Proper 19 (2023)
Notes
Transcript
Make Forgiveness Your Aim
Make Forgiveness Your Aim
Who Killed Sara? is a television series about a young man who went to prison for a crime he didn’t commit — murdering his sister Sara — with the promise from a very powerful and connected man that he’d only serve two-months. In exchange for his corporation he and mother would be generously cared for. The powerful man, however, reneged on his promise and the young man was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He served 18 years and was released. He had 18 years to plot his revenge and now he is free to carry it out.
Isn’t this the normal way of living in this world? Someone does us wrong and we either want revenge, or we stay angry with them for decades, or we have nothing to do with them moving forward.
In this fifth part of the series on the Church that God Wants we discover that God’s people act differently thank the world. In fact if God’s Church had a motto it might be something like this:
Keep On Forgiving Others as God Forgives You!
Forgiveness: It’s a Way of Life.
Forgiveness: It is Not Easy (we’d rather retaliate)
Forgiveness: God is Generous Toward You for Christ’s Sake.
Not reconciliation but retaliation is the operating principle in the world. Jesus flatly contradicts the world's procedure and lays down a better principle.
It Is a Way of Life
It Is a Way of Life
Joseph and his brothers
They sold him into slavery
Was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.
But he became the 2nd in command in all of Egypt
His ability to interpret dreams enabled him to predict a famine
Years of preparation enabled Egypt to care for the world
Joseph’s brothers came from Cannon to buy food
Joseph’s father died — Jacob (Israel)
Brothers expected retaliation
They fell on their faces before Joseph begging forgiveness
They received grace — They were forgiven.
Forgiveness was part of Joseph’s life. He said to his brothers: — Genesis 50:20 “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
What a proper attitude. Likewise, forgiveness is a way of life for us because the devil’s intent is to injure and destroy, but an attitude of forgiveness restores and saves.
It Is Not Easy
It Is Not Easy
Forgiveness isn’t easy because pain us usually associated with it.
Words and Deeds many times cause wounds
Healing is a slow process because we are often reminded about the hurt; especially when it is done again and again.
Our forgiveness is empowered by God's forgiveness.
The debt God forgave was great (Matt. 18:24).
Our debt of sin includes not only our transgressions but what we should have done and failed to do, like not noticing that lonely person, not speaking an encouraging word, or not helping a neighbor in need.
We cannot pay our debt (Matthew 18:26 “The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’”). Good intentions will not suffice. Our efforts won't atone for — make up for — our guilt.
God forgave at great cost.
Our debt to God had to be paid. Jesus paid it, down to the last penny (1 Peter 2:24 “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” ).
God forgives us for Jesus' sake (Micah 7:18 “Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.” ). When we experience God's forgiveness, that forgiveness can also be our aim.
Our Forgiveness Imitates God's Forgiveness.
Our Forgiveness Imitates God's Forgiveness.
We forgive from the heart (Matthew 18:35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”).
This does not mean we are always able to forget the offense. The memory of it may still disturb us at times. — a cross to bear?
It does mean that we do not allow the evil that was done to separate us from the other person. — Joseph’s attitude toward his brothers
We set no limit on our forgiveness.
The servant set a limit (Matthew 18:28 ““But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’” ).
Peter wanted to set a limit (Matthew 18:21 “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”).
We too stand accused of setting a limit. Yet if we are to imitate God's forgiveness, the spirit of vengeance cannot be permitted to rise.
We reflect the love of God.
The unforgiving servant reflected hate, not love (Matt. 18:28-30).Refusal to forgive causes distress among Christians and makes a mockery of God's forgiveness (Matt. 18:31-33).
We are to reflect God's love to the meanest and the worst. The worst that can be done to us is still only a pinprick compared to what we have done to God. By forgiving, we be about love rather than retaliation.
Colossians 3:12–13 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
Let us make forgiveness our aim. It is not easy, but it is the way of life for God’s children.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.