{"id":1356,"date":"2020-09-27T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-27T16:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1356"},"modified":"2020-10-11T09:20:13","modified_gmt":"2020-10-11T16:20:13","slug":"seventeenth-sunday-after-pentecost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/27\/seventeenth-sunday-after-pentecost\/","title":{"rendered":"Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Pentecost-17-09-27-20.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SERVICE OF THE WORD<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This service offers the congregation a form of worship that focuses on the proclamation of God\u2019s Word.&nbsp; Believers respond to this divine gift with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving<\/em><em>.&nbsp; The service begins on page 38 in the front of the hymnal.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M:<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We worship today in the name of our Triune God\u2014 God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Amen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Confession of Sins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M:<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve Him as His dear children.&nbsp; But we have disobeyed Him and deserve only His wrath and punishment.&nbsp; Therefore, let us confess our sins to Him and plead for His mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth.&nbsp; In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child.&nbsp; But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray:&nbsp; Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love.&nbsp; Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M:<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; God, our heavenly Father has forgiven all your sins.&nbsp; By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, He has removed your guilt forever.&nbsp; You are His own dear child.&nbsp; May God give you strength to live according to His will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prayer and Praise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M:<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.&nbsp; Blessed are they who take refuge in Him.&nbsp; Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.&nbsp; Your faithfulness continues forever.&nbsp; Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.&nbsp; Blessed are they who take refuge in Him.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PRAYER OF THE DAY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M:<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Let us pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lord, we pray that your mercy and grace may always go before and follow after us that, loving you with undivided hearts, we may be ready for every good and useful work;&nbsp; we ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Amen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Word<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><u>FIRST LESSON<\/u>&nbsp;\u2013 Genesis 50:15-21<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Joseph\u2019s brothers find genuine forgiveness from him and a promise of kindness for the future.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Joseph\u2019s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, \u201cWhat if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?\u201d&nbsp; So they sent word to Joseph, saying, \u201cYour father left these instructions before he died:&nbsp; \u2018This is what you are to say to Joseph:&nbsp; I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.\u2019&nbsp; Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.\u201d&nbsp; When their message came to him, Joseph wept.&nbsp; His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.&nbsp; \u201cWe are your slaves,\u201d they said.&nbsp; But Joseph said to them, \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid.&nbsp; Am I in the place of God?&nbsp; You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.&nbsp; So then, don\u2019t be afraid.&nbsp; I will provide for you and your children.\u201d&nbsp; And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.&nbsp; (NIV1984)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PSALM OF THE DAY \u2013 Psalm 103<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Praise the LORD, O my soul;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>all my inmost being, praise His holy Name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He forgives all your sins<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>and heals all your diseases;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He redeems your life from the grave<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>and crowns you with love and compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The LORD is compassionate and gracious,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>slow to anger, abounding in love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He does not treat us as our sins deserve<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>or repay us according to our iniquities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For as high as the heavens are above the earth,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>so great is His love for those who fear Him;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As far as the east is from the west,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>so far has He removed our transgressions from<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a father has compassion on his children,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>so the LORD has compassion on those who fear<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Him;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For He knows how we are formed,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He remembers that we are dust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our days are like grass, like a flower of the field;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>the wind blows over it and it is gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the LORD\u2019s love is with those who fear Him<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>from everlasting to everlasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Glory be to the Father and to the Son<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>and to the Holy Spirit,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>as it was in the beginning,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; is now, and will be forever.&nbsp; Amen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><u>SECOND LESSON<\/u>&nbsp;\u2013 Romans 14:5-9eba<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In those aspects of life where God gives no clear rules, love for God and those around us will guide our actions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike.&nbsp; Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.&nbsp; He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord.&nbsp; He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.&nbsp; For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.&nbsp; If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.&nbsp; So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.&nbsp; For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.&nbsp;&nbsp; (NIV1984)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>VERSE OF THE DAY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alleluia.&nbsp; Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.&nbsp; Alleluia.&nbsp; (Romans 15:4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>C<em>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em>Alleluia!&nbsp; Alleluia!&nbsp; Alleluia!&nbsp; These words are written that we may believe that Jesus is<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;the Christ, the Son of God.&nbsp; Alleluia!&nbsp; Alleluia!&nbsp; Alleluia!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><u>GOSPEL LESSON<\/u>&nbsp;\u2013 Matthew 18:21-35&nbsp;<\/strong>(Sermon Text)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In a parable, Jesus pictures the great forgiveness which we have received from the Lord.&nbsp; As we are forgiven, may we also forgive others.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, \u201cLord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?&nbsp; Up to seven times?\u201d&nbsp; Jesus answered,&nbsp;<em>\u201cI tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.&nbsp; Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.&nbsp; As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.&nbsp; Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.&nbsp; The servant fell on his knees before him.&nbsp; \u2018Be patient with me,\u2019 he begged, \u2018and I will pay back everything.\u2019&nbsp; The servant\u2019s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.&nbsp; But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.&nbsp; He grabbed him and began to choke him.&nbsp; \u2018Pay back what you owe me!\u2019 he demanded.&nbsp; His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, \u2018Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.\u2019&nbsp; But he refused.&nbsp; Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.&nbsp; When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.&nbsp; Then the master called the servant in.&nbsp; \u2018You wicked servant,\u2019 he said, \u2018I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.&nbsp; Shouldn\u2019t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?\u2019&nbsp; In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.&nbsp; This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em>(NIV1984)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Praise be to you, O Christ!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SERMON&nbsp; Christian Forgiveness\u2014 Enjoyed and Employed!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I forgive you\u2014 but I am never going to let you forget how much you hurt me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I forgive you\u2014 but here is what you are going to have to do to prove to me that you are sorry for what you have done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I forgive you\u2014 but now you owe me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I forgive you\u2014 but\u2026. (You finish the sentence)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?&nbsp; Do any of these scenarios sound logical?&nbsp; When we pause and take a deep breath we will have to answer \u201cYes!\u201d to both of those questions.&nbsp; There may be times in our lives when we have heard people say something like that to us.&nbsp; There may be times in our lives when we have said something like that to someone else.&nbsp; Each of those scenarios sound familiar, each of those scenarios sounds logical because this is how the world works!&nbsp; This is what our old sinful nature understands!&nbsp; From a worldly perspective forgiveness comes with conditions.&nbsp; From the perspective of our old sinful nature forgiveness needs to be earned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is precisely why our dear Lord and Savior teaches us&nbsp;<strong>God\u2019s<\/strong>&nbsp;understanding of,&nbsp;<strong>God\u2019s<\/strong>&nbsp;definition of and&nbsp;<strong>God\u2019s<\/strong>&nbsp;application of true forgiveness!&nbsp; With the warm light of the cross shining upon us this morning (Pointing to the cross) let\u2019s study our text for today under the theme:&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong><em>Christian Forgiveness \u2014 Enjoyed and Employed!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last week Jesus taught us exactly what He expects us to do if someone sins against us.&nbsp; That triggered a question in the mind of the Apostle Peter, a question that has probably crossed our own minds a time or two.&nbsp; Matthew tells us,&nbsp;<em>\u201cThen Peter came to Jesus and asked, \u2018Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?&nbsp; Up to seven times?\u2019\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; Peter was concerned that if he faithfully followed Jesus\u2019 instructions that someone might take advantage of Peter\u2019s willingness to forgive.&nbsp; So Peter wondered, is there a point at which he could refuse to forgive someone?&nbsp; Some of the rabbis taught that if a person sins against you they should be forgiven three times\u2014 but no more.&nbsp; Peter generously proposed that the number be more than doubled\u2014&nbsp;<em>\u201cUp to seven times\u201d<\/em>!&nbsp; Jesus\u2019 response reveals that as God\u2019s children, as Christians, we need to remember that when it comes to forgiving someone who has sinned against us the key question is not about&nbsp;<strong>quantity&nbsp;<\/strong>but rather&nbsp;<strong>quality.<\/strong>&nbsp; That\u2019s why Jesus answered Peter\u2019s question by saying,&nbsp;<em>\u201cI tell you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; Some commentators translate this verse,&nbsp;<em>\u201cI tell you, not seven times but seventy&nbsp;<strong>times&nbsp;<\/strong>seven times.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; Either way, Jesus\u2019 point is clear:&nbsp; No matter how many times someone sins against us, as Christians we need to be willing to forgive them!&nbsp; (See also Luke 17:3, 4)&nbsp; And then, to make sure that no one misunderstands what our Savior expects of us, Jesus gives us the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While this parable is so familiar, so clear and so easy to understand, I think it would be beneficial to highlight the key details.&nbsp; First, the parable begins by focusing our attention on&nbsp;<em>\u201ca king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants\u201d<\/em>\u2014 something that he had absolutely every right to do.&nbsp; One of his servants owed the king&nbsp;<em>\u201cten thousand talents\u201d<\/em>\u2014 a&nbsp;<strong>huge&nbsp;<\/strong>sum of money!&nbsp; A talent was worth 6,000 denarii and a denarius was the standard pay for one day\u2019s labor.&nbsp; (See Matthew 20:1-16)&nbsp; Think that through , my friends.&nbsp; One talent equaled 6,000 days\u2019 wages and this servant owed the king&nbsp;<strong>ten thousand talents!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the servant was completely unable to pay this debt to the king, the king exercised his right to have the servant and his entire family sold into slavery as partial repayment of the debt\u2014 again, something that the king had absolutely every right to do.&nbsp; This helps us to understand why we\u2019re told,&nbsp;<em>\u201cThe servant fell on his knees before him, \u2018Be patient with me,\u2019 he begged, \u2018and I will pay back everything.\u2019\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; Then the king did something that&nbsp;<strong>no one&nbsp;<\/strong>could have&nbsp;<strong>ever<\/strong>&nbsp;anticipated!&nbsp; He&nbsp;<em>\u201ctook pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go\u201d<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two words here that are extremely important for us to note.&nbsp; The first word is the word translated as&nbsp;<em>\u201che<strong>&nbsp;took pity<\/strong>&nbsp;on him.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; In Luke 7:13 (the account of Jesus encountering the widow at Nain as she was preparing to bury her only son) this same word is translated as&nbsp;<em>\u201chis&nbsp;<strong>heart went out to&nbsp;<\/strong>her.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; The second word we want to note is the word translated as&nbsp;<em>\u201ccancel.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; This word can also be translated as,&nbsp;<em>\u201cto send away, to let go, to forgive.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; It is the same word that Jesus used in both Matthew 6:12,&nbsp;<em>\u201c<strong>Forgive&nbsp;<\/strong>us our debts as we also have&nbsp;<strong>forgiven&nbsp;<\/strong>our debtors,\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;and in Luke 23:34,&nbsp;<em>\u201cFather,&nbsp;<strong>forgive&nbsp;<\/strong>them, for they do not know what they are doing.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; Keep those two words in mind.&nbsp; We\u2019ll come back to them when we apply this parable to our own lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One might anticipate\u2014 even from a worldly perspective\u2014 that this servant would be filled with so much joy and so much thankfulness because of what the king had done for him that he would become a \u201cchanged man.\u201d&nbsp; But no.&nbsp; He went and&nbsp;<em>\u201cfound one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.&nbsp; He grabbed him and began to choke him.&nbsp; \u2018Pay back what you owe me,\u2019 he demanded.\u2019\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; Using the exact same wording as the first servant used with the king, the second servant begged for&nbsp;<em>\u201cpatience\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;\u2014 promising that he would pay back everything he owed.&nbsp; The first servant refused.&nbsp; Instead of showing patience,&nbsp;<em>\u201cHe went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; His actions filled the other servants with so much heartache and so much sadness, that they reported him to the king.&nbsp; The king was so furious with the&nbsp;<em>\u201cwicked servant\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;that instead of having him and his family sold as slaves, he&nbsp;<em>\u201cturned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed\u201d<\/em>\u2014 which means never.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the parable itself is extremely powerful, the most powerful words of all are found in the last verse of this text.&nbsp; Jesus says to us,&nbsp;<em>\u201cThis is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; Keep that statement in the back of your mind as we apply this parable to ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each and every sin that we commit is a&nbsp;<em>\u201cdebt\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;that we owe to the Almighty King of all Creation.&nbsp; One day our King will summon us before Him to&nbsp;<em>\u201csettle accounts\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;with us\u2014 something that He has absolutely every right to do!&nbsp; Our debt of sin is so astronomical that there is no way we could ever possibly repay it.&nbsp; For that reason, our King has every right to&nbsp;<em>\u201csell us into slavery\u201d<\/em>\u2014 slavery to sin, slavery to death, slavery to Satan.&nbsp; But instead of selling us into slavery, our King does something that&nbsp;<strong>no one&nbsp;<\/strong>could have&nbsp;<strong>ever&nbsp;<\/strong>expected.&nbsp; His&nbsp;<em>\u201cheart goes out to us.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; He is filled with so much compassion and so much pity and so much love that He made a \u201cPlan\u201d to \u201cpay off\u201d our debt of sin&nbsp;<strong>for<\/strong>&nbsp;us!&nbsp; His \u201cPlan\u201d was to send His own Son to suffer and die in our place.&nbsp; (Pointing to the cross)&nbsp; The cross on Calvary\u2019s hill now guarantees to us that our entire debt to God has been&nbsp;<em>\u201ccanceled.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; All of our sins have been&nbsp;<em>\u201cforgiven.\u201d&nbsp; \u201cAs far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;(Psalm 103:12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is only&nbsp;<strong>one<\/strong>&nbsp;reaction that we are to have to God\u2019s \u201cPlan,\u201d my friends\u2014 and it is&nbsp;<strong>not&nbsp;<\/strong>the reaction of the first servant here in Jesus\u2019 parable!&nbsp; We are to be filled with so much joy and so much thankfulness and so much love because of everything that God has done&nbsp;<strong>for&nbsp;<\/strong>us that every single day we consciously&nbsp;<strong>enjoy&nbsp;<\/strong>basking in true Christian forgiveness\u2014 the forgiveness that flows from the compassion, the mercy, the pity, the&nbsp;<em>\u201cheart\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;of our God; the forgiveness which guarantees to us that&nbsp;<strong>in Christ<\/strong>&nbsp;all of our sins are completely forgiven!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The glorious fact that we&nbsp;<strong>enjoy&nbsp;<\/strong>Christian forgiveness is what empowers us to&nbsp;<strong>employ&nbsp;<\/strong>Christian forgiveness.&nbsp; Just to make sure that we are all on the same page here, I am using the verb \u201cemploy\u201d in its root meaning of \u201cto make use of, to put into action.\u201d&nbsp; Why do we need to consciously strive to&nbsp;<strong>employ&nbsp;<\/strong>the Christian forgiveness that we&nbsp;<strong>enjoy<\/strong>?&nbsp; Because like Peter, we can easily find ourselves in a situation where we fear that someone might take advantage of our willingness to forgive.&nbsp; To guard against that happening to us, our old sinful nature wants us to be slow to forgive.&nbsp; By nature we want to remain in control.&nbsp; By nature we like the feeling of having someone in&nbsp;<strong>our&nbsp;<\/strong>debt and under&nbsp;<strong>our&nbsp;<\/strong>power.&nbsp; By nature we want to add conditions to our forgiveness:&nbsp; \u201cI forgive you, but\u2026.\u201d&nbsp; \u201cI will forgive you\u2014 if\u2026.\u201d&nbsp; That is&nbsp;<strong>not&nbsp;<\/strong>Christian forgiveness!&nbsp; That is&nbsp;<strong>not&nbsp;<\/strong>how our God has forgiven us and therefore that is&nbsp;<strong>not&nbsp;<\/strong>how we are to forgive others who sin against us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is where we need to go back to that powerful statement at the end of our text.&nbsp; Jesus says to you and to me,&nbsp;<em>\u201cThis is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from the heart.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; What is our motivation for forgiving someone?&nbsp; Is it fear?&nbsp; If someone sins against us do we say to ourselves, \u201cWell, I guess I&nbsp;<strong>have&nbsp;<\/strong>to forgive them\u2014 even though I would rather&nbsp;<strong>not&nbsp;<\/strong>forgive them\u201d?&nbsp; That scenario puts us in danger of our King handing us over to Satan to be&nbsp;<em>\u201ctortured\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;for all of eternity.&nbsp; No, my friends, our motivation for&nbsp;<strong>employing&nbsp;<\/strong>the forgiveness that we&nbsp;<strong>enjoy<\/strong>&nbsp;is right\u2014 there.&nbsp; (Pointing to the cross)&nbsp; Overwhelmed by the extravagant surprise of our King forgiving us&nbsp;<em>\u201cfrom the heart\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;we now forgive others&nbsp;<em>\u201cfrom the heart\u201d<\/em>\u2014 no strings, no conditions, just \u201cputting into action\u201d the undeserved forgiveness that we have received from our dear Lord and Savior, the undeserved forgiveness that we&nbsp;<strong>enjoy&nbsp;<\/strong>each and every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We saw a very good example of a child of God&nbsp;<strong>employing&nbsp;<\/strong>the forgiveness that they&nbsp;<strong>enjoy&nbsp;<\/strong>in our Old Testament Lesson for today.&nbsp; (Genesis 50:15-21)&nbsp; Joseph\u2019s brothers realized that they had sinned against him in ways that you and I cannot imagine.&nbsp; Joseph\u2019s brothers also realized that Joseph was now in a position where he had the power to punish them in ways that they did not want to imagine.&nbsp; But, when Joseph\u2019s brothers asked him to forgive them\u2014 how did Joseph respond?&nbsp; Did he refuse to forgive them?&nbsp; Did he put any conditions whatsoever on his forgiveness?&nbsp; Not at all!&nbsp; Basking in the forgiveness of the Lord, the God of Israel, Joseph freely forgave his brothers\u2014&nbsp;<em>\u201cfrom the heart\u201d<\/em>!&nbsp; What a wonderful example for us to follow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cIf your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.&nbsp; If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.\u201d&nbsp; \u201cLord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?&nbsp; Up to seven times?&nbsp; I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em>Since we are&nbsp;<strong>all&nbsp;<\/strong>sinners living in a sinful world the chances of someone sinning against us and the chances of us sinning against someone else are tragically high.&nbsp; My prayer this morning is that we will always stay focused on the cross so that we will&nbsp;<strong>enjoy&nbsp;<\/strong>the forgiveness that Christ gives to us so&nbsp;<strong>very much&nbsp;<\/strong>that we will indeed strive with His help to&nbsp;<strong>employ&nbsp;<\/strong>Christian forgiveness in our relationships with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To God be the glory!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>APOSTLES\u2019 CREED<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.&nbsp; He descended into hell.&nbsp; The third day He rose again from the dead.&nbsp; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.&nbsp; From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.&nbsp; Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>OFFERING<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During this time of uncertainty we still want to bring our thank offerings to our dear Lord and Savior.&nbsp; We ask that you continue to set your offerings aside so that when we are able to come together again in God\u2019s House we will be able to place our offerings on His altar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PRAYER OF THE CHURCH<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dear God, we humbly confess that we are worthy of your condemnation because of our many sins.&nbsp; Still our only hope is to take refuge in you against whom we have sinned.&nbsp; Oh, the peace that calms our consciences when we are told again and again in your holy Word and assured over and over through your holy Supper that you are merciful and gracious, forgiving sinners in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, who bore our sins, fulfilled your law for us, and paid in full our debt of punishment!&nbsp; We confidently put our trust in Him who is your Son and our Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Heavenly Father, give us hearts that are willing to forgive all who wrong us, even as you forgive all our wrongs.&nbsp; Let us never withhold forgiveness from others or practice Christian love with mere lip service.&nbsp; We live, we know not how long; we must die, we know not when.&nbsp; Therefore fill us continually with a genuine, active spirit of love and compassion, so that we may leave this world in full confidence that the love and the forgiveness we desire from you has been demonstrated freely by us as living proof of our faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.&nbsp; Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.&nbsp; For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.&nbsp; Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong>O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people.&nbsp; Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M:<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Brothers and sisters, go in peace.&nbsp; Live in harmony with one another.&nbsp; Serve the Lord with gladness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lord bless you and keep you.&nbsp; The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.&nbsp; The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>C:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SERVICE OF THE WORD This service offers the congregation a form of worship that focuses on the proclamation of God\u2019s Word.&nbsp; Believers respond to this divine gift with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.&nbsp; The service begins on page 38 in the front of the hymnal. M:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We worship today in the name of our Triune God\u2014 God the Father, God the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-worship-service-podcast"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1356"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1358,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1356\/revisions\/1358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}