Minister's Message
for Sunday September 13, 2020
Love the Sinner, Hate Our Sin:
Forgiving Ourselves and Others
The gospel lesson this week Jesus speaks to the importance of forgiveness.
The ability to forgive is the super-power that holds us together. Often, without even knowing it, and with the best of intentions, there are people in my life who I have offended. Some of you reading this now might be thinking of some way I’ve offended you. Sorry about that.
Some of those I offended will likely never speak to me again. In some cases, I’m not really even sure what I did wrong. There are also people in my life that offend me. Many have no idea I feel this way. I don’t bring it up. I may not ever speak to them again.
In fact, there are people I’ve never met nor have met me who are harboring a grudge for some unspoken offense.
We are constantly offending and being offended. Church groups and nonprofits, far from being immune offending, harbor them in greater numbers than other groups. These are second only to our families as a place we harbor grudges. Most of us have some offenses we hold against our families. And, many of our family members harbor some offense against us.
It is impossible as human beings to avoid offending and being offended. And, while we don’t have the ability to control how others feel or act, we do have free-will over our own lives to decide how we will react. By the grace of God, we can forgive even if we haven’t been asked to do it. We can apologize even when we aren’t sure what we did wrong.
This ability to forgive is not a natural virtue. It is a spiritual gift given by God working through us. With the loss of faith in our culture, we are witnessing a loss of forgiveness that ultimately will lead us to a culture where might makes right. In my message Sunday, I’m going to explore what forgiveness is and isn’t and what we can do to increase it in our own lives.
If you are willing to read a lesson, please email me at richtafel@gmail.com in advance of the service. I’ll see you on Zoom this Sunday at 5 pm.
Blessings,
Rev. Tafel
Here’s the link to the Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84155771266
Meeting ID: 841 5577 1266
Call in:
+16468769923,,84155771266# US
Sunday Service Order
Light a Candle
Open the Word
Greetings and Check-In
Invocation
Gracious God, make each of us an instrument of your grace. Weave us into a community showing forth your power and tenderness. Bless us and our differences and under gird our courage to stand together. We call on you today to gather us in your love. Lead us to better know you and glorify you on each step of the journey of our lives. Amen.
Community Confession
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires know, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy name, through Christ the Lord. Amen.
Readings
Genesis 50:15-21
Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?” So, they approached Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this instruction before he died, ‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13
Benedic, anima mea
1 [Bless the Lord, O my soul, *
and all that is within me, bless his holy Name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, *
and forget not all his benefits.
3 He forgives all your sins *
and heals all your infirmities;
4 He redeems your life from the grave *
and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;
5 He satisfies you with good things, *
and your youth is renewed like an eagle's.
6 The Lord executes righteousness *
and judgment for all who are oppressed.
7 He made his ways known to Moses *
and his works to the children of Israel.]
8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.
9 He will not always accuse us, *
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, *
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, *
so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, *
so far has he removed our sins from us.
13 As a father cares for his children, *
so does the Lord care for those who fear him.
Swedenborg Insight
Our sins are of course constantly being forgiven by the Lord, because he is mercy itself. Nevertheless, despite what we may think about how our sins are forgiven, they actually still cling to us and are not put aside from us unless we live by the precepts of true faith. As we live by these precepts our sins are put aside, and as our sins are put aside they are forgiven. (New Jerusalem §165)
Matthew 18:21-35
Peter came and said to Jesus, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So, the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.
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.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.
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. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So, my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Offering
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God.
Question Time
This time is for those who would like to remain after the service to ask questions and hear the questions of others.
Guidelines:
Participate by asking questions only.
Be curious and open-minded in your participation to the views of others.
Keep your questions brief.
Listen deeply to the questions of others.
