Ephesians 4.32
1 John 3.19-20
Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012
Reformation Sunday
Oct. 31 - Luther - 1517
Reformation - all about forgiveness
Not via the church, but Christ.
This month - power of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is heart of freedom …
Freedom from the hurt done to us.
Freedom to move ahead.
Freedom to be who we are in Christ -
We are not our circumstances.
We are not our pain.
We are not our troubles.
We are who we are in Christ.
Saved.
Blessed.
Filled with the Holy Spirit.
We sometimes hear: forgive AND forget.
Can we truly forget?
Time plays a role here.
But “forgetting” isn’t possible.
God doesn’t forget!
God forgets nothing!
God chooses to “not remember” - big difference.
Re-membering is devastating - even for God.
For my own sake, I will not remember.
I will not fill my mind and heart with past sadness.
I will not dwell on the ones who hurt me.
I will not dwell on failure.
I choose to move ahead.
To a new day.
Remembering causes anger.
Remembering breeds the spirit of vengeance.
Remembering takes us back in time.
What can we do?
Set our mind on the mind of Christ.
Things above.
The promises of God.
God is our refuge.
Our strength.
A very present help in the day of trouble.
The deepest piece of faith:
God at work in all things.
Don’t every preach this to someone who’s in the throws of sorrow.
Preach to ourselves.
For others, offer comfort.
Weep with those who weep!
Be patient.
In time, God will dry their tears!
Some things need to be remembered:
Frederick Buechner: Holocaust, p.285
Xn Century: Anti-semitism in America
We need to remember some things:
Injustice and work to change the world.
Horrors of war and work for peace.
God’s creation and work to honor it.
For ourselves:
Chose the godly way - not to remember.
Give it all to Christ.
His hurt for our hurt.
His sorrow for our sorrow.
His shame for our shame.
Give it all to Christ!
Press on to the high calling - come home, take off the clothing of the day! Wash up, put on comfortable slacks and shirt.
Don’t wear the rags of hurt.
Wear the clothing of Christ.
Use Scripture and prayer - sing a song.
Move ahead with Christ.
Remember the wrongs done to others and do what we can to set it right for them - this is love at work!
Don’t remember the wrongs done to us - let God set them right for us - this is faith at work!
Amen and Amen!
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