Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday 11, September 2005
Genesis 50:15-21, Romans 14:5-9, Matthew 18:21-35
Children's Sermon (Eberhart: We all have "hurt taters," emotional baggage we're carrying around, grudges we hold against others, and guilt we carry before God. But Christ lets us put that burden down.
Sermon: Forgiveness is a major tenet of our faith. Most people neglect to mention forgiveness. The parable of the wicked servant...the wicked servant owed the equivalent of $10 million U.S. dollars, but the ruler forgave his debt. However, another servant owed this servant the equivalent of $100. And he threw the guy in prison.
Everyone wants to conceal some sin or another. It's in the closet. It's hard to forget. We choose to forgive, even if we can't forget the event.
George Anderson recalls a time when he visited a host of a big dinner. They had a fancy lace tablecloth, a family heirloom, to eat on. One of the guests spilled cranberry sauce on it. The woman was embarassed. The host said it was no problem. That same guest stayed overnight, and when she went to get a glass of water, she saw the host frantically scrubbing the tablecloth to get the stain out.
Families are split apart because of inheritances, bills, or because someone ruined some object. It's hard for these people to let go.
Chuck Culson was a prison minister in a Brazil prison. They only had two guards at the place, even though it held the hard cases like murderers. There was reconciliation, mentoring and accountability. There were bible verses on the wall. There was only 4% rape in that prison, which is small compared to other prisons. They only had one isolation cell. Inside was a crucifix which had been carved by prisoners. The message was that Jesus did time for us.
Reginald Denny, a white man who was involved with the Rodney King riots, was rescued by a black man from an angry mob. When he forgave his attackers, a reporter said he was brain damaged.
During the end of the Berlin wall, an East German general lost his position. A pastor gave him a spare room because the man was homeless. The congregation hated the pastor for it. They left the church and threatened him.
A motivational speaker was talking to kids about self esteem when he saw a group of kids who seemed to be ignoring him, talking over him. He told them "You may think I have nothing good to say, but give me a listen." But the kid said that she was interpreting for deaf kids. He couldn't feel worse about himself.
This is what happens when you forget you're forgiven. Forgiveness is a basic tenet of Christianity.