336 Sermon Illustrations on Forgiveness

Garth Brooks has a song which says "We buried the hatchet, but left the handle sticking out." One great obstacle of stumbling is non-forgiveness. The hatchet might seem to be buried, but people continue to grab hold of the handle when they want to use it against another. Jesus said if a brother repents, forgive him-that is, bury the hatchet and its handle. How many times, you might ask? As often as the brother repents, we are to forgive.

Don't grab hold of buried hatchet handles, for they become stumbling blocks to forgiveness.

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child," says William Shakespeare's King Lear. Well, then, how about a thankless jailbird? If you want an answer to that one, ask District Judge Phillip Killien of Seattle.

Recently, a young man appeared before Judge Killien on charges of car theft. The judge saw no reason to keep him locked up while he awaited court action. He released him on his own recognizance.

A short time later, Killien's own car disappeared.

Police quickly found the stolen car, and the one who stole it. Then, Judge Killien was in court in a new role, not as a judge, but as a witness, against the same young man he had released, who stood accused of stealing the magistrate's wheels.

A Japanese proverb reminds us that forgiving the unrepentant is like drawing pictures on the water. Ignoring sin may gain the sinner's temporary gratitude, but makes no lasting impression. A forgiven car thief is still a car thief if no change of character takes place.

How about you? Do you seek to escape justice or to be justified by God's grace and Christ's mercy? God offers you liberty, not license, in the cleansing blood of Christ.

Rather than forgive and forget, is it really forgive and feel better physically and emotionally?

And, as a side benefit, could forgiveness reduce family holiday stress, right about now?

A new study done at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research says those in their 40s and older enjoy better mental and physical health through forgiving others.

And clergy and psychologists consulted say that while forgiveness - the ceasing of resentment - may not be a traditional Christmas theme, it just may help during holiday times when relationships are so much the focus.

"I think it makes Christmas sense: How to survive the holidays? Try to forgive one another," said the Rev. Matthew Lawrence, chaplain at Canterbury House, an Episcopal center near U-M. "So many of the wounds are inflicted by our siblings and parents and other relatives. It is a task of spiritual development to see past what divides us and find the love that's deeper."

The U-M study of more than 1,400 Americans shows that more people had forgiven themselves and believe God had forgiven them for mistakes and wrongdoing, while fewer had forgiven others or sought forgiveness for harm they have done.

It is the first national survey linking age differences in forgiveness and health, and is a pioneering effort to study the topic scientifically. The social researchers piggybacked their questions on U-M's well-known consumer confidence study.

"Forgiveness is not just a theological concept, but is one that has direct consequences for health and function," said David R. Williams, a U-M senior research scientist and sociology professor involved with the work.

Interestingly, though, certain kinds of forgiveness are more, well, forgiving.

For example, forgiving oneself and forgiving others, really letting go of resentment and giving up trying to get even, appear to bring better mental health, the study showed.

But people who pray for those who hurt them, and actively seek God's forgiveness, seemed to do less well.

"This is the dark side, which is unexpected and puzzling," said Williams. "It may be symptomatic of some deeper psychological need or problem. Or it may be that forgiveness is a process that unfolds over time," which wasn't measured in the study.

The health benefits of forgiveness are more pronounced among people 45 and older. "There's a certain perspective and wisdom that people gain as they get older. Forgiveness fundamentally has to do with bringing resolution to conflicts and past hurts," Williams said.

People who have lived longer may be more aware of their mortality and the need to repair and maintain relationships, says the Rev. Lori Carey of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor.

"We sometimes lose sight of how quickly time passes. People are so future-oriented, and they think they'll forgive someone in the future, but then the opportunity passes. I think older people realize ... it's not worth the sacrifice of time to have a broken relationship," Carey said.

The health aspects of forgiveness fall right in line with what clergy or psychologists say they already see.

"Without forgiveness, you're almost unable to see the world clearly, and you're certainly burdened by your own anger," Lawrence said.

Anger can prompt high blood pressure, depression and anxiety, and forgiveness can defuse and eliminate anger, says Duane DeFranco, a U-M clinical instructor. And for those who carry around a grudge, "it can cause more harm than good. It's not working for you," he said.

Letting go of anger and moving toward forgiveness is especially timely around the holidays, DeFranco says. "There might be families where, if they could drop the grudge, they could get back together and help each other."

Forgiveness also may be linked to overall health given the state of mind needed to forgive. "You have to be in a pretty good place to be able to forgive. So healthier people are perhaps more able to do that; they have worked through issues about regrets in their lives," said Emanuel Schreiber, an Ann Arbor psychotherapist

The spirit of forgiving brings out the best in people, and it can be especially true at the holidays, Carey says.

"There's a great deal of peace and good will. ... For some this is the only time they'll come to church, and ... it is a longing for peace of mind and heart," she said.

___________________

Lisa Klionsky can be reached at lklionsky@annarbornews.com

Copyright 2001 Michigan Live Inc.

Michigan Live is a Registered Trademark of Advance Internet, Inc.

”… where sin abounded, grace did much more abound … “ (Romans 5: 20, KJV)

— For reading & meditation: Romans 5:12-21

We are meditating on how to recover from the brokenness caused by the memory of some deeply grievous sin. By that we mean a sin which God has forgiven but which, for some reason, still burns in our memories.

The first principle is this: realize that God can do more with sin than just forgive it. I heard an elderly minister make that statement many years ago, when I was a young Christian, and at first I resisted it. I said to myself: “How can God use sin? Surely it is His one intolerance?” Then, after pondering for a while, I saw what he meant. God uses our sin to motivate our will toward greater spiritual achievement, to quicken our compassion toward sinners and to show God’s tender heart for the fallen.

We must be careful, of course, that we do not fall into the error which Paul refers to in Romans 6:1-2: “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid” (KJV). If we sin in order that God may use it, then our motives are all wrong and we fall foul of the eternal purposes. If, however, we commit sin, but then take it to God in confession — really take it to Him — then He will not only forgive it, but make something of it.

Is this too difficult for you to conceive? Then I point you to the cross. The cross was the foulest deed mankind ever committed, yet God used it to become the fulcrum of His redemption. It was our lowest point — but it was God’s zenith. Hallelujah.

PRAYER:

O Father, I am so relieved to know that You take even my sins and make them contribute to Your purposes. Grace turns all my bad into good, all my good into better and all my better into the best. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY:

Heb. 10:1-22; Isa. 43:25; 44:22; 55:7

1. What will God not remember any more?

2. What is the “full assurance” we can have?

As terrorism, executions and revenge attacks continue to claim headlines in the Middle East, two acts of mercy went relatively unnoticed.

In Saudi Arabia, where its eye-for-an-eye brand of justice prescribes death for a variety of offenses, a 19-year-old Saudi prince convicted of gunning down another young man was dragged into a public square in Riyadh May 1 for beheading. Standing blindfolded as the executioner prepared his sword, the terrified prince shouted, “For the sake of God, spare me!”

His victim's father suddenly emerged from the crowd of spectators and forgave the young man, who was indeed spared.

As practiced in Saudi Arabia, Islamic law allows a victim's family to pardon the condemned as an act of mercy. In this case, however, “It was a big shock, since [the father] and his brothers had told the officials to make sure the execution was carried out,” a justice official was quoted by wire services as saying.

A nearly identical incident reportedly occurred March 26 in the Saudi town of Tabuk. A 21-year-old condemned man -- kneeling, blindfolded, seconds from death -- was spared beheading when his victim's father stepped forward and said, “I forgive you.”

Perhaps strings were pulled behind the scenes, particularly in the case of the condemned prince. Perhaps the victims' families were persuaded by others to relent at the last moment. But I'd like to think that two brokenhearted fathers with the power of life and death in their hands decided to let mercy triumph over justice.

What an illustration of the mercy of God, who forgave those who killed His only Son. How desperately such mercy is needed -- and desired -- in the Muslim world at this historic moment.

That truth often gets lost in the sound and fury about a “clash of civilizations” pitting militant Islam against the West, democracy against tyranny and so forth. Such struggles may be unfolding in the political and military spheres, but they shouldn't be confused with the bigger picture of God's plan. Civilizations rise and fall. God uses history, human action, war and peace for His purposes -- not vice versa.

A few days after 9/11, I sat in the Cairo living room of an Egyptian follower of Christ. When prayer time came, he got on his knees and began to plead for God's mercy over his land, where Jesus once found sanctuary when Joseph and Mary fled Herod. The follower fully expected the Egyptian church to suffer in the days to come -- partly from the renewed surge of Muslim extremism, partly because of the increasing boldness of believers in Christ. He prayed for believers, but mostly he prayed for the tens of millions of Egyptian Muslims seeking a shepherd.

“Extend Your mercy, O Father,” he said over and over, as tears mingled with sweat on his cheeks. “Extend Your mercy.”

God is answering that prayer in many ways, not only in Egypt but throughout the Muslim world. He is revealing Himself through dreams and visions, through the lives of His followers, through His Word as hungry souls seek it out. No one should be surprised about the runaway success of “The Passion of The Christ,” now playing to sold-out theater crowds in places like Egypt, Syria, Qatar, Lebanon and Jordan (and on pirated DVDs in Yemeni and Afghan street markets).

“It has beaten all records,” the film's Middle East distributor was quoted as saying. “It's more popular than 'Titanic' and the James Bond films.”

Governments in some Muslim countries are allowing the film to play because of what they assume to be its anti-Semitic message. Many Muslims may be attending the movie for the same reason. When they get there, however, they see a Jesus they've never seen before: a Jesus who loves and forgives despite His terrible sufferings, a Jesus who offers the mercy and salvation of God to anyone who will embrace it.

One Turkish woman who saw the movie had been considering the claims of Christ for some time. Like many Muslims, however, she didn't want to be rejected by her family for following Jesus.

After seeing The Passion, she “could no longer deny what she knew in her heart to be true,” a friend said. “That night, after many tears, she opened her heart and for the first time accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Many of us sowed, many of us watered, but it is the Lord of the harvest that drew her to Him.”

Militant Muslims despise the West and everything it stands for. On the other end of the spectrum, many average Muslims crave Western-style freedoms and wealth. But the West is not the issue when a Muslim considers the essential claims of the Gospel. Jesus is the issue. Is this man, born in the Middle East, a dead prophet or the living Son of God?

“That's the only issue we want to stumble over,” says one mission leader. “We don't want to stumble over Westernism.”

Jesus is Lord over East and West, North and South. He will be worshiped one day throughout the Muslim world -- regardless of the political or social systems that ultimately take hold there.

__________

Erich Bridges is a senior writer with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.

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[Original illustration here was a duplicate in HolwickID 25837-26027]

Here in Florida we seem to notice lots of pickup trucks where the dashboard looks like a perpetual garbage depot. — they never clean it out. A short driver would need a booster seat to see to drive. Some of them have enough soda cups to supply McDonald’s. I’ve often wondered how many unpaid bills are in those piles.

Our lives can be like that — perpetually collecting thoughts and traits without ever using God’s forgiveness to clean out the trash. Sometimes we get our lives bogged down with excess baggage that really should be discarded.

Cleaning out the soul can feel like you just dropped a 100 lb. sack of potatoes from your shoulder. I recently had that experience, and it’s a relief.

Say with the Psalmist (139:23, 24; NLT), “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” That’s the way to clean our mental dashboards.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Paul the Apostle (Ephesians 4:32)

Some years ago during a visit to Yellowstone Park one writer observed that the only animal the grizzly bear would share food with was a skunk. It wasn’t that the grizzly wanted to share his food but rather that he chose to. With one swing of his powerful paw he could have crushed the skunk. So why did he allow the skunk to eat with him?

Because he knew the high cost of getting even.

Clever bear!

Undoubtedly he learned the hard way. Strange that we humans often aren’t as smart. Sometimes we carry grudges for years, often repressing them from conscious memory, and end up hurting ourselves more than the ones we would like to get even with. We fail to see how damaging an unforgiving spirit is.

In his book, “None of These Diseases,” Dr. S.I. McMillen says, “Medical science recognizes that emotions such as fear, sorrow, envy, resentment and hatred are responsible for the majority of our sicknesses. Estimates vary from 60 to nearly 100 percent.”

I read about one patient who was told by his doctor. “If you don’t cut out your resentments, I may have to cut out a part of your intestinal tract.”

Fortunately the man took the doctor’s advice. He had been nursing a bitter grudge against a former business partner. He went to see this man, resolved their difference, and forgave him. When he returned to the doctor, his physical condition had cleared up.

Smart man!

The reality is what we fail to forgive keeps us bound to and by the past. Forgiveness sets the hurt person free. That’s why Jesus told Peter we need to forgive seventy times seven; that is, to keep on forgiving so we don’t become bitter and resentful.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to forgive all who have ever hurt me as you forgive me for all I have ever done to hurt others. Gratefully in Jesus’ name.”

It is sad to say, and yet I am convinced that I am right, some people who seek counseling today, do not seek truth, they seek someone to affirm some error.

C. S. Lewis pointed this out many years ago. “Much of the time” he said, “when we say, ‘Please forgive me,’ what we’re really asking is, ‘Please excuse me.’ We’re not asking for forgiveness, but to be excused. We don’t want to admit that what we did was wrong; we simply want to be let off the hook.

But God does not offer to excuse us; He offers to forgive us. And the first step toward receiving His forgiveness is to admit that we have sinned. No excuses, no justifications. We simply say, ‘Lord, I have offended You by my actions. I have chosen to displease You, and I have dishonored Your holy name by what I have done. I have sinned.’”

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #22571]

Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person's sin. Forgiveness is costly; we pay the price of the evil we forgive. Yet you're going to live with those consequences whether you want to or not; your only choice is whether you will do so in the bondage of bitterness or the freedom of forgiveness. That's how Jesus forgave you -- He took the consequences of your sin upon Himself. All true forgiveness is substitutional, because no one really forgives without bearing the penalty of the other person's sin.

Why then do we forgive? Because Christ forgave us. God the Father "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Where is the justice? The cross makes forgiveness legally and morally right: "For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all" (Romans 6:10).

How do you forgive from the heart? First, you acknowledge the hurt and the hate. If your forgiveness doesn't visit the emotional core of your past, it will be incomplete. This is the great evangelical cover-up. Christians feel the pain of interpersonal offenses, but we won't acknowledge it. Let God bring the pain to the surface so He can deal with it. This is where the healing takes place.

Ask God to bring to your mind those you need to forgive. Make a list of all those who have offended you. Since God has forgiven them by His grace, you can forgive them too. For each person on your list, say: "Lord, I forgive (name) for (offenses)." Keep praying about each individual until you are sure that all the remembered pain has been dealt with. Don't try to rationalize or explain the offender's behavior. Forgiveness deals with your pain, not another's behavior. Remember: Positive feelings will follow in time; freeing yourself from the past is the critical issue.

Lord, I desire to be free from the hurt and the hate of offenses in my past. Today I move beyond desiring to forgive and asking Your help to forgive. Lord, I forgive _________ for ___________.

In evil long I took delight,

Unawed by shame or fear,

Till a new object struck my sight,

And stopp’d my wild career:

I saw One hanging on a Tree

In agonies and blood,

Who fix’d His languid eyes on me.

As near His Cross I stood.

Sure never till my latest breath,

Can I forget that look:

It seem’d to charge me with His death,

Though not a word He spoke,

My conscience felt and own’d the guilt,

And plunged me in despair:

I saw my sins His Blood had spilt,

And help’d to nail Him there.

Alas! I knew not what I did!,

But now my tears are vain:

Where shall my trembling soul be hid?

For I the Lord have slain!

A second look He gave, which said,

“I freely all forgive;

This blood is for thy ransom paid;

I die that thou may’st live.”

Thus, while His death my sin displays

In all its blackest hue,

Such is the mystery of grace,

It seals my pardon too.

With pleasing grief, and mournful joy,

My spirit now is fiil’d,

That I should such a life destroy,

Yet live Him I kill’d!

On the evening of April 25, 1958, a young Korean exchange student, a leader in student Christian affairs in the University of Pennsylvania, left his flat and went to the corner to post a letter to his parents in Pusan. Turning from the mailbox he stepped into the path of eleven leather-jacketed teenage boys. Without a word they attacked him, beating him with a blackjack, a lead pipe and with their shoes and fists. Later, when the police found him in the gutter, he was dead. All Philadelphia cried out for vengeance. The district attorney secured legal authority to try the boys as adults so that those found guilty could be given the death penalty. Then a letter arrived from Korea that made everyone stop and think. It was signed by the parents and by twenty other relatives of the murdered boy. It read in part:

“Our family has met together and we have decided to petition that the most generous treatment possible within the laws of your government be given to those who have committed this criminal action. In order to give evidence of our sincere hope contained in this petition, we have decided to save money to start a fund to be used for the religious, educational, vocational, and social guidance of the boys when they are released. We have dared to express our hope with a spirit received from the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ who died for our sins.”

__________

A. Leonard Griffith, “Beneath the Cross of Jesus,” quoted in James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 213-214. Source: A Dose of Inspiration, http://www.quietstones.com/mydailydose

In business and life the opportunity to harbor bitterness for a wrong suffered is great. We are given plenty of opportunities to grow bitter from relationships that bring hurt and pain. The writer of the Hebrews passage above admonishes us not to miss the grace of God so that we won’t take up bitterness as a response to life’s pain. He cautions us against this because he knows that a bitter root grows and grows until it eventually defiles many others through a wake of bitterness. If bitterness is allowed to take root, we become imprisoned to it. God’s grace will no longer have as great an effect in our lives. We become ineffective, insensitive, and spiritually dead. We can even become physically ill from it. God does not live in bitterness. He lives in grace. He has provided grace for every person to walk in.

One day I was challenged to deal with an individual who hurt me terribly. I was faced with a decision. Would I choose bitterness, or would I choose grace? Oh, how my natural tendency was to choose bitterness. But God provided the courage to choose grace. With that grace came freedom-a freedom to love and even accept the person who was the source of such pain.

This is the real place where Christ’s power is most revealed. We cannot live without His supernatural grace. Are you in need of grace today? It is there for the receiving. It will take courage to accept it and walk in it. This will be your step to freedom.

Josephine Ligon tells of a family in the town where she grew up who preached and practiced forgiveness. Their name was Parsons. On one occasion, Mr. Parsons watched young Josephine get swatted by the broom of a mean old lady in town who didn't like the neighborhood children getting too close to her property. He stopped Josephine and told her, “Go back and tell Mrs. Brink that you forgive her for hitting you.”

“Say, 'I forgive you' to Mrs. Brink?”

Mr. Parsons smiled. “Forgiveness comes in many forms,” he said. “You don't actually have to say, 'I forgive you.’ A simple smile will do. You might just tell her that her daffodils are pretty.”

It seemed dumb to young Josephine, but in those days children did what their elders told them to do. So, she went back and mumbled something to Mrs. Brink about her daffodils being pretty. Mrs. Brink looked shocked, but it was the last time Josephine ever felt her broom.

On another occasion Josephine and several of her third grade friends put a handful of pencil shavings into the Parsons girl's sandwich, just to be mean and to make her mad. But she didn't get mad. Instead, the next day, without any sign of repentance from her persecutors, the Parsons girl brought everyone in the class a large, beautiful, delicious, hand-decorated cookie which said, “Jesus loves you.” Years later Josephine Ligon still remembers that demonstration of forgiveness more than any sermon.

Forgiveness is more than words; it's action!

________

Christianity Today, March 2, 1979, p. 18, http://www.christianitytoday.com/; secondary source: A Dose of Inspiration, http://www.quietstones.com/mydailydose

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Rwanda. A lot of Americans had never heard of that African country until, a few years ago, it became the scene of horrific bloodshed and a tribal war that left thousands of Rwandans brutally slaughtered. With this awful season of attempted genocide, Rwanda became a word written in blood. And now the challenge is to attempt to heal the nation. Leaders who helped South Africa reconcile its years of apartheid violence have come to Rwanda to help them find a healing road. Out of this struggle has come a story I will not soon forget. The son of a lady named Deborah was murdered in an act of ethnic vengeance. Months after the killing, a young man visited Deborah with this amazing confession - and request: “I killed your son. So take me to the authorities and let them deal with me as they will. I have not slept since I shot your son. Every time I lie down, I see you praying, and I know you are praying for me.” As extraordinary as that young man's words were, Deborah's response was even more amazing. She said, “I do want you to restore justice by replacing the son you killed. I'm asking you to become my son. When you visit me, I will care for you.” Today that young man is an adopted member of her household.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Open Arms and No Closed Door.”

I know a little bit of how that young man must feel. I've been accepted as part of the family by someone from whom I deserved only punishment and rejection. After all, I had a part in the death of His Son. But, then, so have you. The Son's name is Jesus - who was nailed to a cross for your sins and mine. God has every reason to throw the book at us. But this very day, He's offering you instead a chance to join His family and live with Him forever.

God gives us a beautiful picture of this amazing possibility in a story from the life of King David, the one from whom Jesus was descended. In 2 Samuel 9, our word for today from the Word of God, David has become the king after the previous King Saul's all-out attempts to have him killed. It was the custom of kings then to exile or execute the families of those who wanted them dead, so they wouldn't become part of a future rebellion or plot. But there was one man left of Saul's family. His name was Mephibosheth, and he was crippled in both feet. King David had Mephibosheth brought to him, and Saul's grandson was scared to death.

“'Don't be afraid,' David said to him, 'for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan (who was Saul's son and David's friend) ... I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’ ... and Mephibosheth ate at the king's table like one of the king's sons.”

That's what God wants to do for you even though you have, like all of us, rebelled against His kingship and run your own life. It's that rebellion that could be paid for only with the blood of God's Son. Which means you and I were part of the reason God's Son died. But He stands ready, no matter what you've done, to throw open the door and welcome you into His family and into His heaven when you die.

The only way you'll ever be allowed into God's heaven is on the basis of your personal relationship with the person God loves most - His one and only Son, Jesus. So where you stand with God and where you'll spend eternity depends totally on whether or not you have welcomed the Son of God into your life as your Savior from your sin. You can do that today and God will cancel the hell you deserve and give you instead the heaven you could never deserve.

Like me, you deserve the punishment for your sins against the King of all kings. But He's ready to welcome you into His family today and you will “eat at the king's table like one of the king's sons” because He wants you with Him forever!

________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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Luke 17:1–19 — Actions, Faith, Gratitude — « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. Actions, Luke 17:1–4 (NKJV): 1 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

1. the word offences in verse 1 is skandala, from which we get the English word, scandal; what is the dangerous effect of these?

a. « that they may tempt others to sin, lead them astray »

b. « that they may hinder spiritual growth, be a stumblingstone »

2. what is the situation of the one causing such skandala?

a. « the woe indicates they are in a sorry, sad, pitiable state »

b. « death now, even a rather grisly death, to prevent such an offence is better than the punishment such offence brings »

3. who do you think the “little ones” of verse 2 could be?

a. Matthew 18:1–6, Mark 9:42 « — may be a parallel passage; it at least reflects the same teaching; there it refers to little children »

b. Mark 10:24, Luke 10:21 « — however use the term children for any believer; elsewhere it is used for new believers »

4. verses 3–4: in opposition to bringing about sin, what are to be the responses of the believer?

a. « admonish the one who sins »

b. « forgive the repentant sinner »

c. Matthew 18:21–22; what is the limit to doing this? « – there is no limit, either seven per day or 490 times, but rather until the action of forgiveness has borne the desired fruit, a turning of the offender away from sin. »

5. how does this response tie in with

a. Matthew 18:15–17 « – there is a progression of such correction »

b. 2 Corinthians 7:8–11 « – there is an encouragement to be given to those who respond positively to such correction »

c. Luke 6:36–42 « – before you go admonishing others about sin, ensure your own life is cleansed »

B. Faith, Luke 17:5–10 (NKJV); 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

1. verse 5; what is the disciples request?

a. « for increased faith »

b. how does this tie into the preceding verses? « – obedience and faith are closely linked; obedience is a mark of faith – but to obey repeatedly, and without any dividend, is to require a solid trust in the Lord and His wisdom »

2. verse 6; what is Jesus’ response to that request?

a. only « a relatively small amount of faith is needed in order to accomplish great things under the power of God; turns the thought to the genuineness of the faith rather than amount »

b. the mustard seed is « – a fairly small seed; used several times by the Lord Jesus to represent a small amount of faith »

c. [fig-]mulberry or sycamore (actually”sycaminos”) tree « – this is believed to be a very firmly rooted tree; the rabbis held that the roots of the black mulberry would remain in the earth for 600 years. »

d. is Jesus suggesting that this is a legitimate use of faith? « – no! Miller: “genuine faith can accomplish what experience, reason, and probability would deny, if it is exercised within God’s will” (Leon Morris, Luke, Tyndale NT Commentaries) »

3. verses 7–10; what are the principles in the given example?

a. « the master’s priorities come before the servants »

b. « obedience is merely doing one’s duty »

c. Luke 12:37, 22:27; how does our Master compare with the master in these verses? « – He does serve us! »

d. Matthew 5:48 tells us we are to be P « erfect » _________ as our Father in heaven in P « erfect » _______; so it is not surprising that our best does not bring gain to God (1 Corinthians 9:16)

4. what do you conclude about faith from these verses? « – the power of faith is not for our own aggrandizement but simply for the service of the Lord »

C. Gratitude, Luke 17:11–19 (NKJV): 11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” «

1. this takes place in the last few weeks of Jesus’ life; after the raising of Lazarus, Jesus headed north to the town of Ephraim (John 11:54); now He seems to have journeyed further north to join the Galilean pilgrims travelling to the Passover »

2. what did all ten lepers demonstrate …

a. … in verses 12–13? « – their belief that Jesus was in a position

(A) to show mercy to them

(B) to heal them

b. in the secular, the Greek word for master is used of a king, a ship’s commander, a military officer; in the NT of Jesus as the authoritative teacher »

c. … in verse 14? « – their obedience to the command of Jesus »

(A) which took place when? « – before their healing became evident »

(B) why did Jesus command this? « Leviticus 14:2ff … while unclean they must stay outside of habitations (see verse 12) and before re-entering must pass inspection by the priest »

3. what especially marks the one (former) leper …

a. … in verse 15? « – glorified God as soon as he saw his healing »

b. … in verse 16a? « – he bowed to Jesus in gratitude »

c. … in verses 16b, 18? « – he wasn’t even one of the orthodox (doctrinally correct) Jews but a foreigner, a Samaritan – the misery of leprosy wound up with Jews having sympathy for the hated Samaritan who is likewise suffering »

d. … in verse 19? « – he had faith that brought him salvation (the word to heal and to save, deliver or preserve are the same) »

4. what do you conclude concerning faith from this? « – trust in God will be accompanied by the giving of glory and thanks to Him; genuine faith will bring salvation »

Luke 23:26–43 — The Passion Week (8) — First Three Words from the Cross (from 9 am till noon) « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. On the Road (”via dolorosa”) to Golgotha (Calvary), the Place of the Skull, Luke 22:26–33a (NKJV; parallel passages Matthew 27_31–34, Mark 15:20–23 John 19:16–17): 26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. 27 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ 31 For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?” 32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, …

1. before going on this road, Matthew and Mark tell us they took off the mocking, royal robes and put on again his own garments

2. Matthew 27:34, NKJV, here says “they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.” – there are a number of places in these hours where Jesus is offered wine or sour wine (vinegar); how many times is not certain due to the variations in the words used

3. Mark 15:21 tells us this Simon was “the father of Alexander and Rufus” … perhaps the “Rufus” of Romans 16:13

4. Did the Jewish nation totally reject Jesus as the Christ? « — it did so representatively in its leaders, but not individually; the “Crucify Him” crowd may even have been the minority! »

5. Prophecy fulfilled: Read Hosea 10:8

a. this was spoken to « Israel in the days when they (northern tribes) were about to go into captivity »

b. with these words Jesus warns His hearers of an imminent event; showing « prophecy can have near and far fulfilment »

c. the most natural application of Jesus’ words is to « the coming destruction of Jerusalem (70 A.D.) »

d. what about Revelation 6:16? « — past judgment (captivity, exile, Titus, dispersion) are warnings of judgment to come »

6. what do you make of the proverb in verse 31? « – if the living One (Christ; Acts 3:15) is to suffer punishment, what about the (spiritually) dead ones (those rejecting their Christ) »

7. because of some ancient pictures showing 5 crosses and of their being called variously “criminals” and “robbers” some have said there were 4 crucified besides Jesus; this is highly doubtful

a. Prophecy fulfilled: Isaiah 53:12 … how? « His death was that of an executed criminal in the company of criminals »

B. The First Word from the Cross, Luke 22:33b–34 (NKJV; parallels, Matthew 27:35–36, Mark 15:24–25, John 19:18, 23–24): 33b …there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.

1. John 19:23–24 (NKJV) supplies these details: 23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

2. Jesus was nailed to the cross (a , T, X, or Y shape) by His hands (John 20:25) and probably His feet (Luke 24:39). « The torment was extreme but gospels dwell on the significance not the agony »

3. who is the “them” of Jesus prayer?

a. John 19:23 « — the soldiers who carried out the execution »

b. Acts 2:23, 3:17 « — the Jewish people who clamoured for it »

c. Acts 4:10 « — the Jewish rulers who engineered it »

d. 1 Cor 2:8 « — the Romans rulers who authorized it »

4. to what extent did these “not know what they” did?

a. the people and soldiers « — simply followed their leaders; this is the excuse of Nazis and others »

b. the rulers « — knew Him to be innocent, but did not know the magnitude and purport of their act (Acts 2:23, 3:17) »

5. the soldiers and the clothing

a. what was their motivation? « — to make a choice prize out of the Lord’s garments … a good keepsake for the future »

b. Prophecy fulfilled; Psalm 22:18; what was the result? « God’s word was corroborated »

C. The Words of the People and Rulers, Luke 23:35–37 (NKJV; parallels Matthew 27:39–43, Mark 15:29–32): 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

1. Matthew 27:39–40 (NKJV) tells us: 39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” and in verses 42b–44 adds the rulers etc., said 42b “… If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

2. Prophecy fulfilled: how was it in …

a. Psalm 22:7 « — although we have seen there were those who sorrowed for Jesus, every sector of society (high, low, robbers, Jews and Gentiles) participated in reviling the Lord Jesus »

b. Psalm 22:8 « — in like fashion they questioned His relationship with the Father, a major part of Jesus’ testimony »

D. The Superscription, Luke 23:38 (NKJV; parallels Matthew 27:37, Mark 15:26, John 19:19–22) 38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

1. from John, further insight: 19 Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 21 Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.”’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

2. why this sudden backbone in Pilate? « — he could get back at the rulers for the unfavourable situation they put him in (where they foiled every attempt he made to slide out) »

E. The Second Word from the Cross, Luke 23:39–43 (NKJV): 39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

1. only Luke records this event; that is consistent with a great theme to be found throughout Luke (chapter 15; 19:10) « which is “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” »

2. what useful evidence is to be found here? « — Jesus’ innocence and the rulers’ schemes were such public knowledge that even this criminal knew about it »

F. The Third Word from the Cross, found only in John 19:25–27 (NKJV): 25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

1. Clopas (AV: Cleophas)here may be a quite different person from Cleopas, one of the disciples on the Emmaus road

2. what is the phrase by which the author of the fourth gospel refers to himself in it? (See John 21:20, 24) — « “the disciple whom Jesus loved” »

3. John quickly drops out of sight in the book of Acts as first Peter, then Paul become prominent; his care for Mary, the mother of the Lord, may be part of the reason; then late in life, John wrote epistles, probably then the gospel, and the book of Revelation

G. What do each of these first three words from the cross convey?

1. the first « — Christ’s love even for His enemies »

2. the second « — His love for a fellow-sufferer shown in salvation »

3. the third « — His love for His disciple and His mother »

In his book, WHAT'S SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE?, Philip Yancey raises the matter of Jeffrey Dahmer's conversion. Dahmer, the mass murderer, abused and murdered 17 young men. He cannibalized them and stored body parts in his refrigerator. Eleven corpses were found in his apartment. He was the epitome of the word vile.

During his trial he sat serenely in court, showing no signs of remorse. In November of 1994, Dahmer was beaten to death in prison by a fellow prisoner. Television news reports included interviews with relatives of Dahmer's victims. They said their only regret about his killing was that it had ended his life too soon. They wanted him to suffer more.

Yancey writes about how one television network showed a program taped a few weeks before Dahmer's murder. The interviewer asked him how he could possibly commit the crimes he was convicted of. Dahmer said that these things happened before he believed in God, when he wasn't accountable to anybody. He said it all began with petty crimes and small acts of cruelty, and he just kept going, further and further. Nothing restrained him.

Dahmer then told of his recent religious conversion. He was baptized in the prison whirlpool and spent all of his time now reading his Bible and Christian literature. The prison chaplain affirmed Dahmer's conversion, saying that his repentance was sincere and that he was one of his most faithful worshipers.

Some find reports like this troubling. Grace for a cannibal? Our natural response is to fold our arms and say, “No, it's not that easy. God isn't going to let you off just like that, not after what you did. God is forgiving, but he is no pushover. Grace is for average sinners like us, not deviants like you.”

When we read chapter 1 of Romans, many of us think, “Go get 'em, Paul. It's about time someone stood up and spoke the truth. We decent, law-abiding people are behind you.”

This is the attitude that the apostle addresses in the opening verses of Romans 2. Here he speaks to the self-righteous, judgmental moralist who views God's grace through the lens of his own prejudice.

The moralist is an outwardly decent, clean-living person. The problem with such people, however, is that they delude themselves. They think that because they have maintained a certain respectable facade that God will overlook their inner sins - that there will be no judgment for them because everything appears fine on the outside.

Paul's purpose in these opening chapters of Romans is to confront the mistaken faith we may have in the goodness of man. Somehow we cling to that notion even though we know it doesn't correlate to the world we live in. We want to believe that we're doing fine. But Paul says we are not. The world is full of corrupt people. Here he shows us that even religious people are corrupt. This means YOU - and me.

To convince his readers Paul uses a literary device, common in the Greek world of his day, called a diatribe. Today, a diatribe means a harsh and bitter argument, but in Paul's day, it was a method of scholarly discussion. An individual would take the place of his opponent and actually state and respond to the questions that arose in his mind.

That is what Paul is doing here. He is anticipating the questions that a reader would raise regarding what he had said in chapter 1. The “you” in the verses is singular. Paul is thinking of one person, a man or woman who, after reading chapter 1, would say, “Wait a minute. I'm not like that. I'm not perverted. I'm not violent. I don't cheat on my spouse.”

It is these self-righteous moralists that Paul is addressing in Romans 2.

*

White as snow, white as snow,

though my sins were as scarlet;

Lord I know, Lord I know,

that I’m clean and forgiven.

Through the power of Your blood,

through the wonder of Your love,

Through faith in You

I know that I can be white as snow.

The bumper sticker gently imposes its little message: "Christians Aren’t Perfect, Just Forgiven." JUST forgiven? And is that really all there is to being a Christian? The gift of eternal life comes down to that? Quite a retreat from living an eternal kind of life now!

By now this bit of bumper-sticker theology has leaped out of traffic and onto Christian trinkets. There is a little bookmark adorned with flowers, bows, green sprigs, and fourteen tiny pink hearts, with a tassel at the top. In the center is a wide-eyed teddy bear that looks as if it might have inadvertently just done something naughty. The message below is -- as you will now expect -- ”Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven.”

Well, it certainly needs to be said that Christians are forgiven. And it needs to be said that forgiveness does not depend on being perfect. But is that really what the slogan communicates?

Unfortunately, it is not. What the slogan really conveys is that forgiveness alone is what Christianity is all about, what is genuinely essential to it. It says that you can have a faith in Christ that brings forgiveness, while in every other respect your life is no different from that of others who have no faith in Christ at all.

Dietrich Bonhoffer was a German pastor during World War II. To a young couple who had been married a brief time he wrote this advice:

“Live together in forgiveness for without it no human

relationship, least of all a marriage, can survive. Accept each

other as you are and forgive each other every day from the bottom

of your hearts.”

This advice is made more powerful by the fact that he wrote it from a Nazi prison, where just a few years later he died. Forgiveness is not easy. It is an ability that comes from God.

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #7155]

Father Greg Boyle is in the business of erasing the past. A Jesuit priest who is the founder and director of “Homeboy Industries” in East Los Angeles, Father Boyle has put together a team of physicians trained in the laser technology of tattoo removal. The team is part of a program that takes the tattoos of ex-gang members and wipes the slate clean. For many, it is as crucial a service as it is merciful.

Gang-related tattoos prevent many former gang members from getting jobs or advancing in work. For others, the markings critically impinge on mental health or put them in serious danger on the streets. There is no fee or community service required to receive the tattoo removal offered by Homeboy Industries. It is strictly a gift -- perhaps a modern look at Christ washing the feet of his friends. Currently, there is a waiting list of over a thousand names.

For those involved, the spiritual imagery is often compelling. The seeming permanence of a gang tattoo fosters the attitude that the gang's claim is also permanent. It is a mark of ownership as much as identity. The emotional consequence is that it seems a part of you that can never be shaken. I suspect some of us have felt like this with past mistakes, sins whose mark we cannot shake off though we know we have been cleansed by Christ. Perhaps the imagery of tattoo removal can evoke a renewed sense of our blessed assurance. Like former gang members who have had the marks of a former life removed, so our sins are blotted out by the blood of Christ. They are remembered no longer.

To those holding on to the scarred markings of former sin God would say: “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25). Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Like the unmarked ex-gang members among us, we are made into something new.

One of the curious things about the growing list of people interested in laser tattoo removal is that Father Boyle is straightforward about the procedure. The process of tattoo removal is extremely painful. Patients describe the laser procedure as feeling like hot grease on their skin. And yet the list grows, each name representing a life that longs to be free and is willing to endure the pain to seize it.

When God uproots the scars caused by sin it is often a painful process. Malachi describes God and his work in our lives as the “refiner's fire”; we are either purified by the fire or destroyed by its flames. Removing the impurities we have embedded into our lives is at times quite uncomfortable. But like a child that trusts her mother enough to endure the pain of having a splinter removed or the young man who undergoes the burning process of removing a gang tattoo, we are freed by skillful hands. The Great Physician is sometimes a surgeon. But when we look at Him through the refining fires of his presence, we know that it was well worth putting our name on the list. “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:10-12). At his table, we are made new.

________

Copyright © 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Governor Stewart, of Missouri, recognized, in a convict he was about to pardon a steamboat mate under whom he served as cabinboy. He said: "I want you to promise that you will never again take a stick of wood and drive a sick boy out of his berth on a stormy night, because some day that boy may be governor, and you may want him to pardon you for another crime. I was that boy. Here is your pardon."

One day a poor girl ventured into the garden of the Queen's palace, and approached the gardener, telling him that her mother was lying very ill, and that she longed for a flower, such as she had seen in the Queen's gardens. It was winter time, and the flowers were rare at that season. The child had saved a few pennies and wished to buy a rose for her sick mother. The gardener had no authority to give away the Queen's flowers, and he said when she offered to pay, "The Queen has no flowers for sale," and would have sent the poor child away. But the Queen herself just happened to be in the greenhouse, and, unobserved either by the gardener or his little customer, had overheard the conversation. As the child was turning away sorrowful and disappointed, the Queen stepped from behind her flowery screen and addressed the child, saying: "The gardener was quite right, my child, he has no authority to give you the flowers you want, nor does the Queen cultivate flowers for sale; but the Queen has flowers to give away"; and, suiting the action to the word, she lifted from the basket into which she had been snipping the flowers a handful of rare roses and gave them to the child, saying: "Take these to your mother with my love, and tell her that the Queen sent them. I am the Queen." So let me say to you, God has no forgiveness for sale; you cannot buy it with your poor penance of tears, prayers, or repentance; God has forgiveness to give, and you may take it by faith, but not barter for it with anything you can do.

Richard Knill, in his early zeal which never cooled, seized an opportunity of distributing tracts to the North Devon Local Militia, when the regiment was on the point of being disbanded. The tracts were generally well received, but one man held up the tract and swore at it. Knill reproved him, saying he could not hurt the tract, but he would hurt himself. "Who are you?" cried the man, in anger. "Form a circle round him," he said to his comrades, "and I will swear at him." They did so, and the militiaman swore at Knill till he wept with grief. At this the men were ashamed, broke up the circle, and let him go. Many years after, when Knill returned from India, he was preaching in the open air a few miles from the same spot. During his sermon he noticed a tall, gray-headed man, and a young man with him, who seemed to be his son, both of them weeping. At the close they came up to him, and the father asked: "Do you recollect giving tracts to the local militia at Barnstaple some years ago?" "Yes." "Do you recollect anything particular of that distribution?" "Yes; I recollect one of the grenadiers swore at me till he made me weep." "Stop," said the other; "oh, sir, I am that man; I never forgave myself for that wicked act. But I hope that it has led me to repentance, and that God has forgiven me. And now let me ask: Will you forgive me?" Mr. Knill wept again, and they parted this time with the prayer and hope that they might meet again in heaven.

There is a story of an incorrigible soldier who had been punished so often for so many offenses, without avail, that his commanding officer despaired of the man's amendment. Again he was under arrest, and the officer spoke hopelessly of him, asking what more could be done to save him from his own undoing. A fellow-officer suggested, "Try forgiving him." The man was brought in and asked what he had to say for himself. He replied: "Nothing, except that I'm very sorry." "Well," said the officer, "we have decided to forgive you." The man stood dazed for a moment and then burst into tears, saluted, and went out to become the best and bravest soldier in the command.

- J. R. Miller