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Matthew 18:21-35 - Lectionary for Pentecost 15A

9/14/2017

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9/14/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Forgiveness is really the central issue in the Bible. Matthew 18:21-35 describes the need for forgiveness. In this parable, Jesus describes someone who owes a master so much money he could never pay it back. The amount described is enough to supply a fleet of 100 warships for about ten years. The master forgave the servant his debt. That servant, in turn, went to someone who owed him about three months’ wages and threatened him. It’s still a significant amount of money, but at least in this instance it is an amount which is possible to pay back. When the master heard about the conflict, he put the original servant in prison. The one who owed too much to pay back was now to be held liable for every cent, and to be imprisoned until he could pay off the debt. There would be no release for this man.

The debt of sin owed by every sinful person is enormous. We could never pay the holy God back for our wrongdoing. In Jesus, our debt of sin is forgiven. We are not held liable for it. We are set free.

How, then, do we treat those who owe us something? Are we forgiving, or do we rush out and attack those who have done wrong to us? All too often we are ready to attack others because of their sin, even though we ourselves wish to be allowed to get out of prison free. This should not be. It shows that we don’t understand the size of God’s forgiveness.

By forgiving wrong we do not excuse it. We show that Jesus has dealt with it. Sin is still sin. But forgiveness is real. May the Lord pour out his forgiveness.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Romans 14:1-12 - Lectionary for Pentecost 15A

9/13/2017

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9/13/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

It is very common for Christians to make doctrinal demands on one another. We insist on certain commonalities at particular times. For instance, to receive communion in a church body it is normally important that you be in agreement with that church body about the nature of communion. There are certain doctrines we will fight for. The Trinity, the fact of Jesus as truly God and truly man, salvation by grace through faith, the sufficiency of Scripture, those all rise to the level of teachings which define a Christian.

What about some of the other issues we may hold dear? Romans 14:1-12 mentions some of them which were apparently controversial in the time of the apostle Paul. Some people said you had to be willing to eat meat, or certain meats. Some people said you should be a vegetarian. Some people said you had to recognize the first day of the week as the day of resurrection and gather for worship then. Some said it was appropriate to worship on other days.

What was Paul’s attitude? He taught that we should be willing to accomodate those differences which were not critical to the nature of the Christian faith. He never said that it was not necessary for a Christian to believe the bodily resurrection of Christ. Quite the opposite. However, he said it was fine to eat vegetables or to eat meats, it was fine to observe the first day or another day. We can have charity in these matters.

Within the body of Christ there is some diversity of opinion. But there should be consistency of critical doctrine. Finding the difference is a challenge. But at least it’s a challenge Christians have faced at least since the middle of the first century. We can continue to work with it. I think I’ll go eat some meat.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Genesis 50:15-21 - Lectionary for Pentecost 15A

9/12/2017

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9/12/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our reading from Genesis 50:15-21 brings up a perpetual human problem. The brothers of Joseph had offended him severely. They had sinned against him by selling him into slavery where he was mistreated for years. Joseph, however, had risen to a position of authority in Egypt. He was now responsible for saving the people of Israel and Egypt from starvation. Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers and they had lived in harmony for some years. However, at this time, their father had died. Joseph’s brothers wondered if he had really forgiven them or if they should plan for his revenge once his father was dead.

It’s an important question. What do we mean by forgiveness? Is the peace we have transacted with someone real peace or are we simply waiting for retribution?

Joseph showed his brothers he had made peace with them. He intended to live in harmony with them. As much as he was able he intended to care for them. He would not be trying to harm them. This is what forgiveness looks like. I often remind people that forgiveness means I will not dwell on past sin, I will not bring it up to harm anyone, I will not let it interfere with our relationship, and I will guard against the sin happening again. That’s forgiveness.

The New Testament describes Jesus purchasing forgiveness for all humanity, who have sinned against God. His forgiveness is also absolutely real. We, who have sinned against God, have no need to be like Joseph’s brothers. We do not need to fear that God’s forgiveness is not real. He always keeps his promises.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Psalm 103:1-12 - Lectionary for Pentecost 15A

9/11/2017

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9/11/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Psalm 103:1-12 calls the reader to rejoice, to be glad. The Lord has given many benefits. He is the one who gives healing, forgiveness, and mercy. He buys us back from our slavery to sin. He gives justice to his people. He shows us how to live before him.

This is all from the mercy of God. He has shown his love for us. He has foriven all who believe him. The New Testament shows this love in Jesus, who lived righly before God, who died as the penalty for our sin, and who rose from the dead to show that he had overcome death. This is God’s great love for his people.

Verse 11 says that God’s love is as high as the heavens are above the earth. That’s something we could never measure adequately. It just goes on and on forever. He has taken our sins away from us as far apart as east and west. Again, we could never measure that. It goes on forever.

May the God of all mercy and grace show his love to each and every one of us. May he give us confidence to trust him in all things.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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