I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of glad that 2008 is over. 2008 had its up and downs didn’t it? And for many it ended like the DOW, down from where it was the year before. The year didn’t go as planned. The dreams we made didn’t materialize, 401’s fizzled, houses didn’t sell, loved one’s were laid off, personal finances were squeezed like never before for this generation, and stress is at all time highs. As 2008 ends on such a sour note there may not be much hope that 2009 will be any different.
But it can be different. It can be better. I can almost guarantee it. And so for the next four weeks Regina and I, will be preaching a series titled “Four Secrets for a Better Year.” Each Sunday, beginning today we will reveal a different secret that has the potential for making your new year better than the last. If that interests you, then you’re in the right place.
Pray. “Lord God, the God of hope and new life. The God who is always doing something new. Speak to us through your holy word today. That we might have hope for a better new year. Amen.”
Hear the word of the Lord read from the book Colossians 3.12-14.
[S] “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” [S] (NIV)
The word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
In the movie “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” three escaped convicts were on the run. Hiding in the woods they hear some singing. They carefully move through the woods until they see a line of people following a man with a bible down to the river’s edge. Once there, the people stop singing, the preacher opens up the bible, and reads a scripture about forgiveness and new life through Christ and then begins baptizing new Christ followers. When he is done he asks if there is anyone else who would like to be forgiven for their sins and baptized.
A couple of the escapees look at each other. After a moment or two of discussion they bolt from the woods to be baptized. The preacher does the honors.
With their sins forgiven the two think they are now innocent and that law can’t touch them. That’s when the third convict speaks up and says, “The Lord may have washed your sin away and forgiven you, but the State of Mississippi isn’t so forgiving.”
Do you know who else can be so unforgiving? The answer might surprise you. Listen to what Paul had to say in Ephesians 4.30-32.
[SLIDE] “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every from of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” [SLIDE]
Any idea who the unforgiving people were that Paul was writing to in this passage? It wasn’t the State of Mississippi, it wasn’t the state of Ephesus, it a bunch of unsaved New Years Eve revelers; of all people it was Christ followers who were so unforgiving.
The Christians were acting like the woman who was bitten by a dog with rabies and was told to put her affairs in order because it didn’t look good for her. The woman asked the doctor for if she could borrow his pen and his prescription pad and began writing furiously. After a few minutes the doctor said, “That’s a long will you’re making.” “Will nothing” she retorted. I’m making a list of all the people I’m going to bite!”
That’s the image we have of the Christians in this passage. There was animosity and resentment. People were saying things about each other that were not totally true and they knew that. But they told it anyway with the hope of causing ill will or commiserating to keep trouble stirred up. People held grudges and wore chips on their shoulders. There were hostile attitudes and fighting.
Catching wind of this Paul said, “Enough already!” “It’s time to forgive.”
It’s time to forgive. Good words for anyone who wants this year to be better than the previous. [S] Secret number one for making this year better than last year is to forgive someone you’re withholding forgiveness from. Granted it might not be easy, but believe when I say it’s in your best interest and the interest of those you love.
In his book Wounded Spirit, Frank Peretti wrote, “Forgiving can be hard, but if you chose not to forgive those who have hurt you, bitterness will eat you alive and rob you of a peaceful future.” (pg. 143) He’s absolutely right.
I know. I’ve been there. I had been wounded badly. I had been betrayed by some of my friends. I hurt so much that I couldn’t speak to them. I tried to ignore them. But couldn’t. The pain began to fester and turned to anger. And the anger eventually turned towards bitterness. The more I thought about what they did to me the angrier I became. Joy was pulled out from under me.
As days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months the pain finally began to subside. But so also did my emotional and spiritual vitality. Though I didn’t feel the pain like I used to I didn’t feel alive to God, my wife and children, or even my ministry. It had become so bad that I had considered leaving the ministry. And just might have if it wasn’t for what God did for me on a weekend spiritual retreat called the Walk to Emmaus.
It was there that God revealed to me, that my spiritual malaise and lack of joy was not due to the sin which had been committed against me, but had more to do with my response to that sin. You see, I didn’t want to forgive those who hurt me because somehow I thought that that was a way I could get back at them. But the truth of the matter is that my withholding forgiveness wasn’t getting back at them. They had moved on. Withholding forgiveness it turns out was only hurting myself.
One of the spiritual directors told me that peace, life, and vitality would only come back to my life when I gave up my right to get even, and instead forgave those who hurt me. I had a choice to make; to withhold forgiveness and continue to be miserable or to forgive and experience new life and joy again. I chose the latter and a miracle happened. The bitterness and rage disintegrated in front of me and for the first time in a long time I felt alive to God, my family, and the church to which I pastored.
I learned a great secret that day, forgiving enabled me to start living.
A man was on a canoe trip deep in the wilderness of the Canadian Algonquin Provincial Park. He and his friends paddled up to a small island when they saw some Canadian Park Rangers furiously digging holes around a campsite and pouring buckets of lake water into the holes. When he asked what was going on they said that they were putting out a fire. The canoer’s didn’t understand, after all they didn’t see any flames. The Ranger explained that it was a root fire. Someone had built a campfire where there was a root close to the surface. From there the fire spread underground to several trees. You couldn’t see it, but you could feel the heat coming from the ground. They told them that if they did not put it out, it could burn down the entire island.
Withholding forgiveness is like that. It’s a slow smothering fire below the surface that kills the spirit. The only way to get to the root of the issue and to keep from burning up from the inside out and to sooth the burning is to pour the cold Canadian lake water of forgiveness over the roots.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every from of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Do you want this year to be better than last year? Then instead of making a list of who you’re going to bite and checking it twice, why not make a list of who you’re going to forgive? Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to light that person or persons that you need to forgive. Some of you know exactly who that is, but it’s hard to let go. For you, ask the Holy Spirit to bless you with the ability to forgive them.
Before we take communion which symbolizes the forgiving love of God towards us, let’s take a moment here, to ask for God’s help in forgiving those who have hurt us.
Enter into Communion.
