Sept 13, 2020
Fr Phil Eberhart
Unless You Forgive...
What was the most significant thing Jesus said? Lots of choices, aren't there!
Let me rephrase that. What was the most significant thing that Jesus said... from the cross? All the 7 have meaning to be sure, but one thing Jesus said set the course for the river of blood that he shed for us that day.
"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do! "
All through our readings this morning we're given the keys to the Kingdom! Nothing 'unlocks' and releases the presence and power of the Kingdom of God on this planet like the power of FORGIVENESS!
Jesus himself warns us over and over again of the danger of unforgiveness! Of holding onto a hurt or offense from another person;
Of even allowing another person to hold onto something against you!
You must take the responsibility and the initiative to forgive or to seek forgiveness and reconciliation from another.
There is little in life that affords the power of forgiving another or of being forgiven. It is rooted in the "fear of the Lord " and it grants us that deep, deep wisdom that comes from obedience to this single command.
But forgiving is hard! It's not part of our human nature! Indeed!
It comes from the equipment of the Holy Spirit, His fruit-filled Presence empowers us to live in obedience to this command, almost as a first-fruit and prelude to the rest of the life and love and power of the Spirit- filled life!
We wonder at the difficulties that we often have in accessing the Grace of God in our life, but when we look down at our hands we are bound by and holding on to the chains of unforgiveness as our very own right!
That, my friends, is a RIGHT we must relinquish. We must give it away to Jesus! In order to access the flow of Christ's own forgiveness from the Cross, we must choose the pathway of total forgiveness, and give our "rights" to Jesus!
That was the mistake of the servant, the 'unjust' servant, in our parable from the Gospel this morning. Having been forgiven a debt of "billions" he then turns on another servant who owes him a "hundred" and throws him in prison for non payment!
Jesus ends the parable with yet another stern warning...
That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sistersfn from your heart.”
Jesus is not kidding... not beating around the bush here.
Forgiveness is the key to the locks on our lives and the life of our churches and of The Church,
Big "C".
The number one reason that people leave a church or leave The Church in our culture is offense. Someone, usually, said or did something to offend or hurt them and now they're unwilling to go back, unable to let go of hurts and trapped in a prison of their own making. We play a "blame game" to shift the responsibility for our captivity, but the truth is that God is serious about this stuff.
Oh... and by the way... God gives us grace to forgive! God's will for this is so strong that He gets directly involved, and hands you the power to forgive at the very moment of the offense or injury! And that Grace always remains, until you take hold of it and enact the forgiveness!
But I warn you about trying to pick up another's offense! Have you ever been offended FOR someone else? It happens when something or someone offends someone we love! We "pick up" their offense. You know the danger there? NO GRACE! God does not give His Grace for you to take up another's offense!
That's part of the problem with all the crusading that's going on today in our culture. Offense is rampant in every quarter, but little of it is our offense. We are offended for another or for a group or even a race. There's no Grace available for this and so we go on, as Paul warns us, "biting and devouring one another, and thus destroying one another! "
The emphasis in the Word is on our personal response to offense and on the requirement of God, based on His forgiveness of us and His supply of Grace in the moment of offense, for US to be forgiving towards others. Immediately! Instantly! No holding onto offenses, period! Let them go... now. As quickly as they come, and come they will, from every quarter, if we're looking for them, we must appropriate God's Amazing Grace to forgive. We must enter the flow of the blood of Jesus from his hands, head and side on the cross as he said, Father forgive them!
Let's pray, if you'll bow with me...
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that every one might come within the reach of your saving embrace. Your blood flowed to effect our forgiveness and to enable our forgiveness of others. So clothe us with your Spirit, that we may reach forth our hands of forgiveness to those who hurt us, and thus be freed to love and serve them, bringing them to know and love You for the honor and glory of Your Name. Amen.
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