Sermon Reflections from Forgiveness | Karyn Sorenson | May 26, 2024  

What a pleasure it was to hear from Karyn Sorenson this Sunday.  As her sending church, we take ‘pride’ in claiming her as one of our own and marvel at the way God had mightily used her counseling and teaching ministry gifts.  We stand alongside her in prayer for the suffering people of Micronesia that are held in bondage spiritually and culturally by sin.  She has been witness to many of these chains of bondage being lifted and cleansing redemption take hold of lives in the name of Jesus.  She spoke to us from her heart this Sunday as she pointed us to forgiveness and the mighty character of God.

In Matthew 18:21, Peter asks Jesus about forgiveness. “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”   Jesus answers this question with a parable which is the text of Karyn’s sermon.  Matthew 18:23-35 recounts the story of a King, who is the picture of God in this parable, and his servant who owed him a ‘ton’ of money.  When settling up his accounts the King finds out the servant owes him way more money than he could ever possibly repay.  He tells the servant he is accountable for this and that his wife, children and he himself will be sold so the King can at least recoup some of his losses.   The servant begs, ‘Please be patient with me’.  The King took pity on him and forgave his debt and let him go.    Directly after being released the servant found another of his fellow servants who owed him a bit of money. The forgiven servant grabbed him and began to choke him.  The fellow servant begged, ‘Please be patient with me.’   The forgiven servant did not listen, was not moved or wasn’t even reminded of his recent close call with the same situation and had his fellow servant thrown into debtor’s prison where there was no possibility that he would ever get any monies from him- nothing but punishment without hope.  Other servants saw how the first servant was forgiven and how he was unmerciful towards his fellow servant for the same exact problem.  They were outraged and went and told the master, the king. The master, king, took immediate action and called the forgiven servant before him.  He called him wicked for being forgiven and yet refusing to show forgiveness to his fellow servant.  At that point he was handed over to jailers and was to be tortured until he should repay the debt he owed.  Since there was no way to ever repay that debt, his was he was left without hope.  Jesus concluded this parable saying in verse 35, ““This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

What do we learn about the King, God, from this parable?   Karyn named several attributes of God that are clearly portrayed in Jesus’ parable.  God is compassionate.  The servant did not deserve his forgiveness and there was no possible way he could pay off his debts.  The king forgave him all of it. God did this for us through Jesus’ work on the cross.  Colossians 2:12-14 “ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”   God is calling us to be compassionate too.  Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
The parable also revealed that God has forgiving love.  The king forgave the servant all his enormous debt.  It was all wiped clean away.  That is what God does for us when we accept Jesus into our hearts and trust in him. What the servant deserved was death in prison.  Likewise Romans 6:23 tells us how God responded to our debt of sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  God’s word tells us why God did this in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   God’s love motivated him to seek us out and offer us forgiveness, John 3:16-17 “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” 

Lastly, Karyn reminded us that God holds us accountable too.  Just like the king in the parable, God desires that we ‘pay it forward’ and treat others with the mercy and forgiveness that was shown to us through Jesus’ work on the cross.  The heart of our forgiveness needs to rest upon how we were forgiven completely when we did not deserve it at all.  James 2:12-13 puts it this way, “ Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”  God expects us to live lives filled with mercy because we have received such mercy from God our father.  God will hold us accountable for the way we treat others.  He expects us to be forgiving, loving, compassionate and merciful even when it is undeserved.

This is an unattainable attitude for our human nature so it is only through Christ within us that we can walk this pathway.  Matthew 19:26 ““With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Thank you Jesus!

Linda
​MESSAGE LINK
Click Here to View the Message on Youtube
Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am.
​Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass

Sermon Reflections from Love and Hatred | Alex Hardt | October 8, 2023
 
Pastor Alex spoke candidly about the world’s pressures upon us to choose its ways over God’s.  Our sin nature predisposes us towards that, but our Spiritual nature from God moves us towards Him in spite of our propensity to sin.  We are reminded of Jesus’ words of promise in 1 John 4:4 “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”  We are comforted by this truth for we know that we will be victorious in Him. 

Our text for today was 1 John 2 and begins with obedience in the face of sin.  John acknowledges that we all sin and comforts us with the truth of Jesus’ forgiveness.  “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”   John hopes that by leaning into Jesus we can avoid sin, but he assures us that we bear Jesus’ righteousness though faith.  This truth can and does comfort us.   John then tells us how to focus on being obedient to God in the face of all the adversity in which we live daily.  

*If we have come to know Jesus, we’ll work to keep his commandments (3)
*Obedience to God’s word brings God’s love to completion in us (5)
*Knowing Jesus gives us the desire to live and be more like Him(6)
*Living in Jesus’ light means setting aside hatred for others, exchanging darkness for light (9)
*Hatred for others, or yourself, creates a darkness which will surround you and cause you to be blind to Jesus and what He desires for your life. (11)

By being Obedient to God’s Ways and Word, we show our love for God.  The proof of our love is in how we act and speak.   How does this challenge you to better align your actions to God’s Word?   Do you see a need to know more about His ways so you can better show Jesus to those around you?  Join a home group- a bible study and dive into His Word with fellow believers.   See the Church Website for groups and when they meet.

In 1 John 2:15-17, John specifically talks about avoiding the world’s influence in our lives.   “ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 

John warns us not to put our love efforts into loving the world.  Because if we do, we are committing ourselves to many undesirable things that are opposed to God and His ways.  He names pride, lust, fleshly pursuits which would include craving physical pleasures, power, greed, advancement, achievements for self-gain, etc.    Many of these can start out harmless enough but when fueled with pride, greed, lust and envy they become perverted.  We do need to work hard and take pride in our work and achievements, but not be filled with boasting, self-love and entitlement.  John also reminds us that the worldly things are just that, worldly and will only endure for the here and now.  They are temporal and NOT eternal.  Only things done for God will stand for all time.

Lastly, John warns us of opposition we will face from without.  Before the opposition has been within our own character.  This opposition in the form of antichrists which are very real and powerful.  Verse 22-23 “Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”  Each one of us faces antichrists in our lives.  John classifies anyone who denies Jesus is an anti-(against) Christ.  We need to be watchful and aware of those in our lives that oppose us because we love Jesus and desire to live like Him. Jesus prayed for us as He knew we would face opposition. 

John 17:20-21 “ My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”  Paul warned of spiritual opposition in Ephesian 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  James encourages us in James 4:7-8 “ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.”  

Pastor Alex concluded with the fact that Satan with all his worldly enticements opposes Jesus with His love assurance, protection, eternal life, hope and guidance and are competing for our love.  The choice is up to us. God created us with free will and we have to choose.  Not choosing is denial.  There is no fence sitting.  Why wait?  Walk with Jesus and taste of His eternal love, commitment, guidance, protection through His indwelling Holy Spirit.  Be assured that those God who answer God’s call He will equip and empower to follow His Son!

Linda

​MESSAGE LINK
Click Here to View the Message on Youtube
Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am.
​Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.