| FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Forgive Your Brother from the Heart September 13, 2020 Forgiveness is filled with questions. How often must I forgive? Is there a limit to the grace of forgiveness? What is the connection between God’s forgiveness to me and my forgiveness to others? The answer to these questions lies in Christ. As our heavenly Father has forgiven us, so do we forgive one another in His name. This forgiveness is clearly and beautifully shown in the example of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers and then forgave them because of God’s mercy. “Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive” [LSB 843] Forgive our sins as we forgive, You taught us, Lord, to pray But You alone can grant us grace to live the words we say. How can Your pardon reach and bless the unforgiving heart That broods on wrongs and will not let old bitterness depart? In blazing light Your cross reveals the truth we dimly knew: What trivial debts are owed to us, how great our debt to You! Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls and bid resentment cease; Then, bound to all in bonds of love, our lives will spread Your peace. PRAYER Help us, heavenly Father, that we not think too highly of ourselves and too little of our neighbor, but give welcome in Your name to all people and rejoice because You have filled us with Your redeeming love in Jesus name. Amen. OLD TESTAMENT READING Genesis 50:15–21 15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 18:21–35 21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Forgiveness is not part of human nature. This is evident when Peter thought there to be a limit to forgiveness. He was confused when Jesus indicated there was to be no limit to forgiveness. Jesus needed them to understand that God forgave in this manner for a reason. God is perfect and we are not. We naturally do not want to forgive when we feel hurt. We want revenge. Without some means of forgiveness how do we come before a holy God? Perfection cannot come from imperfection. If we cannot find a way then God must. It is the reason Jesus came into the world to pay the price for all sin by dying on the cross. The faith we have been given by God to believe in Jesus is how we receive God’s total and complete forgiveness so we can come to Him. We need to understand how much we have been forgiven so we can forgive in the same way. This is what is meant in Ephesians 4:32. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” If God is willing to forgive us in such a way, how can we withhold forgiveness from others. We need to approach forgiveness by faith so we do not forget how much we have been forgiven. If God were to deliver us to the jailor until we had paid all the debt that we owed to him, we would remain there forever. This is why Jesus paid the debt and by faith we receive the benefit. Part of the benefit is to share what has been received because it is God’s forgiveness not ours. He wishes us to forgive in the same way so how can we do otherwise. LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13 Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. BENEDICTION The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen. |
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Devotion 9/13/2020
Devotion 9/13/2020
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