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As a minister, I am continually reminded of the many burdens people bear in this life - the emotional scars, the painful memories, the gut-wrenching guilt and feelings of regret. Sometimes the stories I hear are staggering. Really, there are three kinds of people in this world: those who need to be forgiven, those who need to be forgiving of someone else, and the largest group is those who need to be both forgiven and forgiving.

Forgiveness must come before healing. That's why, in our New Testament story this morning, Jesus first says to the paralyzed boy, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Then He says, "Rise up and walk." Forgiveness is the foundation of healing, while the lack of forgiveness means continued suffering and brokenness.

You can see the need everywhere around you. It's in the person whose soul is troubled by some misdeed of long ago. She is wracked by regret and governed by guilt. She is never completely happy, even when everything seems right in her life, because the memory of the past is always there, hanging over her like a dark cloud blotting out the sun. It is truly tragic. Such a person will impose upon herself a lifetime of suffering and won't ever be healed unless she can accept God's forgiveness of her sins.

You can see the need for forgiveness in homes and families, where people of the same flesh and blood can hardly stand to be with one another. Every offhand remark, every look of the eye, every tone of voice dredges up grievances which have been accumulating for many years. These families imprison each other in a living hell and will never escape unless, as a family, they can find a way to forgive and forget.

You can see it in a church, when disputes arise and factions form, when things are done and said by one side or another, and the memory of it lingers on. The people in such a church share the same worship space on Sunday morning, but don't share a fellowship any more. Slowly, the church is robbed of vitality and its spirit is strangled. There is sickness unto death until these sisters and brothers in Christ can forgive and be forgiven.

And even at a larger level in the world: forgiveness must sow the seeds of healing and peace. Why else does the violence continue for generation after generation in places like northern Ireland? In the Middle East, why do Arab, Palestinian and Jew go on hating and fighting each other from age to age, from the oldest citizen to the youngest child?

Neither side can forgive! Neither side can let go of the past! In fact, both sides feed from the past and teach their children to eat that bitter food. They glorify the memory of every abuse and commemorate the anniversary of every injustice - so the past becomes prologue to the future. On and on it goes, and when it will stop, God only knows.

There is a better way. There is a way to break through this cycle of rancor and regret, in our lives and in the world. It is the way of forgiveness, as taught and demonstrated by our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lived and died for the forgiveness of sins.

The prophet announced it long ago: "Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!" It's a welcome cry to weary souls: the forgiveness you need is here! More than that, it's free! It's free, because that's the only way it could be! After all, who among us can begin to pay the price of buying out our sins?

Every one who thirsts, come to Christ's table and drink of the cup of blessing. You who have no money - you who have no moral capital with which to buy your pardon - come and eat the bread of life. Come and taste God's forgiveness, given freely to every humble spirit and contrite heart.

I can't emphasize this strongly enough. I know people whose broken hearts could be healed in an instant if they would only accept the forgiveness God has already given to them. And I know people whose bitter spirits could be healed right now if they would only be forgiving, even as they have been forgiven.

You know, every so often you hear about someone who stands on a street corner and tries to pass out money. For free, no catch, no strings attached, "Here, take some money."

The incredible thing is that usually, people turn it down. They turn down free money! And that's what's so amazing about the forgiveness God is offering to us. He gives it freely, yet so many of us turn it down and walk away.

Some people turn away from the forgiveness they need because they feel they don't deserve it. "No," they say, "I am unworthy. My soul is unclean. Leave me here in my misery; my transgressions are so great that no one can help me now."

Well, these are precisely the people Jesus came to save: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God" (Matthew 5:3). These are the very people Jesus loves the most - the ones who feel they are the most unloved. "Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!"

Then there are people who will agree that they are worthy of God's forgiveness - it's the other person over there who isn't worthy! "He's never been much of a Christian," they say. Or, "She hasn't really repented and changed her ways so how can she be forgiven?"

Fortunately, God's mercy is broader than our hearts can feel; His forgiveness runs deeper than our minds can imagine. Fortunately, God pays no attention to the ways we try to limit His love. God forgives us, that we might find it easier to forgive one another. "Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!"

Even if I had never met any of you before, I know enough about the human condition to know that somewhere in this church today, there are people who need to leave their sorrow with God and feel forgiven. There are people who need to give up their hurt and feel forgiving. God knows each of us, even in secret, and He knows we can't possibly afford to purchase the pardon we need. God knows we are coming to Him "just as we are, without one plea," to buy His forgiveness for free. Amen

Pastoral Prayer

Everlasting, Most Merciful God, we pray today for the spirit of forgiveness, given freely to all by Your love in Jesus Christ. We pray especially that the forgiveness we seek at home and in our hearts may also flow like mighty waters through the world - in southern Africa, in Ireland, in the Middle East, and in every nation where age-old enemies must forgive and forget. Hasten the day when the lion shall lie down with the lamb and when all Your children shall be free at last, their thirst assuaged and their hunger fed by the forgiveness which is everyone's to receive, by the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen