The Forgiven
Stories
Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit
Series V, Cycle C
Object:
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." (vv. 9-14)
At the close of a worship service, the minister stepped to the communion table. After a few words of explanation, he asked those serving elements to come forward.
As he handed the trays to the servers, he looked up and saw a tough-looking fellow with numerous tattoos on his arms standing before him. The minister didn't recognize the man, but assumed he was a server. He handed the stranger a tray of bread and a tray of juice. The man gave him a strange look but took the trays and followed the other servers.
In a moment, he came back to the minister and whispered, "Which of these do I eat first?" The minister explained to eat the bread first, then the juice. The nervous young man responded, "Should I do that now?" The minister chuckled, "Why not?"
The minister took the trays and served the nervous young man telling him, "You have just taken Jesus into your body." The young man's eyes filled with tears as he quickly returned to his seat. After the service, the same fellow went to the minister and wildly embraced him while weeping loudly. The minister stood there and held him as he cried.
A few moments later, a weeping woman joined them. She explained, "I'm his wife. He's so embarrassed. He's never been to church in his life. He has been doped up for years and just became a Christian this week. He asked to come to worship today. I told him there might be a time when he could come forward and profess his faith. When you asked the servers to come forward, he thought that was the time. Then you handed him the communion trays, and he didn't know what to do."
The minister stepped back and looked the man in the face. His once-hardened features were soft with tears. The minister smiled and said, "God loves you so much. God was so overjoyed when you came forward to profess Christ. God saw your heart and placed in your hands the most precious thing the church has -- the sacrament of the body and blood of the Son of the living God. Then God wanted you to go give Jesus to other people."
The young man wept, "But I didn't know what I was doing."
The minister responded, "None of us knows what we're doing. We just obey -- and God honors our obedience. Those that respond in seeking forgiveness are received as children of God."
In the scripture, a tax collector was praying in the temple. Because he corruptly made his livelihood by cheating others, he was considered a traitor to his own people. Compared to the Pharisee who was smugly praying in the temple, the tax collector appeared to be scum. We wouldn't even want sit next to him if he were in our church. This man was so embarrassed because of his failings; he couldn't even look to heaven as he prayed. He mumbled, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." He admitted his failings and reach out to God for forgiveness.
And it was the tax collector then, not the Pharisee, who discovered God's forgiveness. The term "forgiven" is not used in today's scripture. But Luke 18:14, says the tax collector went home "justified." That is, he was put right with God -- made righteous. He was set free from guilt. He acknowledged his failings and sought God's mercy -- he sought forgiveness. The Pharisee had less to forgive, but he left unforgiven. Why? He didn't acknowledge his sin and seek forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a wonderfully precious gift -- a gift that God wants to give you. God honors our repentance with forgiveness. When we admit our failings to God and seek to change, we find forgiveness.
What failings do you bring with you today? Substance abuse? A failed relationship? A failed career? Whatever. Give it to God and experience forgiveness.
At the close of a worship service, the minister stepped to the communion table. After a few words of explanation, he asked those serving elements to come forward.
As he handed the trays to the servers, he looked up and saw a tough-looking fellow with numerous tattoos on his arms standing before him. The minister didn't recognize the man, but assumed he was a server. He handed the stranger a tray of bread and a tray of juice. The man gave him a strange look but took the trays and followed the other servers.
In a moment, he came back to the minister and whispered, "Which of these do I eat first?" The minister explained to eat the bread first, then the juice. The nervous young man responded, "Should I do that now?" The minister chuckled, "Why not?"
The minister took the trays and served the nervous young man telling him, "You have just taken Jesus into your body." The young man's eyes filled with tears as he quickly returned to his seat. After the service, the same fellow went to the minister and wildly embraced him while weeping loudly. The minister stood there and held him as he cried.
A few moments later, a weeping woman joined them. She explained, "I'm his wife. He's so embarrassed. He's never been to church in his life. He has been doped up for years and just became a Christian this week. He asked to come to worship today. I told him there might be a time when he could come forward and profess his faith. When you asked the servers to come forward, he thought that was the time. Then you handed him the communion trays, and he didn't know what to do."
The minister stepped back and looked the man in the face. His once-hardened features were soft with tears. The minister smiled and said, "God loves you so much. God was so overjoyed when you came forward to profess Christ. God saw your heart and placed in your hands the most precious thing the church has -- the sacrament of the body and blood of the Son of the living God. Then God wanted you to go give Jesus to other people."
The young man wept, "But I didn't know what I was doing."
The minister responded, "None of us knows what we're doing. We just obey -- and God honors our obedience. Those that respond in seeking forgiveness are received as children of God."
In the scripture, a tax collector was praying in the temple. Because he corruptly made his livelihood by cheating others, he was considered a traitor to his own people. Compared to the Pharisee who was smugly praying in the temple, the tax collector appeared to be scum. We wouldn't even want sit next to him if he were in our church. This man was so embarrassed because of his failings; he couldn't even look to heaven as he prayed. He mumbled, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." He admitted his failings and reach out to God for forgiveness.
And it was the tax collector then, not the Pharisee, who discovered God's forgiveness. The term "forgiven" is not used in today's scripture. But Luke 18:14, says the tax collector went home "justified." That is, he was put right with God -- made righteous. He was set free from guilt. He acknowledged his failings and sought God's mercy -- he sought forgiveness. The Pharisee had less to forgive, but he left unforgiven. Why? He didn't acknowledge his sin and seek forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a wonderfully precious gift -- a gift that God wants to give you. God honors our repentance with forgiveness. When we admit our failings to God and seek to change, we find forgiveness.
What failings do you bring with you today? Substance abuse? A failed relationship? A failed career? Whatever. Give it to God and experience forgiveness.
