Isaiah 65:17-25, Luke 23:33-43, Romans 13:11-14
clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ
Ugh. It’s been two weeks since preaching on Jesus on the cross and I still can’t get the image out of my mind. I even specifically preached on forgiveness yesterday and somehow I feel like I can’t forgive myself and let go of the passage. I still feel like there’s so much to deal with and yet I know that passages like Isaiah 65 remind us not to hold on to the “former things”. Drat, that passage goes back 3 Sundays. Why is it so tough to surrender resentment or the past?
If I had another half hour yesterday, I think I might have spoken on what it means to find forgiveness. Sure, I touched on it a bit, but maybe what I really wanted was to ask people “what is it that you need to find forgiveness?” When someone cuts you off on the road, what will really make you happy? When someone speaks rudely to you, what does it take for you let go of the unhappiness you feel? If someone lies to you…betrays you…violates your trust…or even treats you in a dehumanizing way…what do you REALLY want or need in order for you to forgive and let go?
I remember driving into a Tim Horton’s drive-through for a coffee a while back. I came right in off the street and drove straight into the open spot behind some cars in line. To my shock, I was met with a flurry of honks and screams. Looking behind me I saw a man with half his body out of the window waving his arm (and maybe a few fingers) at me violently. I was in a good place that morning and rolled down the window slowly. From what I was gathering between the violent tirade was that he had been waiting quietly from the other side of the parking lot when I swept in and cut right past him. A part of me wanted to yell and scream back. I mean, it was an honest mistake and I certainly didn’t deserve his angry onslaught. Whether it was the rage or the public embarrassment that he was bringing to the situation, it was not a great place to be. Taking a deep breath however – by the grace of God – I said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you. How can I make it up to you?”
The other man was certainly not prepared for this response. (To tell you the truth, this wasn’t the first response that came to my mind, but I’m glad I acted on the second thought rather than the first.) In fact, the man was so shocked that he lowered his arm and kind of nervously replied, “oh…uh…well…just don’t do it again!” I’m certainly not trying to boast of my angelic demeanor or perfect character, but at the very least trying to illustrate how easy, first of all, it is for all of us to be angry when wronged and, second, how easy it might be to dissolve a potentially heated situation.
Now, I know that some of the situations we find ourselves in life where we’ve encountered betrayal and hurt, a simple “sorry” doesn’t cut it. But I wonder if we’ve honestly asked ourselves “what would it take for us to find forgiveness?” There are a number of situations that I thought of, but to be honest, I’m not even sure if I’m able to share that whether on paper or in a sermon on a Sunday morning. Over and over again, I’ve ask myself “what would it take for me to forgive?” and “what would it take for me to be restored?” Whether I have an answer to those things or not, I know I continue to be in that process as I know many of you are as well.
I don’t know if this blog will be sufficient for me to let go of these passages and move on, but I do know that if we don’t find forgiveness or restoration in more serious situations in life, we too cannot move on and grow. We have a very narrow future if all we are able to stomach is a glimpse of an unresolved past.
Maybe for some of you it’s someone in the past that you’ve been trying to avoid for years. Maybe a friend. Maybe someone you used to call your best friend.
Maybe a family member.
Maybe a brother.
A sister.
Maybe a pastor.
Maybe there are others who you you’ve wronged, and the truth is, they’ve been living with the hurt and betrayal that you left behind. You’re not like that anymore. You’ve changed; I know. But the trail of hurt of even just that one incident is something that you know they’ve never been able to get over. Maybe you need to approach them and ask them “how can you find restoration?”
Maybe for some of you, it’s forgiveness and restoration with God. You know you’ve wronged him. You know there are things that you’re ashamed of. Things you never even want to think of again let alone talk about. Maybe it’s time to find restoration. Maybe it’s time to realize that Jesus died for you so that you can stand “righteous” before God.
Redeemed.
Restored.
Made whole.
Now I know I have lofty ideals, and in know in some situations reconciliation with certain people is impossible. To tell you the truth, some of those people that I’ve mentioned are not just out of your lives or the city, but the country. To tell you the truth, some may have passed on from this life all together. What then? Will you never find forgiveness? Will you never find restoration?
Maybe, even more so, it’s about dwelling on the cross again, knowing that God forgives us, knowing that God forgives the person(s) that wronged you. Maybe it’s when we realize that Jesus paid the penalty, that He is continuing to transform the person(s) and the situation, and is trying desperately to restore your heart, may we be able to look to the future and face a hopeful advent.
May you continue to be clothed with the LORD Jesus Christ and SEE hope and renewal. Father, forgive us…