7,8 Apr -- Forgiveness is For Giving

The readings for Sat 7 and Sun 8 April are -- Gen 49:1-50:26; Ps 17:1-5; Pro 3:21-24; Mt 18:10-35.


Happy Easter everyone! "Forgiveness is For Giving" is the title of my message tonight (Easter Sunday). I've chosen that theme because it ties in with the Matthew reading above, and also the Genesis reading. Seeing many of you can't be there, let me briefly mention just a couple of points.

Forgiveness is obviously for receiving as well. Christ died so that we could be forgiven. God offers us forgiveness in Christ. It's available for us to receive, praise God! But as recipients of forgiveness, we are called to forgive others. That's where the servant in Mt 18:23-35 went wrong. He had received forgiveness of a great debt but was unwilling to forgive the small debt of a fellow-servant. Jesus told that parable in answer to Peter's question about how often he should forgive. The common wisdom was 7 times, but Jesus said 70 times 7 and then told the parable.

Forgiveness is a key theme in the last chapter of Genesis too. Jacob (Israel) is embalmed and buried in the first half of the chapter. Then Joseph's brothers panic. They suspect that Joseph is still holding a grudge against them and fear that he will now get his revenge (50:15). So they send a message to Joseph pleading that he forgive them (v16,17). When Joseph received it he wept (v17). I think because he realised they hadn't received the forgiveness he'd offered earlier and were still afraid of him. He didn't want them to be afraid of him. He didn't want them to be his slaves (v18). He wanted them to be his brothers. He told them not to be afraid; he said he would take care of them and their little ones; he comforted them; and he spoke kindly to them (v21 -- a great verse!). Only 5 more verses and Joseph is dead, embalmed and buried, and the book of Genesis has ended. A happy ending -- forgiveness given and received.

An even greater example of forgiven is displayed by Jesus. As he looked at his crucifiers from the cross, his words were: "Father, forgive them..."
Jesus was thinking about forgiveness as he hung on the cross. Not just the forgiveness of those he saw at the foot of the cross that day, but also the forgiveness of those to come in following ages. He died that we might be able to receive forgiveness and he rose to help us give it.