The Fifth Petition: Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Sermon
What's That Supposed To Mean?
Using The Catechism In The 21st Century
Object:
The Lord's Prayer -- The Fifth Petition
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. What does this mean? We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor on their account deny our prayer; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we also heartily forgive, and readily do good to, those who sin against us.
This past year, if someone had paid you ten dollars for every kind word you ever spoke about other people, and also collected five dollars for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor? Isn't it true that we often find it easier to cut somebody up than to build him up? I am surrounded by a bunch of angry, resentful, and nasty people. So are you. Some of you are in the crowd of critics that surrounds me. And, God forgive me, I am in the crowd that surrounds some of you. "But I have a right to be angry!" Human nature naturally resents bad treatment. Human nature also seeks to even the score when treated badly. Don't we have an old saying: Don't get mad -- get even? The result of all this spills over into the church. Why else would the Apostle Paul write, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice"? Pastors tell horror stories of terrorist attacks during voters' meetings, of members who are fire-breathing dragons. Church members grumble among themselves about each other and have even been known to quit coming to church because they are mad at somebody.
What should be done about those nasty people who get on your nerves and make life miserable for you? There once was a man who had a hard time getting along with people. The members of the church he grew up in threw him out one day because they considered him to be an arrogant heretic -- some even tried to kill him, they were so mad at him. He went from church to church but usually ended up in a fight with the pastor. Soon, this man was fighting with the church leadership, accusing them of being corrupt. Church leadership, on the other hand, considered this guy to be a dangerous nut, a troublemaker. Sparks flew whenever this man showed up. Church leadership decided that something had to be done. They secretly put out a contract on this guy offering a reward to the person who would deliver this troublemaker into their hands dead or alive. Eventually, church leaders successfully managed to lynch this troublemaker. But as nails were being pounded into the hands and feet of Jesus of Nazareth, He looked into heaven and prayed for those church leaders and those finishing the grisly execution: "Father, forgive them."
What church leaders did with Jesus is what we like to do with each other, isn't it? In small ways we like to crucify each other -- or at least beat each other up like the Romans did Jesus before executing Him. But notice how Jesus treats those who treated Him badly. He could have called down legions of angels -- one of which could wipe out a city of a couple hundred thousand people. He could have spoken a word, like those He spoke to demons or storms, and melted His enemies into a puddle. With a touch of the hand that healed lepers and raised the dead Jesus could have slapped His tormentors into orbit. Jesus looked at those nasty people who were always getting on His nerves and making life miserable for Him ... and forgave them. Jesus was more than willing to let bygones be bygones. He was also willing to give these people a place in His eternal kingdom.
This is still true. We today are of the same sort of people who stood around the cross of Jesus. They all had things in common -- sinfulness, rebellion, wickedness. A few were different, however. They admitted their sinfulness and grieved over the horrible treatment their Lord endured. A few days later, that grief turned to everlasting joy when they saw Jesus alive again and realized that He still loved them and had a place for them in His kingdom. Jesus forgave Peter's denials, Thomas' doubts. Later, Jesus forgave the murder and violence Paul had worked on Christians. Today, He forgives my failures and yours -- and still holds open a place for us to rule with him in His everlasting kingdom!
A friend of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, once reminded Clara of an especially cruel thing that someone did to her years before. But Miss Barton seemed not to recall it. "Don't you remember it?" her friend asked. "No," came the reply, "I distinctly remember forgetting it." You can't be free and happy if you harbor grudges, so put them away. Get rid of them. Collect postage stamps, or collect coins, if you wish, but don't collect grudges. The Apostle Paul challenges us, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Forgive, just as in Christ God forgave you -- then we can have peace, we can do great things together, we can see a bit of heaven on earth.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have given us Your Spirit, the Spirit who sealed us for the day of redemption. Forgive us when we grieve the Holy Spirit of God by our anger and meanness towards each other. Help us to give up our grudges. Help us to soften our behavior towards each other. Help us to give up rudeness, bitterness. Teach us to speak well of each other, to be kind to each other, and to forgive each other with words and deeds of compassion. Help us show off to the world Your master plan of salvation by making us showcase examples of mercy and forgiveness. Amen.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. What does this mean? We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor on their account deny our prayer; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we also heartily forgive, and readily do good to, those who sin against us.
This past year, if someone had paid you ten dollars for every kind word you ever spoke about other people, and also collected five dollars for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor? Isn't it true that we often find it easier to cut somebody up than to build him up? I am surrounded by a bunch of angry, resentful, and nasty people. So are you. Some of you are in the crowd of critics that surrounds me. And, God forgive me, I am in the crowd that surrounds some of you. "But I have a right to be angry!" Human nature naturally resents bad treatment. Human nature also seeks to even the score when treated badly. Don't we have an old saying: Don't get mad -- get even? The result of all this spills over into the church. Why else would the Apostle Paul write, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice"? Pastors tell horror stories of terrorist attacks during voters' meetings, of members who are fire-breathing dragons. Church members grumble among themselves about each other and have even been known to quit coming to church because they are mad at somebody.
What should be done about those nasty people who get on your nerves and make life miserable for you? There once was a man who had a hard time getting along with people. The members of the church he grew up in threw him out one day because they considered him to be an arrogant heretic -- some even tried to kill him, they were so mad at him. He went from church to church but usually ended up in a fight with the pastor. Soon, this man was fighting with the church leadership, accusing them of being corrupt. Church leadership, on the other hand, considered this guy to be a dangerous nut, a troublemaker. Sparks flew whenever this man showed up. Church leadership decided that something had to be done. They secretly put out a contract on this guy offering a reward to the person who would deliver this troublemaker into their hands dead or alive. Eventually, church leaders successfully managed to lynch this troublemaker. But as nails were being pounded into the hands and feet of Jesus of Nazareth, He looked into heaven and prayed for those church leaders and those finishing the grisly execution: "Father, forgive them."
What church leaders did with Jesus is what we like to do with each other, isn't it? In small ways we like to crucify each other -- or at least beat each other up like the Romans did Jesus before executing Him. But notice how Jesus treats those who treated Him badly. He could have called down legions of angels -- one of which could wipe out a city of a couple hundred thousand people. He could have spoken a word, like those He spoke to demons or storms, and melted His enemies into a puddle. With a touch of the hand that healed lepers and raised the dead Jesus could have slapped His tormentors into orbit. Jesus looked at those nasty people who were always getting on His nerves and making life miserable for Him ... and forgave them. Jesus was more than willing to let bygones be bygones. He was also willing to give these people a place in His eternal kingdom.
This is still true. We today are of the same sort of people who stood around the cross of Jesus. They all had things in common -- sinfulness, rebellion, wickedness. A few were different, however. They admitted their sinfulness and grieved over the horrible treatment their Lord endured. A few days later, that grief turned to everlasting joy when they saw Jesus alive again and realized that He still loved them and had a place for them in His kingdom. Jesus forgave Peter's denials, Thomas' doubts. Later, Jesus forgave the murder and violence Paul had worked on Christians. Today, He forgives my failures and yours -- and still holds open a place for us to rule with him in His everlasting kingdom!
A friend of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, once reminded Clara of an especially cruel thing that someone did to her years before. But Miss Barton seemed not to recall it. "Don't you remember it?" her friend asked. "No," came the reply, "I distinctly remember forgetting it." You can't be free and happy if you harbor grudges, so put them away. Get rid of them. Collect postage stamps, or collect coins, if you wish, but don't collect grudges. The Apostle Paul challenges us, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Forgive, just as in Christ God forgave you -- then we can have peace, we can do great things together, we can see a bit of heaven on earth.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have given us Your Spirit, the Spirit who sealed us for the day of redemption. Forgive us when we grieve the Holy Spirit of God by our anger and meanness towards each other. Help us to give up our grudges. Help us to soften our behavior towards each other. Help us to give up rudeness, bitterness. Teach us to speak well of each other, to be kind to each other, and to forgive each other with words and deeds of compassion. Help us show off to the world Your master plan of salvation by making us showcase examples of mercy and forgiveness. Amen.
