The Cost of Forgiveness

There’s probably no greater blessing, but also burden in life, than forgiveness. By its amazing healing power, forgiveness can bring wholeness back to hearts that are brittle, and … broken. Forgiveness brings healing because it has a divine quality to it.  “To err is human; to forgive is divine” (Alexander Pope; An Essay on Criticism).  Trouble is // news-flash! // we ain’t divine. At times, to be honest, it’s near impossible to forgive, no matter how much the anger might be killing us, eating-us-up from the inside. As American author, Anne Lamott sardonically zings us with her typical dark humor: “Not to forgive is like your drinking rat poison, and then waiting for the rat to die” (Traveling Mercies, p.134). And so it is, that St. Paul’s and Jesus’ cruciform Word (cf. Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-33) breaks in upon our stubborn-breaking hearts in our Scripture lessons for this weekend. “Therefore,” says Jesus, “the kingdom of heaven may be compared to …”

Peter’s suggestion of forgiving one’s neighbor 7x (see Matthew 18:21) is not as gracious as it might first sound. Deep down it reveals the natural proclivity in each of us to cut-off the flow of forgiveness after a designated time. Think for example of such expressions: “If you do that just one more time…” Or, “After what he did?! Let him go to …[Omaha]?” Or, “Buster, that was your last chance!” You see, Jesus’ answer, “Not seven but seventy times seven” – does not simply lengthen the times of having to forgive, as if 490 is the cutoff point. Rather, Jesus stands Peter’s question on its head. He answers Peter and us in such a way that the premise on which the question is asked is wrong. Forgiveness isn’t a mathematical formula.  Forgiveness doesn’t end. 

Why? Because forgiveness has its source in God. It doesn’t end because we’re never without debt to God for the grace he gives us – day by day. This is why we begin each Saturday Vespers or Sunday morning worship with the “Order for Confession and Forgiveness.” (It’s not optional.) As Martin Luther explains: “Each day we are in need of being reborn, of experiencing God’s healing touch of forgiveness – [that healing touch which comes to us] in the sacraments, in worship, in prayer, as we gather round God’s Holy Word for us. It’s the greatest treasure we have to share with one another as a Christian community” (LW 35:12, 21; cf. LW 40:26f). Forgiveness received is forgiveness given – without ceasing … 

O yea, and what’s the picture of the Schwinn Spider bike about? “Come and hear” (John 1:39a, 46b)… this weekend, in worship. In the meantime, God’s grace and peace to you.

j.r. christopherson
Senior Pastor

Love Does No Wrong

Jesus' great commandment comes to us this weekend from Romans 13. "Love your neighbor as yourself" is one of the most well worn verses of all scripture. It is used as a guide by Christians to remind us of our duty to our neighbors, and it is used by non-Christians to remind us of our hypocrisy. The simple truth of the matter is that love of neighbor is commanded, but it is never complete. There is always another neighbor to love. There is always another action so that "love never ends" (1 Corinthians 13:8) until one has given away everything for another.

Given everything? Every single thing? Your time, energy, interests, reputation? All the things that make you you? Yes, all of it. This is what fulfilling the law looks like. Forgetting all about you and thinking only of the needs of others. It shouldn't take us too long to realize that love means our death, and then to realize exactly what Jesus does in loving us. He gives his whole, entire life to us; his kingdom, his righteousness, his goodness, his perfection. 

The gospel, therefore, is not a demand for you to love better. It is the simple, unbelievable message, that in Jesus Christ, God has loved the world - not to be your example, but to be your new life. Love one other, not because it is owed, but because in Christ you no longer need any of the things that make you you. 

Pastor Lars

What Is Good

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.” (Romans 12:9)

“What’s good?” is one of my favorite greetings, even if it is a bit too casual for someone of my age to pull of on a daily basis.  It’s a nice alternative to the somewhat tired, “How are you?” 

There are many things in our community and world right now that are not so good.  Even and especially in the midst of such realities, we should regularly ask ourselves, “What’s good?” So now, friends of First Lutheran, I turn that question on you.  If you were to make a list of things in your life that are good right now, what would make the list?  Maybe your list of “what’s good” includes a well-producing garden, a rewarding volunteer role, a peaceful living situation, a beloved animal companion, or cherished relationship. 

In this weekend’s reading from Romans, St. Paul urges us to “hold fast to what is good.”  “Hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good” describes a Christian’s orientation to the whole of life, even in the face of suffering, evil, illness, and disaster. 

Regularly reflecting on (and giving thanks for) the good in our lives and world is a rewarding spiritual discipline.  However, many things in life that we experience as good can appear on – and disappear from - that list at any moment.   One good gift always remains – God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.  No matter what we gain or lose, suffer or experience, achieve or destroy, God’s love and grace has been given to us as a free and everlasting gift.  And that is what is always good.

Please join me in this simple prayer:
Good and gracious God, fill me with gratitude for your love in Jesus Christ.  Amen.

God’s peace,
Pastor Katherine

p.s. Those affected by Hurricane Harvey stand in need of your prayers and help. Learn about what Lutheran Disaster Response is doing on the ground using this link. Give, pray, and be part of the efforts to "contribute to the needs of the saints (and) extend hospitality to strangers." (Romans 12:13)

A Cross Before A Crown

Having a Mind of Christ 

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers [and sisters], by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. … Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that you may prove what is the will of God …” (Romans 12:1, 2; RSV)

“[As Jesus and his disciples entered the district of Caesarea Philippi, with all of its natural splendor and economic wealth] … Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes,  and be killed, and on the third day be raised.  And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you [with all of your popularity and power]. … [But after correcting Peter,] Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:21-22, 24; RSV) 

These two texts for this coming weekend, as we continue our study of St. Paul’s Letter to the Church at Rome … joined together with this passage from the “hinge chapter” (Jack Kingsbury) of St. Matthew’s gospel … beg the following kinds of questions: “What is this matter of ‘a living sacrifice’ of ‘non-conformity’ and having a ‘renewal of your mind’ – not only in the time of the early church but in ours as well – that St. Paul is referring to? And why is it that Peter and Jesus get into such a heated exchange?  What’s at stake here? What does it mean for us today, to ‘deny ourselves and take up Christ’s cross and follow him’?”

To begin with … Is it not that our role as Christians, as the people of the Cross within this world with all of its pressure to conform, precisely what Jesus said it was: to be salt, yeast and light (Matthew 13; cf. St. Paul’s echoing voice in Philippians 2:5-11). Our Lord’s metaphors for his community of witness were all of them modest ones: a little salt, a little yeast, a little light.  Hmm? And yet Christendom has tried to be great, large, magnificent: from Cathedrals to mega-churches, from powerful Curias to TV evangelists, from gunboats to China to opportunistic political lobbying. Christendom tried and thought (note the past tense) itself the object of God’s expansive grace; it forgot the meaning of its election to sacrificial and transformational responsibility.

Today, we are constrained by the divine Spirit of God made manifest in Christ, to rediscover the possibilities of … hmm … littleness (‘oft expressed in a spirit of humility).  We are to decrease in order that the saving Gospel “good news” news of Jesus Christ may increase. But we cannot enter this new phase without pain (“God forbid, Lord!” Matthew 16:22). For truly we have been glorious in this world’s own eyes and terms. It seems to many of us a humiliation that we are made to reconsider our destiny as “little flocks.” I mean, how in-the-world can St. Paul confess: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (II Corinthians 12:10)?!  Is he out of his “mind”?! And can such a calling of Jesus be worthy of the servants of him who is the Sovereign of the Universe?! Yet, if that Sovereign be the One who reigns from the cross, could any other calling be thought legitimate? 

See you at Saturday Vespers or Sunday morning …
In Christ

j.r. christopherson
Senior Pastor 

Disobedient Mercy

"The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29). That is St. Paul's emphatic conclusion to any questions that may arise about backsliding, rejecting God's will, or even feeling sin hanging around you. Whatever trials, accusations or guilt you are experiencing, trust that when God gives a gift and when God calls you through the gospel, God did not make a mistake and is not looking for a reason to drop you out of his kingdom. God gave you, sinner that you are, a gift and calling without any chance of taking it back. That's what irrevocable means.

But why then do we continue to experience these troubles? In the strangest turn of events in the entire Bible, we hear what nobody could have expected. God imprisoned, bound, and held us in disobedience in order to show his mercy toward us (Romans 11:31-32!). This means that it is not God's will that we all be perfectly obedient, good little girls and boys. But rather, knowing our disobedient hearts, God's will is done when he has been merciful to us. That is nothing short of amazing.

And what is more, is that God will show mercy to sinners no matter what. So he is always showing mercy to the wrong sort of people. How else could it truly be mercy?

See you in worship,
Pastor Lars