasn’t forgiveness after the wounds healed, this was forgiveness in the middle of suffocation and agony. While hanging between heaven and earth, He interceded.

We often think we’ll forgive once we’re healed, but Scripture shows us we forgive so we can be healed (Ephesians 4:31–32). Through the pain, He prayed.

🔹 Even To Them

Soldiers driving nails. Religious leaders protecting power. Crowds shouting. A thief mocking.

As Charles Spurgeon said, “We come to the cross to be forgiven, but we stay at the cross to be forgiving.”

Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:14–15 that forgiveness doesn’t just flow to us, it must flow through us. The cross doesn’t minimize what they did, it declares that what Christ did is greater.

🔹 And Still Is

The One who prayed then still prays now.

Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:34 remind us that Jesus is still interceding, still merciful, still saving to the uttermost.

Before you understood your sin, He understood your salvation.

Blindness didn’t stop Him.

The cross revealed a Mediator.

And what He finished was enough.

Mercy spoke then, and mercy still speaks today.

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