SCRIPTURE: Romans 14:1-12 & Matthew 18:21-35
WHAT IMMEDIATELY COMES TO MIND WHEN I READ THIS PARABLE IS THE LORD’S PRAYER. THAT’S RIGHT, THE LORD’S PRAYER. WHEN WE PRAY THE LORD’S PRAYER WE ASK GOD TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE FORGIVE THE SINS OF OTHERS. WE ARE BASICALLY SAYING, “GOD, YOU FORGIVE ME IN THE SAME WAY I FORGIVE OTHERS.”
NOW I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WHEN I THINK OF THE TERRIBLY INADEQUATE IN WHICH I FORGIVE OTHER PEOPLE I BECOME TERRIFIED THAT GOD REALLY DOES DEAL OUT THE SAME PITIFUL AMOUNT OF FORGIVENESS THAT I DO. BUT IN MY HEART OF HEARTS I KNOW THE DIVINE NATURE TRANSCENDS HUMAN NATURE BY A GREAT MARGIN—THANK GOD!
AND WHAT THE LORD’S PRAYER IS TRYING TO TEACH US IS THAT WE ARE TO GROUND OUR ABILITY TO FORGIVE IN THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE GRACE OF GOD’S PERFECT FORGIVENESS, WHICH IS BESTOWED UPON US FROM THE DAY OF OUR BIRTH.
HUSTON SMITH IS A NOTED SCHOLAR OF WORLD RELIGIONS. I HAVE ONE OF HIS BOOKS ON MY SHELF AND I REFER TO IT OFTEN WHEN I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM, HINDU, BUDDHISM, JUDAISM – ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FAITH EXPRESSIONS. IT’S AN EXCELLENT BOOK. SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME TO READ SMITH’S PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT EACH OF THE WORLD RELIGIONS.
SMITH GAVE A LECTURE AT DUKE UNIVERSITY A FEW YEARS AGO, IN WHICH HE COMPARED THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD. AND WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE HE LIFTED UP AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FOCUS OF CHRISTIANITY?
…FORGIVENESS. HE SAID CHRISTIANITY IS UNUSUAL AND DISTINCTIVE IN ITS FOCUS UPON AND DEMAND FOR FORGIVENESS. AFTER ALL, JESUS DIED FORGIVING THOSE WHO KILLED HIM. OVER AND OVER AGAIN, JESUS BLESSED PEOPLE BY TELLING THEM, “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.”
AND HE DEMANDED THAT HIS FOLLOWERS PRACTICE EXTRAVAGANT, “SEVENTY-SEVEN TIMES” FORGIVENESS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
NOW LET’S LOOK AT THAT EXTRAVAGANT FORGIVENESS FOR JUST A MOMENT.
IN TODAY’S STORY PETER COMES TO JESUS, I’M SURE, WITH THE OLD JEWISH KNOWLEDGE OF FORGIVENESS IN MIND. IT WAS TRADITION IN THE ANCIENT JEWISH WORLD THAT A PERSON NEEDED TO BE FORGIVEN ONCE, TWICE, EVEN THREE TIMES—BUT NEVER FOUR! WHEN PETER PUTS OUT THE ARBITRARY FIGURE OF SEVEN TIMES I’M SURE PETER THOUGHT HE WAS GOING OVERBOARD. I’M ALSO SURE PETER NEVER EXPECTED THE ANSWER HE RECEIVED.
ACTUALLY, THE GREEK WORDS CAN BE TRANSLATED EITHER “SEVEN TIMES SEVENTY” OR “SEVENTY-SEVEN TIMES.” BUT THE POINT JESUS IS TRYING TO MAKE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EXACT FIGURES. THE PERSON WHO WOULD COUNT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEVENTY-SEVEN AND FOUR HUNDRED NINETY HAS NOT REALLY FORGIVEN AT ALL.
WHAT JESUS IS TRYING TO SAY IS THAT FORGIVENESS GOES ON FOREVER.
WE MUST FORGIVE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT IS A HEAVENLY KIND OF MATH, IF YOU WILL. AND IT GOES BACK TO THE LORD’S PRAYER.
OUR GOD NEVER STOPS FORGIVING US, AND THIS IS THE BASIS UPON WHICH WE ARE ASKED TO FORGIVE THE PEOPLE AROUND US. WILL WE RESPOND IN THE WAY WE ARE ASKED TO RESPOND?
IN THIS PARABLE JESUS GIVES US INSIGHT INTO OUR HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND CHALLENGES US TO LIVE BEYOND OURSELVES. JESUS TELLS A STORY ABOUT A KING AND A SERVANT. THE DEBT THE SERVANT OWED THE KING WAS VIRTUALLY NOT PAYABLE. TEN-THOUSAND TALENTS IS JESUS’ WAY OF SAYING “MYRIAD”—THE LARGEST NUMBER, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE SERVANT FIFTEEN YEARS TO EARN JUST ONE TALENT. AND BY THE WAY, THE ANNUAL REVENUE FROM THE TERRITORIES OF HEROD THE GREAT WAS NINE-HUNDRED TALENTS PER YEAR. I THINK YOU CAN SEE HOW PEOPLE WOULD NOT EVEN FATHOM AN AMOUNT CALLED TEN THOUSAND TALENTS.
THE AMOUNT WAS BEYOND HUMAN IMAGINATION. AND ANOTHER INTERESTING DETAIL ABOUT THIS PARABLE IS THAT THE SERVANT ASKING FOR MERCY WAS USING BEHAVIOR CONTRARY TO WHAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED, GIVEN HIS SITUATION, THUS MAKING THE KING’S GIFT OF COMPASSION AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT.
NOW THE SECOND SERVANT WHO IS INDEBTED TO THE FIRST OWES A DEBT THAT DOESN’T EVEN BEGIN TO COMPARE. HIS DEBT OF ONE-HUNDRED DENARII IS WORTH ABOUT ONE-HUNDRED DAYS OF WORK FOR AN ORDINARY LABORER. SO THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE WAY THE FIRST SERVANT IS TREATED BY THE KING AND THE WAY THAT SERVANT TREATS THE SECOND SERVANT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS. ONE IS REASONABLE (SERVANT TO SERVANT) AND THE OTHER DOESN’T EVEN COME CLOSE TO BEING REASONABLE (KING TO SERVANT). THIS PARABLE IS DISORIENTING, TO SAY THE LEAST! BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, MOST INTELLECTUAL INDIVIDUALS WILL GET THE POINT THAT FORGIVENESS IS A GOOD THING. AND THE CLOSER WE ARE TO GOD’S KIND OF FORGIVENESS THE BETTER OFF WE WILL BE.
I ONCE HEARD A STORY ABOUT AN ELOQUENT SCHOLARLY LECTURE, GIVEN AT NOTRE DAME, ON THE SUBJECT OF CHRISTIAN FORGIVENESS.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LECTURE, A NUN WEARING THE FULL NUN’S HABIT STOOD UP TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE LECTURE HALL AND ASKED, “DOES YOUR THEOLOGY OF FORGIVENESS MEAN THAT THE IRISH ARE EXPECTED TO FORGIVE THE BRITISH?” THE LECTURER REPLIED, “WHY, YES, YES IT DOES.”
“NEVER!” SHOUTED THE NUN AND SAT BACK DOWN.
I WOULD CALL THIS STORY RATHER CUTE AND POIGNANT AT THE SAME TIME.
IT GIVES US AN HONEST LOOK AT HOW VERY DIFFICULT IT IS TO EVEN TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE OF FORGIVENESS.
IN ALL ACTUALITY, FORGIVENESS CAN BE SOMETIMES NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.
CAN A RAPE VICTIM FORGIVE HER PERPETRATOR? CAN TWO PEOPLE WHOSE MARRIAGE HAS ENDED IN AN ANGRY DIVORCE FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER?
CAN PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBERS AT COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL FORGIVE ERIC HARRIS AND DYLAN KLEBOLD? CAN THE SHEPERD FAMILY EVER TRULY FORGIVE THE YOUNG MEN WHO ATTACKED AND KILLED THEIR SON MATTHEW FOR THE SOLE REASON THAT HE WAS GAY? CAN THE CATHOLICS FORGIVE THE REFORMATION? CAN THE WORLD FORGIVE THE CHRISTIAN CRUSADES? CAN ANYONE FORGIVE A TERRORIST ATTACK?
IN A BOOK CALLED PRACTICING OUR FAITH DOROTHY C. BASS TELLS THE FOLLOWING STORY. “A TWELVE YEAR OLD BOY NAMED JOHN WAS PLAYING ONE DAY WITH THE NINE YEAR OLD GIRL WHO LIVED NEXT DOOR.
HER NAME WAS MARIE. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY FOUND A LOADED PISTOL IN A DRESSER DRAWER AND BEFORE LONG THEIR MAKE-BELIEVE GAME TURNED INTO A TRAGIC NIGHTMARE AND LITTLE MARIE WAS DEAD.
EVERYONE IN TOWN ATTENDED THE FUNERAL OF THE LITTLE GIRL—EVERYONE EXCEPT JOHN, WHO COULD NOT FACE ANYONE AND REFUSED TO TALK TO ANYONE.”
“THE MORNING AFTER THE FUNERAL, MARIE’S OLDER BROTHER WENT NEXT DOOR TO TALK TO JOHN. ‘JOHN, COME WITH ME,’ HE SAID. ‘I WANT TO TAKE YOU TO SCHOOL.’ JOHN REFUSED, SAYING, ‘I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANYONE AGAIN. I WISH IT WAS ME WHO WAS DEAD.’ THE BROTHER INSISTED AND FINALLY PERSUADED JOHN TO GO WITH HIM. THE BROTHER TALKED WITH THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND ASKED HIM TO CALL A SPECIAL ASSEMBLY.
FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHT STUDENTS FILED INTO THE GYMNASIUM.
MARIE’S BROTHER STOOD BEFORE THEM AND SAID, ‘A TERRIBLE THING HAS HAPPENED; MY LITTLE SISTER WAS ACCIDENTALLY SHOT BY ONE OF YOUR FELLOW CLASSMATES. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TRAGEDIES THAT MARS LIFE.
NOW I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT MY FAMILY AND JOHN’S FAMILY HAVE BEEN TO CHURCH TOGETHER THIS MORNING AND WE SHARED IN HOLY COMMUNION.’ THEN HE CALLED JOHN NEXT TO HIM, PUT HIS ARM AROUND HIS SHOULDERS AND CONTINUED, ‘THIS BOY’S FUTURE DEPENDS MUCH ON US.
MY FAMILY HAS FORGIVEN JOHN BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM. MARIE WOULD WANT THAT. AND I ASK YOU TO LOVE AND FORGIVE HIM, TOO.’ THEN HE HUGGED JOHN AND THEY WEPT TOGETHER.
I’M NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. BUT I KNOW THE KEY TO THIS STORY IS THE FACT THAT THE TWO FAMILIES HAD TAKEN COMMUNION TOGETHER. GOD CAN HELP US DO WHAT WE CANNOT DO OURSELVES. THIS IS WHY WE WERE GIVEN THE GIFT OF JESUS CHRIST.
AND THIS IS WHY WE SHARE COMMUNION AT THIS TABLE AS OFTEN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND GOD’S GIFT OF FORGIVENESS—GIVEN SO FREELY TO US—THE MORE WE WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOW GOD TO FORGIVE THROUGH US.
YOU SEE, FORGIVENESS NEVER COMES SEPARATE FROM THE POWER OF GOD.
THE SOONER WE KNOW THAT WE CANNOT FORGIVE WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD, THE SOONER WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. AND THEN FORGIVENESS WILL HAPPEN.
NOW YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT I BELIEVE IT BEARS REPEATING. CORRIE TEN BOOM TELLS HOW SHE AND HER SISTER BETSY WERE INTERNED AT THE NAZI CAMP AT RAVENSBRUCK. BETSY DIED THERE, AND CORRIE DREADED THE DAY WHEN, AFTER THE WAR, SHE MIGHT ENCOUNTER ONE OF THEIR CAPTORS. WELL, IT HAPPENED ONE DAY IN MUNICH, WHERE CORRIE WAS GIVING HER TESTIMONY AT A RALLY.
THERE WAS A FORMER S. S. OFFICER THERE WHO HAD STOOD GUARD AT THE SHOWERS IN THE CAMP. CORRIE LOOKED UP AND SUDDENLY HE WAS FACING HER. “HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR YOUR MESSAGE, FRAULEIN,’ HE SAID.
“TO THINK THAT, AS YOU SAY, HE HAS WASHED MY SINS AWAY!”
THE MAN THRUST OUT HIS HAND TO CORRIE, BUT SHE COULD NOT TAKE IT.
SHE FELT SHAME AND GUILT COURSING THROUGH HER BODY.
“LORD JESUS,” SHE PRAYED, “FORGIVE ME AND HELP ME TO FORGIVE HIM.”
BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO WARMTH OR FORGIVENESS IN HER.
AGAIN SHE PRAYED, “JESUS, I CANNOT FORGIVE HIM; GIVE ME YOUR FORGIVENESS.” STRUGGLING WITH HERSELF, SHE TOOK THE MAN’S HAND.
AND AS SHE DID, SHE SAYS, “THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING HAPPENED.
FROM MY SHOULDER ALONG MY ARM AND THROUGH MY HAND A CURRENT SEEMED TO PASS FROM ME TO HIM, WHILE INTO MY HEART SPRANG A LOVE FOR THIS STRANGER THAT OVERWHELMED ME.”
MY FRIENDS, THE GIFT OF BEING ABLE TO GIVE FORGIVENESS IN THE WORST OF SITUATIONS IS, INDEED, A GIFT FROM GOD. IT DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN QUICKLY, BUT WHEN WE REALLY WANT IT AND WE PRAY FOR IT, IT DOES HAPPEN. AND I BELIEVE THIS, BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN MY LIFETIME. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO TIMES IN MY 53 YEARS WHEN I HAVE BEEN HURT BY A BETRAYAL SO BADLY THAT I THOUGHT MY HEART WOULD STOP BEATING AND MY SOUL WOULD TURN DARK FOREVER.
AND TWICE IN MY 53 YEARS I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME KIND OF GRACE SO APTLY DESCRIBED BY CORRIE TEN BOOM. IT DIDN’T HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY IN EITHER CASE. IT TOOK MONTHS AND YEARS OF PRAYER AND STRUGGLE, BUT IT DID HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE IN MY HEART OF HEARTS—AND THROUGH MY GRUELING EXPERIENCES—WHEN WE OPEN OURSELVES UP TO THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH PRAYER, GOD WILL RESPOND. GOD GAVE ME THE GIFT OF BEING ABLE TO FORGIVE TWO VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. AND IN THE GIVING I WAS FORGIVEN MYSELF. IT IS THE LARGEST GIFT OF WHOLENESS AND GRACE WE CAN EVER RECEIVE AND IT IS ALWAYS THERE, JUST FOR THE ASKING.
IS THERE SOMEONE OR SOME THING YOU NEED TO FORGIVE TODAY?
PRAY ABOUT IT. GIVE THE POWER TO GOD. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE LIKE THE FIRST SERVANT IN OUR PARABLE. GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU AND ME FOR EVERY DEBT, BOTH GREAT AND SMALL. AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO MELT OUR HEARTS INTO COMPLIANCE WITH GOD’S WISHES. GOD WANTS FOR US TO BE FORGIVING AND TO BE FORGIVEN—SEVENTY-SEVEN TIMES. MAY IT BE SO FOR YOU AND FOR ME.