03.07.2021 SER - Forgiving
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever appeared in court before a judge? I did, once when I was 18 years old. In a single week, I received two tickets, one for speeding and one for failing to come to a complete stop, before making a right turn on red. My speeding ticket earned me the right to appear before a judge. He read my charges and asked a single question, “Are you guilty or innocent?” After admitting my guilt, he announced my fine and then added a mandatory “state sponsored driving safety class,” which I attended reluctantly. Today they call it Michigan Basic Driver Improvement Course. At the time, I was not happy with the outcome, but looking back, it was probably the best thing that could have happened. That was 1973, I haven’t had another ticket since.
The truth is,
If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
If God brought any of us into His courtroom for judgment today, none of us could stand innocent before Him, because
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
WE are all guilty. No matter how serious or awful our sin,
As it is written:
“There is no-one righteous, not even one;
YET, because of Jesus’ life in the flesh, his death on the cross for our sin, God shows us His mercy to us for Christ’s sake, and now...
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Our sins are now covered by the blood of Christ. In Christ, by faith in Christ, we are forgiven.
In the Gospel reading for today, Jesus is in Jerusalem, celebrating the Feast of tabernacles, John chapter 7.
video John 8:1-6
It is the classic case of being caught in the act of sinning. But greater than the acts of our sin is the heart of our God. Who takes not please in our loss
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
God want us all saved.
who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
And the evidence of God’s desire is the cross of His Son.
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Now we, who believe, we who are claimed by the grace of our baptism, we are the blessed ones.
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
The best part is: Repentance and forgiveness are a gift to us from God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
Let’s not think repentance as a one time prayer, but rather as an everyday practice. To repent is to be truly sorry for our sins and ready to turn away from our sin. When we repent, we acknowledge that we are sinners, but we also receive and believe the good news that Jesus Christ has mercy and grace for us.
John 8:10-11 video
Jesus never picked up a stone. Instead, He picked our cross and carried it, along with our sins to the Calvary’s hill. Where...
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
So instead of dropping the hammer of judgment on us, God the Father dropped it on His Son, Jesus.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
AND now he calls us to drop our rocks for others and for ourselves, coming us
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
Why shouldn’t we judge others? First of all,
Things aren't always as they seem.
Have you ever mis-judged someone? Stephen Covey tells about a time on the NY subway, when He did.
A man enters the subway along with him are three children who are out of control. They are wild, loud, and bothering everyone. Stephen Covey addresses the man, “Sir, your children.” Huh.
Your children. They are out of control and bothering everyone. You need to take care of your children.” “Oh, yeah, I am sorry. You’re right. It’s just that, well, they just lost their mother a few moments ago.”
Wow! You never know what other people are dealing with. It doesn’t excuse their actions or the lack thereof, but knowing what others are dealing may give you a reason to reach out in love, rather than in judgment.
It's not our job to judge other people. We are called to love one another as we are loved by Christ.
Read these next words with me
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Who are the people or groups you have mis-judged?
If you are going to make a mistake in life, it is better to err on the side of mercy and grace rather than judgment.
What are you most likely to do when you are misjudged by others? Do you seek revenge or show mercy?
God has every right to punish us for our sin, but instead he chooses to show us mercy for Christ's sake.
The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
Aren't you glad we have a God who is not vengeful, but instead is full of compassion and rejoices to show mercy for Christ’s sake? It is only because of his mercy that we are saved from having to face the ultimate punishment in hell.
Who do you need to let off the hook? Who you need to show mercy to, like Jesus has shown you His mercy?
Which is more difficult for you, to forgive or to hold on to anger, resentment?
To forgive means to let go of something and give it to God because you believe he do a better job with justice then you will, which is the opposite of getting revenge. If you need an example, then, follow Jesus all the way to the cross witness Divine grace and mercy, even while being crucified.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
He was practicing what he preahed and validating his right to proclaim it. If we want to follow Jesus, we have to be people who, like Jesus, forgive.
Here is a reality regarding forgiveness. There's nothing that can be done to us or against us that we cannot forgive.
You may be thinking: Wait a minute,
Is there a limit to forgiveness?
If you are wondering you are in good company. Peter wondered the same thing.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Jesus demonstrates on Good Friday, that There is always us room for forgiveness.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Now he calls us to be like him. Thanks be to God, that forgiving like Christ is not only a gift we give, it is a gift we recieve when we forgive others. To forgive somebody is good for you too. And each time you forgive, you are living out the Red Letter life and becoming more like Christ.
Are you still withholding forgiveness from someone? If it is not in your daily prayers it should be and don’t be surprise if, in time, the Spirit moves you to reach out and offer forgiveness in Christ’s name. It doesn't matter how they receive it, what matters that you give it to them for Jesus sake. Jesus said,
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
This is one of the most difficult aspects of our life as Christ’s disciples. Love your enemies. Are you kidding, Jesus? How do we do that? Love a Hitler or an Osama Bin Ladin? Love my neighbor's whose weeds keep creeping into my yard? Love the guy at work, who is always leaving his work for me to finish?
Some of our enemies are really just small irritations and others are much more serious. But God knows that when we hold grudges or seek revenge, we lose. And even though forgiving others is not easy, God wants us to live a life of forgiveness, because that is the best life to live.
John 8:10-11 video
If you don’t hear anything else this morning, God help us all to hear these words of Christ today. Neither do I condenm you. You just got off the hook for your sins. The question is: What will you do with that? If you are smart, you take to heart His Red Letter Words today.
Go now and leave your life of sin.
Christ doesn't forgive you to return back to your sin.
He forgives you to set you free from your sin to live a new life in His name.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Take His forgiveness and freedom to heart. Live a forgiven life and a forgiving life in Jesus’ name. Amen.