In God We Trust

Introduction

            The phrase, In God We Trust, has been part of American history since it was first believed to have been used as a battle cry during the Civil War at the Battle of Antietam in 1862. It was approved to be included on our currency in 1865. The phrase became America’s official national motto in 1956 when then President Eisenhower signed it into law in opposition to the Soviet Union which promoted state atheism. The motto was reaffirmed as late as 2011 by the House of Representatives in an almost unanimous vote. I have no doubt that there was a day when most people here in America actually believed it. But now it seems more like a memory or the memory of a memory. Our country is going through tremendous turmoil at the moment as our political leaders frantically scurry from one lie to the next in order to retain their power and influence. Greedy corporate executives and power-mad union bosses are caught in the turmoil of trying to keep their power, influence and fortunes as they try to navigate the treachery of allying with corrupt politicians. And all the while, the principle of servant leadership has been lost as the lives of the people these political, corporate, and union leaders are supposed to protect and care for are damage or destroyed. And what is truly sad is that so many of those people put their trust in the very people who have hurt them. What happened? The same thing that has happened in all of history—Adam and Eve had God and paradise yet they trusted the Serpent and that was the beginning of humanity quickly trusting in everything but God. It is a recurring theme throughout the Bible that people invariable turn from God and put their trust in other people or the institutions created by those people. Israel constantly vacillated between putting its trust in earthly rulers; Egypt (Isa 30:2) or Assyria (2 Kings 16:7) or even a king of their own choosing (1 Sam 8:5; see “We Want A King” at: http://seredinski.blogspot.com/2012/08/we-want-king.html). And always it ends the same way—in cries of oppression, pain and suffering from the people being ruled. Some things never change; to this day people are ruled by leaders who have no interest in the well being of the people but only the advancement of their own interests. Yet they have managed to convince the people to trust them; that they will be taken care of. And what follows is a whirlwind of deception, corruption and personal destruction. Even though America has adopted In God We Trust as its national motto, it’s hardly a new concept. Its message is scattered throughout the Scriptures as a reminder; as a map; as a compass always pointing us toward God. Let’s look at one of them this week and use it, not just as a reminder, but as encouragement.

Subject Text

Psalm 146:1-10

¹Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. ²I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. ³Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. ⁴When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. ⁵Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, ⁶the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever. ⁷He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, ⁸the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. ⁹The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. ¹⁰The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

Context

            Like many of the other 150 Psalms, this Psalm is anonymous which makes it difficult to place in the timeline of Israel’s history. Psalm 146 is the first of five Psalms referred to as the “praise collection” which include Psalms 146-150. You’ll note that each of them begin with “Praise the Lord” which is where the collection gets its name. A few scholars attribute our Subject Text to David but there really isn’t any substantive evidence to support that position. Others attribute Psalm 147 and 148 to Haggai and Zechariah and the return of the exiles in 538 BC to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. They therefore include Psalms 146, 149 and 150 in the authorship grouping because of their literary and theological similarities. It’s not an unreasonable assessment but there really isn’t any concrete evidence to support that position either. Nevertheless, we are able to draw a theological principle from the “praise collection” generally and from our Subject Text more specifically that we should praise the Lord for his sovereignty over all creation and reject the impulse to ignore the fallibility of humanity and its institutions.

Text Analysis

            This Psalm is included in the “praise collection” because v. 1 begins with “Praise the Lord.” Would you like to know the Hebrew phrase for this? It’s Hallelu Yah. Hallelu is the imperative verb instructing hears to praise and Yah is the shortened version of God’s name in Hebrew—Yahweh. If you say it as one word, you’ll probably recognize it immediately as something that you yourself may have said before. That’s right, it’s—Hallelujah!

            We are mistaken when we think that we praise God only with our voices. There is a praise that is hard to explain; a praise that may be expressed with voice but comes from deep within us. More often it is praise that can’t be expressed in words no matter how hard we try. It’s an eternal praise not an earthly praise. True believers know this praise although I suspect that not one of them would be able to explain it to you. It’s a praise that comes from the soul; a praise that speaks to God with silent words of reverence, love and adoration in the context of a personal relationship with the Creator of all things. I’m sure I can’t be the only one that has experienced singing praises to God and suddenly being unable to continue because the words just can express the depth of my love for Him. This is the sacred place where the soul sings praises to God. 17^th century minister John (James) Janeway, on his deathbed, said: “Come, help me with praises, yet all is too little. Come, help me, all ye mighty and glorious angels, who are so well skilled in the heavenly work of praise! Praise him, all ye creatures upon earth; let everything that hath being help me to praise God. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise is now my work, and I shall be engaged in this sweet work now and forever. Bring the Bible; turn to David’s Psalms, and let us sing a Psalm of praise. Come, let us lift up our voices in the praises of the Most High. I will sing with you as long as my breath doth last, and when I have none, I shall do it better.”[1]

            Some people think that once a person reaches the point of belief in God, everything thereafter is rainbows and butterflies as my daughter would say. But nothing could be farther from the truth. It is so easy to praise God when the waters of life are smooth but there is a very real danger of turning away from God when the waters get rough. If the context of our Subject Text is the return of Israel from the Babylonian exile, then v. 2 is not spoken during the smooth waters of life. It’s not like the Israelite were away on vacation, their nation was conquered by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar who burned all the major buildings including the temple to the ground. The Israelites came home from their exile to a pile of rubble and ash. This is when faith in God becomes real, when continuing to believe is hard. When God is just as important in our lives in good times and in bad, then we can say with the Psalmist that we will praise God all our lives. “How to praise God adequately was a challenge that was met in…a promise of endless adoration…sang the soloist in Ps 146:2.”[2]

            There’s an interesting dynamic that occurs in Scripture that you have perhaps observed yourself. God never warns us about something He doesn’t already know humanity will struggle with during every generation. And He gives us just such a warning in vv. 3-4 when he says that we are not to put our trust in “princes” who are members of sinful humanity destined to pass away like the rest of humanity. Whoops! How many have forgotten this warning? The psalmist refers to “princes” but the principle translates easily to any governmental structure. But let’s not stop there. This principle extends to any person or organization in which we place our trust. This is not to say that we should never trust anyone; a certain amount of trust is necessary in order to function within the context of any society. However, what the psalmist is trying to warn against is putting our full faith and confidence in humanity or structures created by humanity to do for us what; 1) We can and should do for ourselves, and 2) What only God can do for us. “It is a bad idea to rely on human beings, on leaders. ‘In the book of Psalms and in the Bible as a whole, wickedness is essentially a matter of trust.’ The psalm does not specify what sort of leaders it refers to, and Israel’s experience would provide evidence for interpreting it in the broadest of senses. It is unwise to rely on imperial authorities, the leaders of other local peoples, or leaders within Israel or Judah…‘Rich power brokers, perhaps also heathen despots, radiate a deceptive power,’ but these leaders ‘have the mark of death on them.’ They may not belong to the faithless or come short in social or moral values. But however upright they are, leaders lose their breath…When human beings die, their deliberations die with them. The plans to effect deliverance get nowhere.”[3]

            Instead, the psalmist says in vv. 5-6 that we are blessed when God takes care of us and we put our hope in Him. These verses are in direct opposition to the previous verses. Where humanity is wicked, God is good. Where humanity is selfish, God is selfless. Where humanity hates, God loves. Where humanity takes advantage of the less fortunate and the weak, God protects and sustains the disadvantaged. Where humanity is unfaithful, God is faithful forever. Where humanity is constantly changing and shifting with the winds of public opinion, God is like a rock and the same in all circumstances and at all times. And why should we put our ultimate hope and trust in God? Because God is the Creator (“Maker”) of all things and if anyone knows the workings and machinations of all of creation, it is the Creator. “God alone can save us, in contrast to the important people of this world, who cannot and would not even if they could. God saves us from our enemies…and ultimately from all human calamities and from sin through the work of Jesus Christ. Not only does God save us, but he remains faithful to us after he has saved us…We persevere because God perseveres with us…The faithful remain faithful to God because God is faithful to them.”[4]

            “In ancient Israel, maintaining social justice was an inescapable royal duty (Ps 72). Even so, responsibility to protect the vulnerable extended beyond the king to become the obligation of every Israelite; when justice was not done, both felt the wrath of the prophets…condemnation for failing to do justice falls upon ruler and ruled in equal measure.”[5] Nevertheless, the sinful affects of humanity are inescapable. God is the only true source of faithful help. Because sinful humanity is marked by selfishness and the systems and organizations of the world are inevitably headed by leaders who are sinful, God fulfills the role left vacant by sinful humanity. God takes up the cause of those who are oppressed; He is a relentless advocate of the most vulnerable among us; He provides for those in need; he breaks the chains (figuratively) of those who are imprisoned by the actions and systems of a sinful world; He opens the eyes (figuratively in this case) of those who are blind to the truth that God is the only one that can be trusted; and God is the one with the strength to carry those who no longer have the strength to go on. “The references to…victims of various afflictions and socially marginalized are descriptions, in part metaphorical, of their contemporary weakness in political, economic and other areas.”[6] Vv. 7-9 depict God as the One we should turn to as our Protector, Provider and Savior, not sinful humanity or any of the world’s sinful organizations or systems. “Yahweh, whose nature is faithfulness, is ever the answer to the covenant people’s needs…Yahweh lives up to the highest ideals of kingship as the source of justice and vindication, giving food and freedom and the blessing of wholeness. The defenseless can find in Yahweh their royal champion…Such was the experience of the community of Israel from generation to generation. To Yahweh they have brought such needs, and from Yahweh they have received resources in return; so to Yahweh must praise be given back.”[7]

            The final v. 10 includes a triumphal statement that it is God who reigns forever despite the appearance of our immediate circumstances to the contrary. And the Psalm ends with the same imperative that it began with—Hallelujah—Praise the Lord. “One will note with attention to the movement of praise from ‘my God’ [v. 2] to ‘his God,’ [v. 5] and finally ‘[your] God, O Zion!’ The theological outlook embraces the passion of the individual, extends itself to the holy people, and crowns this ascension with the hope of universal worship in the presence of the eternal King.”[8]

Application

            Many of us expend considerable energy everyday contemplating the best way to navigate the obstacles placed in our lives by corrupt business and political leaders. We are often frustrated when their corruption creates hardships for us and/or our loved ones. However, in all our consternation and anxiety, we tend to forget that God is still on his throne. We are angry and frustrated with corrupt leaders and organizations because we trust and depend on them to do for us what only God is able to do for us. We are angry and frustrated when sinful people sin and hurt us! I know it sounds a little ridiculous when I say it that way but be honest, isn’t that what we do? This week, let’s try something different. This week before we become angry, anxious, frustrated or fearful in the face of sin and corruption, let’s instead do as the psalmist did and praise the Lord. Take a copy of our Subject Text and keep it with you to read throughout the week. When a sinful, self-prioritizing world screams, ‘I can give you everything you need!’ or whispers in your ear, ‘Trust me I’ll take care of you,’ take a deep breath, praise the Lord for his faithfulness, and remind yourself that it is In God We Trust. Treat yourself for a moment and click on the clip below and close your eyes and just listen (if you can do that without joining in).

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[1] Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publiscations, 1968), p. 672.

[2] Willem A. VanGemeren, New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, Vol. 1, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997), p. 1036.

[3] John Goldingay, Psalms, Vol. 3, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), p. 709.

[4] James Montgomery Boice, Psalms, Vol. 3, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), p. 1261.

[5] Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville, eds., Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets, (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012), pp. 724-725.

[6] Leslie C. Allen, Psalms 101-150—Word Biblical Commentary, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2002), p. 379.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Samuel Terrien, The Psalms: Stophic Structure and Theological Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2003), p. 911.

On The Road To Damascus

Introduction

            You want to know one of my favorite kind of stories? Its conversion stories; Someone who ignores God, resists God, rejects God, fights against God and eventually runs headlong into God and becomes a faithful and passionate follower. I read a great story this week about a woman by the name of Kristen Powers. Kristen is a very successful American political pundit and columnist. She started her career as part of the Clinton-Gore presidential transition team and was appointed as the Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Public Affairs in President Clinton’s administration. She has worked in other roles including press secretary, communications consultant, and Democratic Party consultant. She is now a contributor to USA Today, she writes a column for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. She is also a political analyst for the cable news network Fox News. From a political perspective, most would consider her a liberal Democrat. And here is where my favorite kind of story begins because she is something many people don’t associate with liberal Democrats, she is an evangelical Christian. Kristen grew up in an Episcopalian home but spent most of her adult life as an atheist—refusing to accept the existence of God. Until one day when the man she was dating, a Christian, planted the seed of faith that she so desperately wanted nothing to do with, but it was too late. Here’s how she describes it during an interview with Focus on the Family:

            “Really, I mean it was just sort of like God…invading my life. It was very unwelcome. I didn’t like it…I started having a lot of different experience where I just felt…God doing a lot of things in my life. It’s kind of hard to describe, but I did just have this moment of the scales falling off my eyes, and just saying, ‘this is totally true, I don’t even have any doubt’…

            I don’t really feel like I had any courage…when I became a Christian, I just gave in…It wasn’t courageous; I didn’t have any choice. I kept trying to not believe and I…just couldn’t avoid it. If I could have avoided it, I would have. There is nothing convenient about it in my life, in the world I live in. It’s not like living in the South or living somewhere where everybody is a Christian. I live in a world where nobody is a believer.”

            Come on! You have to admit that that is such a great story. There is something about the image of the Creator of the universe pursuing an individual and luring them into a relationship with Himself. There is something so humbling about that particular aspect of God as I point out in my personal disclosure statement at the top of the web page. I know so many of you out there have very similar stories and at the end I’m going to invite you to share your story if you are willing. For now, Kirsten said something in her interview that immediately clicked with me. Whether she said it because she read it in Scripture or whether she said it because it was an apt illustration for her personal experience, she said it was “scales falling off my eyes.” I immediately thought of Paul and how his conversion was so similar to Kirsten’s while he was On The Road To Damascus.

Subject Text

Acts 9:1-18

            ¹Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ²and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” ⁵“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” ⁷The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. ¹⁰In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. ¹¹The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹²In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” ¹³“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” ¹⁵But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. ¹⁶I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” ¹⁷Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

Context

            Since our Subject Text begins with “meanwhile,” we should be compelled to see what is so important that it was necessary to reference overlapping events. The word is a bridge of sorts between important events that begin at the end of chapter seven when Stephen, who has just preached the Gospel message from the calling of Abraham through the death and resurrection of Jesus to the Sanhedrin, is drag into the street and stoned to death. And who do we see encouraging and accommodating the enthusiastic rock-throwers? A soon-to-be-infamous persecutor of the Church—Saul of Tarsus. The death of Stephen would be the spark the lit the flame of persecution against the Church in Jerusalem at the beginning of chapter eight that forced many newly converted Christians in Jerusalem to flee and scatter throughout the other cities of Judea and Samaria. Saul’s appetite for destruction was not satiated with the death of Stephen. He went door to door and had believers arrested and thrown in prison. However, Saul’s march to destroy the Church had some unintended consequences—those who fled the persecution in Jerusalem spread the Gospel within the towns and provinces where they settled. What Saul pursued with evil intentions, God used to accomplish exactly what He wanted and what Jesus told his followers would happen before he ascended to heaven—“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8b).” The remainder of chapter eight is dedicated to stories of how the Gospel took root as far as the northern border Samaria and even began to travel beyond the borders of Judea and Samaria to what Jesus refers to as “the ends of the earth.” You can almost envision Saul’s panic as he realizes that his actions have had exactly the opposite effect of what he intended. It’s like desperately trying to hold on to sand as it slips through your fingers. Nevertheless, Saul remains undeterred and redoubles his effort to stamp out Christianity as we learn in our Subject Text.

Text Analysis

            Persecution and hatred for Christians and Christianity is nothing new. Saul was furious in vv. 1-2 that his efforts to contain the advancement of the Gospel was having exactly the opposite effect that he intended beginning with Stephen’s murder. Therefore, in an effort to get in front of the Gospel’s race to reach the ends of the earth, Saul seeks and receives permission from the high priest to pursue Christians beyond the region of Judea and Samaria. “As communication between Damascus and the capital [Jerusalem] was frequent, refugees from Jerusalem would no doubt have fled to Damascus, and it is difficult to believe that the views advocated by Stephen had in him their sole representative. There is no reason to question…the existence in Damascus of a community of believers in the claims of Jesus at this early date; but whilst those Christians who devoutly observed the law would not have aroused hostility hitherto, Saul came armed with a commission against all who called on the name of Christ, and so probably his objective was not only to bring back refugees to Jerusalem, but also to stir up the synagogue at Damascus against their own fellow-worshippers who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ.”[1] There is an interesting designation to note at the end of v. 2 where Paul references his targets as those who are part of “the Way.” At its most basic level, followers of Jesus had to be called something and they wouldn’t be referred to as “Christians” until later in the Book of Acts in Antioch. At this particular point, they were identified as followers of the Way. Theologians and scholars are divided as to the meaning of this reference. Some believe it refers to the teaching of a new “Way” of life and faith as prescribed by Jesus (cf. Mt 5). Others believe it is a community of believers directly associated with Jesus who referred to himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6). However, the “Way” is not either/or but both/and. “It is therefore not permissible to construct false alternatives here by insisting that “way” must mean either teaching or the Christian community. Both are involved in the term and both belong together. We shall, therefore, be obliged to understand “way” in its absolute use in Acts as a designation for Christians and their proclamation of Jesus Christ, which includes the fact that this proclamation also comprises a particular walk of life or way.”[2]

            Saul sets out on his mission of persecution in Damascus when the unthinkable happens in vv. 3-5—Saul runs headlong into Jesus. Not surprisingly, Saul is bathed in light as Jesus is elsewhere defined as “the Light of the world (Jn 8:12). Also not surprising, Saul falls to the ground when he hears the voice of Jesus coming from the light asking Saul why he is persecuting Him. It is important to remember, at this particular point, Saul did not believe that Jesus was divine and this takes some of the drama out of the story for us because we already know in advance who Saul is and what he will become. However, at this point, Saul still considered himself to be a faithful servant of Yahweh—“Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless (Phil 3:5-6).” Saul had no reason to believe he was doing anything wrong—until now. Saul’s confusion is understandable as he asks the identity of the One who was speaking to him. Jesus obliges Saul’s request and identifies Himself. “Though the text does not overtly state that Saul saw Christ, the fact is implied, since seeing the resurrected Lord was a requirement of New Testament apostleship (1 Cor 9:1; 15:8)…Saul thought he was pursuing heretics, but according to the voice, his actions were tantamount to attacking Jesus himself…Anyone who persecutes believers today is also guilty of persecuting Jesus because believers are the body of Christ of earth…As he lay there in the dust, Saul must have been reeling from the realization that Jesus, the crucified founder of this detested sect, had been resurrected by God and exalted in divine glory. Saul was not serving God, as he had thought, but opposing him!”[3] It seems imminently clear that Jesus has Saul’s attention now and in v. 6 tells Saul to go on to Damascus where he will receive further instructions.

            In all the excitement, we didn’t even realize in vv. 7-9 that Saul wasn’t traveling alone. No one, at least no one who had any sense, travelled alone in the ancient world. “In the interests of security travelers went in groups rather than singly.”[4] The text says they heard Jesus but didn’t see anything; they just stood there speechless. We can only speculate as to why they only heard Jesus but didn’t see Him (some scholars go so far as to say that only Saul heard Jesus speaking while the rest only heard a sound). Whatever the reason, it is safe to say with certainty that God can chose to reveal Himself generally or specifically depending on the intended purpose of his revelation. In any event, it is a good thing that Saul was not traveling alone because when he does eventually get off the ground, he is blind and his traveling companions must take him by the hand and lead him the rest of the way to Damascus. Paul was blind for three days and fasted from food and drink during that time. Let’s stop here for a moment and consider what might be going through Saul’s mind. You’ve spent your whole life training for one thing and pursuing it diligently and passionately just to find out you’ve been going about it all wrong. And on top of that, now you’re blind—literally! “This sort of conversion involves a journey from self-confident independence toward child-like dependence. The one who knows so much must become as one who knows nothing, one who must be led by the hand, healed, and instructed by the very ones he once despised. In this painful, baffling interim we turn and become as a little child. We progress by regression and go forward by falling backward. Such turning and helpless regression, accompanied by blindness, confusion, speechlessness, hunger and childishness is, for this peculiar faith, the very beginning of wisdom.”[5]

            When we get to vv. 10-12 we are introduced to the other prominent character of our Subject Text—Ananias. We learn that Ananias, a disciple of Christ, has had a vision wherein the Lord instructs him to go to a specific place where he will find Saul praying. There is an important principle in the exchange between Jesus and Ananias. Although we often witness only general instructions from God (i.e. “Go and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19)),” Sometimes, God has very specific instructions as is the case in v. 11 of our Subject Text. Understanding this can alleviate our hesitation to act in some cases as we procrastinate whether or not we are being obedient to exactly what God is calling us to do. This text makes clear that while we live and act freely through the grace offered by the boundaries of Scripture, we must always be prepared change the course of our normal and comfortable lives if God calls us to some specific task. In the case of our Subject Text, the instruction is so specific that God identifies the name of the street (Straight Street is still a main thoroughfare in Damascus that is now called Derb Le-Mustaquim) and the name of the homeowner where Saul is residing. We must never take for granted that God knows exactly where we are and what we are doing at all times. The event seems so unimpressive really. “Think of the dramatic follow-up the Sovereign Lord could have designed from the opening overture on the Damascus Road. Why not take Saul back to Jerusalem for a public declaration of faith on the steps of the temple or perhaps in front of the Sanhedrin in the very room where Stephen made his defense? Or maybe back to Tarsus, that ancient city with a significant Jewish population, likely proud of its young rabbi serving so effectively in Jerusalem. Not God. God sent Saul to the humble home of a humble servant whose name appears only twice in Acts.”[6]

            Not surprisingly, Saul’s reputation preceded him to Damascus and in vv. 13-14 we see Ananias objects to God’s instruction. At times we idolize believers from the Bible thinking that they were mindless robots who didn’t think for themselves and never questioned anything. Although God demands obedience, he is patient with our doubt. God’s instruction to Ananias is not misunderstood by Ananias based on his reaction to God. In essence, Ananias is saying, ‘Whoa! Whoa! Wait a minute! I know this guy. I hear he’s got official papers that give him permission to come after us because we follow you! He’s the same guy who was part of Stephen’s killing party! That’s the guy you want me to go to?’ “Ananias was understandably shaken by the Lord’s command to go and find Saul of Tarsus. Christians wanted to stay far away from Saul. His reputation as an enemy of the church was well documented, and the intent of this particular mission to Damascus was widely known. Ananias knew that Saul had been authorized by the leading priests to arrest every believer in Damascus. Fearful of what might happen, Ananias began to protest.”[7]

            We reach the hinge-point or our Subject Text in vv. 15-16 when Jesus commands Ananias to “Go!” Jesus explains that Saul is the one He has chosen to carry out an important task. Saul is the one Jesus has chosen to carry the message of salvation to the Gentiles. And not just to the general Gentile populace but to the leaders of the Gentile nations as well. Jesus will also inform Saul of the suffering he must endure for the name of Jesus. Think about that for a minute. What mission would our wisdom have considered Saul to be perfect for? Remember? Saul had the perfect ancestral and religious pedigree to relate to the Jews. Religious authority and access would have made him a perfect candidate to bring the message of the Gospel to the Jews. But our wisdom is not God’s wisdom. Jesus had already designated Peter as the one who would anchor the Church in Jerusalem. Jesus knew that the mission to the Gentiles would require someone with a spirit of tenacity; someone who was relentless; someone who was committed to travel as far as necessary to get the task done; someone who would not be stopped even in the face of suffering and that someone was Saul. “Like Jesus, who ‘must’ travel to Jerusalem and suffer (Lk 9:51), so too Paul ‘must’ travel to Rome and suffer (Acts 27:1). The early church in effect completes the extended mission of Christ through its suffering. Its suffering is no more an accident than was Jesus’ suffering. This affinity between Christ and his church’s suffering is further illustrated in the response of Jesus to Saul on the Damascus road: ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’ The ascended Lord continues to suffer in and through his people’s suffering.”[8]

            Obviously, Ananias’ objections are overruled by Jesus. Ananias steps out in faith in v. 17 and goes to the home where Saul is staying. Ananias announces to Saul that Jesus has sent him. Ananias places his hands on Saul so that he can regain his eyesight but more importantly so that he can receive Holy Spirit. Ananias is such a great picture of trust. He went from fearing Saul to placing healing hands on Saul and ministering to him all because Jesus told him to. “The Lord’s disciples are not only the prominent ‘heroes’ of the faith like Peter of Philip but also ordinary folk like Ananias, who walked on stage for a particular mission and then exit as the story moves on. Ministry is a function (a job to do for the Lord) more than a status or a privilege. By the end of the scene faithful Ananias disappears.”[9]

            Jesus’ has once again managed to capture the one he was pursuing as we see the story of Saul’s conversion come to a miraculous conclusion in vv. 18-19. The text says that something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he immediately regained his sight. Like the story of Kristen Powers in the Introduction, the illustration of scales falling from the eyes has become a common modern day idiom to describe an unbeliever who is blind to the truths of God becoming believers and having their eyes opened to finally see the truths of God in all their glory. However, here we cannot use the illustration as an idiom. Luke is the only NT writer to use the Greek medical terms, lepides to describe the scales or flakes and apepeson to describe that they fell from Saul’s eyes. “The words cannot be taken as merely figurative…some scaly substance had formed over the eyes, probably as a result of the dazzling brightness which had struck upon them…Here as elsewhere, we may see traces of St. Luke’s accuracy as a physician…both words are found conjoined in medical writers…for falling off of scales from the cuticle and particles from the diseased parts of the body or bones, etc.”[10] And finally, Saul announces his new-found faith publicly the same way Christians have done in the centuries since, by being baptized “presumably by Ananias and…At this point the crucial initial transformation of Saul from a persecuting Pharisaic Jew to a zealous missionary for Christ is complete.”[11]

Application

            There are so many things our Subject Text teaches us. Let me try and identify and summarize them:

1)      No one can out-sin God’s grace (vv. 1-2).

2)      God will go to extremes to get our attention in order to accomplish his divine will (vv. 3-6).

3)      God will lead us, sometimes by hand if necessary, to get us to the place where we can serve him (vv. 7-9).

4)      You don’t have to be prominent or famous to be used by God (vv. 10-14).

5)      The greater the task, the more severe the suffering (vv. 15-16).

6)      Obedience opens the door to participate with God in advancing His kingdom (v. 17).

7)      God is the means for physical healing and spiritual reconciliation (vv. 18-19).

Aren’t these the stories that bring us back to the Scriptures time and again? Don’t they give us hope and encourage us to continue serving God even in the face of trials and tribulations? I didn’t really have a miraculous conversion experience (except a miracle that God would be willing to die for a sinner like me). So, when I hear stories like the one I shared about Kristen Powers in the Introduction, I am always in awe not so much with those who give their lives to Christ but what it says about the power and grace God. There is no greater witness to the existence of God than His ability to draw even the harshest unbeliever into a love-relationship with Himself. If you have a friend or family member who is far from God, never give up praying for that person because God is able to shine His light into anyone’s life. Never forget that your obedience to God, regardless of how insignificant you might think it is, can change someone’s life forever.

Consider for a moment how your story of conversion might be the tipping point for someone who is at the place between unbelief and belief. Would you be willing to share your story with us? If so, you can write your story in the comments section at the end of this lesson or you can send it to me via email at apastorsthoughts@gmail.com. If you are unable to tell your story in English, send it to me via email in your native language and I will have it translated into English and post it at the beginning of a future lesson (please identify the native language in your email). I know some of you have amazing conversion stories that rival the stories from Scripture that encourage us daily. We would love to hear your story and your own experience On The Road To Damascus.

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[1] W. Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Vol. 2, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983), p. 230.

[2] Colin Brown, gen. ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol. 3, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), p. 942.

[3] Bruce Barton, Philip Comfort, Grant Osborne, Linda K. Taylor, Dave Veerman, Life Application New Testament Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), p. 504.

[4] C. K. Barrett, Acts—The International Critical Commentary, (Edinburgh, Scotland: T & T Clark, 1994), p. 451.

[5] William H. Willimon, Acts—Interpretation, (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1973), pp. 78-79.

[6] Kenneth O. Gangel, Acts—Holman New Testament Commentary, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 1998), p. 140.

[7] Bruce Barton, et al., Life Application NTC, p. 504

[8] Ralph P. Martin & Peter H. Davis, eds., Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997), p. 1139.

[9] Willimon, Acts—Interpretation, p. 78.

[10] Nicoll, ed., The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Vol. 2, p. 237.

[11] Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1988), pp. 319-320.

The Power Of Forgiveness

Introduction

            This topic seems so easy to talk about but for those of us who have been injured by someone close to us, it’s more than mere talk. Forgiveness is something we are commanded to offer even as we endure the pain of the proverbial knife sticking in our back. In the song above about forgiveness, Matthew West sings: “It’s the hardest thing to give away and the last thing on our mind today. It always goes to those who don’t deserve.” And that’s exactly what makes forgiveness so hard and seem so unfair—Unless you’re on the receiving end of forgiveness and then it’s a priceless gift. Dr. Everett Worthington, Jr. is a licensed clinical psychologist in Virginia and the Director of the Counseling Psychology Program at Virginia Commonwealth University. His counseling emphasis centers very heavily on the healing value of forgiveness. In addition to his extensive counseling credentials, Dr. Worthington is a Christian. During my pastoral counseling classes at Seminary, I was required to read his book titled Forgiving and Reconciling: Bridges to Wholeness and Hope. The book was incredibly informative and tremendously healing as well. In it, Worthington goes through the steps that facilitate forgiveness that are necessary for healing to begin and can lead, in some cases, to reconciliation. I’ll go through more of the details of that at the end. However, Worthington makes clear that the process of forgiveness has just as much to do with healing the one injured as it does with reconciliation between the parties. You see, there are times when reconciliation is not possible and not always necessary yet forgiveness is always possible and always necessary. Worthington is not some ivory-tower academic presenting some lofty Christian ideal. Worthington has been at ground zero where forgiveness required the courage of ten men. On New Year’s Eve of 1995 Worthington’s elderly mother was murdered during a home burglary attempt. Worthington’s brother, Mike, found the body. The burglar beat her to death with a crowbar and sexually assaulted her with a wine bottle. Worthington describes the crime scene as having so much blood everywhere that it soaked through the carpets. Worthington says he was filled with so much rage that if he had thirty minutes in a room alone with the perpetrator, he would use a bat to beat his brains in. However, the perpetrators where never apprehended. Consequently, Worthington had to deal with his rage some other way—forgiveness was the vehicle for healing. Worthington knew Jesus’ command to forgive and eventually came to understand that forgiveness is a gift, not primarily for the offender, but always for the one who has been wounded. It is true that the overall biblical narrative, what I sometimes refer to as the biblical metanarrative, is the personal relationship between God and his creation generally and God and humanity more specifically. However, there is a key component within that narrative that is the foundation upon which that relationship rests. That key component is forgiveness. Sin has created an obstacle in the relationship between God and humanity that only forgiveness can overcome. In fact, forgiveness was so important to God that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, went so far as to give his life to die on a cross in order to procure that forgiveness and make reconciliation with God possible. That is The Power Of Forgiveness. The disciples came to Jesus and asked Him about the extent to which they must go to forgive someone who has offended them. Jesus gives them a lesson in forgiveness that reaches out to us through the millennia as a command that we are obligated to obey as well.

Subject Text

Matthew 18:21-35

            ²¹Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” ²²Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. ²³Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. ²⁵Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. ²⁶The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. ²⁸But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. ²⁹His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ ³⁰But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. ³²Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. ³⁵This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

Context

            This is part of a whole series of lessons that Jesus is teaching the disciples that result from a question the disciples ask Jesus at the beginning of the chapter—“Who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Seriously? Do you ever wonder if Jesus didn’t just want to roll his eyes and walk away? Really! At the beginning of chapter seventeen Peter, James and John were first-hand witnesses to Jesus’ transfiguration and an appearance by Moses and Elijah who met with Jesus in his transfigured state. By the end of chapter seventeen Jesus predicts, for the second time, that He was going to be betrayed and handed over to be killed and yet what preoccupied them at this moment was who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Good grief! Nevertheless, Jesus, with endless patience, teaches them that it is the faith and humility of a child that is prized in heaven. After warning the disciples to avoid temptation at all costs using hyperbolic illustrations of limb amputation as being preferable to giving in to temptation, Jesus warns them about the eternal value of children and warns them about the dire consequences that awaits anyone who in any way interferes with a child’s ability to come to faith in God. Finally, at the end of chapter seventeen, Jesus instructs the disciples on how to confront a fellow Christian who sins against them. This final instruction sets the stage for Jesus’ instruction in our Subject Text.

Text Analysis

            Not surprisingly, Peter is the first to speak up in v. 21 and asks how many times he should forgive a fellow Christian. Peter asks if seven times is sufficient, perhaps thinking that he is being magnanimous. Honestly, would the same person even have a chance of being able to sin against you seven times before you gave up on him or her? Be honest, how many time would you forgive the same person? Twice? Three times? What if they committed the same sin against you? How many times would it take before you stopped forgiving? I would be lying if I said I could get to seven without hesitation. Why did Peter pick the number seven? “Peter asked Jesus a question commonly discussed in rabbinic debates. The common answer was that it was considered sufficient to forgive three times. Peter may have chosen the number seven not only to indicate generosity, but also because the number seven is commonly used in the Bible to communicate completeness.”[1]

            As was the case in Jesus’ culture at that time, Peter was looking for a specific guideline. Peter wanted Jesus to give them a box that they could put a check mark in. The disciples wanted to know exactly how far they needed to go before they were no longer obligated to forgive someone; no longer obligated to offer someone grace and mercy. They wanted to know at what point they would be justified in holding a grudge. Be honest, don’t we do the exact thing today? When you are offended, do you immediately seek to forgive or do you immediately begin to debate with yourself about whether or not that person “deserves” forgiveness? Of course repeated offenses only exacerbate our internal debate. It would be so much easier if we knew that we were only required to forgive “x” number of times and thereafter were no longer required to do so. We could point back to that number as justification for holding a grudge against someone and happily live the rest of our lives filled with contempt for the person who has sinned against us the prescribed “x” number of times. I know it sounds ridiculous when we read those words, but many of us actually live this way without formal acknowledgement that we are doing it. Here’s the problem, that unforgiveness becomes the poison the eventually kills us—not necessarily physically (although there are extensive studies that point to the fact that those with a forgiving spirit live longer than those who are unforgiving) but spiritually. Unforgiveness is like a drug that makes us feel good while killing us at the same time. Unforgiveness cuts us off from the thing that gives life to our spirit—a relationship with God. Jesus knows that as good as unforgiveness makes us feel, it is killing us because it is an obstacle to being in relationship with Him. Jesus knows that forgiveness is just as important, even more important, for the one who has been offended as it is for the one who offends. Consequently, In v. 22 Jesus shocks them with His answer when he tells them that they should not forgive seven times but seventy-seven times. Some manuscripts read seventy times seven. In either case, the point Jesus is making is that there is no end to the number of times they must forgive. “Christ’s reply lifts the subject out of the legal sphere, where event Peter’s suggestion left it (seven times and not more—a hard rule), into the evangelic, and means: times without number, infinite placability.”[2]

            To make his point, Jesus begins to tell them a parable in v. 23 to illustrate one of the foundational principles of the kingdom of heaven. The parable begins with a king seeking to settle accounts with his servants. As is often the case, we read this parable with the foreknowledge that the king represents God and the servants represent all of us. Furthermore, we come to Jesus’ illustration already knowing what the parable means overall so some of its dramatic impact tends to be lost on us. But the disciples did not have the benefit of this knowledge or foreknowledge of what Jesus was about to say. So try and put yourself in the place of the disciples and try to hear it as though it were for the first time. “The picture of the creditor and debtor reveals men’s dependence on and responsibility to God, who (as Matt. emphasizes again and again) will settle accounts with his servants.”[3]

            We learn in v. 24 that a certain servant is called to account who owes a very large sum of money; 10,000 talents! Of course that doesn’t really mean much to us since we don’t trade in talents as a monetary product. Let me see if I can help—10,000 talents is the modern equivalent of approximately $3,500,000,000! Yes, you read that right—nearly three and a half billion dollars. Are you beginning to understand the depth of this servant’s predicament? I don’t know about you but my anxiety level goes up significantly when I read this. Why? Because I owe more money personally than I could possibly repay all at once. If all my creditors got together and insisted that I repay them immediately, it would be impossible for me to do so. Similarly, the servant in Jesus’ parable couldn’t pay what he owed the king. “Although the talent’s worth varied in different periods, ten thousand talents represented between sixty and one hundred million denarii, or between thirty and one hundred million days’ wages for an average peasant—a lot of work…This fact starkly reveals the laughably hyperbolic character of the illustration: the poor man owes the king more money than existed in circulation in the whole country at the time!”[4]

            Unable to pay what is due, the king orders the servant and his family to be taken into custody and sold in order to repay the debt in v. 25. Obviously, given the sum of money the servant owed, the king would still suffer a significant loss even after the sale of the servant and his family. However, imagine the desperation of the servant. It was his duty to provide and protect his family yet because of the debt he incurred, for whatever reason, his family is being sold. It is one thing for our actions to affect us, but what happens when our actions have a devastating impact on those around us; on those we love? Isn’t this what happens so often when we sin? From the time we are tempted until we carry out our sinful acts, we are thinking only of ourselves; how our actions will affect us; how our actions will benefit us; how our actions will bring us happiness; how our actions will bring us fulfillment. However, once the sinful deed is done, we learn, often quickly, that our actions are like a stone striking the surface of a glassy pond. The ripples from the stone get larger and larger and affect more and more of the surface of the pond as they move away from where the stone first impacted the surface. This is the pervasive nature of the sins we commit as well. No sin is committed in a vacuum. In other words, our sins will never only affect us—others, often those who are closest to us, will suffer the impact of our sins. The servant’s debt in our Subject Text was about to take its toll on those he loved and was responsible to protect. “Since the man is unable to pay such an astronomical figure, he and his family are to be sold to repay the debt, implying that the king will sell them into slavery, a practice common in the ancient world. Debtors were often forced to sell their children as slaves or gave their children as slaves to a creditor. Debtor’s slavery was often designed more as punishment than repayment, for as in this case, it is impossible to repay the amount owed.”[5]

            Unable to pay what is owed and facing condemnation and slavery for himself and his family, the servant is out of options. What would he do to save himself and his family? What would you do? In v. 26, the servant does exactly what I think I would have done—he begged for more time saying he would pay back everything he owed. Think about it, was that even possible considering how much he owed? He couldn’t pay back what he owed in a million lifetimes. But what more could he do? He was desperate and the king knew it. The stage is set perfectly in v. 27 for the king to do something that only he had the power to do—he cancels the servant’s debt and sets him free. Put yourself in the place of the servant, you owe someone more money than you could possibly repay, you and your family are about to be sold into slavery as payment for your debt and suddenly, the one to whom you owe everything cancels your debt and tells you you’re free to go home. Why? Why would the king do something so amazing? The answer is found in the word that the NIV translates as “pity.” “Pity” doesn’t even begin to explain what the Greek word, splagchna [noun: “bowel”] is trying to convey. “Literally, splagchnizomai means ‘to be moved in one’s bowels.’ The Greeks regarded the bowels as the seat of violent passion such as anger and love; the Jews regarded them as the center of the more tender affections, especially kindness and pity. The ‘bowels’ were for them what we mean by ‘the heart.’ When Jesus was confronted with human need, the Gospels say that he was moved in his bowels, as we might say, ‘his heart went out to these people’ or ‘ they broke his heart,’ that is, he had compassion on them…God’s mercy to us is made necessary by our need and especially our sinfulness, and it has this objective: ‘That you might be children of your Father who is in heaven’ The parable of the unmerciful servant expresses this objective negatively…Mercy should be manifested in giving help to the needy and the helpless.”[6]

            The story takes a fascinating twist when the servant goes out and encounters a fellow servant who owes him money. In this case, however, the fellow servant only owes a hundred denarii; the modern equivalent of just a few dollars. After having an astronomical debt he could not repay forgiven by the king, you would think the servant would be so relieved that the last thing he would have at that particular moment is an unforgiving heart. But that’s exactly what we see in v. 28 when he chokes his fellow servant and demands to be repaid immediately. The scene is eerily similar in v. 29 as the fellow servant falls to his knees and begs for more time to repay the debt. However, unlike the king, the servant shows no mercy in v. 30 and has his fellow servant thrown in prison until the debt is paid. The only problem is that there appeared to be those who were witnesses to both events and in v. 31 they reported back to the king. I can’t help but wonder if the point Jesus is making is beginning to take shape in the minds of the disciples. I wonder if silently they were beginning to compare their own actions and attitudes to that of the king and that of the servant. I wonder if some of them began to realize how woefully inadequate their actions and attitudes were compared to the king. “When a brother offends us, it is logical to think that we are entitled to just recompense. There is legitimate restitution. But what we forget, when we fail to release a brother from an offense by forgiving him, is that relationships in the family of God go beyond strict justice. God himself started the pattern by forgiving us a debt we could never hope to repay.”[7]

            Well if the message wasn’t clear to them by this point, Jesus makes it clear as he continues with his story in v. 32. The king is furious and has the servant brought before him where he addresses him now as a “wicked servant.” He reminds the wicked servant that when he begged the king for leniency, the king forgave is entire debt when he didn’t have to. The king wants to know in v. 33 if the wicked servant shouldn’t have taken his example of mercy and grace as a model for the way he should have treated others. “We encounter here a central principle in the teaching of Jesus, which is expressed in a variety of ways. God’s forgiveness of a person must be reflected in that person’s forgiveness of others…Disciples, in short, are to act toward others as God has acted toward them—in mercy, in forgiveness, and in love.”[8]

            The king simply won’t tolerate such ruthless and unmerciful behavior from someone who has received so much kindness and mercy from him. So in v. 34 the king has the wicked servant handed over to the jailers to be tortured until he pays back what he owed the king originally. We must take note of something that Jesus is saying in this part of our Subject Text, actually there are two things to note: 1) It is now only the servant who is imprisoned and not his whole family. The implication being that ultimately we will only be judged pursuant to our own actions and not someone elses. 2) Remember, the wicked servant owed so much that he wouldn’t be able to pay back what he owed even if he had a million lifetimes. Therefore, there is an eternal element to the king’s punishment. And if you doubt this second element, Jesus makes it clear in v. 35 that the Father will treat each of them in exactly the same way if they fail to affectionately forgive each other. “The following three themes emerge from the main characters and episodes of the parable: God’s boundless grace, the absurdity of spurning that grace, and the frightful fate awaiting the unforgiving. The law of end-stress highlights the third of these, but all are important…‘Jesus sees no incongruity in the actions of a heavenly Father who forgives so bountifully and punishes so ruthlessly, and neither should we. Indeed, it is precisely because he is a God of such compassion and mercy that he cannot possibly accept as his those devoid of compassion and mercy’…Frighteningly, many in Christian circles today seem in danger of this judgment because they refuse to forgive fellow believers, speak kindly to them, cooperate with them, or accept their apologies. Counselors often discover that a client’s unwillingness to forgive someone lies deep at the heart of all kinds of personal problems. Jesus declares that if people die without having resolved such problems, they may exclude themselves from eternal life with him.”[9]

Application

            I know some of your stories out there and they would make the average person shudder. Some of you, maybe all of you have your own stories of hurt and betrayal that the rest of us might have a hard time relating to. You might be reading this and be thinking (maybe screaming out loud), “You have no idea what I’ve been through!” “You have no idea how badly I’ve been hurt!” “You have no idea what he/she did to me!” And you might be right but I know a little about physical, mental and emotional pain. You see, I grew up in a home with an abusive, alcoholic father. There are some images from my childhood that have been burned into my mind. I remember standing naked in front of a mirror as a small boy after my dad stripped my clothes off and took a belt to me. I remember him grabbing me by the top of the head and making me turn around and around so I could see the welts all over my body. I remember the feel of my feet on the cold, tile floor standing in a puddle of my own urine. And I remember him yelling, “Take a good look at yourself! This is your fault! You made me do this!” I also remember sitting in a bathtub after getting punched so hard in the face that it looked like I was taking a bath in blood. And there are many others that I can’t erase from my memory no matter how hard I try to forget. Until the day he died, he never once apologized. Nevertheless, I have forgiven him for the booze and the beatings. Don’t confuse forgive with forget. Unfortunately, God has not blessed me with the ability to forget but He has given me the strength to forgive. Worthington gave me some tools that have really helped me in the practice of forgiveness and I want to share that with you as well. Worthington describes his forgiveness methodology with the acronym REACH—How to REACH forgiveness.

            “R—Recall the hurt. When we are hurt, we often try to protect ourselves by denying our hurt. To heal, we must recall the hurt as objectively as we can. Don’t rail against the person who hurt you, expend fruitless effort in finger wagging, waste time wishing for an apology that will never be offered, or dwell on your victimization. Instead, admit that a wrong was done to you.

            E—Empthize. Empathy is seeing things from another person’s point of view. To forgive, try to feel the transgressor’s feelings. Even though it is difficult, try to identify with the pressures that made the person hurt you. Empathy puts a human face on suffering. How would he or she explain the harmful acts? Empathy is only one of the emotions you can use to replace negative emotions. You also can sympathize with, feel compassion for, experience agape love toward, or kindle romantic love for the transgressor. Each of those can help you replace the unforgiveness.

            A—Offer the altruistic gift of forgiveness. Have you ever harmed or offended a friend, parent or partner who later forgave you? Think about your own guilt. Then consider how you felt when you were forgiven. When you remember how you felt, you might be willing to give a selfless gift of forgiveness to those who have hurt you.

            C—Commit publicly to forgive. If you make your forgiveness public, you are less likely to doubt it later. Tell a friend, partner or counselor that you have forgiven the person who hurt you.

            H—Hold on to forgiveness. When you doubt whether you have forgiven, there are many ways to stop forgiveness from slipping.”[10] Memories of past offenses will undoubtedly surface after you have forgiven someone. Hopefully the memory of those offenses will be less emotional and debilitating as you become more practiced in forgiving. Forgiveness must eventually be genuine. It is important to interrupt any thoughts of revenge and self pity. Slowly but surely, forgiveness will be genuine and withstand the test of time.

            It is important to remember that forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing. Forgiveness is always possible while reconciliation is not always possible. Forgiveness is a personal internal decision while reconciliation is an external action of relational cooperation. Forgiveness is something that occurs immediately while reconciliation occurs gradually as trust is re-established. Sometimes reconciliation is not possible because the person who has offended us has passed away. Other times, reconciliation is not possible because the person who has offended us might pose a physical threat. Nevertheless, forgiveness is possible in any case.

            Look, Jesus isn’t asking you to do anything he hasn’t done himself—and it cost Him considerably more than it costs any of us no matter how painful or hard it might seem. Consider this—the forgiveness offered by Jesus gives us the opportunity to spend eternity with him. That is The Power Of Forgiveness. Before we finish, let’s look at a modern day example of forgiveness and its power to change the life of the offender and the one offended.

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[1] Bruce Barton, Philip Comfort, Grant Osborne, Linda K. Taylor, Dave Veerman, Life Application New Testament Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), p. 84.

[2] W. Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Vol. 1, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983), p. 241.

[3] Colin Brown, gen. ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol. 2, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), p. 667.

[4] Craig S. Keener, Matthew—The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997), p. 291.

[5] Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew—The NIV Application Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004), p. 623.

[6] Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, I. Howard Marshall, eds., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992), p. 543.

[7] Stuart K. Weber, Matthew—Holman New Testament Commentary, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2000), p. 297.

[8] Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 14-28—Word Biblical Commentary, (Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1995), p. 540.

[9] Craig L. Blomberg, Matthew—The New American Commentary, (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1992), pp. 284-285.

[10] Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Forgiving and Reconciling: Bridges to Wholeness and Hope, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), pp. 73-74.