4/17/2022 After Resurrection Sunday! ~Rev. Benjamin Chung
Resurrection Sunday is a day to rejoice because the debt of sin was paid through the blood of our Lord Jesus. His resurrection is proof of the promised future we will receive as followers of Jesus. And even though we are thinking that Passion Week is over, and we’ve reflected on our own sinfulness, we mustn’t let down our guard.
One practice we must consider and continue to do is forgive. After all, our Savior is alive! He is also one who forgives. After His death, He continues to forgive, thank the Lord! And He even forgave before He died. Jesus forgave the woman who was caught in adultery and about to be stoned (John 8:3-8). Jesus forgave the woman who poured the nard on his feet when He taught about the two debtors (Luke 7:36-50). In Matthew 9:2 (ESV), he told the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” He forgave the soldiers at the cross, who were casting lots in John 19:24, as prophesied in Psalm 22:18, “they divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” When Peter asked Jesus, in (Matthew 18:21-22),“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”. Could Peter have been complaining about Andrew? Perhaps. And the lesson is, to forgive again. Even if you did count 490 times of forgiveness, forgive again. Jesus is forgiving again.
The biggest roadblock to forgiving is likely bitterness. But there’s a saying, “Bitterness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies.” Which they won’t. So instead, we need to take 4 steps to forgiveness. The first is to identify the reason for the Hurt. The second is to acknowledge the reason why we hurt and Hate (the sin and not the sinner). The third is to get free from the Hook, which is to free ourselves from the hook by canceling the debt and allow God to be the justice maker. And the last step is to seek healing from God, which is an event and a process if the debt of sin is great. Lest we forget, God forgave us. We must also forgive. "And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ" (Ephesians 4:32 CSB). In fact, take some time to review the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, for “thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.” Amen, indeed!