Message: Only God is Judge & Forgiveness Possible!
Let me just cut to the chase really quick and say that 70 times 7 is as good as saying forever, or ongoing. Seven is a number for completion in the Bible and when you see it used by God, we are talking in deeper terms and ideas that that of the world. Our Lord is actually saying we must seek forgiveness; from God and other people, and then if we want to receive that forgiveness, we must be willing to forgive ourselves.
Ongoing forgiveness is really the heart of the matter in fact. Since I am in an ongoing need for forgiveness from a God that must be really tiered of my lame antics of nonsense. And I am sure that I am not alone in this challenge for self-control. And the search plus the need, continue…
Before the ongoing need for forgiveness, it is important to actually breach that reluctance in the very beginning of the forgiving process. At some point all of us are going to be tasked to forgive some horrific act of another person or persons. That just life. And sometimes it just goes beyond our understanding on just what God is calling us to do. Please let me read to you about an example, by reading the culmination of a story many of us know or have heard about. In the Old Testament, the book of Genesis unfolds a passage of forgiveness and grace that we must never forget. Reading from Genesis 50:15-21:
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
All this after being sold into slavery, and abused and left for dead. Wow! And Joseph forgave, and is remembered by us today for his greatness and good judgement through his listening to what God had planned for his life. If only we could be as willing to extend mercy and forgiveness to others.
You and I are instructed by God to act in much the same way as Joseph did all those years ago, when it comes to the day-to-day behavior of the people in our lives. Even though most of the time the stakes are not nearly as high or the hurt as deep as what Joseph endured, we are still call to follow his example for our own salvation. For confirmation of my words, please let me read for you today’s Prelude and more. Paul’s instructions of what a life in harmony with others is all about. Reading from Romans 14:1-22;
1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
*Interrupting Paul to say; Last week there was an Interfaith Concert provided for anyone who wanted to be entertained and to make a stand for coexistence, individuality, and freedom of choice. Do we agree with all of the choices people make in their private lives…their religious choices…their lifestyle choices? Of course not. Nor are we called to. We are called to respect the freedom of choice all people in this Republic enjoy, without necessarily agreeing with the choices made by others. This secular approach of life is also directed for us by God when it comes to the different ideas out there that exists about how best to worship and revere God. On to verse 5;
5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
**Interrupting again to say; He is the God of all! In another place Paul teaches Titus to stick to the important things of faith. Reading Titus 3:8-9
8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
So let us stick to what is important and salvationary, and leave the pettiness to others. Now, verse 10;
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
***Amen, and amen! It’s amazing when you think just how much like our Lord Paul sounds like. Remember the passage where Jesus says it would be better is one were thrown in the sea with a Millstone wrapped around their neck? As should be for anyone who would be an obstacle for another getting closer to God!
Now, Paul will give his own thoughts on what clean food is all about, and how that relates to living a clean life or righteousness. In short, grace given to others allows us to overlook the nonessential for what is really essential in our God. Verse 14;
14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.
****Interrupting Paul one more time to say; putting others before yourself is step one of a faithwalk that leads each of us into eternity. No matter how much we think petty or nonsensical another’s hangup might be, we must pay special attention to that person’s need. Remembering that one size does not ever fit all in human dynamics, and each case must be weighed on the merits of the situation with focus on what your brother or sister need for their faithwalk! Now, verse 16;
16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Faith is the key! When we believe that God is more than capable of doing the real judging in life, and that He can make what is bad, hurtful, and evil…right, we begin to understand more fully today’s message title; “Only God is Judge & Forgiveness Possible!“ Forgiveness is indeed possible only through our Lord who provides eternal salvation. Faith in His ability to do what He says He is going to do is essential to our salvation. But I also must be concerned for the salvation of the people God places in our lives.
As Paul would say and did say; why judge someone else’s servant? And that is what someone else, another person struggling through life… is. God’s servant. So why are we so hard on others. Is it, if we can make another guilty, we become less guilty of sin? No, and no!
All of this essential instruction from Paul, serves to compliment the teaching of our Lord on getting along with others, and learning to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. Reading again today’s Message reading from Message Reading, from the Gospel of: Matthew 6:14-15, 18:21-22;
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Now, Matthew 18:21-22;
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times
But don’t stop there. Your Lord is asking more of you than just forgiving others… God expects us to expend a little effort… to do some looking deep within ourselves and then reflect on where we are in our faithwalk in and with Him. When we invariably find problems with our own behavior and attitudes, and we will… We must begin the work that can only be accomplished with our Lord at our side.
Self-reflection is one of those things God calls us to, when we weekly come to the Lord’s table for sustenance, refreshment, and rejuvenation, that only the Lord’s Supper can provide us through faith. Today, after the message, we will as a family like every other Sunday, partake in Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper. We do this knowing that no one in this room is worthy, but all are invited into a deeper relationship in and with our God.
Here are Paul’s words on the practice of Communion. Reading from 1 Corinthians 11:23-32;
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
*Interrupting Paul to say; When we take Communion, we proclaim our Lord’s saving grace for all of us who ask to be a part of God’s family. It’s not the worthy, or who you think should be included or not, but; who our Lord died for! The servants that belong to God. Now for the even deeper commitment on our part. Here is Paul talking about reverence for God, and this time which is the highpoint of a Sunday service, coming up in a few minutes. Verse 27;
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
Our lives are not meant for us to be sleepwalking through. We were made for the deeper, richer, more meaningful things in this beautiful life, that God has given each and every one of us.
When we come to the Lord’s Table for Communion, we are confirming each Sunday that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. The ethic of serving God by serving others, is a hallmark that all of us share in common my beloved family.
And when we reflect on this special relationship with God that each of us are invited to partake in, we begin to see everything a little bit clearer. Even scripture takes on new and deeper meaning. Please let me close with where we began this morning, with the Call to Worship; Psalm 103:8-12 that Shanna read for us. As I do, see if you can see your place in God’s revealed word of eternity.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
May He always reward your searches in scripture for answers in your life. My hope and prayer for you this week and the weeks ahead is that you will endure your challenges, not fear obstacle, and rise to each occasion of adversity. To disregard the negativity of cynics, and be gateways of hope for all the people around you that God has provided.
Amen!