44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God. Luke 24:44-53
In the matter of intelligence and leadership, it is said that there are three types of people:
• Those who make things happen…
• Those who watch things happen, and…
• Those who wonder what in the world has happened!
The disciples of Jesus would fall into that last category. (Me too!)
After the resurrection Jesus met with his disciples on several occasions. In our text, which is the final meeting, the Lord helps them understand what has happened. He shares with his followers how to get their minds around the events of His life and ministry and death; he also talks to them about strategy for continuing to follow him, and the future mission of reaching the world with His good news.
As Jesus unfolds these instructions for his followers, his theme (as is the theme for the whole of Scripture) is forgiveness. The Lord opened their understanding – turned on the light bulb; he made it clear about forgiveness from a personal standpoint, all the way to the global concept of redemption for the whole world.
Forgiveness! There are many things for which we need forgiveness. The fellow that told me the following story is a case in point: Early one morning, a farmer was milking his cow. The farmer was just starting to get a good rhythm going when a bug flew into the barn and started circling his head. Suddenly, the bug flew into the cow’s ear. The farmer didn’t think much about it, until the bug squirted out into his bucket. It went in one ear and out the udder!
I’m not entirely certain I can forgive the guy for telling me that!
The centrality of God’s message to the human race in general (and you and me in particular) is grace…forgiveness and reconciliation with the God who made us.
The first time I ever saw the statue outside Duke Divinity School’s Refectory I knew one day I would display it in a sermon. It is entitled simply, “Reconciliation”. It is the picture of one man’s anger towards another man, with yet a third man interceding. That is the gospel story. You and I are the first two; Jesus is the third.
I see that statue every day I’m in school in July. It reminds me of my job as a minister, but more, as a believer in Christ, to work for reconciliation.
This passage is a sharp reminder of our main task as believers, followers of Jesus Christ. It tells us at least four truths about forgiveness:
TRUTH #1. FORGIVENESS IS NECESSARY
Everything about why Jesus came into this world, and how He lived and died, and rose again is about our need for forgiveness from sin. In fact if forgiveness was not necessary, Christ’s death was a mistake.
But God’s wisdom knew that any time there is an offense there must be forgiveness to set things straight. Jesus reminded His disciples – Messiah had to suffer and die for the forgiveness of our sin. It is central to Christianity that sin has a penalty,
The person who sins shall die. Ezekiel 18:20 (NRSVA)
…and because of that penalty there had to be a sacrifice:
…and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2 (NRSVA)
In order for God to extend forgiveness for our sin there had to be a death. Jesus became that sacrifice; he never sinned, yet he allowed himself to be executed in our place. Forgiveness was necessary for the broken relationship between God and mankind.
Forgiveness is just as necessary between people as it is between God and people. It’s necessary unless you want continual war and violence. Forgiveness is necessary, and…
TRUTH #2. FORGIVENESS IS NOT EASY OR CHEAP
Just because we can receive the forgiveness of God without paying does not make God’s grace easy or cheap. Our salvation is the most costly gift ever given.
When it comes to human relationships it is so much easier to hold a grudge than to initiate reconciliation with a forgiving spirit. Yet, that is exactly what God does…and what the apostle Paul told us to do:
…be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Eph4:32 (NRSVA)
Initiating is the operative word. If we are to be imitators of God, we must see clearly that God always makes the first move…
But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NRSVA)
Grudges and pride keep us from reconciling with each other. They destroy the thought of forgiveness. The pastor and his wife were going to give a mid-morning garden party. They invited everyone with engraved invitations. The delightful back yard of the parsonage was manicured, tables decorated the lawn, the clematis vine and rose bushes elegantly bloomed their floral splendor! This was going to be THE EVENT of the year.
The night before the party the pastor discovered (to his horror) that Mrs. Snoot, charter member, resident matriarch of the church had been left off the invitation list. The pastor immediately dialed Mrs. Snoot. “I’m sorry, it was a terrible oversight,” he pleaded, “Won’t you please come to the garden party anyway?” Mrs. Snoot replied, “It’s too late, Reverend….I’ve already prayed for rain!”
I have shared with you before that, two years ago when I first came here I was rather damaged. I was hurt by a congregation and in coming here as pastor, I simply wanted to teach, preach and be left alone. The truth is that I had unforgiveness towards those who had hurt me creeping back into my heart. I had a grudge that I found excruciatingly hard to let go. Then you, the church, did what you do – you got under my skin by loving me. You crept in and I found that my frost-bitten heart was beginning to melt. You helped me care and love again. And now I find there is forgiveness for the past.
It has not been easy to find that forgiveness; it has not been cheap. Letting go of your pride and anger is the hardest and most costly work you can undertake. It takes you way past your comfort zone….but I am here to tell you today that it is worth forgiving, because without doing so you will never find the freedom of being forgiven. Matthew told us that Jesus said,
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15
Forgiveness is necessary and costly, and…
TRUTH #3. FORGIVENESS IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT ANSWER
If you will notice in verse 47 of our text the message of repentance and forgiveness begins at Jerusalem, and works its way around the world…but it starts in Jerusalem….“at home”.
Now, it may be a bit of spiritualization of some simple geographical instruction, but the principle is wholesome – forgiveness, starting with me, is always the right answer. The reason is because, like the disciples, I am not only the messenger of God’s forgiveness; I am THE MESSAGE as well. What people see in my life is as important (if not more important) than what they hear me say about the God who is in my life. It is like the old saying that people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.
If you believe this you also see that the burden of starting the process of forgiveness is on the person who was wronged. That is difficult. But the way the Lord has created us does not, even for one minute, come close to entertaining the notion that you can shift the responsibility of the first move from the one who has been wronged to the one who has done the wrong. If someone has done you wrong, it is up to you to make the first move; the ball is in YOUR court!
The reason for that is, especially in our society nobody thinks he is wrong – or at least no-one admits it! Friend, if you’re waiting for someone to come and admit he is wrong and beg your forgiveness before you’ll begin to consider forgiveness, you’re going to be waiting until pigs sprout wings!
Had God waited until we asked for forgiveness, there would have been no Christmas…no Easter….you would never have been born, because God wouldn’t have given Adam and Eve a second chance, or Cain, or allowed Noah to start the human race again after the flood; He would’ve just destroyed the whole mess. But God is loving and patient.
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 (NRSVA)
Notice the order of that last part of the verse…God doesn’t want anyone to perish…go to Hell. What stands in the way of perishing? Nothing but repentance and the patient tolerance of God. He is waiting to forgive anyone who is truly repentant, willing to admit sin and turn away from sin.
Now, it is the same with human relationships…we have the burden of actively seeking-out those who have wronged us (just like God sent Jesus to seek and save the lost…sinners!...US!); we must begin the process of reconciliation with those who have wronged us!
I went to a concert this past week. My granddaughter, Chelsea had a flute solo in her 8th Grade Band Awards concert. She was excellent! (Better than your grandchildren). But it was the Band Teacher who really got me thinking about real forgiveness and how it’s always in order.
After all the awards were given out there was one more song to play. The band teacher introduced it by saying, “Before we finish I have something to say. We all have our boiling point, and this week I guess I reached mine. I yelled; I mean I REALLY yelled at two of my band students this week. They know who they are. I want to publicly apologize to them. I love my students and I had no business losing it with them. I’m sorry guys”.
Now listen…I know 8th graders – those guys probably earned 99.8% of the yelling. Eighth-grade boys can drive anyone over the brink…it’s their job description! But that band teacher recognized the principle that it is on the shoulders of the one who realizes a split has happened between people to go to the other party…and quickly. You don’t let grudges and anger build up. I was proud of the teacher. He apologized to his students in front of the other students and their parents…about 600 of them. He was THE man!
Forgiveness is necessary, costly, always in order, and…
TRUTH #4. FORGIVENESS IS THE BEGINNING OF GREAT BLESSING
Our text says that Jesus left the disciples after telling them to tell others about repentance and forgiveness….and they went back home with great joy. Did I miss something here? The leader gives the disciples a hard mission, barely tells them how to do it, and then leaves them to deal with the Romans and Jewish leaders who had just executed him, while he merrily heads back home to heaven. What were they so happy about?
The disciples knew the joy of being forgiven! They were also beginning to understand the joy of forgiving others. It is the truth that forgiveness, either the kind that comes your way when you’ve messed-up and been given a second chance – or – when someone has crossed you and you’ve been the one to extend forgiveness…is the beginning of great blessing...either way!
Listen to these words: “I had a brother once, and I betrayed him.” With these words, African writer Laurens Van der Post begins a wonderful book The Seed and the Sower…. The story is of two brothers from small South African village. The elder brother is tall, athletic, good student and a natural leader. The younger brother was not. He had a back deformity and was very sensitive to the fact. He had a beautiful singing voice. They both attended the same private school.
One night some of the older boys dragged the younger brother out and ripped off his shirt and made fun of his deformity until he cried. They threw him into an abandoned water tank and forced him to sing. The older brother was aware of what was going on but did nothing to rescue his younger brother. The younger brother survived but with a crushed spirit. He returned to the family farm and lived a reclusive life and never sang again.
During World War II the older brother had a dream in which he realised he had been Judas to his younger brother. He makes the incredibly difficult journey back to South Africa and asks his brother’s forgiveness. Later that night in the dark of the night he hears a beautiful sound – it is his brother singing a song that the older brother had written when they were boys. [1]
Forgiveness brings the song back into life. That’s what made the disciples so happy, so worshipful, so full of praise to God. And that can happen in your life as well.
Our text tells us that Jesus led the disciples as far as Bethany before he left them. Well, well, well…here you are at Bethany. For many of you, like me, it is the church you now call “home”; for some you are a visitor, or a returning favorite son or daughter on Memorial Day. At any rate you have been led as far as Bethany today. You now have a choice considering the forgiveness that you either need, or need to give.
What are you going to do with your debts? Not the money you owe…but the debts of transgression either owed by you to others and God, or the ones owed by others to you?
The debt of your sin can be settled in the next moment…you can pray and ask forgiveness…it is necessary to set things right with your God.
The debt others owe to you….are you going to wait until the long grey beard appears on your pride before you’ll get it straight with the one with whom you’ve disagreed…or will today be the beginning path of reconciliation? Are you willing to start the path of forgiveness?
What’s waiting on down that pathway?
Just ask the band leader who released his eighth-graders from their guilt of driving him crazy.
Just ask the wife who’s taken back an unfaithful husband.
Just ask the parent who’s received back a prodigal with no strings attached.
Just ask the one who’s forgiven a huge monetary debt.
• It is the release of yourself from the kind prison that happens when you’ve tried to hold someone else prisoner to your anger and pride.
• It’s the release of your own soul when you forgive someone.
And when that happens the power of God’s Spirit is also released in your life, and there is a song that comes to help you spread that message of repentance and forgiveness and joy…from Jerusalem to anywhere!
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ENDNOTES
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1] Freedom in Forgiveness by Alan McCann, quoted on SermonCentral.com
