A REFORMATION DAY PRAYER
As we celebrate the Reformation, let us also pray for reconciliation within the body of Christ.
For the church that in every age has taught the faith to children, shared the sacraments, and fed the poor, O God, we give you thanks.
For the times when the church has let the human urge for power and self-preservation prevail over the will of God, O God, we ask forgiveness.
For those who work to create unity among all the churches and seek to find ways to walk together, O God, we give you thanks.
For us, when we promote sectarianism above our Oneness as children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ, O God, we ask forgiveness.
For those in every age who bring reformation and renewal to the church when it has become complacent, O God, we give you thanks.
For those instances when we have driven out sisters and brothers who had a different vision of God’s will for us, O God, we ask forgiveness.
For the diversity of expression in our many churches and denominations and for the spirit of liberation that allows the church to continually renew itself, O God, we give you thanks.
For the church, that we may be worthy and willing to work at healing divisions among all worshiping communities throughout the whole world, we pray in the name of the God who is Creator of all. Amen.
SERMON
POINT: Parables move us from the world we
“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.” —C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Matthew 18:21-35 NRSV
21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him, 25 and, as he could not pay, the lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions and payment to be made.
26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’
29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.
31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger, his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
POINT: There’s no way to fully comprehend the work of Christ until you understand the
Forgiveness flounders because I exclude the enemy from the community of humans and myself from the community of sinners. —Miroslav Volf, Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation
POINT: Forgiveness takes an incredible amount of
STEPS TOWARDS BECOMING A FORGIVING PERSON:
1.
2. Forgo the demand for
3. Become conscious of the person who has
Forgiveness doesn’t mean “I didn’t really mind” or “it didn’t really matter.” I did mind, and it did matter; otherwise, there wouldn’t be anything to forgive at all, merely something to adjust my attitude about. We hear a lot today about people needing to adjust their attitudes to things they formerly thought were wrong, but that’s not forgiveness. If I have a wrong attitude toward someone and need to adjust my attitude, if anything, it’s me who needs forgiveness for my misguided earlier stance. Nor is forgiveness the same as saying, “Let’s pretend it didn’t really happen.”
This is a little trickier because part of the point of forgiveness is that I am committing myself to work toward the point where I can behave as if it hadn’t happen. But it did happen, and forgiveness isn’t pretending that it didn’t; forgiveness is looking hard at the fact that it did and making a conscious choice-a decision of the moral will-to set aside so that it doesn’t come as a barrier between us. —N.T. Wright, Evil and the Justice of God
Psalm 103:10-14 NRSV
He does not deal with us according to our sins
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust.