Joy Practices: Forgiveness

October 22^nd, 2017        “Joy Practices: Forgiveness”     Rev. Heather Jepsen

Luke 6:32-38 with 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

          This morning we begin our stewardship sermon series and I have to tell you I am really excited about it.  I am combining the scriptures with “The Book of Joy” to help inspire us all to re-think the way we live in the world.  We will be doing all sorts of different things like watching video clips and doing meditation practices within the sermon time so I hope you can be flexible and explore this subject with me.  I really hope you can connect to this series and that it inspires all of us not only to live more generously but also to live with more joy in our lives. 

          To start I want to introduce you to the book that has inspired this series.  Let’s watch our first video clip . . .

          (show “As an old man” video)

          The Archbishop encourages us to “do what we can, where we can” and the Dalai Lama asks us to start today, so we are going to do just that.  This sermon series is all about harnessing the gifts that God has given us and sharing that joy in the world we live in.  Today the gift that we are talking about is forgiveness. 

          I know we discussed forgiveness a few weeks ago, but it is such a difficult process that I think we can never be done talking about it.  In our scripture reading from the gospels today, Jesus is encouraging us to offer the gift of forgiveness to our enemies.   Jesus is teaching his followers to love their enemies and to treat them with mercy.  This generous behavior ties us to the very one who created us.  Jesus tells us to “be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful.”  When we are gracious in offering forgiveness, then we are reflecting the image of God.

          The language Jesus uses is powerful.  We are called not to judge, not even to judge those who have harmed us.  We are told plainly to forgive, and it is in forgiving others that we will receive our forgiveness.  This is a gift that will be returned back to us in abundance.  I love the language here, “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.”  I love that image of abundance, I want that abundance of love and mercy in my life and I want it in your life as well.

          Of course, the work of forgiveness is hard.  Our natural inclination is to hold on to pain, and to allow hurt to fester.  To forgive feels like we have let someone get away with something wrong, and that really grates at our sense of justice.  We need to remind ourselves that to forgive is not to forget the wrong.  And it is not to accept the wrong doing and say that it was OK.  Rather, to forgive someone, is to refuse to respond with anger and hate.  To forgive someone is the chance for us to let go of what is continuing to hold us back.  To forgive someone is the chance to offer ourselves the freedom to let that moment, that pain and suffering, go.

          In his letter to the church in Corinth Paul addresses the need for forgiveness within the church community.  He points out that when someone within the community has sinned, the pain reverberates throughout the whole church.  Therefore, it is the job of the whole church to offer forgiveness.  More than that, Paul encourages the community to reaffirm their love for the one who has done wrong and to offer that individual consolation.  Once again, we are reminded that forgiveness is a gift, and Paul is asking the whole church to offer that gift.  Paul is well aware that the power to forgive comes from God alone, “if I have forgiven anything, it is within the presence of Christ.”  Paul is also aware that to hold on to grudges, to refuse to forgive, is another power all together.  “We do this so we are not outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”

          While we may argue the personhood of such a Satan, we can all agree that to hold on to grudges, to refuse to offer forgiveness, is a very powerful negative force in our lives.  This has been scientifically proven.  When people think of their grudges, when they remember those who have wronged them, they have a physical stress response.  Blood pressure increases, heart rate speeds up, and we start to sweat.  We feel sad, angry, intense, and out of control.  To hold on to grudges, to refuse to offer the gift of forgiveness, literally makes us sick!  By contrast, to forgive someone literally makes us well. 

          There was an amazing story about forgiveness on the nightly news just this week.  On the ABC news “America Strong” segment Wednesday night they featured a man who had been a marathon runner.  He was hit by a car while biking and his spine, pelvis, and various other bones where broken.  As he lay in the street, unable to even feel his legs, the first thing he did was harness the power of forgiveness.  He forgave the driver who hit him right then and there in the street.  Doctors told him he would never walk again, but through sheer determination, and the desire to let that anger and hurt go, he was able not only to walk again, but to actually return to running marathons.  The man credited his whole healing process to that initial moment of forgiveness.  The segment ended with the injured man, his doctor, and the man who ran him over all running a marathon together.  That is the power of forgiveness.

          I think forgiveness is a wonderful way to begin our discussion of stewardship because forgiveness is a gift that we have the opportunity to give.  It is a gift that we give to the one who wronged us.  And perhaps, more importantly, it is a gift we give to ourselves.  When we refuse to forgive, we allow the past hurts to continue into our lives today, we are perpetuating negative energy.  The archbishop writes “Without forgiveness, we remain tethered to the person who harmed us.  We are bound to the chains of bitterness, tied together, trapped.  Until we can forgive the person who harmed us, that person will hold the keys to our happiness, that person will be our jailor.”  That sure sounds like the powers of Satan that Paul was writing about. 

          The amazing thing is, when we are able to truly forgive, we release ourselves from the things that hold us back and cause us pain.  Again the Archbishop writes, “When we forgive, we take back control of our own fate and our feelings.  We become our own liberator.”  Forgiveness is a gift that God offers to us, and forgiveness is a gift that we can then offer to our own hearts.  In the words of Jesus Christ, “Forgiveness is a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, and put into our laps.”

Forgiveness is good stewardship of the gifts we have been given by our good and gracious God!

          Our church’s stewardship theme this year is “Living generously begins with trust”.  I want you to trust me for these four sermons as I lead you through meditations based on our themes.  Today, we are going to do a forgiveness meditation.  I want you to call to mind someone, something in your life that still needs forgiveness.  I’m not talking about your big hurts, unless you really want to go there, rather let’s start with something small. . . . got something?  OK, let’s begin.

·       Sit comfortably in the pew with the soles of your feet planted firmly on the floor.  Place your hands gently on your knees or in your lap.

·       Close your eyes, relax, and take a few deep breaths.  Center yourself here now, in this place, in this very moment.

·       Now cast your mind back to the moment of hurt.  See that scene in your minds’ eye.  Now, in your mind, take a few steps back from yourself.  Watch the event unfold like you are watching a movie, watch yourself from a distance.

·       As you watch the situation unfold around your distant self, try to understand your feelings.  Why did you have those feelings?  What was the cause and reason for those feelings?  If the hurt is fresh, ask yourself, “Will this situation affect me in ten years?”  If the hurt is old, ask yourself “Do I want to continue to carry this pain?  Or do I want to free myself from pain and suffering?”

·       To offer forgiveness is to recognize our shared humanity.  Can you see the humanity of the one who harmed you?  Can you imagine that they probably hurt you out of their own suffering and pain?  Can you see and acknowledge their humanity, their pain?  Can you release your presumed right to revenge?  Can you move toward healing?  Are you able to offer forgiveness at this time?

·       Now consider your future relationship with this person.  Do you feel called to renew this relationship or to release it?  If you can renew the relationship, you can work towards healing in your family and in the community.  If the trauma is significant than perhaps it is time to release the relationship.  Imagine releasing the relationship, moving on, and offering good wishes to the one who harmed you as they go their separate way.

·       Take a few moments and ponder the gift and power of forgiveness.  Jesus tells us to “Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” 

·       Now bring yourself back to this moment.  Sitting in worship together in the faith community, the community of forgiveness.  You may open your eyes.

Good work friends!  Let’s close with another word from the Archbishop and the Dalai Lama.

          (Watch “Forgiveness is a strength” video)

The Wedding Banquet

October 15^th, 2017      “The Wedding Banquet”    Rev. Heather Jepsen

Matthew 22:1-14

          Our parable this morning is a tough one steeped in violence, weeping, and gnashing of teeth.  There are spurned invitations and strange wedding garments, odd turns of phrase and a general sense of dis-ease.  Contextually, we are back in the temple.  Those who have been attending worship regularly will remember that Jesus has been busy talking with the religious authorities.  This is near the end of his life and it is one of his final discourses with the temple elite before his arrest.  The religious rulers asked Jesus about his authority to cause trouble and since then he has been pounding them with one painful parable after another.  Last week he accused them of being wicked tenants in the Lord’s vineyard.  This week it’s a wedding banquet and they are the unruly guests.  This parable is so offensive it sometimes causes me to wonder if Jesus is overtly trying to stir up trouble.  Is it possible for the son of God to take things too far?

          “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who threw a wedding party for his son,” Jesus says.  It appears that “save the date” invitations had already been sent out and now was the time for the festivities.  The king sends his slaves into the land to call all of those invited to the party.  Off they head out to gather up the rich and elite, the holy and the special; essentially the ruling class of the day.  But those invited won’t come. 

          So the king sends another message, “Look, it’s going to be a great party.  The meat is cooked, the wine is poured, please come and celebrate with me.”  But those invited make light of the situation.  “I’m too busy right now,” they say “I’ve got work to do and I can’t be bothered to take a break and celebrate with you.”  Some are even so tired of the invitations that they kill the messengers.  That seems a bit harsh doesn’t it?  Who are these people?

          Well, the king certainly thinks it’s harsh and responds in kind by sending not his slaves but his army to destroy those whom he had invited to the party. He responds to their rejection of him by burning down their city.  My goodness!  Makes you wonder where Jesus is going with this parable doesn’t it?!?

          The king now has his tables set for a party but no guests, so he sends his slaves back out, this time to invite everyone they meet.  So, the slaves head out and every person they see is invited to the banquet.  Rich and poor, weak and strong, beautiful and ugly, good and evil; everyone is invited to the party and everyone shows up.  The wedding hall is filled with guests.

          Now, this would be a lovely place to stop the story but when does Jesus ever stop a parable at a nice place?  The king comes into the party to find a man there not wearing a wedding robe.  He asks, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?”  The guest is speechless; he just stands there and stares slack jaw at the king.  The king’s reply is to “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  That’s not good.  And here Jesus adds his own two cents to the story “For many are called, but few are chosen.”  That doesn’t sound good either.

          I told you this was a tough one!  Let’s dig deeper.  If we connect this parable to the last one Jesus told about the landowner and the wicked tenants, we can guess that the king who throws the party is probably God and the king’s son is probably Jesus.  That is a pretty easy connection to make.  It is not uncommon to refer to Jesus as the bridegroom and the church as the bride and heaven as a great wedding feast.  We can find that theme in the scriptures as well as in the theology of the early church.

          So God is throwing a wedding party for his son Jesus and there is a list of invited guests.  People have received invitations; they have been chosen and invited by God to join in the party.  They have had prior warning about this event and have had a chance to mark their calendars.  The strange thing happens when those invited to the party say they can’t come at the last minute.  How many of us, if invited to a wedding change our mind at the very last minute because we are busy with work?  That doesn’t seem to be very common does it?

          But, let’s ask it another way.  How many of us want to claim a relationship with God but then when it comes down to it we make excuses in the end?  Oh yeah, I’m a Christian, until someone asks me to tithe, or asks to me to share my faith with others, or asks me to stand up for the little guy, or asks me to make a real change in my life for the sake of the gospel.  We want to be invited to God’s party, but when the invitation comes we find we actually are a lot like those in this parable.  When it comes down to it we are suddenly busy with work and family and other commitments. 

          Let’s move into the happy middle.  The king has his tables laden with bounty and he needs guests so he sends the slaves to gather everyone they find.  This is a wonderful story now.  Everyone on the street and in the alley is invited to this wonderful party and they all come.  The wedding hall is filled with guests both good and bad.  This image of gathering in all people brings to mind other parables Jesus tells like the wheat and the weeds, or the net that caught all kinds of fish.  The good and bad are present at the wedding banquet just as the good and bad are held together in the kingdom of God.  The kingdom of heaven will be full not of the people we expect, but of the people we think are least likely to be there.  Frankly, this is where I wish the parable ended.  This is where I find abundant grace.  But unfortunately for me, Jesus continues on.

          The king comes into the banquet and finds a fellow without the proper wedding attire and then throws him out into the outer darkness.  What is that about, and what is the wedding attire?  I’ve got to tell you that I found a lot of different answers to that question but none of them were really satisfying.  Some say the wedding attire is the baptism of Christ, or the righteousness of the saints, or the resurrected body, or a transformed life in Christ.  Could be anything!  And some say that the problem was not the fellow’s clothes but that he had no answer for the king and therefore he was not fruitful, drawing on our parable from last week. 

          What I think we can gather from this part of the story is that not all who believe themselves to be guests actually belong at the wedding banquet.  Some who think they are invited to the wedding, might have really been invited, but might show up in a state that nullifies their invitation.  Yes, you are invited to the banquet, but unless you respond properly to that invitation, say with a heart clothed in Christ, then you are not really welcome to the party.  How many people can you think of who think they have earned a trip to heaven for this or that reason but their lives don’t really show the fruits of their faith?  Maybe this is about them? 

          To take it further, maybe this is about us?  What makes us think we have what it takes to come to the party?  Sure we’ve been invited, but how have we really responded to that invitation?  Maybe this guy had responded to the invitation by coming to the party but not really in the proper spirit and that is what this wedding garment thing is all about.  Yes, we respond to the invitation of discipleship, but often not with the whole of who we are. 

          And so we end up with that last line from Jesus, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”  Many are called to the party, many are invited to the wedding banquet but few are chosen to actually be there.  We are all invited but in the end we don’t all measure up to the call of that invitation.

          This is one of those parables where grace rubs up against judgment.  We all love grace and it is wonderful to think that everyone, good and bad, is invited to the wedding party.  But there can be no grace without judgment.  And all of those parables about the good and bad together, from the wheat and the weeds to the fish in the net, end with a sorting out of who is good and who is bad.  So, it should be no surprise to us that eventually the king comes to the party and begins to throw out those who are not really worthy of being there.

          Now, I don’t know about you but this parable makes me uncomfortable.  It certainly upset the religious leaders that Jesus was telling it to.  After they heard Jesus say these things they immediately went out and plotted his death.  Is that what Jesus wanted?  I am still a bit stuck in the place of wondering why Jesus took it so far that day in the temple.

          I am going to guess that this parable makes you a little uncomfortable too.  I try not to have two heavy hitters in a row, but I think our multiple Sundays of offensive parables probably gives us a good idea of what it felt like to listen to Jesus in the temple that day.   You know me, and you know I preach grace ten times more than I preach judgment, but maybe some weeks it is good to be reminded that Jesus warns us that judgment is a part of this process. 

          We all have been invited to the wedding banquet of our Lord.  But things don’t simply end at the invitation.  We are invited into discipleship, but when the rubber meets the road we often make excuses about why we aren’t living the fullest Christian life possible.  When it comes down to it, whether I preach it or not, we will be judged by how we respond to God’s invitation.  And if that makes us uncomfortable, then maybe that’s a good thing.   While you might come to church every Sunday wanting a pat on the back, maybe what you really need some days is a kick in the rear.  This parable certainly does that.  “Here you are, you have been invited to the Lord’s party, now what are you going to do about it?” Jesus asks.  “For many are called, but few are chosen.”  Jesus certainly asks a lot of us.  By the grace of God, let us respond accordingly.  Amen.