INTRODUCTION
Today we are going to look at forgiveness. It is perhaps pertinent, following recent events in London, (London bombings) that we try to engage with such a subject; As the emotions and distress of shock start to give way to feelings of anger, resentment & bitterness. But hopefully we will see that forgiveness is a necessary part of life, especially for those called to follow Christ.
Having said what today’s sermon is based on, let me say what it is not! Firstly, it is not an exhaustive sermon on all aspects of forgiveness
The minister and author Elizabeth O’Connor writes…
‘Despite a hundred sermons on forgiveness, we do not forgive easily, nor find ourselves easily forgiven. Forgiveness, we discover, is always harder than the sermons make it out to be’
I can tell you that I find this subject amazing – it strikes me that there is such power in forgiveness, the like of which I personally am only starting to discover. So that is a second NOT – Today’s sermon is not preached by someone who feels particularly qualified to claim any sort of expertise in this area.
But I hope that together we get an opportunity to explore this area of forgiveness, through a series of stories and quotes, which I trust God’s H.S will graciously seek to minister into our hearts.
3 points for us to consider…
1) The need for forgiveness,
2) The alternative to forgiveness,
3) The power of forgiveness.
1) THE NEED FOR FORGIVENESS
Most people in the world today recognise some need for forgiveness. They may be very conditional as to who and why people should be forgiven and in what circumstances. But in the eyes of most societies there is a place for forgiveness.
Forgiveness is required at all levels in our world. We saw justice and forgiveness at a national level in South Africa, following years of repressive apartheid regime, when South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission was set up.
Part of the South African PROMOTION OF NATIONAL UNITY AND RECONCILIATION ACT, 1995 says that ‘...the Constitution states that there is a need for understanding but not for vengeance, a need for reparation but not for retaliation…’
A whole country previously exposed to many forms of violence and abuse, when change of regime comes, acknowledges the need for truth and forgiveness. Perhaps they may have been inspired, in part, by the words of Martin Luther King, who said…
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.”
Forgiveness is also required at a personal level.
Many years ago, I was involved in organising the Farnborough ‘March for Jesus’, whilst at one of the preparation meetings I met a very Godly woman, who had been an overseers of missionaries in Africa, along with her husband, for over 40 years. They traveled around offering support to the other missionaries in the field. She told me a true story of what had happened one day on the mission field....
Lady missionary came to them....She said that she couldn’t feel close to God and she had seen several miracles but nothing ever happened involving her....it was getting her down. My missionary friend and her husband invited her around for dinner. When she arrived they learnt she couldn’t eat most foods! She had had eating problems nearly all her life. They talked all evening and made no progress.
She was invited back....but before she came God revealed to my friend and her husband the cause of the problem. So when the lady missionary returned they prayed with her and revealed that God had said it was connected with her mother....lady cried.....said that she had always hated her mother (who had died several years ago) because of things she’d heard her say about her......The couple said that she had to ask for forgiveness.. she did...and cried heavily....and left with a heavy burden removed.
As I sat there with that 70+ year lady in a pew in St Peter’s, you should have seen the wonderful smile on her face, as she told me of how she and her husband met the lady several months later and she shone! Her live was completely changed!
The power of forgiveness had transformed her life.
Like the woman in the gospel story we had read to us. She too understands something of forgiveness. As she cries at the feet of Jesus she is experiencing the reality of forgiveness. It is a lesson to all in that room as Jesus is touched by her love for him.
The power of forgiveness still transforms lives. And the need for forgiveness is as great as ever.
2) THE ALTERNATIVE TO FORGIVENESS – VENGEANCE?
When we look at recent events in London, we are already at the stage of analysis – of Psychologists, lecturers, experts in various fields trying to understand why a group of young people, born and bred in West Yorkshire should want to blow themselves up and kill and injure so many people, bringing hurt and distress to hundreds of people.
I don’t feel qualified to add my opinion to the many others, but I have observed in this life that hatred begets hatred! The last time London was bombed was by the IRA, ultimately because of atrocities committed in 1649 – which in turn were ordered by Oliver Cromwell to avenge a massacre in 1641!
During the Iranian hostage crisis, the Iranians called upon President Jimmy Carter to apologise for supporting the oppressive regimes of the Shahs. He refused, stating that national honour was at stake!
And earlier this year, when I traveled to China on business, there were massive demonstrations and violence in major Chinese cities, aimed at the Japanese, who were denying the atrocities they carried out during the war – they were certainly not prepared to offer a sign of forgiveness.
Hatred begets hatred.
Philip Yancey writes….
‘Vengeance is a passion to get even. It is a hot desire to give back as much pain as someone gives you. The problem with revenge is that it never gets what it wants; it never evens the score. Fairness never comes. The chain reaction set off by every act of vengeance always takes its unhindered course. It ties both the injured and the injurer to an escalator of pain. Both are stuck on the escalator as long as parity is demanded, and the escalator never stops, never lets anyone off”
This is not just true for the big, national issues, but at the heart of every individuals life. How much of our ills in western society are ultimately down to a lack of love and forgiveness showed to people, particularly young people, at an individual level. So often they react and rebel against the hurt within.
The sum total of our society equals lots of individuals. As a acknowledged sinner I contribute towards the ills of the society in which I live.
Like the famous answer sent to The Times newspaper question – What is wrong with this world?
Dear Sirs, I am.
Each one of us unintentionally, and sometimes intentionally, hurts those around us – and we are also hurt by those around us. We have a choice – we can forgive and accept forgiveness or we can jump onto the escalator of vengeance.
I love the story told by the great evangelist D.L Moody…
“John” said a father to his son, “can you fetch me a hammer please”. “Yes Dad”. “Now get a nail and fetch that piece of wood please”. “Here they are Dad” replied the son.
“Can you hammer the nail into the wood?” It was done. “Can you please pull it out again”. “That’s easy” said John as he turned the hammer around and prised out the nail.
“Now John,” and the fathers voice dropped to a lower key, “pull out the nail hole”.
Every wrong act leaves a scar. We are all hurt and hurt others so easily – as easily as banging a nail into a piece of wood.
These are some chilling words from a leader of a Warsaw ghetto, speaking about how he and his people were treated by the Nazis,… “If you could lick my heart it would poison you.”
How will we respond to those scars – Forgiveness or vengeance? [PAUSE]
Perhaps it is only when we experience the nail being painfully banged into the wood, like the families effected by the recent bombings in London, that we can really, truly answer such questions. When they are forced to grapple with such a question – forced to provide themselves an answer, to the question How will I respond to these scars – Forgiveness or vengeance ?
Solomon wrote ‘Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.’
Paul wrote ‘Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends upon you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written; “It is mine to avenge; I will repay” says the Lord.’
Forgiveness or vengeance?
Paul encourages us ‘Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice’ (Eph 4:31)
I wonder how I would have responded, had it been one of my daughters killed on the 7th July?
I pray God would give me the strength to respond the way that the Oake family, from Manchester, did when they son, the policeman Stephen Oake was stabbed to death, whilst on duty, by a asylum seeker.
The Observer newspaper wrote A policeman murdered. A family grieving. And then the shock of the remarkable, as his father spoke. A former policeman, an ex-chief constable, he said as his son’s body lay barely cold…”I am praying hard for the fellow who stabbed Steve. I am trying hard to forgive him as I am sure Steve would. I don’t want any recriminations against him at all.”
Forgiveness – such contrast, such grace, such power!
3) THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS?
Perhaps the real power of forgiveness can be witnessed in the consequences of forgiveness.
To understand what lies behind forgiveness we need only to look to the man who put his hands in between the nail and the wood. Who endured the holes within his own body, so that each one of us might personally experience what forgiveness is.
For God so loved the world that he gave is only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John Stott wrote ‘He bore the judgment we deserve in order to bring us the forgiveness we do not deserve. On the cross divine mercy and justice were equally expressed and eternally reconciled.’
We can understand something about the centrality of forgiveness from the words of God’s son himself, when he was asked by one of his best friends “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matt 18:21-22)
Perhaps expecting forgiveness from others is natural, like a given right. But what about when we are ourselves are called to forgive others?
George Herbert, the early seventeenth century poet wrote…
‘He who cannot forgive another breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself’
It is through acceptance of Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Saviour, that the Holy Spirit teaches us how to accept forgiveness and begins the process of teaching us how to forgive.
In fact I cannot put it better than these words by the great evangelist Charles Spurgeon
‘Let us go to Calvary to learn how we may be forgiven… [PAUSE]
…And let us linger there to learn how to forgive’
If we do not forgive then there develops within us a kind of spiritual blockage. It can become difficult to find peace with God, to worship him, to feel like we are moving onwards in our lives with him.
Jesus challenges us…
“And when you pray, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25)
We are called to forgive those around us and to accept forgiveness. Indeed Jesus infers that it is only through forgiving that we ourselves become forgiven.
There lives around us and within us a need for forgiveness.
But true forgiveness is tough. We will need plenty of strength and grace from God if we are truly to partake in forgiveness – whether giving or receiving. And it is important to understand that forgiveness does NOT mean that we ignore the hurt done or, in some form of perverted way, pretend that evil or wrong doing is actually alright.
R.T Kendall offers some practical advice from his book ’Total Forgiveness’
He points out that forgiveness is NOT:
* Pardoning, or allowing someone to escape from the consequences of a crime – a rapist or child molester should be reported and apprehended.
* Approving of or justifying what was dome to us. Forgiveness does not seek to pretend that something that was bad was really good.
* Excusing or diminishing what was done to us, or denying it in anyway. Forgiveness does not try to justify itself by looking for mitigating circumstances for someone’s behaviour.
* Forgetting what was done. Indeed this may not be possible. But we can choose not to dwell on it, by choosing ‘not to remember’
* Pretending that we have not been hurt.
Wrong is wrong – Evil is evil – And, hurt is hurt. But the POWER of forgiveness is released when we make a decision to forgive.
If it is us who has been hurt, then we need to trust that God will bring to account the deeds of that which is done towards us, whilst at the same time allowing him the time to start the process of healing the hurt within us.
CONCLUSION
Let us pray that we, and those in and around our country, may experience the power of forgiveness in the coming weeks and months. For the sake of Jesus Christ, the source of all forgiveness,
AMEN.
