pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: forgiveness


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Loving Others, Giving of Self

Reading: John 19:25-27 and 33-35

John 19:34 – “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.”

Photo credit: Milo Weiler

On the day of Jesus’ death there are a handful of women and “the disciple whom he loved” at the foot of the cross. The women include Jesus’ mother, her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. John is there too, the beloved disciple. Looking down from the cross, Jesus employs a Jewish law, entrusting his mother’s care to John. Jesus created not only a new family but also the community of faith. Loving and caring for one another as a family does will be a mark of the early church. It is the mark of Christ-following communities today.

In the second part of our reading the soldiers are making sure that Jesus is dead. The religious leaders were concerned that the killing of an innocent man was completed before sundown – so that they could properly honor God and the Sabbath. In verse 34 we read, “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” John, a gospel rich in symbolism and meaning, keeps Jesus’ legs unbroken, an unblemished lamb slaughtered for our sins. The water and blood that flow – like the living water of Jesus Christ that we experience in baptism and throughout our journeys of faith. The blood, like the blood poured out for many, cleansing us of our sin.

Today, as we remember the palm parade, joyously celebrating the Messiah, the one who came in the name of the Lord, let us also remember this Jesus in the cross, the one who died as he lived: loving others, giving of self.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the faithful witness of John, for his presence in these moments and so many others in Jesus’ life. He testifies to the truth and shares his Jesus with others. May we do the same, O God. Amen.


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So Many Times

Readings: Matthew 6:14-15 and 18:21-22

Matthew 6:14 – “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Today’s two passages from Matthew are about forgiveness. This practice is essential for all of our relationships. We are, by nature, sinful and selfish creatures. Because of this nature, we will harm, hurt, anger… one another. Sometimes this is unintentional. Sometimes we don’t even know that we hurt one another.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 are an addendum to the prayer that he teaches the disciples to pray. We know this prayer as the Lord’s Prayer. These words are really just a restatement of verse 12: “Forgive our sins as we…” So why repeat it? Why again say, “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you?” Maybe because that’s the only part of the prayer where we have an active role. God’s got the other stuff. But us? Yes, Jesus knows how hard it will be for us to forgive as God forgives us.

Chapter 18, verses 15-20, contain Jesus’ teaching on how to deal with a brother or sister who sins against us. The questions from Peter, “How many times?… Up to seven?” comes from his thoughts on this teaching. These are questions we ask ourselves. Jesus’ answer and the parable that follow illustrate how God forgives us and remind us that forgiveness is a two-way street. Jesus tells Peter, “Not just seven times, but rather as many as 77 times.” Seven was extravagant – way above the Jewish social norms. In practical terms, Jesus is saying, “Every time.” Forgive a lot and then forgive lots more. Like God’s forgiveness of us, our forgiveness of one another should be without end. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, yes, it can be hard to forgive. Really hard. But then I think of the many times when others have had to forgive me for my hurtful words or my harmful actions. And then I think of the millions and millions of times that you’ve forgiven my sins – how gracious and loving you are! Lord, empower me this day and every day to reflect this kind of forgiveness in my life. Amen.


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An Invitation to All

Readings: Mark 14:22-24 and Luke 22:19-21

Mark 14:24 – “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.”

In both passages that we read today, we see Jesus instituting the sacrament of communion. This event is set within the context of the Passover meal. This meal was an annual event in which the Jews would remember and celebrate how God saved them as the angel of death passed over their houses. This final plague led to Pharaoh releasing Israel from bondage and slavery.

Mark and Luke both present Jesus offering the bread as symbolic of his body, broken for them and for us. Jesus’ body will be broken on the cross. In using the common element amongst the rich and the poor and all in between, Jesus takes the everyday and connects bread to himself and to us all.

Both gospels present the cup – representative of Jesus’ blood – as poured out for many, establishing the “new covenant.” Mark recalls these words of Jesus: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” The new covenant is wrapped in mercy and grace, in forgiveness of sins. This common element of wine – again Jesus connecting the ordinary to his extraordinary gift.

In Mark’s gospel they sing a few songs and head to the Mount of Olives. But in Luke’s gospel, Jesus says, “But look! My betrayer is with me; his hand is on this table.” Jesus celebrates the first communion knowing that Judas will betray him. This is an invitation to us all – sinners each of us – to come to the table of grace. There we too will find welcome and forgiveness. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, we humbly thank you for the gift of grace. Your Son did for us what we could not and cannot do for ourselves. It is only because of and through Jesus’ sacrifice that we are forgiven and made new, freed from the bonds of sin and death. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Amen.


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Bring Your Kingdom

Reading: Luke 11:1-13

Luke 11:9 – “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Today’s passage holds three connected teachings on prayer. The first gives us a model for prayer. The second teaches us to be persistent in our prayers. The third reflects on the goodness of God’s answers to our prayers.

Our passage begins with a disciple asking Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus models a prayer life that is worth emulating. The disciple wants to have what Jesus receives when he prays: joy, peace, strength, hope. The prayer Jesus teaches is a simple prayer. It begins with praise to God and quickly moves to seeking God’s will. Notice the focus: God. It then shifts to needs: our need for daily provision and our need for forgiveness – both given and received. The prayer model closes with a plea for protection from the world, our source of temptation.

Verses 5-10 tell the story of a friend in need. Hospitality was and is highly valued in Judaism. In the story a man cannot offer hospitality. He turns to his neighbor, who initially refuses to help. But because of his friend’s persistence around doing a good and right thing, the friends give his what is needed. Connecting to the idea of prayer, Jesus says, “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Our reading closes by unpacking what verse 9 means in terms of God’s answers to our prayers. Jesus tells us that our heavenly Father, who is good, will surely give good gifts to his children. Running through the bread example and this portion is the meaning of “bring your kingdom.” In the translation that we know better it is worded “your will be done.” This good and right alignment will most often yield a fish or an egg instead of a snake or scorpion. And when our prayers yield what we see as a snake or scorpion at first – may we keep the faith in our good God who works all things towards good for those who love God.

Prayer: Lord God, prayer is at the center of our relationship with you. It is the place where we can openly and honestly express all that is on our hearts and minds – our needs, emotions, struggles, joys, praises. Help us to focus on the ways that our lives bring your kingdom into this world. Empower us to walk and live in faith. Amen.


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Communion = Community

Reading: 1st Corinthians 11:23-32

1st Corinthians 11:28 – “Each individual should test himself or herself, and eat from the bread and drink from the cup in that way.”

Photo credit: Geda Zyvatkauskaite

We seek to “stay in love with God” through various means of grace. One of these is Holy Communion. This sacrament first reminds us of Christ’s loving sacrifice on our behalf. The giving of his innocent blood in place of ours made atonement for our sins, paying the price for forgiveness. We approach this gift with a deep sense of awe and reverence.

Sometimes we do something for a while and it becomes just going through the motions. Perhaps you’ve felt that before with something like the Lord’s Prayer. For the church in Corinth, the Lord’s Supper had become one of those things. It was now causing more harm than good. It was creating division in the church. At this point it was more like what we’d call a “love feast” than what we recognize as a communion with its liturgy and formality. In Corinth, it had become a “private meal” with the rich getting drunk and stuffed while the poor were left hungry and thirsty. The church has forgotten that love, sacrifice, service, and community were at the heart of the Lord’s Supper.

Paul addresses this situation by reminding the church that the Lord’s Supper is centered on and celebrates the new covenant made by Jesus Christ. He also reminds them, though, that this communal celebration begins with individual preparation: “Each individual should test himself or herself, and eat from the bread and drink from the cup in that way.” Each person must come before God, humbling confessing and repenting of their sins. This necessary step prepares each to be made “new” again as the blood of the Lamb washes away their sin. To not take this step is to hide or hold onto one’s sin. This brings judgment and condemnation instead of forgiveness and grace.

For each person to come before God, to confess and repent, it levels the playing field. It places us all equally before the table of grace, all sinners redeemed by his blood. In this way, community is restored. It brought one body to the one bread, one blood. That was Paul’s goal. It should be our goal. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, draw us to our knees, to the place of confessing and repenting of our sins. Open up our hands and hearts to release all that separates us from you and from one another. As we come clean, thank you for making us clean. Thank you for your great love that washes away our sins and failures. Thank you for your redeeming love. Amen.


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In the Name of…

Reading: Colossians 3:12-17

Colossians 3:17 – “Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

In chapter 3 of Colossians Paul is encouraging the church to clothe themselves with the attitudes and practices of Jesus Christ. Verse 12 reminds the church that they are “God’s choice, holy and loved.” This is quite the status to have! The apostle goes on, inviting the church to “put on” Christ’s attitudes: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These attitudes (and others Christ exemplified such as welcome, mercy, grace…) should be lived out in all of life, 24/7.

Paul then invites the church to be tolerant and forgiving. These are ‘response attitudes.’ When someone is different from you or sees things from another perspective or when someone hurts or harms you or someone you love, respond with tolerance and forgiveness. How countercultural this invitation is, especially in our world today! Our human instinct, our gut-level reaction is to ignore or ridicule or exclude those who are different, to get even with those who hurt us. These are selfish responses. Christ was not selfish.

As our human nature is to be selfish, Paul encourages the church to put love over all of these attitudes – see everything, speak every word, through the filter of love. From the framework of love, God’s peace will fill our hearts. Christ’s word and Spirit will dwell richly in us. And one last piece of encouragement: “Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is Paul’s early version of the modern slogan, WWJD? It is choosing to filter all that we say and do and even think through the example of Jesus, he who was love lived out. It is the place that we must begin if we are to do good and not harm in our world.

Prayer: Lord God, clothe us this day and every day in Christ. Clothes thusly, empower us to live our compassion, kindness… When life challenges us in our efforts to follow Jesus, when others seek to harm or negatively influence us, raise up the voice of the Holy Spirit. Call us back to the way of Jesus. Whisper tolerance, forgiveness, grace, acceptance, and understanding into our hearts. In all things, use us to reveal the love of Christ to the world. Amen.


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All the Glory

Reading: John 15:5-8

John 15:8 – “My Father is glorified when you produce much fruit and in this way prove that you are my disciples.”

Today’s passage bridges last week’s question of heaven’s existence and this week’s wrestling with unanswered prayer. The two topics of doubt fund answers in Jesus’ teaching about being the true vine. This image is one also used throughout the Old Testament.

In verse 5 Jesus declares the connected relationship: “I am the vine; you are the branches.” If we remain in Jesus, then we will “produce much fruit.” The main fruit aligns with the great commission: making disciples of all nations. We also produce fruit and bring heaven to earth when we bring Christ’s love, hope, mercy, grace, peace, joy, forgiveness… to those in the world. Of this good life Jesus says, “My Father is glorified when you produce much fruit and in this way prove that you are my disciples.” When we remain in Christ we produce fruit in this world, we bring God much glory.

The converse is also true. When we allow ourselves to become disconnected from Jesus, we will then fail to produce fruit for the kingdom. In that broken relationship we cannot do any good work that glorifies God. And, in the end, we will be “gathered up, thrown into a fire,” where there will be, as Jesus often said elsewhere, weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In verse 7 we begin to lean into the outcomes of our prayers. Here too is a connection. Here Jesus tells us that if we “remain in me and my words remain in you,” then what we ask for will be done. Remaining connected to Christ keeps our heart and therefore our prayers aligned with God’s heart and with God’s will and way. Praying in this way will produce good fruit that glorifies God. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, our connection to you is so important, so vital. As we spend time each day in prayer and study, our connection strengthens. Then, as we go out into life and into the world, your words, your Spirit, your will and way go with us, guiding us. May this connection empower us to produce fruit as we strive to build your kingdom of heaven here on earth, bringing you all the glory. Amen.


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Righteous Freely

Readings: Acts 4:8-12, Romans 5:18-19, Romans 3:21-25

Romans 3:24 – “All are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Jesus Christ.”

The words we read in Acts 4 are Peter’s response to the religious leaders who arrested him and John for healing a crippled man then preaching about healing him in Jesus’ name. Peter begins by asking why they’re being examined for doing something good: healing a man. He then takes the opportunity provided by the miracle to once again preach, declaring that the healing came through the power of Jesus’ name. Peter then reminds the religious leaders that they rejected the “stone.” Nonetheless, Peter continues, Jesus has become the “cornerstone” or the foundation of faith. Accordingly, Peter states, “Salvation can be found in no one else.” Jesus alone can save – from a crippling physical condition or from one’s sinful ways or from pride or arrogance or…

In our Romans passages Paul also seems to establish Jesus as “the one.” In chapter 5 Paul states that one person met the righteous requirements just as one man brought sin into the world. We can be made righteous through Jesus Christ just as we were made sinners through Adam. In chapter 3 Paul declares the righteousness is revealed through Christ’s faithfulness. He states that the Law and Prophets point to this revelation of God’s righteousness. This is important for his audience and for us because “all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.” Sin is in us and on our own we cannot defeat sin and cannot make ourselves righteous. So Jesus stood in our place as the sacrifice for our sins. Because of this righteous act, “All are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Jesus Christ.” Through Jesus we are saved. The price has been paid. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your love that takes on, covers, and washes away my sin. On my own I would fall woefully short of your glory. Thank you for Jesus Christ, he who willingly and freely paid the price, becoming my ransom, atoning for my sins. In turn, Lord, use me to reveal Christ to others, especially those in need of healing and forgiveness. Amen.


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Light and Love to the World

Reading: 1st John 1-3

1st John 3:9 – “Those born from God don’t practice sin because God’s DNA remains in them.”

The opening of 1st John echoes the words and feel of John’s gospel: from the beginning, life was revealed, fellowship with the Father and Son. There is also his firsthand testimony to Jesus’ life. “We” have seen him, heard him, touched him.

John then launches into “living in the light.” Jesus is the light and in him there is no darkness. Living in the light we have fellowship with Jesus and with one another. Living in the light we find forgiveness of sins. John adds, “The one who claims to remain in him ought to live like him.” We should strive to emulate Jesus’ example. As we read on, John equates living in the light to two things: loving God/others and keeping God’s commands. If we love our brothers and sisters, then we remain in the light. But if we hate our brothers and sisters, then we are living in darkness (or sin.) Similarly, if we love the things of this world instead, then we are of the world, living in darkness.

1st John briefly addresses the “antichrists” that have come from within the faith communities. These false teachers have distorted the good news, denying God. John reminds the believers of the Spirit’s anointing that keeps them in relationship with God. This relationship is rooted in love. It was love that makes us God’s children. It is love that keeps us from sinning. In 3:9 John connects these dots, writing, “Those born from God don’t practice sin because God’s DNA remains in them.” The Spirit of God, dwelling in our hearts, empowers us to live and to keep the commands. Echoing James’ words, John encourages us to lay self down for others, loving in action and truth. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, as you have loved us, making us part of your family, may we love others, drawing them into the family. Empower us to love well as you guard our hearts against loving the things of this world. May we be light to the darkness of this world, love to the hate. Amen.


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The Pioneer

Reading: Hebrews 1-3

Hebrews 2:10 – “It was appropriate for God… to use the experience of suffering to make perfect the pioneer of salvation.”

Hebrews begins by declaring that God first spoke through the prophets (the Old Testament) and then spoke through a Son (the New Testament Gospels.) Jesus is “the imprint of God’s being.” The Son then died to cleanse people from their sins, returning to glory to sit at God’s right hand. It is a powerful opening statement.

The author then exhorts the audience to pay attention to the good news they’ve heard lest they “drift away.” He or she asks, “How will we escape [hell] if we ignore such a great salvation?” Great question. This gift of salvation was announced by Jesus and confirmed by the disciples and apostles. God offered validity through “signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit.”

Hebrews then turns to who and what Jesus was and is. First, he tasted death so that we can taste grace. Jesus also lived as a human. In 2:10 we read, “It was appropriate for God… to use the experience of suffering to make perfect the pioneer of salvation.” Christ mediates for us based on experiencing what we experience. Jesus walked our road, experiencing suffering, when tempted. Through it all, Jesus was faithful to God. Because of his example and sacrifice, we can have hope and confidence. We can encourage one another every day so that one day we can “enter his rest.” May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for sending your Son, he who walked this earth as one of us. In those 30+ years he experienced what it is like to be human – the suffering, the temptation, the pain. Yet in living he also revealed your love and the joy, hope, peace, contentment, and forgiveness found in that love. Help us today to walk in step with the Spirit, sharing that love, bringing you all the glory. Amen.