Words of Passion: Forgiveness

Introduction

It’s been around twenty years since I’ve done any backpacking.

However, I’ve keep my old backpack with the hope that one day I’ll get out again.

I gave away most of the stuff that I had in this backpack to my guys who still go backpacking, but there are important items that you need in your backpack

Sleeping bag rated for the kind of weather you’ll endure.

Tent

Water purifier

Forgiveness acts like a water purifier. Before we develop this thought, let’s step back and talk about this Lenten journey we’re on.

Title: Words of Passion. For the next six weeks We’re going to journey through the words that Jesus spoke from his cross.

The word, passion, can be used two ways and both of them apply to Jesus on his cross.

Most common is the idea of being passionate about something. Some people would say that I’m passionate about film photography, and they’d be right. It’s something I pursue.

However, passion is derived from the word passive, to not act, but to be acted on.

Jesus was passionate about saving us to the point that he became passive and allowed people to kill him. The words that Jesus speak from his cross come out of his passion for us that allowed him to be nailed to his cross and die.

On this Ash Wednesday we’ll start with his word of forgiveness that you heard earlier. “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.

Transition: Now back to this idea of a water purifier. When Jesus cries out, “Father, forgive them”, he is acting in a way similar to a water purifier.

Jesus purifies us of our sins

A water purifier takes in the water with all it’s junk. Jesus takes in the garbage.

However, a water purifier doesn’t do any good if it holds on to the water. What it does is exchange the undrinkable water for drinkable. Jesus doesn’t just take into himself our sin, he then pours out his blessings into our lives.

Jesus takes in our hatred pours out love.

We’ve heard a great deal about racism and bigotry lately. Many of us might think that we’re not racist or bigoted. If you’re not then you’re not human. There are people that we just don’t feel comfortable around.

Hatred is often rooted in fear, not in God’s love.

Jesus takes in our hatred on his cross and he shows us his love. God has every right to hate us because of our rebellion against him, but he doesn’t. He takes our takes our hatred into himself and it stays there for all eternity.

Pre occupation with self to compassion

At it’s core, sin is preoccupation with self. It’s Adam and Eve sewing fig leaves together and hiding their nakedness because all they can’t see beyond their own nose.

How much time are do we spend being preoccupied with ourselves?

Jesus takes our self ambitions into his person on the cross and it remains there. In it’s place he gives us his compassion. He wraps his arms around us in our daily battles and will not let go of us.

Chaos to peace

If there is one theme that I see in this pandemic it is chaos. Sin is chaos. Have you noticed how in creation God brings order out of chaos? Have you noticed how sin does the opposite? Sin takes order and creates chaos.

How much of your life, would you say, has been defined by chaos? We yearn for life with it, but find that we are often the people through whom chaos erupts.

Jesus reverses the order again in his death on the cross. In forgiveness Jesus takes our chaos and creates order, he is the source of peace.

Transition: We have been purified, forgiven, by Christ that we might be his means of purifying the world of its sins.

As the body of Christ we purify the world of its sins

One of the Bible passages we probably wrestle with the most is what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount and tells us that if we forgive others their sins, God will forgive us. Let’s look at this forgiveness from the perspective of Jesus’ forgiving us.

We are called to be a blessing to others. We are the body of Christ. We are actively, not passively, engaged in the ministry of Jesus in our world today. That means we are engaged in forgiveness.

Hatred to love (turning the other cheek)

As the body of Christ we endure hatred and turn the other cheek.

Pre occupation with self to compassion

As body of Christ we endure people’s self centered behavior and offer compassion.

Chaos to peace

As the body of Christ we endure chaos and share his peace.

Conclusion

Forgiveness is picking up our cross and following Jesus. He has taken all of our sin into himself and give us what we don’t deserve. We as his body pick up our cross and with Jesus carry the sin of the world that through us, his gift of forgiveness might be known to all people. Amen