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Palm Sunday Sermon

Rev. Elizabeth Aguilar

Community Congregational Church of Chula Vista

Scripture Text Luke 19:2-40

 

You might remember that I am originally from the “windy City” of Chicago.  One of those many things I miss about my home city are the big parades it used to have very often. I miss the bigness of them. For instance, I remember one of the last parades I attended was when the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl. I think it was probably one of the BIGGEST parades that Chicago had seen at that time. That one was pretty spectacular. There was SO much confetti and ticket tap that you could hardly see the players on the cars, floats and buses. The whole city was in fiesta mode and the people of Chicago couldn’t do enough to show their excitement for that Super Bowl win!

So, why am I thinking of parades? Well, because it’s Palm Sunday and today we celebrate that day in history when the people of Jerusalem “threw a parade” of sorts for Jesus. It must have been quite an event since all four Gospel writers give accounts of it and it is the only parade documented for us in scripture. Of course, on that first Palm Sunday we don’t see any confetti or ticket tape thrown here and there. No, instead we see coats being thrown on the ground in honor of Jesus’ presence. And, instead of a parade float or a big double-decker bus, there is only a lowly donkey. Then, instead of the crowd cheering on a popular athlete, we see Jesus and his disciples.

Of course, everything we know of a parade to be like today isn’t anything like that first parade. Instead, we see very simple images in the Palm Sunday parade, don’t we? It is joyous yes, but very simple. The joy is seen and heard in the voices of the people and their gestures of placing their coats on the ground. In the other Gospel accounts, we see the joy also in the waving of the branches of palm leaves. Interestingly, in Luke’s account of this story we don’t see any palms. So, the image is even simpler in Luke.

Yet, we know that regardless of the simplicity of this celebration, what this parade represents is anything BUT simplicity. No, this parade isn’t anything like any kind of parade the people would have been accustomed to even back then. For instance, there is no chariot for a king to have used. We see no servants or an army around him. There is no long procession. There is just Jesus and his disciples, plus the other people who were spectators and then the Pharisees as well.

So, what are we meant to make of this particular parade? And, what are we to make of Jesus’ instructions before His grand entrance, which were full of detail and predication? Then, what are we meant to make of the disciples’ obedience, and the ridicule of the Pharisees?

The first thing we can notice is that Jesus had very particular instructions for the disciples on this day. These instructions show us that Jesus knew exactly what he wanted to do and what must happen. He does this according to the prophetic account of Zachariah (hundreds of years before) when, in chapter 9, verse 9, the prophet says the following. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey.”

So firstly, Jesus decided to carry-out this prediction because of obedience. You see, He was obedient to what scripture had said about him hundreds of years before and therefore He was obedient to the way and will of God, His Father. Now, He could have skipped the parade all together. Or He could have not bothered to use a donkey and it’s symbolism of humility. He could have skipped ALL of HOLY WEEK for that matter! But, no Jesus enters Jerusalem- the city that he loved in this very simple, prophetic, way. Interestingly, by doing so He allowed the people (to show Him their love and honor) only to then show them their hatred and disapproval of Him a few days later. So, Jesus’ instructions to his disciples and his actions all spell out humility, obedience and bravery to us, don’t they?

          Thirdly, Jesus decided to come in simplicity. He could have come into Jerusalem in grand fashion. Not with the tattered coats of strangers on the ground. Not riding a lowly donkey. Not with a group of unrecognized, unimportant, un-educated men whom he chose as His disciples.

And so we see that Jesus had made a decision and that decision wasn’t an easy one. You see, He chose the hard road. He chose the way of obedience, the way of humility and simplicity, and the way of the cross and all of it began on that first Palm Sunday.

I wonder though, what do His decisions tell us about our decisions? What does his attitude, actions, and decisions tell us of our own?

After all, if we claim to be Christians then surely, we must still desire to be like Christ, correct? Of course, it may be difficult to do so when the way of the world tells us that the “bigger and splashier” we do things, the better we are. That the more popularity and money you have, the better. The more important friends you surround yourself with, the better. We live in a culture of image after all!

I will never forget what I experienced about this issue of “image” when I first lived here California, for close to three years in the 1990’s. Of course, California is probably the most image- conscious area of the country. So the following might not surprise you.  Yet, I remember it was here that I first heard of people who were called “image consultants.” I had never heard of such a job title before? What was an image consultant, I wondered?

Well the job meant that someone’s entire efforts centered on the need to make someone else look beautiful and seem important. Of course, today, we people don’t need image consultants because all we need are our camera phones! All we have to do is get the “right angle” and post it on facebook or Instagram…

But what about Jesus? Do you think He went into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday, riding on a donkey, letting people cry out to him, “blessed be the name of the Lord!” because he was most interested in his popularity or image? No, of course not.

His entrance into Jerusalem was instead, about carrying out a decision that He had made; a decision that would cost Him His life but would give us our life. So, back to my question. What do Jesus’ decisions of taking the humble way and the hard way tell us about our decisions?

What choice is it that you must make on behalf of your Christian faith today? Is God calling you to choose Him above something or someone else right now? Is there someone or something else that you have chosen over your faith?

What attitude is the Lord asking you to lay down and let go of in order to make room for a closer walk with Him? Is it an attitude of greatness or pride? Is it an attitude of un-forgiveness, that you’re being asked to lay down in order to make room for Jesus again in your heart or your home?

This Palm Sunday we are invited to examine the decisions that Jesus took on our behalf and then to ask ourselves if we are willing to make those same decisions.

You might be thinking that it was easy for Jesus to take the hard road, the lonelier road of obedience and humility but too difficult for us. Yet, we must remember that it wasn’t easy for him at all. Do you remember that in a very human and difficult moment, while it at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked His Father to take the cup of suffering away, if at all possible?   So, no we can’t use that as an excuse.

Then, we might be thinking well if Jesus was able to do what he did then great, why can’t I just admire him? Because then we would just be like the spectators that day on the first Palm Sunday. We cannot just stand on the side lines and follow Jesus only when it’s easy or convenient, or popular, to do so. No, we must follow him, worship, obey him, and serve him in ALL circumstances.

The good news is that as we allow ourselves to walk w/ Him toward the cross, (to let go of all that keeps us away from Him and perpetuates our sin)- we can also walk with Him toward victory. For we must remember that all that we experience, all that we see, feel, or even suffer on earth because of our faith will not be in vain. For, we do not walk toward the cross on our own. Let us remember that while Jesus did walk the road of obedience and suffering. Jesus did not do so in vain. Therefore, we will not walk in vain when we chose to follow Him over and above all else.  Are you ready to choose Him over and above all else; above all pride, all desires, all false gods of wealth and stature? May the Lord give us the grace, courage and conviction to do so. Amen.

Sermon: Spontaneous Love

Sunday, April 7, 2019

5th Sunday of Lent

Rev. Elizabeth Aguilar

 

Scripture text is John 12:1-8

 

Have you ever been at a gathering where someone shows their love for someone else in such a way that you can’t help but just stare at what’s going on? I have. I think of weddings where the love between the couple is so evident it is so sweet or down right moving and powerful to witness. Their love seems almost breathtaking. I also think of when I’ve been with many a patient or parishioner and their family members gathered around the hushed room, as it is close to the person’s time of death. I think of when I’ve witnessed a family member lovingly place lotion on their loved one’s hands, arms, feet. It is a tender touch, a lavish display of love.

 

This scripture makes me think of these kinds of demonstrations of spontaneous love. Not forced, not phony in any way. But pure, powerful, palpable…

 

It was in the midst of a dinner gathering where Jesus was shown spontaneous love. The gathering began was surrounded by some of his best friends- Mary, Martha, Lazarus whom he had recently brought back to life. His disciples were there as well. It makes sense if you think about it- Jesus would want to spend quality time among those whom he knew and loved right before his journey into Jerusalem, into his eventual journey toward Calvary, just six days away…

So here we see Mary take out expensive perfume and drenches Jesus’ feet with it and then unabashedly wiped his feet with her hair.

 

Now remember for a woman to touch a man she is not married to would have been scandalous enough. To drench him with perfume would have been almost unthinkable. Not to mention the perfume was indeed expensive. It was, in fact, worth 300 times a daily wage for a laborer at that time. That WAS expensive perfume!

 

You might find yourself feeling more like Judas perhaps. After all, couldn’t that amount of money be spent on some more needy people? Some folks who are down on their luck, poor, destitute?

 

But then again, if you were Mary, who’s brother had died recently and then Jesus has brought back to life- what would you NOT do to show your gratitude to Jesus?

Remember, Mary has been the one who was already able and willing to listen to Jesus. She knew who he was long before Martha, her busy sister could understand the magnitude of Jesus in her midst. So, she knows Jesus’s worth, sort to speak, right away. Now, after her brother has been brought back to life, she is especially grateful and especially ready to show Jesus her love for him.

 

But back to Judas- we know what Judas later did, of course. But at this time, he was the treasurer of the disciple’s money. Scripture tells us he was stealing from their “common purse.” Therefore, his “concern” wasn’t genuine. It was fake. But putting that aside for a movement. If we think of the amount that perfume was worth, what would you think?

 

What would you do if you were given $28,000 dollars? Perhaps you would give some of it to the church. Some to pay your bills. Some to take a vacation- summer is right around the corner…

 

Today’s scripture invites us to consider how we show love toward God. Are we like Mary someone SO grateful for what Jesus has done for us that we can’t help but show extravagant love toward Him? Or are we more practically minded? Conservative even with what we have because after all we want to be wise with what we have to make it last as long as possible.

 

Honestly, while I can say I am truly grateful for all that God has done for me- does for me; for who God IS in my life I don’t think I would have the guts to do something quite like Mary did at that dinner. I would probably be more like Judas, suspicious of her actions, judgmental of her lavish display of affection and reckless use of costly perfume.

But after Judas questions Mary notice Jesus’s famous response. “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” Erroneously, many have believed that Jesus meant the poor didn’t matter. But, what he meant was that their love for Jesus would not take away from their service to the poor. There is enough love, in other words, to go around.

 

And that takes me back to us, today. We are now living in a time of our country where we have been sold a lie- which is that we only have just so much resources to go around. That we must be very careful with our resources because there just isn’t enough to share. We are taught what is ours, is ours. It isn’t supposed to be shared extravagantly.

 

But Jesus’ words tell us otherwise. Jesus tells us that it is more than okay to show great love to Him by sharing our resources with Him, with His church, and yes, with All of his children- where there they look like us, vote like us, speak like us, love like us, are the same color as us, are “so called” deserving “like us.”

God DOES invite us to be careful yes but to be extravagant in our love and generosity.

 

That extravagant love is contagious.

Jesus visits with his close friends a few days before his entry into Jerusalem and his days before his crucifixion. As we approach Holy Week, next week, we too are asked to consider showing Jesus our gratitude with extravagant love. Not to show off our faith. N

 

Not to prove that we are somehow good Christians, but out of a natural response to our gratitude for who God is, for what God does, for the many ways in which God shows us God’s love.

We have a choice. Will we look inward or will be look out-ward? Will we love the loveless?

As we approach the communion table where Jesus is the host, let us approach it with thanksgiving for what He did- for stopping at nothing to save us of our sins. For giving us the chance of eternal life. For giving us the opportunity of new life in Him. For showing us what love looks like. Amen.

 

 

YOU ARE WORTH RETURNING FOR (JOHN 14:1-4)
By Reverend Dr. J. Andrew Calloway
Saying goodbye, so long or, farewell, is both intrinsic to our nature
and an inherent part of our social reality. it is intrinsic to our nature
because we are not designed to live forever. We can spend 100 years
of our lives together, and no matter how beautiful, rough, boring and
exciting those years are, eventually we are going to end up saying
farewell. Saying goodbye, so long or, farewell, is an inherent part of
our social reality because people move on, people move away, people,
people move. Saying goodbye, so long or, farewell, is what we do
as living social human beings.
It matters not if the goodbye is anticipated or not, it matters not if
you’ve prepared for the inevitable farewell or not, goodbyes with
someone, especially someone you so deeply love and admire, are always
designed to be unimaginably difficult.
And there are more than one specific kinds of goodbyes: there’s the
goodbye where your loved one is headed off to college or the military
or to a new job out of state, it’s a goodbye to someone who’s leaving
the nest or the home in order to make a life for themselves, they may
even return to the nest, but not in the same child like way they did
before; then there’s the goodbye you utter when it’s time to end a relationship,
you say, we’ve come as far as possible and now it’s best
that we accept our lot and go our separate ways; and then there’s the
goodbye when someone departs from your life for good because of
death.
And death is such a heavy word; it’s a weighty topic; but its also the
appointment we all must keep, it is the one of the universal destination
that we will all arrive at; it’s found deeply in the soil where we
all came from in the first place. Thorton Wilder, the great novelist and
playwright says we will live on this earth and then we will die, and
then we will all be forgotten, but the love we experienced is enough.
And in this text, the disciples are struggling because Jesus is in so
many words, saying, I know you want to keep me around, I know
you enjoy our relationship, I know we all love to break bread together
and talk about our future, but Jesus says, there will come a time
when, like every other human being, I will have to die and depart
from you. Jesus looks across at the named disciples that are present
and he lets them know that the ministry they are carrying out will
eventually lead to his death. He can’t preach what he preaches and
live unscathed. He can’t do the things that he is doing and walk past
the roman government like there wont be consequences. He knows
that his time is almost up and he tells them in so many words and in
so many ways, I won’t be here much longer.
And Jesus, the sensitive human and divine being that he is, senses
that their hearts are troubled. Maybe it was Peter’s facial expression
that gave it away. And we all know how much Peter loved Jesus. Peter
declared to everyone how much Jesus changed his life. Maybe it
was Thomas’ silence; Thomas gets an unnecessarily bad wrap during
the renaissance period but before the paintings of him that we have
seen by Caravaggio, Thomas was one of the bravest who wanted to
die with Jesus; or maybe it was 3 Bartholemew’s body language. You
know when you spend so much time with someone it becomes easy
to read them without them saying anything is wrong. For those who
have kids or spouses, parents or siblings, you know by the air they
give when something is bothering them.
And so Jesus says, don’t lose heart, I will go and prepare a place for
you to stay, and then I will return back here just to get you.
But it is here in this text that causes me to wonder about the disciples’
thoughts. So I wonder, at what point did any bit of incredulity set in?
Was it when he said hey don’t lose heart, believe in GOD? No… I
don’t think so.
Was it when he said hey in my Father’s house, there is plenty of room
for everyone? No… I’m sure they believed him.
What about when he said hey there will come a time when I will die?
I don’t think so. As hard as that must’ve been, but as intelligent as
they were, I’m sure they even believed it.
But then there was the big declaration, the divine announcement that
is quoted numberless times in our day and age. Jesus not only said I
will go away from you, but he also said, I will come back for you.
And no, I’m not sure, but if I were a betting man, I’d say that right
there, after Jesus says this, that there must’ve been some doubt.
1) the first reason that they would have had doubt is because the
question must be asked. Who on earth would return here? If you
tasted the sweet honey provided by heaven, if you danced to the
divine tune of angelic voices serenading your ears with music not
known to humanity, why would you return to a land like this? a
land where over 50 people are killed in Chicago on one day, a land
where an Ethiopian plane mysteriously crashes, a place where
Christian denominations cannot make up their mind about the
rights of queer people in this country, a world where Brexit debates
are deciding the fate of millions of British citizens, a world
where children from Mexico and Latin america are imprisoned in
US concentration camps for trying to cross a border, a world
where the rich and the wealthy walk into college and the homeless
people of Chula Vista and San Diego are treated like rodents. Who
would return here? Who would come back here? Who would
want to see a world like this again? If heaven was a mile away,
who wouldn’t pack up their bags and leave this world behind?
And Who would leave heaven… To come back here?
Would you?
Secondly, I wonder how many of them were thinking, not only why
would he return aaaaaaall the way back here, but why would he return
aaaaaall the way back here, just for me?
There has to be some part of our day when we aren’t being self righteous
and all high and mighty and take a real good look at ourselves.
Maybe not at church but at home when the lights are out, and nobody
is watching us, i suppose a few in here can honestly say to ourselves,
Jesus, I don’t always forgive the way I should, I don’t always
say the right things or the nicest things. I don’t always pay attention
to the least of these. I sometimes focus on my pain without giving too
much thought about anyone else’s. Jesus, if you knew all of that
about me. Why would you return for little ol me?
Which leads to the 3rd reason they could’ve been incredulous, perhaps
they wondered, if I were Jesus, would I return for me?
And this is where I have to reiterate my point: that you, my friends,
in spite of everything and through the very grace of God, are worth
returning for. Even though this world can be destructive, even
though you may not say and do all the right things, even though you
don’t have always have perfect faith but live with a certain amount of
doubt, like everyone else, you are still, undoubtedly, worth returning
for.
This is what Paul was saying when he wrote:
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,39 neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
He was saying that he knew that no matter what, God’s love is expressed
through the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus,
he knew that such love could only show that you mean the world to
him.
And no, it is not because you are so pretty or handsome or magic but
because God is so gracious that God covers your limitations with His
own expectations. Do you meet them? No. But If you try god gives
you extra credit. If you try God meets you where you are at. If you
try God forgives what you don’t even ask to be forgiven for. If you
try God shows up and does the rest. If you try God finishes the job
for you.
Even if you only have a little it says God loves a cheerful giver. Even
if you’ve made mistakes and can’t be lifted up Jesus says if I be lifted
up. Through the voice of Isaiah he says
“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.”
And through the gospel of John Jesus says
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take
you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
And it is no secret, some of us know what it’s like for some one to
leave and to promise they will return, only to find out that they sadly
wouldn’t or unfortunately couldn’t. Some of us know, intimately, that
the ways of life are still being written by a mysterious pen who sometimes
writes separation at the most inconvenience of times. But Jesus
is different. Trust him. Trust his love for you. Trust his commitment to
you. Trust that he will come back, specifically for you. Because, without
a shadow of a doubt, Community church, you are worth it

Third Sunday in Lent

The Workers in the Vineyard

Given by Rev. Elizabeth Aguilar

March 24, 2019

Text is Matthew 20:1-16

 

I still remember the first time I came to visit my dad after he had moved out here to California. I was a first -year student at Andover Newton, a mere 23 years old back then. My dad was just getting started at his new church in South Gate, while my mom was still packing up the house in Chicago. So, I came out and my dad was driving me around, showing me the new neighborhood between his new church and their new house in Downey. On one street corner, I couldn’t help but notice a line of men standing around. Some had backpacks, others weren’t carrying anything. Some looked bored. Others were talking with friends. I asked my dad what they were doing. He explained that they were day-laborers. Not knowing that meant I asked for a further explanation.

          Well, today’s scripture lesson reminds me of that first visit out here when I saw that group of men on that street corner. Today, though I can’t help but wonder what it would have felt like, had I been one of those hired men who had worked all day, perhaps doing a construction job or working in some field only to find out that another guy had been hired in the last hour of the day and had been paid the same amount I was. Would I think that was fair?  No, I surely doubt it!

          Yet, in Jesus’ wisdom He uses this parable to show His disciples of that time (and disciples of today) what it looks like to work in God’s vineyard, God’s kingdom, or God’s economy.

And so, I now wonder what it would have felt like to have heard this parable had I been one of Jesus’ disciples who had left everything behind to follow Him. Would I have been happy to have heard this story? Would I have immediately said, “sure I get it Jesus! You’re saying that even though I left everything for you and I’ve been serving these people right along with you, that if some new person comes along tomorrow you’re going to treat them just as great as you’ve been treating me?” Um… I surely doubt that would have made me very happy!

You see, we’ve been conditioned to think of what is fair and what is unfair and to judge that according to our own human standards. We like to measure ourselves up against others and to be the ones to decide who has paid their dues and who hasn’t- whether that is at our place of work, in society or even in the Church. Don’t we?

I think we learn how to do that from a very young age- it is as if we were born with that capacity in us. Think about it- how many times have your children said to you “that isn’t fair” about their sibling? Or how many times have you thought to yourself “I worked harder than that co-worker of mine and yet they get paid the same amount as I do.” 

When thinking of society- I can’t help but think about when I hear some people on the news say regarding recent immigrants, “That isn’t fair! They haven’t paid their dues, why do they get to benefit just like everyone else?”

But, the reality is that this story is much more about God and much less about us. It is much more about God’s amazing grace and much less about our egos, jealousy, or sense of fairness.

You see I think the key to understanding this text is to think about the last workers hired. But first, in order to do that we must wonder why they had been hanging around all day w/ out getting hired? Were they perhaps not very strong looking? Not able-bodied? Not considered to be the “winners” by any chance? Could that have been why they hadn’t been hired all day? Yet, here they are at the end of the day, putting in just a short amount of time and yet receiving as much as the others.

When I think of this story I can easily identify with one of those last workers. In fact, I like being reminded that God loves me no matter what and when I am reminded that God loves me even when I’m not considered one of the winners or a part of the in-crowd or the elite, by any means. That part I enjoy hearing all of the time.

Yet, the harder part is to wonder how it is that God might be asking me to respond to such a story? Is God reminding me, perhaps that God loves everyone just as much as God loves me? That whether we have followed God all of our lives or have just begun today that God doesn’t play favorites? That in God’s vineyard there is room for all of us to serve God?

As we witness the beautiful sacrament of baptism today I hope that we ARE reminded of God’s amazing grace which isn’t based on our ability or our talents but is based solely on Jesus’ free love for us. My prayer is that we can approach it asking how it is that we might serve God by loving others-no matter who they are.

God doesn’t play favorites and neither should we. Amen. 

 

Sermon for The Second Sunday in Lent

March 17th, 2019

The Prodigal Son

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Community Congregational Church Of Chula Vista

Rev. Elizabeth Aguilar

 

Today we are focusing on a well-known and well-loved parable; The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Some Biblical versions refer to it as the “lost son.” You might be wondering why we would be looking at this familiare story urging Lent, of all times. It is because Lent invites us toe examine where we have fallen short. Who it is that we need to ask forgiveness from and who it that we must forgive as well. It is a seaon of seeking repentance.

 

Just as I have asked you in previous sermons, I want to ask you again today- with which character of this Tory do you identify the most?

 

Is it the gather figure- who was hurt, sad, betrayed, possibly angry and then oh so joyous a the return of his wayward son? The father who wa ready to forgive his lost,confused son?

 

Or, are you the prodigal son? You broke your parent’s hearts. You left either physically or emotionally or both. You “hit rock bottom” sort to speak, only to come to your sense, eventually, and return home?

 

Or are you the older son? The “dutiful one?” The one who was always there at his father’s side, doing “everything that he wa supposed to do.” However, instead of being happy when your lost, younger sibling returns you are bitter, jealous of your father’s love for him and even resentful because all you had “played by all the right rules.”

 

So which one are you? My guess is that you can answer that in question ins a instant. I can. I have always known. I am the older son. I was the “good daughter” in my family; always played by all the rules, always did the right thing.

 

But, this sermon isn’t about me. It isn’t really about any of us. It is about God’s amazing gracious love, God’s forgiveness and acceptance of all of us.

 

Well Jesus was a brilliant storyteller. He always knew how to tell a good story with a good message. The author of Luke has this parable after Jesus has already shared other parables. He has been curing the sick, performing miracles. He has dined with sinners. He is famous. He is also beginning to be criticized by the Pharisees.

 

In preparation for this sermon, I re-read a short but very good book by Henri Nouwen, called The Return of the Prodigal Son. You will recall that Henri Nouwen was a Jesuit priest who had been a professor at Yale and Harvard. Later, in his career, he went to minister to developmentally disabled adults in a community called L’arche Daybreak Communityin Canada. There, was where Nouwen stated he learned the most and was “molded him.”

 

This short but powerful reflection of Nowen’s invites us to look closer at this famous parable. To look closer at the themes of sin, loneliness, rejection, jealousy and of course, forgiveness. I also re-read parts of Daryl Tippen’s book, Pilgrim Heart, where he examines this famous story, as well.

 

What I enjoyed about both books wa they invited me to re-look a thi story with fresh eyes. It invited me to ask myself- who is that I need to forgive? Who is it that I have been so judgemental toward that I have been unable to regirse them? Who is that I have been jealous of? When does jealousy get in the way of my growth in my walk with Christ? Who is that may been my prayers because they are a parent or grandparent waiting for their lost son or father to return? When have I really thanked God for forgiving me?

 

In Tippen’s book, interestingly, he quotes a doctor of palliative care and hospice. Coincidentally, this doctor became a colleague of mine when I was a chaplain at Providence hospital in San Pedro. Dr. Ira Byock is now the director of the Institute for Human Caring and was one of the first doctors back in the 1970s who began to provide hospice care to patients. He wrote. A book called The Four Things that Matter Most whis a book about dying well. In his book he stated that what most matter to people at he end of life a these four messages, they are: please forgive me. I forgive you. Thank you and I love you. Of course, Tippens says that these messages are ones that all people use hear throughout their lives, not just as they face death.

 

But both Tipens and Byock make the point that without forgiveness and without the opportunity be forgiven a person can live or die who much emotional and spiritual sidress. And who want sot live or die that way?

 

I once met a man, whom I will call “Frank” who had played for the Red Sox minor league when they used to have one. He was a patient of mine while he was on hospice. He was a “devout atheist” and loved to remind me of that every week while I visited him for 1.5 years before his death. He got a kick reminding me  of it. I always found it interesting that although he was an atheist he required that i visit him every week. And so I did. As he shared his life story with me I realized that the common theme was his need to give or receive forgiveness.

 

We made a decision to work on a project. He would write three letters; one to his ex-wife, one to his son and one to current wife. Fortunately, we finished his letters 2 weeks before he died and I was able to deliver those letters to these individuals at his memorial service.

 

I was grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this helping process. To hear his stories, to help him reflect on why he need to forgive and ask for forgiveness. I’m mostly grateful for the opportunity to gently share with him that God would forgive him if he asked for it.

 

Later, I thought to myself, how much more powerful had it been had this gentleman had the opportunity say those words of repentance and forgiveness while he was still alive? I like to belie that hoteliers were enough for all involved. But again, why wait until we are about to die? Why not forgive now? Why not say I am sorry to the one who have injured? Why not forgive the one who has injured us? Why wait?

 

Reading Nouwen’s book helped me to realize my own difficulty in forcing and not judging. You see, I had Leander the I “thought” I had forgiven some people in my life but I was still holding resentment and yes, judgement against them. The simple thrust can’t oe light or me which was this- how ant i continue to judge those people when God does not judge me? God HAD forgiven me over an over and donto hold bitterness or resentment toward me. Who am I to do that toward others?

 

The beauty about the Christian faith is that we know we are indeed sinners who are forgiven by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are however, fallen creatures who sometimes continue to sin but all we need to to do is ask for forgiveness and accept  it.

 

One thing  we cannot forget is that we are called to repent. The Hebrew word for repent means to turn around. A literal turning around. To change, in other words. Therefore, we can no keep repeating our offenses over and over. We can not seek forgiveness and then treat the other person to behave in the same way repeatedly.

 

If we did repeat that sinful behavior and expected to be forgiven that would be called cheap grace. The great apostle Paul and the great Reformer, Martin Luther warn us of cheap grace. No, the real work of seeking forgiveness is about repentance. It’s about changing one’s behavior through God’s Grace because all things are possible through Him. And then, not reacting that offline over and over again.

 

And so my question to you today is- who do you still need to forgive? Who do you need to ask forgiveness from? And lastly, have you asked God to forgive in a way where you can truly believe that you are forgiven and therefore, do not need to continue to punish yourself?

 

Have you accepted God’s forgiveness? These are difficult questions which only you can answer in your heart with God. But I think that God does invite us to do the hard work of discipleship in order to continue to grow in our faith and not get stuck in one place.

 

I will end by giving you a challenge- If you have old resentment among anyone in your family, or or friends or even people who worship with you, here- consider forgiving them. Remember that “all things ARE possible” through God’s amazing grace who gives us the power to forgive. Let us not be like the Pharisees who lacked humility to see their own faults and just focused on the faults of others. Let us be like the gracious father who forgave his son. Amen.