SEVENTEENTH PENTECOST

September 15, 2002 -- SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Proper 19) Genesis 50:15-21Psalm 103:[1-7] 8-13The LORD is full of compassion and mercy. (Ps. 103:8)Romans 14:1-12Matthew 18:21-35Color: Green


WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR
WITH THE QUOTATION
FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
THAT READS
THE FEAR OF THE LORD
IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM.
IF YOU'RE AS OLD AS I AM
YOU'VE HEARD THIS PROVERB THUNDERED
FROM THE PULPIT,
REPEATED BY YOUR PARENTS
AND TAUGHT BY YOUR TEACHERS.

FEAR OF THE LORD
IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM.
WISDOM WASN'T STRESSEDBUT FEAR CERTAINLY WAS.
SO THAT GOD CAME TO BE FOR MOST OF USA KIND OF A CELESTIAL SCOREKEEPER.WHO COUNTED ALL OUR FAULTSAND COULDN'T WAIT TO PUNISH US.
IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED TO US
IT WAS THE RESULT OF OUR SINS.
ACCIDENTS WERE BLAMED ON GOD,
NATURAL CATASTROPHES
WERE BLAMED ON GOD.
THAT WAS IN MY YOUTH
BUT NOTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED.
INSTINCTIVELY IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG
WE FEEL THAT GOD IS PUNISHING US
FOR SOME FAULT REAL OR IMAGINED.
WHAT A HATEFUL GOD
HOW COULD ANYONE LOVE HIM.
HOW COULD WE EVER COME TO CONCEIVE
THAT THE GOD WHO CALLS HIMSELF LOVE
COULD ACT IN SUCH AN UNLOVING WAY.

IS GOD TELLING US A LIE
IS HE PLAYING GAMES WITH US
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT OUR GOD
IS THAT SMALL
HERE ARE MY REASONS.
FIRST
THE EXPRESSION
FEAR OF THE LORD
IN HEBREW THOUGHTMEANT THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION.SO PROVERBS WOULD BETTER TRANSLATEFOR TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICANSAS THE PRACTICE OF RELIGIONIS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM.

AND WHAT IS THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION
IN GODS OWN WORDS
IT IS THE LOVING OF GOD
WITH ALL YOUR HEART
ALL YOUR MIND
ALL YOUR SOUL
AND THE LOVING OF YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOUR SELF.
THIS IS THE WHOLE LAW
BUT WE ARE CREATURES OF THE DUST
AND WHEN WE FAIL
WHEN WE BREAK GOD'S LAW
WHAT THEN.
ARE WE NOT GUILTY
AND WORTHY OF PUNISHMENT
YES THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE
WE WOULD BE WORTH OF PUNISHMENT
IF WE HAD NOT BEEN REDEEMED
BY JESUS' DEATH,
IT IS JESUS' DEATH
AND RESURRECTION
THAT SEPARATES CHRISTIANITY
FROM ALL OTHER RELIGIONS
BY HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
WE ARE SAVED
WE ARE FORGIVEN.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE

NOT BY OUR HUMAN EXPERIENCE
WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US
WE WANT REVENGE
WHEN WE HURT GOD
HE FORGIVES.
THE CLOSEST WE HUMANS COME
TO THAT KIND OF FORGIVING LOVE
IS MOTHER LOVE.
TOO BAD WE PICTURE GOD AS FATHER.
FATHERS TRADITIONALLY
ARE THE LAWGIVERS
MOTHERS ARE THE FORGIVERS.
GOD AS A FORGIVING MOTHER
IS MUCH MORE UNDERSTANDABLE.
IN THE LESSONS TODAYGOD CALLS USTO BE A FORGIVINGLOVING PEOPLE.


FORGIVE HE SAYS
AS I HAVE FIRST FORGIVEN YOU
LOVE HE SAYS
AS I HAVE FIRST LOVED YOU
WE HAVE TROUBLEUNDERSTANDINGTHIS KIND OF LOVE.

IF YOU WERE A PSYCHIATRISTAND GOD WAS YOUR PATIENT.YOU'D TELL HIM
HE HAD TO STOP LETTING PEOPLEWALK ALL OVER HIM.
HIS LOVING AND FORGIVINGARE NOT NORMAL.
YET WE ARE ASKEDRATHER WE ARE TOLDRATHER WE ARE COMMANDEDTO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE
IN GENESIS
HE CALLS FOR US
TO FORGIVE FAMILY SQUABBLES.
MANY OF US KNOW HOW PAINFULAND HARD THAT CAN BE.GOD SAYS FORGIVE.
IN ROMANS
GOD SAYS
THAT DIFFERENCES
SHOULDN'T KEEP US APART
THAT MATTERS OF DIET
RELIGION
TASTE
POLITICS.
WHATEVER
SHOULD NOT CAUSE DISSENSION
BECAUSE WE ARE ALL HIS CHILDREN.
GOD LOVES ALL OF US
GOD SAYS TOLERATE THE DIFFERENCES
IN MATTHEWHE PUTS US TO THE CHALLENGE.
THE CHALLENGE IS THISIF I GOD HAVE FORGIVEN YOUWHY CANT YOU FORGIVE OTHERS.GOD SAYS FORGIVEAS I HAVE FIRST FORGIVEN YOU

BUT HOW MUCHDOES GOD LOVE USAND HOW MUCHDOES HE FORGIVE US
PSALM 103 SAYS
AS HIGH AS THE HEAVENS
ARE ABOVE THE EARTH
SO GREAT IS GOD'S LOVE FOR US
AND AS FAR AS THE EAST
IS FROM THE WEST
IS HOW FAR GOD
HAS REMOVED OUR SINS FROM US.
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A GODTHAT KEEPS SCORE DOES IT
WE ARE TRULY FORGIVEN.WE ARE ASKED TO FORGIVE OTHERS.
I WOULD LIKE
TO PLAY A GAME WITH YOU
A GAME OF LET'S PRETEND
LET'S PRETEND
THAT YOU ARE HOLDING
AN INVISIBLE PENCIL
AND AN INVISIBLE PIECE OF PAPER.
WRITE ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER
ANY SIN IN YOUR LIFE
THAT YOU THINK
GOD HAS NOT FORGIVEN
AND FORGOTTEN.

OR WRITE ON THE PAPERANY LIFE SITUATIONANY WRONG DONE TO YOUTHAT YOU FINDHARD TO FORGIVE.
IF YOU'RE LIKE ME
YOU'LL HAVE SOME OF EACH.
WRITE THEM DOWN.
I'LL PASS THE COLLECTION BASKET
YOU PUT THEM IN.
FOLD THEM IF YOU WANT TO.
SO NOBODY CAN SEE

I AM GOING TO THROW THEM
OUT THE DOOR.
BY THE WORDS OF THE SCRIPTURE
I DECLARE
THEY ARE GONE
TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
THEY ARE GONE
LET THEM GO
AND LET US TRY AGAIN
AND IF WE FAIL TRY AGAIN
AND AGAIN
AND AGAIN
TILL WE HAVE TRIED
SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN TIMES

LET US TRY TO ACT
AS A LOVING
FORGIVING
PEOPLE.

AMEN