Sermon by The Rev Chris Yaw, 9/17/2023, Matthew 18:21-35
Centering Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, May your will be done, Through me.
As you take your seats, I'm reminded of little Johnny who really wants a new bike.
He comes to church and tells his pastor that he's not going to pray and ask for it because he knows God doesn't work that way.
'What are you going to do then?' Asks his pastor.
'I'm going to steal the bike and ask God to forgive me!'
As crazy as this sounds, little Johnny is on to something - it's the radical nature of God's forgiveness.
There are many of us who have come here this morning holding onto grudges-
You've been passed over for a promotion,
Somebody bought that house right out from under you,
Your child or grandchild hasn't thanked you for that thoughtful gift you gave them.
Maybe we're angry at the politicians who have said hurtful things.
We're upset at the division between car makers and unions that have us on edge this morning.
Or we just can't get over that huge mistake we made that cost is our job, our home, or our marriage.
The title of today's message is Bless Them!
You see, God has given us power not just to keep us from hitting back.
Not just to let someone off the hook
But God has given us power to forgive, pray for, and bless those who have wronged us.
God wants to bring us to new levels of fulfillment.
By bringing us to new levels of forgiveness - of letting it go - of handing it off - of giving it over to God.
God is here to revive you!
Refresh, relieve, renew, and revitalize you!
To bring us to that plane where the Almighty dwells!
It's not the place of toleration - it's a place of celebration!
And it comes as we more fully embrace God's power -
Not to make us rich, healthy, or immune to any of life's problems -
But to live into Shalom - peace - harmony - that comes when we forgive, with them well, and bless them!
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Did you see they finally caught that escaped convict in Pennsylvania?
After 2 weeks on the run, he's finally behind bars - for doing some pretty grim things -
He killed his former girlfriend right in front of the children.
And he's wanted for a similar violent crime in his home country.
He'll soon be locked up for life for those crimes -
And many people in our society will then forget about him -
But the families and friends of both the victim and perpetrator will not.
Life will have to go on.
The pain, tragedy, and emotion of those events have a long shelf life.
All of us who have been wronged know about that.
We have to live with friends, family, and relatives who have hurt us.
We have to find ways to continue relationships with those who've injured us.
This is a problem that also plagued Peter - when he approached Jesus and asked:
"If someone harms me, how often must I forgive? As often as 7?"
And Jesus famously said:
"No, 7 times 70" - which many commentators believe was the equivalent of saying 'infinity - always.'
Why would Jesus say this?
Jesus knew the practical aspects of unforgiveness -
That vengeance, retribution, revenge - DON'T work.
When you live in unforgiveness you're more anxious, stressed, on edge.
You can have problems sleeping - relationships with others can be strained.
Sure, forgive people for their own good - but also for yours!
Your pride,
Your vengeance,
Your retribution,
Will not help you get on with the situation.
And your Christian faith wants to help you!
Romans says:
"We do not live to ourselves!"
"Why do you despise your brother or sister?
"For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God."
And so ours is a task of aspiration to Jesus' words in St. Luke:
"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you”.
So how do we forgive?
Everett Worthington is an expert in this subject - and professor Worthington has come up with a really effective way to approach forgiveness -
The Five-Part Process of Forgiveness - R. E. A. C. H
R – Recall the hurt
E – Empathize
A – Altruistic Gift of Forgiveness
C – Commit to forgiveness
H – Hold on to Forgiveness
Forgive - you can do it.
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The death toll in Libya continues to rise this morning - tens of thousands of people drowned in waters once held back by aging and neglected dams.
In one news clip, a woman named Hazmi looked to the sky in tears - having lost her family, home, and every one of her possessions - and she shook her fist.
And she barked out in anger, I hate you, God!
You may have similar forgiveness issues with the Almighty that also need tending to.
Natural disaster, car wreck, stock market crash - that absolutely ruin us, are commonplace and far enough beyond our control that God becomes the target.
When unexplainable tragedy strikes, it's the easy road, the simple path - but is it the right one?
Understanding why bad things happen to good people is a conversation of theories and conjecture.
Sooner or later we all figure out that God has handed us a puzzle box that says it holds 1,000 pieces - but we soon realize there's no picture on the box, and only 400 pieces inside.
Our anger with God is as well-founded as it is unanswerable.
And the gift God has given us to make it through is the factory setting of your soul: it feels good to do good.
Shaking our fists at heaven
Cursing God and our existence
Simmering in anger for things beyond our control
Go ahead, let it all out!
Pay a visit to nihilism -
But then let your soul speak -
That still, small voice, calling you back to where the broken pieces lie strewn before us - beckoning us to the good work of repair.
It feels good to do good.
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When my friend Maryann was 22 years old - in graduate school in Oxford, Ohio - she decided to head off to the beach one morning.
On her way, an 8 year old boy named Brian was doing what elementary school kids do - and running around the front yard.
Unfortunately, Brian ran across the busy street in front of his yard just as my friend was driving by.
Maryann struck and killed him instantly.
That was a defining event in her life.
She would go on to get married.
But she couldn't bear the thought of having a child, lest he end up like Brian.
The marriage finally fizzled.
Maryann struggled for decades with self-forgiveness.
How could she have prevented this?
Could she have driven more safely?
And when I would talk with her about self-forgiveness, she said it was more an aspiration than a reality- that she believed in it but was just not there.
So her strategy was not self-forgiveness, but self-compassion - being kind to herself along the way - not getting down on who she was or what she did.
Maybe that's where you are today.
Maybe you've done something so bad -
Something you feel so bad about -
So when the pastor says 'Oh, just forgive yourself' - that seems as impossible as walking on water.
Self-forgiveness can be a long, long process.
So along the way, why not be good to yourself?
Stop beating yourself up.
Stop depriving yourself of a fuller life.
Stop penalizing yourself - and wear the hair shirt nearly as often.
As you wait for self-forgiveness, try self-compassion!
What does that look like for you?
How can you begin to speak to yourself like a good friend would - or like God would?
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The most iconic story we heard in church this morning was the story of God's deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian captivity.
Israel held captive by fearful Egypt - the Pharaoh was worried about rebellion, so he made things increasingly difficult for Israel.
God heard the cries of suffering and sent liberation.
And you and I are taught that the pain of unforgiveness that you feel, is also being heard by God.
God knows we have a hard time forgiving others.
God knows we have a hard time forgiving God.
God knows we have a hard time forgiving ourselves.
But that same power that delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt is in and around you this morning!
I believe that as we live more deeply into God's indwelling power of forgiveness, we will live more peaceful lives.
I believe that as we live more deeply into God's indwelling power of forgiveness, we will see our communities become more peaceful places.
And I believe that as we live more deeply into God's indwelling power of forgiveness, we will create a more peaceful and harmonious world -
Bringing heaven down to earth, to the joy of humanity and the glory of God!
If you're with me, can I get an Amen!?