Matthew 18:232-35
So we get started early in life, this keeping track, counting how many times we have been wronged. Remember complaining: “She hit me three times!” or “He has left his towel on the floor in the bathroom every day this week!” Tally marks. Just like the artwork on the screen. Peter was a scorekeeper too. He knows forgiveness is expected, but he wants to know how much forgiveness is required. How many times do I need to forgive someone for the same wrong? He is making forgiveness into a law you can measure yourself against– you either measure up or you don’t, just like your swim time meets the time required to enter a particular race or it doesn’t. Being close doesn’t cut it. Well, Jesus could have laughed in Peter’s face at his misunderstanding of what forgiveness is all about. But, being Jesus, he never makes fun of us or puts us down in front of others. He just tells a story. A story to teach about forgiveness. Forgiveness is not a law you can keep or something that you can tally up. It is about strengthening and healing damaged relationships with real people in your everyday life. You may as well say that you must forgive someone 77 times (or maybe 70 x 7 times)– no one is going to keep track to that extent, so there is clearly no need to tally it up.
I have a story to tell you too. Continue reading “Sermon: “Forgive us our sins…””
