Matthew 18:23-35

“And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” vss. 34-35

The parable of the unforgiving servant hits us squarely in the middle of our righteous indignation! The point is so clear. This rascal of a man had been forgiven a great debt and then refused to do the same for a fellow servant who owed him a pittance. The injustice is obvious and we totally agree with his lord’s reaction! Painful punishment is what all unforgiving people deserve. In fact, after finishing the story, Jesus says exactly that. He warns his disciples that God will also torture every one of them if they do not sincerely forgive. At first we’re inclined to agree with Jesus–but then we wonder. Did he really mean to say that if we don’t forgive others we’re going to be tortured by God? We get the parable–we applaud the torturing of the flagrantly unjust. But does Jesus really think we ordinary folks deserve the same? Whatever happened to unconditional grace? In reality Jesus is hammering home a point about the importance of forgiveness. Nothing is more important for his followers. And if we don’t do it, we’re going to be tortured! We will never know peace or serenity if we cling to revenge and hurt in our relationships. Forgive and we will be forgiven–it’s a natural part of graceful living!

Thought for the Day: How have I been tortured by an unforgiving attitude?

Matthew 18:21-22

“Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’” vs. 21

Peter has had some ups and downs in his role as messianic advisor and wants Jesus to know that he has been paying attention. Following a conversation about forgiveness, he posits a plausible question, along with what he considers to be a generous possible answer. Poor guy! He was still caught up in the old tangle of retributive justice, the system which laid out the limits of God’s mercy. Jesus, showing a hint of frustration, lets him know clearly that forgiveness has no limits. This has been a big issue for the church through the years. We see from this passage that early congregations, the ones Matthew was writing for, struggled to find a practical framework for forgiveness in their life together. It hasn’t gotten any easier for us. While most people gladly affirm God’s amazing grace and openly claim God’s unconditional mercy for themselves, we still prefer to believe that there are practical limits on our own need to forgive. We aren’t even as generous as Peter! We might forgive one or two times, but seven times? Unthinkable! Who does Jesus think we are? Fools? The key for us is to stop keeping track and simply adopt the mind of Christ. When forgiveness becomes our nature, as it is in Christ, we stop counting offenses, and open the door for reconciliation. 

Thought for the Day: When is forgiveness the most difficult?

September 11, 2020 Romans 14:7-12

“Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?” vw 10

The issue Paul was addressing had to do with choices people were making about being vegetarians–such persons were disparaged as being weak in faith. Paul may have felt that way himself but he tells others to refrain from passing judgment. It should be possible for people of varying convictions to be a part of the same community of faith. It may seem an obvious proposition, but it’s being put to the test big-time as the COVID crisis and the political campaign become threats to the unity of our congregations. As people express their strong convictions about masks, race, closures, and candidates tempers are flaring, and there is a tendency to label opposing viewpoints as foolish or even stupid. Some are coming to despise those holding contrary opinions. Certainly judgments are being flung in every direction, and it may even be that long time friendships will be damaged beyond repair. Paul would say that if we think other people are wrong in what they think or say, that’s not a reason to pass judgment on them. People of faith can have a variety of opinions, even contrary ones, but what binds us together is the love of Christ, and no force on earth is stronger than that. When we really love one another, nothing should drive us apart.

Thought for the Day: Why do people believe foolish things?

Romans 14:1-6

“Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them.” vss. 2-3

There had been a controversy among believers about the propriety of eating meat that had been offered to idols. (It was readily available in the markets.) Some felt that followers of Jesus should abstain from such food–Paul didn’t think it made any difference, and he enjoyed a good steak from time to time. But he didn’t think the issue was worth quarreling about in the congregations. Reading about such things reminds us that even food can cause divisions among believers. This has been particularly noticeable in these hyper-health conscious times. Vegetarianism has become increasingly popular and some predict that meat-eaters are going to have to change their ways, with a few saying that meat-eating will soon have to be done in secret. It’s a question worth considering. Is there a God-pleasing diet? Or, does the food we eat have any connection with our spiritual health? Many among us would say that there is, and if we’re serious about matters of faith, we also should be moving toward healthy eating. The key thing to remember from Paul is that we need to be gentle with each other and honor our different convictions about dietary matters. It could be that one day we’ll all be vegans!!!

Thought for the Day: How has my diet changed? How would I like it to change?

Psalm 103:8-13

“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” vs. 10

Probably each of us have heard someone say these words: “The Lord is going to get you for that!” More often than not such things are said in jest, and are meant as a joke, but occasionally they’re said in dead seriousness. The speaker sincerely wants the hearer to know that whatever has been said or done is deeply offensive, and is deserving of God’s wrath. And even if such threats are never made many people have internalized the theology that breeds such comments. They believe in their hearts that God is keeping watch over them at all times and that when they sin, God will strike quickly and pay them back for what they’ve said or done. Such persons will respond to the ugly stuff that happens in their lives by wondering what sin God is getting them for now. The psalmist wrote to counter such notions about God, and to plainly tell his readers that God does not operate in that fashion. Instead God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. We might get punished for what we say or do, but such punishment comes, not from God, but from other human beings–and sometimes we deserve it, though not always. The human justice system is riddled with inequities! But we should never believe that the bad stuff in our lives comes from God–that’s just not who God is!

Thought for the Day: What deserved punishments have I gotten?

Genesis 50:19-21

“Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” vs. 20

Joseph’s brothers had initially intended to kill him, but at the last minute sold him into slavery, and then lied to their father, saying wild beasts had taken their beloved younger brother. After Jacob’s death, they conjure up one more lie, saying that their father’s dying wish was for Joseph to forgive his abusing brothers. And it works! Joseph forgives them, but more than that, says that through God’s mercy, their evil intentions had turned out for good for everyone involved. We should not conclude however that sometimes God intentionally allows evil to touch our lives in order to accomplish good things. Rather, this story illustrates what Paul was writing about in Romans 8, “All things work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to his purpose.” Sometimes the worst times of our lives, the moments of total despair, turn out to be turning points and produce incredible fruit. Many of us in looking back can attest to the ways in which God has turned stumbling stones into corner stones; the worst days have actually prepared the way for the best. Again, God doesn’t cause the bad stuff to happen–those things come our way on their own, without divine intervention. But when ugliness comes we should not be surprised at the beauty that is just around the corner!

Thought for the Day: Evil that turned out for good in my life.

Genesis 50:15-18

“Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, ‘What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?’” vs. 15

The death of a matriarch or patriarch often provokes interesting reactions among family members. Sometimes there are disputes about the will that cause deep ruptures and unending strife. Often there is a deep sense of loss–mothers and fathers are hubs that hold a family together. When they’re gone some of the connectivity disappears with them. Jacob’s sons were afraid that with their father dead, Joseph might be freed to pay them back for selling him into slavery. They felt he had only been kind to them because he loved their father so much. Those dynamics are universal and still plague us. So it’s not at all unusual for unresolved tensions to erupt when a scattered family gathers for a funeral or memorial service. Old resentments bubble to the surface and when mom or dad isn’t there to referee, conversation is unfiltered and can turn ugly at a moment’s notice. In their uncertainty Joseph’s brothers came up with a lie about their dad’s last wishes that they hoped would keep the peace–and their lie worked! How good it is when families can enjoy open and honest communication through the years, and funerals can be a celebration and not an ordeal–and there’s no need for lies. And what a blessing it is when that happens!

Thought for the Day: What are the most common reasons for funeral tensions?

Matthew 18:18-20

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” vs. 18

As the early Christian communities began to deal with internal disputes, Matthew laid out some guidelines based on his remembrance of Jesus’ teachings. They followed a logical progression, beginning with one on one conversations and ending with possible dismissal from the community. In other words, this was no small matter, and Matthew reminds the believers that these procedures have spiritual significance. This is not merely a human exercise! Jesus himself has given this authority to the church. Through the centuries this authority has been known as the Power of the Keys and it’s been exercised regularly in worship. This is what’s happening in the words of absolution that follow our common confession. When the pastor says that our sins have been forgiven, it’s not just her word! The forgiveness comes from God! This can be a powerful word of assurance for troubled souls–it does our hearts good to hear on a regular basis that God continues to have mercy on us and that our sins are forgiven. It’s gotten a bit more dicey though when these same words have been used to excommunicate and drive people out of the church. It seems that we humans have a tough time exercising power in a God-pleasing way. Often the power goes to our heads, and any semblance of mercy is lost. We’re all a lot better off when our focus is on loosing rather than binding!

Thought for the Day: When should forgiveness be withheld?

Matthew 18:15-17

“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.” vs. 15

By the time Matthew wrote his gospel the community of believers was pretty well established in the larger cities of the Roman Empire. Congregations weren’t large and there were no church buildings as we know them. Rather, believers would meet in homes, ones that were large enough to accommodate a group of a few dozen people at most. Within those communities it was apparent from the beginning that there needed to be a way to handle disputes between members. As Matthew writes he remembers words from Jesus that could be helpful, and in keeping with his legal background, summarizes them in a series of easily remembered steps. His words have become the gold standard for reconciliation work ever since, and nearly every congregation, in its constitution, makes reference to Matthew 18 as the way to handle difficult situations among members. There’s great wisdom in what he writes and the first recommended step is crucial for the spiritual health of any group of believers. Put simply, Jesus is saying, “Never, ever triangulate in your relationships!” So often when we’re hurt or offended by someone our first impulse is to tell a third or fourth party, and that never does any good. Direct communication is always our best choice, and of course the key to healing in that conversation is listening! It isn’t rocket science, but it really does work!

Thought for the Day: What happens when we triangulate?

Romans 13:11-14

“The night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;” vs. 12

There are some who believe that we are drawing near to the apocalypse, that humanity is teetering on the edge of calamity and that destruction awaits. It would seem that Paul was looking toward the same end, that the day of reckoning was near. But gloom was not what he had in mind. He did believe that something big was about to take place, but it wasn’t a day of death and destruction. In fact what was drawing near was salvation, the moment when Christ would be fully revealed in a way never yet seen. He told the Roman believers that it was time to get ready, not for a day of darkness, but for an outpouring of light. They’d been living in darkness, consumed by the desires of this world, but very soon a new day would dawn. And even though it was still night, they could start living as children of the Light, and put aside all those old behaviors that had caused them such distress. We’re now being reminded daily of the ugliness that exists in our country. Politicians warn of horrible consequences if we make the wrong electoral choices. But their vision of future darkness is just plain wrong! The Light is on the way and will ultimately prevail–and when we put on the armor of light, even if it’s still dark, the day of the Lord is hastened.

Thought for the Day: What is the armor of light?