The Power of Forgiveness

To begin today, on this Tenth Anniversary of 9/11, would those of you who personally knew someone who died on September 11, 2001 please stand or hold up a hand to honor their memory?  Please remain standing.  Would those of you who know someone who lost someone that day please stand?  Would the rest of you now please stand as we honor the lives and memories of those who died?  Let us remember their families, the first responders, and our nation’s tragic loss as we hold a holy silence together.  Deacon, please toll the bell in their honor. [Ring bell.]   Please be seated.

Do you remember those days and weeks after 9/11?  Pastor Andy started his ministry here the Sunday after 9/11.  And while unpacking, Bill and I discovered this paper, packed away since September 11, ten years ago.  It reminded me of the horror, confusion, sadness and then our national decision to try to not be terrified.  There was then this brief moment when Americans reunited in spirit led by the selfless service by first responders. The globe all ached at the vulnerability of America.  And soon, it became obvious as the emotions crested that we had two choices-- two different paths lay ahead for us.  Down one path, we could try to begin to understand why these men had attacked our very heartland and soul—try to reflect on what we were doing as a nation that could cause such white-hot hate.  We could try to listen, to seek peace.  Or, we could chose another path.  We could sink to the level of the terrorists and plot our revenge.   Sadly, at that crucial moment, the leaders of America rejected our Christian heritage, they responded with the flag and not the cross and they chose anger, revenge, and retaliation.  Now ten years, two failed wars, trillions of wasted dollars, a destroyed economy, and thousands of lost lives later, we are mired in war of retaliation and revenge-seeking anger.  For the first time in our history, we attacked two other nations unprovoked.  We became global bullies.  And how has that worked for us?  Is the world a better or safer place as a consequence of our national revenge policies?   The daily news would indicate, sadly, no.

How we responded to 9/11 is a story of a lost opportunity for our nation.  We failed to respond to the terrorists in ethical Christian ways, failing our God, ourselves, our children, and our world.  While individual citizens responded in selfless service and deep compassion, our nation responded with anger, force, and military power.  We completely forgot the fundamental Christian principles of love and compassion and peace. 

But today, we have two Bible stories where people came to this exact same decision place.  After being wronged, they faced the decision of responding in revenge or forgiveness.  How did they choose?

From our Hebrew Scriptures, we hear the very end of the story of Joseph.  Joseph was the favored of twelve sons of his father Jacob.  You may remember that Joseph got a pretty multicolored coat from his family.  The other references to this garment are all for princesses-- this was a women’s fancy dress—what do suppose Joseph’s family was trying to say?  You can bet it was not nice.  Joseph’s eleven brothers worked as shepherds and Joseph stayed home.  We know this because when Joseph finally went out into the fields looking for his bothers, they planned his murder.  This argument was much deeper than clothing!  But realizing that murder would be a waste of a good asset, his brothers instead sold Joseph into slavery to a passing Egyptian caravan.  Of course we know the rest of the story.  God prospered Joseph in Egypt, multicolored coat and all.  True, Joseph ate a little humble pie; but he gained the respect of his Egyptian captors.  He became the vizier – the second in command only behind Pharaoh.  Years later, during a global famine that Joseph predicted, his brothers came to Egypt seeking food.  Joseph toyed with them, but treated them well.  He had the complete power of revenge and retaliation over his brothers, but instead, Joseph chose forgiveness.  And thus, Joseph saved the tribes of Israel from famine.  And his forgiveness saved his own soul, I think.  Joseph chose forgiveness instead of revenge. 

Our Gospel lesson is also well-known to us.  Jesus responds to Peter’s question of forgiveness by saying forgive not seven times, but seventy-times seven—in other words, choose the ongoing practice of forgiveness.  And then Jesus tells a parable.  It seems a man was forgiven, but then refused to forgive someone himself.  After being forgiven, he chose revenge instead of forgiveness.  And his refusal to forgive in the parable caused him to lose his forgiveness.  Let me say that again.  Jesus taught forgiveness is lost if we refuse to forgive others.  This is serious stuff.  But Jesus didn’t just teach about forgiveness here.  In a few moments, we will recite a prayer that Jesus taught us—we say it every Sunday.  The Lord’s Prayer teaches the exact same thing.  Forgive us our trespasses—the word here means sin—forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  Does this prayer mean that God models his forgiveness toward us by watching our forgiveness habits?  Does this mean that since America has politically refused to forgive our attackers that God is withholding forgiveness from our nation?   Maybe there is more to this forgiveness thing than we realize.  Maybe if we don’t forgive, retaliation and revenge eat at our soul, destroying our hearts, and taking away the possibility of heaven on earth.  Maybe forgiveness opens us to God’s Realm on earth, to being saved right now!  God’s forgiveness saves us, then when we forgive our neighbors, the world is swallowed in forgiveness and love; we are saved in this world through our forgiveness to others.  Chose forgiveness, and we can experience heaven on earth.  Chose hate and revenge and retaliation and punishment, and you get [pause] … more hate and revenge and retaliation and punishment.  The Power of Forgiveness stops [slap hands] the revenge cycle; it saves us.  The power of forgiveness lights the way from misery to hope and peace.

But Jesus didn’t just talk about forgiveness.  He lived and died it.  As the Romans were killing Jesus on the cross, he forgave them.  Can you imagine forgiving your murderers even as you were being killed?  Jesus died as a man saved from the power of hate.  Joseph saved Israel through forgiving his brothers, saved from the power of hate.  Joseph and Jesus teach us that forgiveness changes everything.  The ultimate way to love your enemies is to forgive them.

Now just for a moment, let me tell you a story about what forgiveness of your enemy might look like.  When I was in Fresno California, I worked with the Mennonite Peace Center in a program called the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program.  We worked with violent crime victims who wanted to go beyond the legal system’s definition of justice—which is really just a punishment system.  We carefully mediated conversations between crime victims and their offenders, slowly helping them listen to one other’s stories.  Time after time, I saw hardened criminals and horrified victims slowly come to acknowledge each other as struggling human beings. There was almost always this amazing moment when time stopped [pause] as they dropped stereotypes, hurt and anger and dared to forgive one another.  And in that hard-earned forgiveness, there were the seeds of reconciliation.  It was hard exhausting work, but I saw change lives and redeem souls.  Really listening to another’s story is transformative.  Forgiveness is possible, even after horrific and terrible circumstances.  Forgiveness is heaven come to earth.

But this isn’t just about “them.”  Do you have someone you need to forgive?  Someone who has horribly wronged you.  Someone where you were completely in the right and they were totally wrong.  And now you just want a little revenge?  Consider this short prayer—it should be familiar to you.  Maybe it teaches a different path.  “Dear God, forgive me my sins, and teach me to forgive those who wrong me.  Teach me to not be like the unforgiving dude in the parable.”  Forgiveness from the heart is not easy.  But who ever told you the Christian life was easy?  It takes dedication and discipline and love and a loving supporting community to really learn how to forgive.  But forgiveness is our most divine and powerful response to an angry and hurtful world.  Forgiveness is divine love come to earth.  Do you need help forgiving someone?  Let’s talk.  In community, we will figure out how to bring hope to your life—just like Jesus and Joseph-- through the loving Power of Forgiveness.  Amen.