5th Sunday After Easter
Acts 17: 55-60
April 20, 2008Some years back the Lutheran magazine printed an article, which told the sad story of how a young man named Mark broke into his ex-girlfriend Jenny's home and brutally stabbed her.
At the time Mark was 18 and Jenny was 15.
Mark was convicted of first-degree murder, which in Iowa is life imprisonment with out parole.
Vicky, Jenny's mother believed the punishment wasn't enough.
She passionately argued for the death penalty and fantasized about killing him.
Eight years later, Vicky was offered a chance to visit Mark under the "Victim-Offender Reconciliation" program.
The opportunity coincided with an invitation to attend a local Bible study.
This group, which became a source of support, prayed for Vicky just before she visited Mark.
At their meeting, Vicky assailed Mark, who said he was sorry.
Asked if he grieves for Jenny, Mark responded, "You don't cry in here."
Vicky began to soften, realizing that this young man was living out his days in a small cell.
His life as over too, she thought.
Over the following months, Vicky's anger began to recede.
At her Bible study she asked about sin and forgiveness.
She began praying that Mark would find some purpose in life.
1n 1999—13 years later—Vicky visited Mark again, offering him forgiveness and saying she no longer hated him.
Mark cried.
Later, Vicky made the comment,
"Forgiveness freed me", she said.
"My healing from grief and depression accelerated after meeting with Mark.
It's wonderful to be rid of the anger and bitterness."
Today's reading from the Book of Acts is a story of forgiveness and it seems to me that we can never go wrong when it comes to talking about forgiveness.
Forgiveness is something that we are in need of.
We need to extend it and we need to receive it.
Forgiveness is at the heart of our Christian faith.
To be a Christian is to forgive others.
To be a Christian is recognize that we have been forgiven.
Forgiveness and our Christian faith go hand in hand.
And yet, having said that, I suspect there are many who would agree even though agreeing is a whole lot easier than actually doing.
As people of faith we do a pretty good job of talking about forgiveness, but like everyone else, we are not always so good on the follow through.
So, with that thought in mind, let's talk about forgiveness.
And the best place to begin a talk about forgiveness is the Bible because the Bible is filled with amazing grace-filled stories of forgiveness and as I mentioned, today's reading from the Book of Acts is one of those stories of forgiveness.
If you recall, Stephen, was a faithful follower of Jesus and the first person called by the early church to care for the widows and orphans.
According to the Book of Acts, Stephen was brought before the Jewish religious officials because he had been talking about Jesus and in their eyes this was blasphemy.
They hoped the threat of death would shut him up, but Stephen would not be silenced.
In the end the religious officials went ballistic, there was yelling and hyperventilating and the next thing you know the mob is rushing Stephen outside where they began to hurl stones at him.
Stephen was pelted with one stone after another.
Sensing the end, he lifted up his voice to heaven and says: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" and in a loud voice cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."
Stephen's final words speak to all who find themselves on the hurting end of someone else's actions.
They speak to each of us who have felt as though we were unfairly treated or abused.
They speak to each of us who have found ourselves enslaved to our own cancerous anger and resentment.
Every time I read the story of Stephen I wonder if I could ever live up to my namesake?
In some of my more cynical moments, I see him as a naïve fool.
But then in less cynical moments, I realize that he was a man who emulated the life and teaching of Jesus.
And because of his witness I am reminded of the amazing gift of grace given to us through Christ's death on the cross that seals my forgiveness in the eye of God.
Because of that gift of forgiveness I am encouraged, compelled and empowered to forgive others.
And while I might know that in my head, I also know in my heart that forgiveness is tough stuff.
Forgiveness is many things, but first and foremost it is an act of grace.
Grace, as you may know, is something that is undeserved and unearned.
Grace is something that is given out of the goodness of the heart with no expectation of reward or payment.
Therefore Forgiveness is Gracious.
When we forgive, we reflect the grace of Jesus Christ to others.
Some time ago I remember a television newscast that reported the arrest and upcoming trial of a youth who while drunk behind the wheel of a car, had killed two Amish children as they walked beside the road.
If convicted, the young man could face life imprisonment.
The camera panned the long funeral procession that followed the path from the church to the cemetery where the two children were to be buried.
All of the mourners were dressed in the traditional black Amish clothing and were riding in horse drawn buggies or on foot.
A reporter asks the obvious question to one person in the procession, "How are you feeling toward the young man who was responsible for the death of these two children?"
The man paused and said, "We hold no bitterness toward him. What has happened has happened and we will carry on with life. The law will judge him according to his actions, but in our eyes, he is already forgiven."
When we forgive, we are participating in the grace that God shared with us in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
When we forgive from our hearts, we catch a glimpse of what the kingdom of God will be like.
Forgiveness is an act of healing.
Do you remember the story of when Peter came to Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?"
"No, not seven times," answered Jesus, "but seventy times seven, because the Kingdom of God is like this…" and then he goes on tell a parable.
Let's face it, forgiveness, though commanded by God, is not always easy.
If any of you have ever been a victim of abuse or a violent crime, you will no doubt agree with the account given by a man who was robbed at gunpoint and later writes:
"History will note this as one man standing in front of his house with his two infant daughters while another man holds a .45 automatic to his head and goes through his pockets for five dollars and change. The police record it as an armed robbery.
He goes on to say, I remember it as an invasion—a violation on part of my life, my psyche, where on one should ever be.
Jesus calls it a forgiveness-needing act.
Jesus knows that 70 x 7 times I will remember that night and will be filled with hatred.
And Jesus knows that 70 x 7 times the fear of that moment will resurface;
And Jesus knows that 70 x 7 times the craving for revenge will well up inside me;
And Jesus knows that 70 x 7 times I will weep in the pain that is planted inside me; and Jesus knows that 70 x 7 times he will be whispering in my ear the words of forgiveness.
Which is to say: 70x 7 is not so much a command as it is a gift---A gift of healing.
A gift because that gun, that man, that night is branded in my memory.
And for as long as I have the hatred, the fear, the desire for revenge, and the grieving, I will also need and the gift of forgiving—Jesus' forgiving and my forgiving.
And that is what Jesus offers, 70 x 7.
Forgiveness is truly a gracious gift of healing coming from God.
It is the one antidote that we have for the bitterness and resentment that may be harbored against those who wronged us.
Through forgiveness, we are able to lay down our burdens and go on with life.
Through forgiveness, we are made right with God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In our reading from 1st Peter in the 9th verse we are told, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
On the cross Jesus died so we might truly be all those things Peter said we were—a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people.
With that word of encouragement let us close with this prayer:
Forgive us Lord, so we may forgive others.
Heal our unforgiving hearts so we might be the person you created us to be.
By your grace, empower each of us to reflect your mercy, compassion and forgiveness
In Jesus name. Amen
Pastor Stephen Blenkush
Zion Lutheran Church
Milaca, MN
Zion Lutheran Church
Milaca, MN
