Luke 19:1-10 tells the story of Zacchaeus, the publican of Jericho, who was so short that he had to climb a tree to see Jesus who invited Himself over for a meal (how many remember the song: Zacchaeus was a wee little man ... [everybody sing]?).
Well, short story long, Zacchaeus' life was changed - radically - and he made some changes in his lifestyle because of it. It was so radical that Jesus declared that salvation had come to that house. Zacchaeus had received forgiveness from God.
Matthew 6:14-15 does bring us up short if we see what it says, if we forgive, we will be forgiven by God, but if we don't forgive, we will not be forgiven by God. Ouch!
Romans 14:13 tells us not to judge one another, but to judge ourselves as to whether we are causing our brothers and sisters to stumble in the way.
It is clear that we are to give forgiveness.
This is the sermon topic for this Sunday (April 20, 2008) in our Live Like You Were Dying Theme. In our music, we emphasize this by offering ourselves to be God's vessel in Sanctuary and noting that we ourselves are debtors to God's grace in Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.
We recognize that we need to freely give forgiveness as we have freely received forgiveness from God by singing Freely, Freely and that we have a call to live the Christ life in We Are Called to Be God's People.
The Adult Choir challenges us to live this out by sharing the anthem Lift Your Light by Mary McDonald.
Then we sing a wonderful text by Gloria Gaither entitled I Then Shall Live with the line "as one who's been forgiven." After a testimony in the 10:50 a.m. service and the sermon, we offer the response invitation Living for Jesus.
Forgiveness - we definitely need and want it.
Forgiveness - we definitely need to give it.
Blessings,
Richard
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