Sermons:

• Why Forgive?  Matthew 5:23-24        (see below)
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer
   

• Life Is In The Balance  Deuteronomy 30:15-20         
  by Dr. David Rogne                      
   

• Is There A Plan B After Divorce?
  sermon based on Matthew 5:27-32
  by Dr. David Rogne           
   

• Choose Life, Deuteronomy 30:15-20  (Luke 14: 25-33)
  by Rev. Rick Thompson       

Valentine's Day Messages:

• St.Valentine, Matthew 17:1-9
  by HW in HI                          

• What's Love Got to Do With It? John 13:34-35; Mat 5:23-24
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer         

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Why Forgive?

Matthew 5:23-24
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

How important is forgiving our neighbors? Very important, judging by the fact that the Scriptures, especially the New Testament, are full of references to forgiving others. But it's not just the number of references, it's also what it actually says about forgiveness.

Forgiving our neighbors is contained in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us."

What Jesus included in the Lord's prayer is definitely elementary and very important. It seems that our willingness to forgive others is a requirement that we need to meet before God forgives us.

How important is forgiveness and reconciliation? It's more important than giving to the Lord according to our gospel lesson from Matthew 5:23-24. And giving is pretty important.

Listen to what Jesus is saying: "forget your sacrifices and your tithes, go now and hurry to reconcile with your brother or sister. It is that important!"

Jesus' message is very radical. What he is saying here is: don't even think that God will honor your gifts and sacrifices if you are not willing to forgive the people close to you. Don't you even think for a minute that you can be reconciled to God if you aren't willing to be reconciled to your neighbor or a family member.

Forgiving other is a hard concept for any of us. We feel that there have to be limits to our forgiveness. We can't just keep on forgiving people because if we did, they would walk all over us. Some things that people do to us or say to us, we feel, are hard to forgive, because the offense hurt so much it left a scar.

Perhaps, we prefer to be like Peter who once came to Jesus with a mathematical solution to forgiving others. Peter asks Jesus his question: "Lord, how often should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Seven times?"

It's only human to think that there must be some limit beyond which forgiveness is no longer required. Peter is doing the math. He was actually being generous. The Jewish thought of his day was that forgiveness be extended three times. Three strikes and you're out.

Jesus' response was short and clear: 70x 7 times. In other words, Jesus suggested to Peter to stop keeping track of debts or offenses. In God's kingdom there is only forgiveness.

Why on earth is it so important to God that we forgive others anyhow? Maybe they deserve to be unforgiven--why should we be punished for their sin; after all, we are the victims. The sin was committed against us. [continue]