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Who Has The Last Word On Forgiveness

            When it comes right down to it, we all want to get along.  We know it’s a sin to hate someone, so we strive to keep those people at a distance and those feelings in check and just try to get along with everyone else.  Books written on how to do that could fill a semi-trailer.  Internet articles on how to improve relationships could eat up most of the gigabytes on your computer.  Nearly all of them are helpful.  Nearly all direct our attention to honesty, integrity, empathy, being “real,” being true to yourself, and improving listening skills.  We could actually have a Bible study series based on those characteristics because they all reflect biblical principles.  But if there is one thing that would make our relationships go better – parents to children, children to parents, husband to wife, wife to husband, friend to friend, neighbor to neighbor, roommate to roommate – it would be forgiveness.  Why is that?  Because we live in a sinful world, and sooner or later every relationship, every connection with another human being, no matter how close or how important or how precious it is to us, sooner or later is going to be tainted by sin.  Someone, and very often both people in a relationship, but at least one or the other, is going to say something or do something that is not right and hurts the other, and the only thing that will really reconnect those people, restore and rebuild the relationship, is forgiveness.

            That’s why it’s wonderful to have an entire worship service devoted to that theme.  The Scripture lessons, hymns, psalm, and sermon today all center on that key truth with the gospel for this day from Luke chapter seven standing out like the Bank One building on the Milwaukee skyline.  And what it all comes down to is this – from whom will we learn not just about forgiveness, that is, what is in theory, but why it’s essential, where it comes from, how and when to apply it and for whom?  In other words, Who Has The Last Word On Forgiveness? 

(Consider what) Simon says

            We’re introduced to a man named Simon.  This is not Simon Peter, the fisherman-disciple of Jesus.  This Simon was a Pharisee.  Quick review?  Pharisees were a group of self-taught religious leaders who believed that in order to be in with God you had to keep God’s rules.  To ensure that they were really “in,” they made up extra rules, claimed to have kept those better than others, and tried to foist their thinking on others.  They considered themselves to be spiritually elite, a cut above everyone else.  With noses in the air, they looked down on others who didn’t match up to God’s standards and their own self-made standards.  Other people just weren’t as good as they were.  Most Israelites figured that Pharisees would all need shoulder surgery when they got to heaven because they spent most of their time on earth throwing their shoulders out of joint by patting themselves on the back.

            Remember playing “Simon says”?  You lined up in the backyard with your friends and siblings.  Someone stood out in front and issued commands all beginning with “Simon says,” and you did whatever was commanded.  “Simon says, ‘Put your hand on your head.’ ”  “Simon says, ‘Stand on one leg.’ ”  “Simon says, ‘Take one step forward.’ ” If a command was issued without the words “Simon says,” and you did it anyway, you were out of the game.  In this gospel account Simon the Pharisee had some things to say.  He even had some things to say about forgiveness.  But did Simon have the last word on forgiveness?  In other words, if Simon said it, was his word the one to follow, or should we take the risk of dropping out of Simon’s game and listen to someone else?

            Now one of the Pharisees (named Simon) invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.  Simon says, “Come to my house for dinner.”  I know we’re reading between the lines here, but I can’t help wondering, “Why?  Why did this Pharisee invite Jesus to dinner?”  We know that near the end of Jesus’ ministry the Pharisees were ringleaders in seeking his death.  This account very likely takes places during the second year of Jesus’ three-year ministry.  He is still enjoying popularity among the crowds of people, especially up north in the territory of Galilee around the city of Capernaum.  He had moved his headquarters there.  He had driven demons out of those who were possessed.  He had healed scores of people who were ill with all sorts of diseases.  He had caused the nets of some local fishermen to be filled with fish and called them to be his fulltime followers.  But by the time he told a paralyzed man to get up, roll up his cot, and walk home, we are told that the Pharisees were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely(Luke 6:7), and when he caused a man’s withered hand to stretch out straight and whole on the Israelites’ designated rest day, we are told that the Pharisees were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus(Luke 6:11).  So, why would Simon say to Jesus, “Come to dinner?”  Was he in a forgiving mood, “All is forgiven and forgotten.  Let’s get better acquainted and be friends.”  I think not.  Was he figuring he could invite this new preacher over and correct him, set him straight?  It might be unfair to speculate on his motives, but I have a hard time believing that Simon the Pharisee can help us with the last word on forgiveness, especially when we hear what Simon says about another person who enters the scene.

            When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.  Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.  Again, we may be reading between the lines, but how did she get into this dinner party?  Did this dinner take place outside on Simon’s patio, and she just happened by, saw Jesus, and made bold to approach?  Was she a part of the wait staff?  How did she get an invitation?  The way Simon speaks about her I can’t imagine her hearing, “Simon says, ‘Join us.’ ” No!  Jesus knew what this man was thinking.  The Bible writer tells, “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner”.  Simon says, “What has this woman done to earn forgiveness?”  Simon says, “Send her away”

(Consider what) The sinner says

            What do you think was going through this woman’s mind when she approached Jesus?  Isn’t it obvious?  She knew she did not have the last word on forgiveness, but she knew who did.  This sinner said what every sinner says who is honest about his or her sin.  The sinner says, “Lord, I am not worthy.  But you are.  I am not pure.  But you are.  I am not good.  But you are.  Lord, I come to you unable to forgive myself much less forgive others who are rude to me like Simon the Pharisee.  I come with a heart not empty but loaded with sin and guilt.  But, Lord Jesus, I know what you can do and what you have actually done.  You have forgiven me.  You have done what is impossible for any human.  For the sake of the payment you will make by your death and because of the transfer of your pureness to my account, you do not and will not send me away, but you send my sins away from God’s sight forever because that’s exactly what forgiveness is.  I believe that with all my heart, dear Jesus, because you have the last word on forgiveness.”

(Consider what) The Savior says

      That was what this woman was thinking.  How do we know that?  We know that because of what the Savior says.  We know that because he does have the last word on forgiveness.  Before he shows Simon and us what was going through this sinful woman’s mind and what was on her heart, the Savior says, “Simon, I have something to tell you … Two men owed money to a certain moneylender.  One owed him five hundred [days wages] and the other fifty.  Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.  Now which of them will love him more?”  Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”  “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.  Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? … her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much.   But he who has been forgiven little loves little”.  You see, the Savior has the last word on forgiveness.  The Savior says to the sinner, “Your sins have been forgiven”.  The Savior says to Simon, “You can tell she knows that and believes that because of her response.  Her tears were not tears of guilt but tears of gratitude.  Her gift was not an attempt to earn forgiveness but a generous, grateful response for having been forgiven.”

            Forgiveness is the key in any relationship.  How that plays out in a marriage or family or friendship varies according to timing.  One young man I recently met had a hard time forgiving his brother who had divorced his wife for no scriptural reason and married another woman.  He asked, “When do I forgive?”  The obvious answer is not until you’ve confronted your brother on his sin and seen his reaction.  Is he cold-hearted and indifferent, or is he repentant, sorry, ashamed, guilty.  Forgiveness is the key to restore that brother-to-brother relationship, but the timing of one brother announcing forgiveness to the other depends how the sinning brother reacts to the truth about his sin.  But forgiveness is still the key.

            You and I aren’t going to solve every relationship issue here because this format of preacher and listener is not designed for one-on-one give-and-take.  But I can tell you this.  You do have relationships with other people, and somewhere along the line there will be hurt.  How and when you announce forgiveness will depend on factors related to timing and their reaction to the truth about their sin.  But forgiveness is still the key.  And while we struggle to put that into action, we have one consolation, one anchor, one place to go for refuge, for strength, for hope, for peace – the forgiveness Jesus has won for us.  That’s absolutely necessary because no matter how badly we have hurt someone else and need their forgiveness, no matter how badly we’ve been hurt and need to offer forgiveness, our sin against God is worse, and we need his forgiveness.  We’ve got it … through Jesus Christ our Lord.             Amen.

Preached at Grace Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI (http://www.gracedowntown.org/) on June 24, 2007

Services

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Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church | 1209 North Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202 | (414) 271-3006

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