What The Church Needs Now – 1 AGAPE LOVE 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

What The Church Needs Now – 1




AGAPE LOVE




1 Corinthians 13:1-13




My family: my kids, my grandkids … we’re a very physically affectionate family. Hugs & kisses 1st thing in the morning. Hugs & kisses before we go to bed at night. Always, “I love you,” when we’re leaving one another. As a result, the past couple of weeks have been really special for me. Walking down the street holding hands with my granddaughter!

So, there was lots & lots of physical & verbal affection.




Now I know that not everyone is comfortable with that, (it certainly was an adjustment for my son-in-law from England) … but that’s our family.




And because 3 of our 5 kids live far away, it’s always a joyous time when we’re together. But it reminded me again how important love is to me.

So, on Thursday, as I began to put this message together,

I tried to think how I would define love, how I would describe it.

How do I explain what love is?




And I wanted to get your perspective, so I sent out an email asking … imagine that you're standing at the corner of Main Street & VanBuren,

& someone comes up to you & says,

"give me, in a few words, a definition or a description of love."

How would you respond? Here are some of the responses I received:




it’s not a chemical explosion of hormones


selfless


unconditional


caring


truth


grace


God


undefinable


understanding


forgiveness


accountability


knowing


sensitive


giving


faithful


compassionate


a goal


an emotion


a command




One person responded, “rather than define love, country music legend Tom T. Hall shares what conjures up this wonderful emotion for him” …




I love little baby ducks,

Old pickup trucks,

Slow movin' trains - & rain.

I love little country streams,

Sleep without dreams,

Sunday School in May - & hay.




I love leaves in the wind,

Pictures of my friends,

Birds of the world - & squirrels.

I love coffee in a cup,

Little fuzzy pups,

Bourbon in a glass - & grass.




I love honest open smiles,

Kisses from a child,

Tomatoes on the vine - & onions.

I love winners when they cry,

Losers when they try,

Music when it's good - & life.




And I love you too.

With that as an introduction, listen now to Good News,

from Paul to the Church in Corinth, & also to Bear Creek Church.

Within our hearing comes the Word of the Lord …




I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains – but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned – but if I have no love, this does me no good.




Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; loves does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.




Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.




When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways.

What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete – as complete as God’s knowledge of me.




Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)




The grass withers & flowers fade,

but the word of our God endures forever. (Isaiah 40:8)




May the Lord grant that we may engage in contemplating the mysteries of His Heavenly wisdom with really increasing devotion, to His glory and to our edification. Amen

Several years ago, early on in our relationship, Eddie asked me if I had a favorite passage of Scripture? And since that time most of you have discovered that my “favorite passage” seems to be whatever one we’re looking at on a particular morning. “This is my favorite!”




But, in all honesty, if I had to narrow my Bible down to 10 or so passages,

the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians would have to be included as 1 of them. And over the next few weeks I want us to go over it thoroughly …

almost word-for-word.




In the Smithsonian magazine several months ago, there was a story about a satellite which surveys the crust of the earth. It examines the surface & finds evidence of cities or rivers that haven’t existed for 1,000’s of years. For example, they have found that there was once an enormous river that ran across Saudi Arabia, & at the mouth of it, there was a huge ancient civilization. No one knew this existed until just recently.

This satellite,

with its’ ability to put signals down into the earth was able to pick it up.

It looked deep into the desert & found that there was once a city there.




Over my years in ministry the Lord has often put me in counseling situations. This was especially true when I served in Niagara Falls & Key West.




I remember on 1 occasion I received a call from a friend who asked if I would talk to a couple who were neighbors of his. They were going through a difficult time, & he hoped I might be able to help them. I told him to have them call me, & I would certainly be glad to speak with them.




A couple of days later the man phoned & we set up an appointment.

At the scheduled time this attractive, professional looking couple,

showed up at my office. They were probably in their late 30’s.

After some brief pleasantries about the weather, & kids, & jobs, & so forth, I asked how they were doing right now as a couple. Wow! The dam burst.




And immediately the whole scenario changed. Tension filled the room.

I could almost see fire in their eyes. She looked at him, “I could never trust you!” And he said, “well, let me tell you what I could never do with you.”

And for the next # of moments, forgetting that I was even there,

they just tore each other apart with horrible language & accusations

We’re going to come back to that in just a moment.




Friday, as I was putting my thoughts down on paper I was thinking about that satellite looking down at the desert. There used to be life there, a thriving civilization. I thought about that man & woman in my office. There used to be love there. There was a day when that man loved that woman … & she loved him. They delighted in the birth of their children.

But now all there was … was hatred.




And that brings us now to Paul’s concern for the Church in Corinth.

This chapter’s not here because Paul’s simply in a poetic mood. This is a congregation that has stopped loving. So, Paul presents a teaching on love.




Now when Paul discussed love, he picked a particular word,

which up until that time wasn’t used that often. The Greeks, unlike us,

had 4 different words they could use when describing affection or intimacy or devotion or passion with someone or for something.




There was “eros” from which we get erotic.

This has sexual or sensual overtones. It’s romantic love. It’s the “love” that we sing about in popular songs. It’s the kind of love I have for Kathy,

& interestingly, it’s a word that’s not found in the N.T.




The word that is found often is “phileo”.

This is the kind of affection that exists in families & among friends.

(Matthew 10:37; John 11:36) Philadelphia is the “city of brotherly love.” This is the love we feel instinctively toward people within our immediate circle.

This is the kind of love I have for each of you.




Then there’s “storge” which is the endearment we might have for country, pets, things. It’s what Tom T. Hall’s song was all about.

This is the kind of love I have for 50’s/60’s music,

for used bookstores, for chai latte tea, for America.




But the word that’s most familiar in Christian circles today,

but the Corinthians would not have been that acquainted with … was “agape.”




Now most people today think of love as it’s been patterned for us

by Hallmark cards … nice & sentimental.

Or love, which is deeply romantic, as seen in the movies. You know,

young people staring into each other’s eyes & losing all touch with reality. That’s not agape love.




God operates from a system of agape love.

“God loved (agaped) the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Paul knew what it meant to be loved by God through Christ.




Now remember, Paul “was so zealous that he persecuted the church.”

(Philippians 3:6) This is a guy who went from town to town arresting believers.

(The Acts 9:1-2) He was their #1 tormentor. And then 1 day when he was on the road to Damascus, Jesus appeared to him asking, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?” (The Acts 9:4) Paul never got over the fact that God loved him in spite of all that he’d done in opposition to the Church, & to the Lord Himself.




Paul also understood agape love through suffering. He learned through his pain & persecution what it was like to love your enemies. (Matthew 5:44)

He prayed for blessings for those who beat him up & threw him in jail.

(Romans 12:14) Agape love was the operating system in which he lived his life.




So here in our passage today Paul introduces the subject of love.

Now Paul is writing as a rabbi of his time.

And to make their points rabbis often exaggerated.

They made statements & then pushed them to the nth degree. Remember that as we spend some time in this passage … & try to imagine what these words meant to the Corinthians as they heard them for the 1st time.




When Paul writes of speaking “the languages of human beings,”

the Greeks would connect with that right away.

The premier form of entertainment in those days was talking. (Some of us would have done very well back then!) Back in that time, stadiums would be filled with people who would pay top $ to hear a good speaker.




Instead of going to The Brown County Music Center last night to hear The Hindley Street Country Club, we’d go The Brown County Orator Center to listen to Duane Parsons. It didn’t make any difference what the orators said … it was how they said it.

The Corinthian church loved nothing more than an articulate preacher

who would come & speak.




The “language of angels” on the other hand refers to a Heavenly language. It may even be the gift of “speaking in strange tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:10) (Paul’s going to deal with that in the next chapter.)




But here, Paul’s pressing this to the extreme. “If I was the best articulator or orator in the whole world, but did it lovelessly, it would be as valueless as somebody who keeps hitting a gong or clanging a bell.”

Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong!




One of the games we played while the kids were here had an awful sounding bell as a buzzer. After hearing it a couple of times,

our daughter Jennifer said … “enough!” It was so annoying.

Without love, the finest oratory is annoying/worthless.




Then Paul highlights 3 things … inspired preaching – the ability to apply God’s Word to our lives; & knowledge – understanding the mysteries of God;

& then, faith – the kind powerful enough to move mountains. The Corinthians would have given their eye teeth for those things. But Paul says if they had preaching & knowledge & faith, but didn’t love, they’d be worth nothing.




Then he goes a step further. “If I gave everything I had to the poor … money, clothing, home.” And here’s that exaggerated phrasing,

“if I laid my body on the altar to be burned as a sacrifice, so that everything I have is gone. And if love wasn’t there, it does no good.”

Paul’s giving a description of organized religion … the outward activities: preaching, education, outreach.




The Jews prided themselves in giving offerings to the poor as a religious act, & the early Christians picked up the idea, even to the point of sacrificial giving. And if we knew the Bible inside & out.

And if we had faith even to move a mountain, (Matthew 17:20)

but if we didn’t love, it would be of no value whatsoever.




Corinth was a church where love was slowly going out the door,

& the day was coming, Paul warns, when they wouldn’t be a church any longer.

They may still be a religious organization with holdings & programs

& connections, but they wouldn’t be a church under the definition of what Christ said it should be.




You see, it doesn’t matter what “good” we do, without love,

it adds up to a big fat nothing.




What had happened in Corinth? Well, people were following after personalities. Paul, Apollos, Peter, & some, very arrogantly, were saying,

“I follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:12)




They were taking each other to court & asserting their rights.

One Christian was suing another & the whole church was dividing into sides. (1 Corinthians 6:7) There was sexual immorality going on,

& nobody was doing a thing about it. (1 Corinthians 5:1)




The Corinthian Church was powerful & wealthy. Not just in money,

but in talented people. It had everything we’d want if we fanaticized,

“Let’s have a terrific church.” Everything was there … but love.




Now Paul may be writing to a church in the 1st century,

but he’s describing our world. We’re seeing in our society today the alternative to love … vengeance. Don’t even think about crossing me.

You get me … & I’ll get you more.

I mean, drive-by shootings, revenge, & road rage is a way of life.




What’s included in my weekly charge? “Return to no one evil for evil.”

(Romans 12:17-21)




And there are people in & out of the Church today who don’t have a clue as to what love is all about.

God calls us to look at life through agape eyes. That’s what it means to be a follower of Jesus … & all the rest is 2ndary.




Let me tie this up with a story about a couple who lived here in IN.

David & Lisa Johnson were just an average American couple,

with 2 sons: 4 & 2 years of age.




One day Lisa entered the hospital with symptoms that were flu-like,

but weakening her entire physical system & they wouldn’t go away.

In spite of all the treatment, Lisa almost died.

Although she was still extremely weak, her doctors permitted her to go home, unaware that the worst was yet to come.




The night before she was released her husband, David,

came with some news he had been hiding throughout her illness. He learned that he was infected with AIDS, & had unknowingly given it to her. He confessed that he’d been involved in an adulterous homosexual relationship.




David expected Lisa to react with hysteria. He even had a psychiatrist there to help her through her response. He thought that she’d demand that he leave their home immediately. In fact, he’d already packed. But that didn’t happen. Though her heart was shattered, Lisa chose forgiveness.

(Colossians 3:13) She asked, “David, do you love me?” “Yes.”

“Then let’s work this through.”




Making a break with his homosexual lover wasn’t easy for David.

But he did, & their marriage began to find a new strength.

The complications of AIDS was always with them, but they refused to let it, & the cause of its’ transmission, become a destructive issue for them.




The day arrived when Lisa lay close to death. Her friends came & sang hymns to her. She was becoming weaker physically, but stronger spiritually.




Before she died, she reminded her friends of how much she loved her husband & she would never want anyone to blame him for her death.

Her forgiveness was complete. And now, David, himself, has passed.




Could you have loved that much? …

That’s how much God loves us. Because the truth is … each of us is David Johnson. We have sinned terribly. And our sin caused Jesus’ death.

(2 Corinthians 5:21)




But praise God, Jesus keeps agape/loving us …

& He hasn’t, & He won’t, let us go. (Deuteronomy 31:6)




MARANA THA

Forgiveness

 

FORGIVENESS

… based on Matthew 18:21-35

I want you to close your eyes, & think of the person who has hurt you the most. … Visualize them. … Remember what they did … how it affected you, or offended someone you love.  Let’s be honest, you really don’t like this person, do you? … Just thinking about them raises your blood pressure.

Okay, now imagine yourself totally forgiving them.  You’ve completely wiped the slate clean.  And then you run into them at Offbeet Bakery & there’s no animosity on your part whatsoever.  Your even happy to see them. 

And then they turn around & do the exact same thing again to you.

Upset & angry you get in your car & drive up Artist Drive to my house, 

& pulling in my drive you see me working in the yard.  You stomp over & blurt out … “Rande, as a follower of Jesus, if ______ keeps on sinning against me, 

how many times do I have to forgive him/her? 2? 3? 4? … 7 times?”

And, in one sense, you’re kind of proud of yourself by being so generous in throwing out those #’s.  Now I can only imagine the look on your face if I told you, “No, not 7 times but 490 times.” … Okay, open your eyes.

And this real-life theological issue is what we’re going to be pondering this morning.  

Forgiveness … because true forgiveness is what we’re commanded to do.

Listen now to Good News, as recorded by Matthew, to us who have gathered here for worship.  Within our hearing comes the Word of the Lord.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him?  Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” answered Jesus, but seventy times seven, because the Kingdom of heaven is like this.  Once there was a king who decided to check on his servants’ accounts.  He had just begun to do so when one of them was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.  The servant did not have enough to pay his debt, so the king ordered him to be sold as a slave, with his wife and his children and all that he had, in order to pay the debt.  The servant fell on his knees before the king.  ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay you everything!’  The king felt sorry for him, so he forgave him the debt and let him go.

“Then the man went out and met one of his fellow servants who owed him a few dollars.  He grabbed him and started choking him.  ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he said.  His fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back!’  But he refused; instead, he had him thrown into jail until he should pay the debt.  When the other servants saw what had happened, they were very upset and went to the king and told him everything.  So he called the servant in.  ‘You worthless slave!’ he said.  ‘I forgave you the whole amount you owed me, just because you asked me to.  You should have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you.’  The king was very angry, and he sent the servant to jail to be punished until he should pay back the whole amount.”

And Jesus concluded, “That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” 

(Matthew 18:21-35)

Jesus said, “Heaven & earth will pass away, 

but my words will never pass away.” (Mark 13:31)

May the Lord grant that we may engage in contemplating the mysteries of His Heavenly wisdom with really increasing devotion, to His glory and to our edification. Amen

Wow!  That’s a powerful parable, isn’t it?  Let me read you another short passage of Scripture.  And, once again, this is Jesus who is speaking.

“You can be sure that on the Judgment Day you will have to give account of every useless word you have ever spoken.  Your words will be used to judge you – to declare you either innocent or guilty.” (Matthew 12:36-37)

Holy smokes … think about that … our own words will be used to judge us! … Now most of us have a double standard when it comes to that concept.  We’re pretty good at holding other people accountable for what they say.  But we’re a little lax when it comes to our own words.  We’re forgiving with our comments.  “Well, that was just said in the heat of the moment.  

Of course, I didn’t really mean it.  You shouldn’t take me so literally.”

But there’s coming a day when God’s going to pull out the tape of all our conversations!  And that’s kind of an embarrassing thought for me, 

because there are times in which my words go contrary to my beliefs,

& sadly, my Christian commitment.  And that’s actually seen in several ways.

The 1st is that I sometimes speak without really thinking about what I’m saying.  

In other words, I simply say what I’ve stored up here; talking by rote.

That was clearly brought home to me when I was a young boy.  

My Mom had taught me 2 prayers:

God is great.  God is good.  Let us thank Him for our food.

By His hand we all are fed.  Give us now our daily bread.  Amen

&

Now I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

Thy love stay with me through the night. 

And bless me with the morning light.  Amen

I had them down pat, & was ready to recite 

either one of them on a moment’s notice.

One day, as we sat down to eat our evening meal, Mom asked, “Rande, 

will you pray the blessing?”  “Sure!” I confidently replied, “I can do that.”

I bowed my head, “Now I lay me down to sleep ….”

Right then, even as a young boy, I recognized that God wasn’t too impressed with my “personal” conversation with Him.  

I obviously wasn’t thinking about what I was saying.

Now, almost every Sunday we pray, all together, the Lord’s Prayer.

Do we mean those words that we pray? …

Or should I ask, do we even think about the words that we’re saying/praying?  (We can almost rattle it off in our sleep, can’t we?)

There’s 1 phrase that’s particularly frightening to me.

“Lord, forgive us our trespasses (debts, sins, wrongs), as we forgive

(in the same manner) those who trespass (our debtors, those who have sinned against us, those who have done us wrong).” (Matthew 6:12)

Wow!  Think about the conditions we’re making with God in regards to His forgiving us our sins. … Have you ever pondered that? … Do we actually mean what we’re saying in that prayer?

What did Jesus say? …

“Rande, on the Judgment Day you will have to give an account 

of every useless word you have ever spoken” … 

which includes, regrettably, even some of my prayers.

A 2nd way that our words judge us is a result of the fact that English is an expressive language.  What I mean by that is if I say, “I’m sorry,” that means … “I’m sorry.”  But if I say, “WELL SORRY,” that means … “I’m not sorry!”  If I say. “please forgive me,” that means … “please forgive me.”  

But if I say, “well, forgive me,” that means … “please don’t forgive me.”

Jesus said, “Your words will be used to judge you.” 

That statement truly convicts me.

I want to talk about forgiveness this morning, 

& there are 2 aspects to forgiveness that we need to understand.

1st of all, as followers of Jesus we are to forgive others.  

That’s not an option.  That’s not something that we have a choice about.  

We have to do it. It’s a command.

Paul writes …

“Forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else.  You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.” 

(Colossians 3:13)

That’s stated in the most forceful language possible.  It’s a command.  There’s no other way to interpret that.

To not do that is to sin, & to sin means that we need God’s forgiveness, 

which we can’t get because we’ve asked Him to forgive us in the same manner that we forgive others.  You understand … it becomes a vicious cycle.

Do you see why it’s absolutely essential to forgive others? …

Peter’s helpful here, because we see ourselves clearly in his question … “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me,

how many times do I have to forgive?”

Now Peter has asked a wonderful, practical question, 

& in doing so, he shows us his heart.

1st of all, he sets the scene … “if my brother keeps on sinning against me.”

Now this isn’t a theological exercise about some nameless or faceless person.  This is someone he knows … “my brother.”  And the verb that Peter uses, (αμαρτησει) “keeps on sinning,” indicates that this isn’t a one-time occurrence.  (Remember that person you were thinking about at the beginning of this message?)  Peter asks,

“What’s the maximum number of times I have to forgive that guy?”)

You see, for Peter it’s an obligation.  Jewish teaching stated that a person was only required to forgive someone 3 times.  So, Peter is being extremely generous when he suggests the ultimate # … 7.  That’s twice the required amount + 1.  Peter must have been so proud of himself.

He expected to hear Jesus praise him.  “Atta boy, Peter, you got it!”

But let’s be honest … there’s not a possibility that any of us are going to forgive somebody 7 times for doing us in.  There’s not the slightest chance.  And besides, we’d do just what Peter would’ve done, we’d keep track 

… 1-2-3-4-5-6-7.  And when we’re keeping track, we’re not really forgiving,

because we’re waiting for the 8th time … so, we can really zap them!

How many times must we forgive? … 

And the answer that Jesus gives is … forgive as many times as God has forgiven you!  I am to forgive as many times as God has forgiven me.

Well, you’ve got to be kidding!  You can’t be serious.  

It’s easy for God to forgive … He’s God!

Well, if we think it’s easy for God to forgive us …

we better stop & ponder that for a moment …

& go back to the Cross & sit there for a while.

It cost God the death of His Son to forgive us.  

And the call to the follower of Jesus is infinite forgiveness.  490 & counting!

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Christian forgiveness is tough, but it’s what separates us from those who play only lip service to their faith.  It’s what following Jesus is all about.

Over the years I’ve witnessed or read about this taking place in very real & concrete ways.  One of the most powerful demonstrations of carrying out Jesus’ command is found in a San Luis, CA newspaper article that I’ve had in my files for many years now.  Let me read it to you.

“Bob & Golden Bristol drove 2,000 miles to forgive the man serving a life sentence for raping & murdering their daughter.  They plan to meet him tonight in the chapel of the CA Men’s Colony in an extraordinary service conducted by Charles ‘Tex’ Watson, a member of the Charles Manson cult serving a life sentence for his part in the Sharon Tate murders.  Watson, who has completed a training course to be an assistant chaplain helped set up the meeting between the Dearborn, MI couple & Michael Keeyes at the CA Men’s Colony.  Mrs. Bristol said she is nervous but determined to go through with it.  ‘I can’t let Michael down,’ she said.  ‘He’s looking forward to it.  

Mr. Watson told me everything was ready & not to worry.’

Keeyes has asked that 25 of his fellow inmates be allowed to attend when the Bristols, a devoutly religious couple, give their message of forgiveness.  

‘I wanted to inform those who don’t know that people like the Bristols exist,’ Keeyes said through another minister who helped arrange the meeting.

When he sentenced Keeyes, San Diego Superior Court Judge Ross Tharp called him ‘cunning, calculating, & callous – the most vicious killer I have encountered in my career.’

Mr. & Mrs. Bristol have corresponded with Keeyes for several years through an intermediary, the Rev. Joe Mason, director of the Prison Mission Association in Riverside, CA.  

They met with the minister on Thursday in Riverside 

& talked with Watson by telephone Wednesday night.

24-year-old Diane Bristol had been selling children’s books door-to-door when she was found raped & strangled in San Diego‘s North Park area.  

‘Our 1st reaction was unbelievable shock,’ said Bristol, a Ford Motor Co. worker.  ‘It was such an ugly, heinous crime.  We despised the way in which Diane had been brutally handled & strangled.  It tore us apart.’

But during the time between Diane’s murder & Keeyes arrest, Mrs. Bristol said the couple turned from hatred for the killer to prayer for his soul.”

That’s exactly what God has called us to do.  

And, without The Holy Spirit, it can’t be done.

 Pastor Bruce Larson tells the true story of a Catholic priest living in the Philippines, who carried a secret burden of a past sin.  He committed this sin 

many years earlier while attending seminary.  Although he repented of it, 

he still suffered from years of remorse.  He had no peace, no inner joy, 

& no sense of God’s forgiveness.  It was a weight that he constantly carried.

There was a woman in his parish who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Jesus & He with her.  

The priest, however, was skeptical of her claims.  So, he decided to test her.

He said to her, “You say you actually speak directly with Jesus in your visions.  Let me ask you a favor.  The next time you have one of these visions, I want you to ask Him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary.”  The woman agreed & went home.

When she returned a few days later, the priest asked, 

“Well, did Jesus visit you in your dreams?”

“Yes, He did,” she replied.

“And did you ask Him what sin I committed in seminary?”

“Yes.”

“Well, what did He say?”

“He said … ‘I don’t remember.’”

I love that story.  My friends, God forgives & forgets our sins 

when we sincerely repent of them.  The slate is wiped clean. (Job 14:16-17)

“Happy (blessed) are those whose wrongs are forgiven, 

whose sins are pardoned!

Happy (blessed) is the person whose sins the Lord will not keep account of!” 

(Romans 4:7-8)

“God forgave us all our sins;

 he canceled the unfavorable record of our debts.” (Colossians 2:13-14)

“As far as the east is from the west, 

so far does he remove our sins from us.” (The Psalms 103:12)

That’s how God relates to us … & that’s how we must treat one another.

It’s what being a follower of Jesus is all about.

There’s no other way to interpret His words …

“forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Our worldly nature resists forgiveness.  We want justice … an eye for an eye. (Deuteronomy 19:21) We want them to pay for what they’ve done to us.

It’s so easy to dismiss Peter’s question, but he was being brutally honest … 

how many times do we have to forgive someone?

Peter was really attempting to be generous in his desire to follow the Lord … 7 times!  Who of us would ever forgive someone 7 times?

“Not 7 times,” answered Jesus, “but 70 x 7” … in other words, as many times as God forgives us.  This, when we stop & think about it, is countless times daily.

Can you think of anyone, who in the last week, month, year(s), 

needs to be forgiven by you for something that they did?

“Lord, forgive me my trespasses (debts, sins, wrongs), (in the same manner) as I forgive those who trespass, sin against me.”

My friends, now is the time to do that.  Jesus commands you to forgive them.  Not to do it is a sin.  Look at the cross.  Think of what it cost Jesus to forgive you.  I invite you to silently pray right now. 

MARANA THA

America’s 250th Birthday RESPECT AMERICA … based on 1 Peter 2:13-17

           ​

 

from the desk of . . .

Rande Wayne Smith

D.Min., Th.M., M.Div.

 

America’s 250th Birthday

 

RESPECT AMERICA

 ​… based on 1 Peter 2:13-17

9/11 is a really tough day for me, & to this day, I can’t even look at pictures of the twin towers.  I remember clearly that on 11 September 2001, 

Kathy & I were getting ready to leave for work.  We had Good Morning America on, & Charlie Gibson was talking about a plane that had crashed into 1 of the towers.  And as they were showing a live picture of it, we saw a 2nd plane fly into the other tower.  I can still recall the look of bewilderment on Charlie’s face.  Just then the phone rang.  It was my son, Marty.  

“Dad, I’m okay.  I’ll talk to you soon.”

 

The World Trade Towers complex were actually made up of 7 buildings.

One of them was a 42-story apartment building where my son lived.

Just that morning, like every morning, Marty had taken his dog, Harvey, out for a walk.  He spoke to the firemen who were standing outside of Tower #1.  

(They had no idea what the next 2 hours were about to bring.)

 

​On the 10th anniversary of that national tragedy, the church I served held a community wide worship service.  It was attended by local dignitaries, military, police, & fire fighters.  The sermon I’m about to give was the one I preached that day.  I’ve changed a couple of the references from IL to IN, 

& a couple of other minor things,

but otherwise, it’s the one I gave 15 years ago … “Respect America.”

 

​Now having said all that, you need to know that I’m committed to the fact that this world is not my home.  Scripture teaches that we are sojourners here; (1 Peter 2:11)just passing through.  But while I am a citizen of Heaven, I also have an invested loyalty to this country that I live in.

All my life I have “pledged my allegiance to the flag of the U.S. of America.”

I stand, take off my hat, & place my hand over my heart whenever

the flag passes by, or the Star-Spangled Banner is sung.

 

So, for me, it’s kind of a balancing act … 

being a citizen of Heaven, while giving allegiance to a secular state. 

And that’s something that I’ve attempted to do most of my life.

 

I consider my U.S. citizenship to be one of my most prized possessions.  

I’m proud to be an American, & honored to have served in her military.

And it’s obvious to me that our founding fathers & mothers also recognized that dual relationship as they established America’s laws & precepts on the principles of the Word of God, & that includes the 10 Commandments.

 

We read in The Psalms …

“Happy (blessed) is the nation whose God is the LORD.” (The Psalms 33:12)

 

When we give God His rightful place, He will bless our nation.  

That was certainly the case in the early days here in IN.  God & citizenship were linked from the beginning.  Listen to the Preamble of our state’s constitution which was adopted in 1816 …

 

“TO THE END, that justice be established, public order maintained, 

& liberty perpetuated; WE, the People of the State of IN, grateful to ALMIGHTY GOD for the free exercise of the right to choose 

our own form of government, do ordain this Constitution.”

 

And in Article 1, Section 1 …

WE DECLARE, that all people are created equal;

that they are endowed by their CREATOR with certain inalienable rights.”

 

And Article 1, Section 2 …

“All people shall be secured in the natural right to worship ALMIGHTY GOD,

according to the dictates of their own consciences.”

 

So, with that as a basic introduction, listen now to Good News, 

as recorded by Peter, to us who have gathered here for worship.

Within our hearing comes the Word of the Lord.

​For the sake of the Lord submit yourselves to every human authority: to the Emperor, who is the supreme authority, and to the governors, who have been appointed by him to punish the evildoers and to praise those who do good.  For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do.  Live as free people; do not, however, use your freedom to cover up any evil, but live as God’s slaves.  Respect everyone, love other believers, honor God, and respect the Emperor. (1 Peter 2:13:17)

 

Jesus said, “How happy are those who hear the word of God & obey it!”

(Luke 11:28)

 

May the Lord grant that we may engage in contemplating the mysteries of His Heavenly wisdom with really increasing devotion, to His glory and to our edification. Amen

​

While I usually concentrate on being a good citizen of Heaven,

today I want to direct our thinking on why we should begood citizens of our nation.  At one point in His ministry, Jesus was confronted with a question that was intended to trap Him.  Did He support the Roman Empire or not?

 

Listen to His response …

“Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, 

& pay to God what belongs to God.” (Matthew 22:21)

The Apostle Paul proudly boasted that he was a Roman citizen. (The Acts 22:28)

 

​In our Scripture lesson that I read a moment ago, we’re told to “honor God, & respect the Emperor.”  And the Emperor that Peter was referring to was Caesar Nero. Now since our nation is a republic & not a monarchy, this Scripture could correctly be read … “honor God, & respect your country.”

 

​As followers of Jesus, we have a responsibility to respect an America that has always stood for liberty, freedom, & opportunity.

There are many reasons why we respect America.

 

​1st, we respect America because she has opened her heart & her doors to the distressed & persecuted of the world.  Millions have entered our land, legally, in search of freedom. Scripture acknowledges that God blesses a nation that carries out Jesus’ teaching … 

“I was hungry & you fed me, thirsty & you gave me a drink; 

I was a stranger & you received me in your homes.” (Matthew 25:35)

 

Listen to the words that are on the tablet of the Statue of Liberty …

“Give me your tired, your poor,

your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, 

the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  

Send these, the homeless, the tempest-tossed to me.

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

 

The Statue of Liberty stands as a beacon as people arrive in this country.  It’s a symbol of hope & opportunity for millions seeking a new life.

For 250 years America has been a land where the persecuted, the alienated, & the refugees have come to find fresh opportunities & new freedoms.

 

​2ndly, we respect America because she has been the most generous nation in history.  We’ve shared our wealth & our faith with a world in need.  

When a disaster occurs anyplace on our planet …

America is there with aid.  In famine, in earthquakes, in floods, fires, 

or disasters of every kind, the heart of America is touched & she rushes to assist. Yes, we are supposed to take care of one another. (Genesis 4:9)

We give billions of $’s each year to help others far less fortunate … 

even though we go into debt to do it.

 

​And America has shared her spiritual resources.  She’s sent her disciples of compassion to every continent of the world to tell the Good News that God loves them & will give purpose & meaning to their lives.

(Matthew 28:19)

 

​3rdly, we respect America because she has never hidden her problems & faults.  With our freedom of the press & open communication we do not sweep our sins under the rug.  If poverty exists, if racial tension happens, 

if protests occur … the world knows about it.  We live in a glass house, 

& the whole world watches … sometimes critically, & sometimes with admiration; but no one can ever accuse us of trying to hide our problems as some nations do.

 

4thly, we respect America because she is honestly recognizing & courageously trying to solve her social problems.

​The 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were moved by a magnificent dream. This dream amazed the world 250 years ago.  This dream was rooted in Scripture.  It proclaimed freedoms which most of the world thought impossible to attain.  

And again, God had a major role in all of this.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, & the pursuit of Happiness.”

 

​We’re still striving to achieve for all people equally those freedoms bought for us at such a high price by the men & women who founded our nation on the assurance of equality for all.  Think about what I read just a few moments ago.  (Paul Harvey, “Our Lives, Our Fortunes, & Our Sacred Honor)From the beginning the dream of freedom & equal opportunity has been a beacon to oppressed peoples the world over.  

 

​5thly, we respect America because she has never sought to use her tremendous power to take over other nations.  At the end of WWII America stood at the pinnacle of strength & power.  She was the only nation that possessed atomicweapons.  She had millions of soldiers in the military.  

She had the biggest Navy & Air Force on earth.  

She could have been the 1st nation since Rome to rule the world.

 

But America voluntarily stepped down from that high pinnacle.  

She set about helping to rebuild the lands & the economies of her enemies.

(The Proverbs 25:21) She had a major role in organizing the U.N., whose primary role is to maintain peace & security among nations.  America carried out the ethics of the Apostle Paul … “if your enemies are hungry, 

feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink.” (Romans 12:20)

 

​6thly, we respect America because she defends the right of her citizens to dissent.  Think about that.  

Dissent is impossible in some countries of the world … 

whereas constructive dissent is the hallmark of our priceless freedoms.

 

But, & this is a major issue in our nation today … we cannot tolerate groups that simply want to cause destruction & chaos in the name of dissention.

Ronald Reagan once stated …

“We must never confuse dissent with disloyal subversion.”

 

Going back to Jesus’ response to the Pharisees,

“Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor.” 

 

We’re to obey the law, but, if human laws come intoconflict with God’s laws, we must always go with God.

 

​7thly, we respect America because woven into the fabric of our nation is faith in God.  The ethical & moral principles of the Judea-Christian faith 

& the God of that tradition are found throughout the Declaration of Independence.  America has a spiritual identity.  15 years ago,

Time magazine ran a picture of Betsy Ross sewing the 1stAmerican flag.  Under the picture was the caption … “time to check our stiches.”  

That’s a good thought for our nation to do again in 2026.

 

It’s imperative to regularly check where we are, & where we’re going.  Scripture teaches that God has a standard for men, women, & nations …

& that standard must be met.  

As a nation it’s essential that we obey God’s principles.

 

So, it’s right & proper to respect our country, to rejoice in her liberties, 

& to sing her praises.  But this can be abused when we make it a substitute for God.  We respect America … but we do not worship her.

 

God’s 1st Commandment is … “Worship no god but me.”(Exodus 20:3)

 

We are spiritual beings, created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:20)

We have a will & the power to exercise it.  We’ve been placed upon this earth for the express purpose of glorifying God & loving our neighbor. 

(Mark 12:30-31) The entire universe has but one cosmic goal … 

to declare the glory of God. (The Psalms 19:1) And we need to be about that.

Only in doing God’s will can every American enjoy inner spiritual peace & happiness.  (Philippians 4:7) 

 

​So, as we ponder all this on the day after our nation celebrated its’ 250th birthday, let us thank God for America. “My country, ‘tis of Thee.”  

But let us realize also, as a nation, we cannot ignore Him.

Scripture teaches that God will judge any nation that turns her back on Him 

… especially a nation like America that has been given more privileges & opportunities than any other nation in history.  

Jesus said, “Much is required from … whom much is given.” (Luke 12:48)

 

If we don’t “check our stitches,” & check them quickly, 

the American dream could quickly turn into a nightmare.

 

​We have stood tall in America over the years, but now, we need to bow low before God & get on our knees, as we did many years ago when George Washington & Abraham Lincoln called us to prayer.  

What our forefathers/foremothers began we must work to fulfill.

Their goal & vision was one nation under God, 

where men & women could live as brothers & sisters in peace & in freedom.

That’s a goal we should continue, with God’s help, to strive for.

“Respect everyone, love other believers, honor God, & respect America.”

 

MARANA THA