Forgiving and Forgiven
Sermon Text for March 4:
Mark 2:1-11
The memory was hazy, but each image brought anxious pains to his stomach and he felt nauseous. It couldn’t really have happened could it? Surely even in a drunken rage he would never do something like that! But the images kept flashing relentlessly in his memory. The images were not complete, just a flicker every now and then.
Nevertheless the images were distressing. He saw himself raging at his son and he could still see the look of terror on his son’s face. He couldn’t quite remember the words he was screaming, but the mental picture made him ashamed. He saw his son running away, rushing out of the house and into the street. Why was he running? Didn’t he know that fathers never hurt their sons?
His heart was pleading, “Please God let this be another nightmare!” But something told him it was real. He saw himself jumping into the car and trying to stop his son. No ... it was more than that ... he was trying to run over him. O God! How could this be? The son ran into the field at the end of the street and ducked down in the tall weeds. And to his horror the father remembered driving into the weeds trying to run over his son.
The images and memories kept coming. And the man heard himself praying, “O God, I am so sorry! Can you ever forgive me?” But it didn’t really make any difference because the man knew he would never forgive himself. He knew that he would carry these images and memories with him to the grave.
Forgiveness is one of the themes for the Lenten season. During this time we become introspective and remember what is lacking in our spiritual lives. Often what we lack has something to do with forgiving and being forgiven. Sometimes looking at ourselves can be painful, but believers can do it because we trust in the amazing grace of Jesus. We know that no matter how painful the memory, he is with us all the way. Even so these journeys are difficult because many of us have a real problem with forgiveness.
I told you the true story of the drunken father dealing with the hurt he caused because the things that most of us have done probably seem small by comparison. His courage in looking at himself can encourage us to examine our sin more honestly.
But here is a question: Can someone like the drunken father be forgiven? Not only were several laws broken – drunk driving, assault, child abuse, attempted murder, but both father and son are traumatized many years later. If it were in your power, would you forgive the father? Many of us will discover that what we feel is opposed to what the scriptures teach.
Biblically speaking, forgiveness is letting go of, releasing, or covering sin so that it no longer has an effect on our lives. So when forgiveness is real we experience liberation, graciousness, and freedom. And the sin no longer has power over us.
The scriptures teach that there is only one unforgivable sin. But there is not a unified explanation on how forgiveness is received. Sometimes forgiveness is given without repentance and without it being asked for and at other times penitence seems necessary. So for example in the second chapter of Mark a paralyzed man is forgiven and healed without his being penitent or confessing.
When Jesus hung dying on the cross he looked down at his murderers and prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Again there is no penitence or even any sense that they are doing something wrong. Jesus set the bar high for his followers when in a gracious act he offers forgiveness while the crime is being committed.
But sometimes forgiveness and confession seem to go hand in hand. When John the Baptizer invited people to come for baptism he said, “Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin.” So John believed that in order to receive baptism the believer needed to be sorry for sin.
So back to the question: Can the father in the story be forgiven? Or more personally, if you were the son would you forgive your father? Are there people in your own life that you simply cannot forgive?
My challenge to you is to use this Lenten Season to ponder the things for which you need forgiveness, and believe in your heart that you are forgiven. Then think about those persons you have yet to forgive. Ask God for the grace to be like Jesus, and to forgive as you have been forgiven. We can start the journey toward forgiveness today, right now during this communion service. As you receive the elements experience God’s forgiving love and offer a prayer forgiving others.
Copyright © 2007 by Dwight R. Blackstock
Mark 2:1-11
The memory was hazy, but each image brought anxious pains to his stomach and he felt nauseous. It couldn’t really have happened could it? Surely even in a drunken rage he would never do something like that! But the images kept flashing relentlessly in his memory. The images were not complete, just a flicker every now and then.
Nevertheless the images were distressing. He saw himself raging at his son and he could still see the look of terror on his son’s face. He couldn’t quite remember the words he was screaming, but the mental picture made him ashamed. He saw his son running away, rushing out of the house and into the street. Why was he running? Didn’t he know that fathers never hurt their sons?
His heart was pleading, “Please God let this be another nightmare!” But something told him it was real. He saw himself jumping into the car and trying to stop his son. No ... it was more than that ... he was trying to run over him. O God! How could this be? The son ran into the field at the end of the street and ducked down in the tall weeds. And to his horror the father remembered driving into the weeds trying to run over his son.
The images and memories kept coming. And the man heard himself praying, “O God, I am so sorry! Can you ever forgive me?” But it didn’t really make any difference because the man knew he would never forgive himself. He knew that he would carry these images and memories with him to the grave.
Forgiveness is one of the themes for the Lenten season. During this time we become introspective and remember what is lacking in our spiritual lives. Often what we lack has something to do with forgiving and being forgiven. Sometimes looking at ourselves can be painful, but believers can do it because we trust in the amazing grace of Jesus. We know that no matter how painful the memory, he is with us all the way. Even so these journeys are difficult because many of us have a real problem with forgiveness.
I told you the true story of the drunken father dealing with the hurt he caused because the things that most of us have done probably seem small by comparison. His courage in looking at himself can encourage us to examine our sin more honestly.
But here is a question: Can someone like the drunken father be forgiven? Not only were several laws broken – drunk driving, assault, child abuse, attempted murder, but both father and son are traumatized many years later. If it were in your power, would you forgive the father? Many of us will discover that what we feel is opposed to what the scriptures teach.
Biblically speaking, forgiveness is letting go of, releasing, or covering sin so that it no longer has an effect on our lives. So when forgiveness is real we experience liberation, graciousness, and freedom. And the sin no longer has power over us.
The scriptures teach that there is only one unforgivable sin. But there is not a unified explanation on how forgiveness is received. Sometimes forgiveness is given without repentance and without it being asked for and at other times penitence seems necessary. So for example in the second chapter of Mark a paralyzed man is forgiven and healed without his being penitent or confessing.
When Jesus hung dying on the cross he looked down at his murderers and prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Again there is no penitence or even any sense that they are doing something wrong. Jesus set the bar high for his followers when in a gracious act he offers forgiveness while the crime is being committed.
But sometimes forgiveness and confession seem to go hand in hand. When John the Baptizer invited people to come for baptism he said, “Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin.” So John believed that in order to receive baptism the believer needed to be sorry for sin.
So back to the question: Can the father in the story be forgiven? Or more personally, if you were the son would you forgive your father? Are there people in your own life that you simply cannot forgive?
My challenge to you is to use this Lenten Season to ponder the things for which you need forgiveness, and believe in your heart that you are forgiven. Then think about those persons you have yet to forgive. Ask God for the grace to be like Jesus, and to forgive as you have been forgiven. We can start the journey toward forgiveness today, right now during this communion service. As you receive the elements experience God’s forgiving love and offer a prayer forgiving others.
Copyright © 2007 by Dwight R. Blackstock
posted by Dwight Blackstock | 3:22 PM
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