Proper 19 (Wednesday 2023)

Make Forgiveness Your Aim

How hard it is to forgive like God! We may forgive someone who hurts us, but we never forget. We harbor that hurt deep inside of us for years—never understanding that we are locking ourselves in a prison of the past.

But don’t miss the point. The startling point of the gospel’s parable is the inconceivable mercy and forgiveness of God for the sinner. So, as a group of forgiven sinners, the church forgives as God forgives. Anytime we try to imitate God, we quickly realize our inadequacy. Yet today God tells us to model our forgiveness on his: a boundless, free, and loving forgiveness based on the sacrifice of Christ. How could our sinful hearts ever forgive like that?

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

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

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.

We forgive from the heart (Matthew 18:35

Matthew 18:35 EHV

“This is what my heavenly Father will also do to you unless each one of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

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.