Sermon by The Very Rev Chris Yaw, 7/30/2023, Matthew 13:31-33,44-52
Friends - together - our Centering Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God
Let your will be done
Through me.
You may be seated.
I recently saw an incident of road rage on video. A driver in a car cut off a man in a pickup truck. The man in the pickup was fuming and managed to pull the car over. This man then stormed out of the cab, grabbed a brick that was laying nearby, and approached the man in the car. That driver would not leave his car.
So the man with the brick threw it at the window of that car. But, the brick did not shatter the glass! Instead, it bounced back, and hit the man right in the head, knocking him over. So the man in the car drove off.
When we seek to hurt others, we are never uninjured.
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Are you upset at someone who’s hurt you this morning?
Are you frustrated at a circumstance that has rewarded someone who is less deserving than you?
Are you upset with someone who has not lived up to your expectations?
Are you upset with yourself because you have not lived up to your expectations?
The title of today’s message is ‘Let it Go!’
God wants joy, peace, and abundance for your life.
God wants health and safety for you.
God has a purpose and a plan for you to carry out.
Your time is too valuable to be spent on resentment, bitterness, and vengeance - that holds you back from being the person God wants you to be!
Your emotional gas tank does not hold enough fuel for you to keep revenge and hurt alive and well in your life.
God has called and destined you for much brighter things!
So three words: Let it go!
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We are in the Book of Genesis this morning -
And today we meet a rather unsavory character named Laban.
He is the uncle of a man named Jacob - who has been called by God to carry out God’s plan of hope, prosperity, and redemption for Israel and the world.
And so Jacob, who’s looking for a wife, goes off to Uncle Laban’s ranch. And this is where he meets his cousin, a woman named Rachel. And it’s love at first sight.
Jacob then goes to Laban and asks for Rachel’s hand in marriage and says he will work for 7 years for free to earn the privilege.
After 7 years of free work, Laban does not go to Jacob and tell him things are square - no, Laban waits for Jacob to speak up - which he does - reminding Laban of their arrangement.
The wedding ensues, and Laban tricks Jacob! Instead of giving little sister Rachel to Jacob -
He gives him big sister Leah!
Jacob speaks up.
He says, the bargain was for Rachel.
But Laban says that’s not how things work on his ranch.
And he tells Jacob he’ll have to work another 7 years for Rachel.
And here’s the interesting part.
Jacob does not throw a fit.
Jacob does not throw a punch.
Jacob does not throw in the towel.
Jacob lets it slide.
Jacob lets it rest.
Jacob lets it go.
Why?
Because Jacob knows that God is at work.
God is bringing about something of great importance and impact.
And Jacob’s chooses to remain calm and faithful.
God is at work in you.
God is bringing about something of great importance and impact through you.
Be calm and faithful.
Be steadfast and believe.
Don’t let resentments and slights get in the way of God’s plan for you!
Don’t allow thoughts of vengeance and revenge get a hold in your heart!
Just as God has chosen Jacob to play an irreplaceable role in God’s plan for the world.
God has chosen you to play an irreplaceable role in Gods’ plan for the world.
So, let it slide. Let it rest. Let it go.
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Back in March of 1944, America was in the throes of the Second World war.
And President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in a meeting with some church leaders.
They were planning to commemorate the President’s inauguration anniversary with a special church service - as they did each year.
A young curate, named Howard Johnson from St. John’s Episcopal Church came over to talk with the President about the service.
After that meeting Rev. Johnson produced a liturgy that included a 'Prayer for Our Enemies' from the Book of Common Prayer.
The senior clergy of St. John’s saw it and were immediately alarmed!
‘It’s wartime!’ they said. ’The nation doesn’t know enough about Christianity to pray for the Japanese and Germans who are killing their children!’ ’The publicity will be terrible!’
But Rev. Johnson was steadfast.
He said, ‘Let the president decide.'
So Rev. Johnson took the draft over to the White House for the president to review.
When he was finished, Rev. Johnson noticed that the President had made a note next to the 'Prayer for Our Enemies.’ The President wrote ‘I like this.’
And so, the nation observed the anniversary of FDR’s unprecedented service as a 3-term president of the United States with something remarkable:
Humility - not hubris.
Respect - not revenge.
Don’t go low - go high.
"But they're our enemies - we’re at war!”
Let it go.
Of course, it can feel satisfying to treat our adversaries with vengeance! Actors Bruce Willis and Bruce Lee would be homeless nobodies without our appetites for revenge!
But don’t take the bait.
Don’t buy into it.
Don’t act like everyone else does!
Don’t talk trash.
Don’t hit back.
Don’t even wish them pain.
You're better than that!
And you can do it:
Today St. Paul reminded us that we're ‘more than conquerors’ who have the power of God in us to say ’no’ to revenge.
Instead -
Stay in your lane!
Bless them!
Wish them well -
President Roosevelt had it right -
Let it slide.
Let it rest.
Let it go.
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A momma and a baby elephant were on the savannah one day. They noticed two other elephants walking by. One was tired, listless, and limped along with his head bowed low. The other was happily skipping along merrily, sporting a smile on his face.
‘Mom,’ said the baby elephant, ‘Why is that elephant so sad and the other so happy?’ ‘Well,’ said momma elephant, ‘As you know, we elephants have remarkable memories.
‘We can choose to remember anything and everything, ’Nothing gets by us,’
’If was ask the sad elephant what he remembers he’ll tell us all about all the elephants who have said bad things about him, all the elephants who beat him to the river for a drink, and all the elephants who were smarter than him in school.’
‘But if you ask the happy elephant what he remembers, he’ll tell you about his best friend who likes him, about the one time he was first at the watering hold, and about the one time he got an ‘A’ on a test.’
‘You see, like all elephants, we have good and bad things happen to us - but our outlook on life is mostly determined by what we choose to remember.’
What are you choosing to remember this morning?
Are you dwelling on the annoying relative, friend, or neighbor who always seems to know which button to push?
Are you keeping score of who offends, annoys, or inconveniences you?
Are you constantly reminding yourself of who has: hurt you, owes you,
or said bad things about you?
Or are you choosing to remember how much God has blessed you?
Are you remembering how God has: provided for you, given you health and wealth,
kept you from making terrible mistakes...
...and then saved you when you went ahead and made them!
Which elephant do you want to be?
Because we get to choose what we want to remember.
We get to choose what we want to let slide, let rest, and let go!
Choose the way of today’s psalm 105:5:
"Remember the marvels God has done!”
and
Let it slide,
Let it rest,
Let it go!?
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About 500 years before Jesus walked through the countryside of Galilee, a wise man named Confucius walked the countryside of China. Confucius was a philosopher and sage credited with reviving the ancient wisdom of his fore-bearers.
One day a man approached Confucius.
He said that his neighbor had run away with his wife.
So he was packing a bag and planned to go after them the next day.
He asked Confucius for advice.
Confucius said something that was as true back then as it is today:
before you head out on an act of vengeance, dig two graves.
The harm imposed by revenge is that serious.
It will infect the souls of people.
It will infect the souls of nations.
Dr. King famously said that
“The choice today is no longer between violence and nonviolence.
It is either nonviolence or nonexistence.”
We live in an incredibly vengeful world.
And that’s why our job is so important.
Let it go!
Because:
Every person you forgive.
Every slight you let go.
Every offender you choose to bless and not curse -
- will have an impact on the world!
Let it go!
Because:
You don’t have time to spend on plotting your revenge and harboring discouraging thoughts!
You’ve got better things to do with your time!
Don’t let the bitter pill of vengeance sour your outlook on life!
You don’t have time for it!
You’re better than this - because you have God inside of you.
God is at work in you - and your time is better spent on the things of God!
Let it go!
Because:
God has bigger things planned for you!
God is bringing about something of great importance and impact through you.
God has chosen you to play an irreplaceable role in Gods’ plan for the world.
Be calm and faithful.
Be steadfast and believe.
You are God’s child, created and destined to fulfill a plan that only you can fulfill!
I believe that the better you and I get at letting things go:
God is forming us into more mature people -
God is shaping us into a more resilient people -
God is making us a more powerful people who can go out into the world to love and serve our neighbor-
Proclaiming the freedom God gives us when we:
Let it slide-
Let it rest -
Let it go!
If you're with me, can I get an amen?