In the work of justice, forgiveness can feel like weakness, giving up the high ground, or letting “perpetrators” off the hook. But, until we can admit our own faults, and reach out to those we may disagree with or oppose, we have not learned the way of Christ. And if we truly believe that God’s reign is the way to healing and liberation for our world, then we must also embrace forgiveness – both received and given – as an integral part of God’s work among us and in us

May we find the grace to receive and share forgiveness as we worship this week.

READINGS:
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4: Habakkuk complains to God that justice is perverted and God’s help does not come, but then, as he waits for God’s answer, God’s word comes to him offering him a vision of the downfall of the proud and the vibrant life of the righteous.
OR Isaiah 1:10-18: God expresses displeasure at the feasts and sacrifices of God’s people, because these acts of worship are not accompanied by justice and compassion. But, God also assures the people of forgivenss and restoration if they repent and change their ways.

Psalm 119:137-144: The psalmist celebrates God’s regulations, affirming their value and goodness for all time, and giving thanks for the strength they offer even in times of hardship.
OR Psalm 32:1-7: There is blessing and liberation in confessing our sins to God and receiving God’s forgiveness.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12: Paul celebrates the faith, love and endurance of the Thessalonian Christians in the face of persecution and hardship, and prays for God’s strength to sustain and inspire them, so that they may glorify God.

Luke 19:1-10: In Jericho Jesus invites himself to be a guest at the house of a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus, in spite of the criticisms of people. As a result, Zacchaeus is transformed into a man of generosity and compassion.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
Once again the question of repentance and forgiveness is highlighted in the Lectionary. This time, there are two complimentary emphases in the readings. The first is the need to face our own darkness, greed, fear and empty worship, confess it and receive God’s forgiveness for ourselves. Both Habakkuk and Isaiah reflect God’s displeasure at lovelessness and faithlessness, and call for repentance. The psalms celebrate the goodness of God’s law and the liberation that comes through repentance and forgiveness. The Gospel tells the story of someone who experiences this reality and is deeply changed and healed. The second emphasis this week is that of the need to offer grace, welcome and forgiveness to others, especially those we would usually be tempted to reject. Within all the readings, God’s offer of forgiveness is extended to all. In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he encourages the church to remain faithful and loving even as they endure hardship and persecution. In the Gospel, Jesus reaches out to Zacchaeus, the hated tax collector, and enjoys fellowship with him, which is what ultimately transforms him.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: It may seem that simplifying and clarifying issues necessitates a certain polarising of opinions and camps, but I’m not sure that the work of building a world of equity, peace and compassion is helped by this approach. I wonder what would happen if, instead of separating ourselves into groups who are “pro-life” or “pro-choice”, for example, we rather worked together to reduce unwanted pregnancies and make alternatives more available and attractive to young mothers, while also ensuring that when abortion is required (for serious health or other legitimate reasons) it is done with reverence, reluctance and care. What if, instead of creating opposing forces with regard to issues of poverty, trade, climate change, immigration and health issues, we listened to one another’s concerns and worked together to find solutions? This may seem like an impossible ideal, but one simple and powerful practice can help to facilitate this process: forgiveness. If we can recognise that our methods and attitudes aren’t always helpful, and may in fact contribute to the injustice and pain of our world, we can confess, repent and receive the transforming forgiveness of God that leads us to behave in more compassionate, gracious and humble ways. Also, if we can approach those with whom we disagree with grace and forgiveness for the hurts they may have inflicted on us, or on those we defend, we open the door to creative and compassionate dialogue that can lead to new ways of being and doing for all. Ultimately, the underlying truth that opens us to forgiveness is that we are all part of the pain and brokenness of our world, even as we can all be part of the healing and restoration of it – and God’s grace really is sufficient for us, individually and collectively.

LOCAL APPLICATION: In too many communities the work of justice and compassion is hindered by the way we separate ourselves along lines of organisation, denomination and religion. In our fear of one another and in our arrogance, we end up duplicating work, squandering resources that could be pooled and maximised, and even rejecting and offending those who need our love and ministry through our exclusivity, rigidity and close-mindedness. The impact of a forgiving attitude on these realities is not hard to discern. As we grow more ready to confess our own fear and sectarianism, we open ourselves to God’s forgiveness and healing and we change, little by little, into the Christ-like, welcoming people we long to be. As we grow more ready to forgive and understand those with whom we differ, and to focus on our commonalities and shared values, we are able to offer forgiveness for perceived or actual hurts and to open doors to true collaboration. And as we become more practiced at giving and receiving forgiveness, so our communities begin to experience the grace and love that flows from followers of Christ to all people, and the benefit that can result from focussed, collaborative efforts. In addition, the common perceptions of Christians as judgemental, aloof, self-righteous and uninvolved can be gently and slowly changed. This same truth can be applied, of course, on the level of inter-personal relationships and ministries, as much as to inter-organisational ones.

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Unlikely Companions
Skeletons
Grace and Forgiveness

Hymn Suggestions:
Amazing Grace
And Can It Be
There’s A Wideness In God’s Mercy
Come Let Us Sing Of A Wonderful Love
Everyone Belongs: Chord Chart; Mp3 (Link to Amazon.com Mp3 Downloads)
Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace (Link to YouTube video)
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (Link to YouTube video)
Amazing Love (Link to YouTube video)
Freely, Freely (Link to YouTube video)
Song For The Nations

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for the Breaking of Bread

Video Suggestions:
Beyond Mercy
Forgiveness
Kids Talk Forgiveness 1

In conversations around justice and the Church, or justice and worship, the idea of forgiveness, it seems to me, is often absent. Perhaps in reaction to hyper-evangelical, “pray the prayer and you’re saved” theologies, we have moved into a place where we prefer to speak of actions that bring justice and wholeness, rather than attitudes. Perhaps we struggle with forgiveness because it could lead to letting perpetrators “off the hook”, or because those who regularly speak about forgiveness seem to use it as a way to avoid engagement with social justice issues, preferring to speak about the transformation of the heart alone.

However, the Gospel message of forgiveness cannot be avoided, and when we embrace it, we discover that it is central to any real work of justice and peace-making. May our ability to receive and give forgiveness be strengthened and expanded as we worship this week.

READINGS:
1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a: Jezebel and Ahab conspire to lay claim to Naboth’s vineyard. After Naboth has been falsely accused and executed, Elijah confronts Ahab with his sin and prophesies his death.
OR 2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15: The prophet Nathan confronts David after he arranges for Uriah to die so that he can marry Bathsheba.

Psalm 5:1-8: A cry for help and guidance, and a recognition that God takes no delight in wickedness.
OR Psalm 32: David’s song of joy and thanksgiving for God’s forgiveness.

Galatians 2:15-21: It is not the law that can make us right with God, but only God’s grace which comes to us through Christ. We can only believe, die to the law, and live our lives in Christ.

Luke 7:36-8:3: Jesus is anointed in the home of Simon the Pharisee by an immoral woman. He confronts Simon’s hypocrisy and forgives her.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
There is no way to avoid it. This week, the readings are all about forgiveness – especially forgiveness that is undeserved, and that comes through confession, brokenness and repentance.The difference between Ahab and David is this broken repentance. The psalmists cry is of confession and a plea for forgiveness. Paul makes it clear that we are made right not by our own efforts and obeying the law, but through the grace of Christ. Jesus confronts the religious elite who make the law a gatekeeper to God, and offers forgiveness and restoration to a broken and penitent woman. The power of this undeserved forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian experience and allows us to live “in Christ” – or live as those in whom Christ lives, as Paul puts it.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: Let’s dream a little: what might a world look like in which forgiveness was our culture rather than retribution and retaliation? In what ways is the prophetic ministry of Elijah and Nathan an example to us of how to confront those who abuse their power, while still offering grace and forgiveness? In what ways can we work to make forgiveness a serious consideration in our policies (especially with regard to corrections, law enforcement, social services, immigration, health care, education and foreign policy)? Is all this just a bit too idealistic for the real world? Or is there truth in the idea that a world without forgiveness must ultimately destroy itself? If the Gospel has anything to say to the big issues of our time, the gift of forgiveness must have a place in this conversation. Perhaps it’s time for the Church to call both oppressed and oppressor to forgiveness, both perpetrator and victim to forgiveness, both aggressor and defender to forgiveness. Perhaps, if the Church’s public discourse was more biased toward repentance for our own failings (think of the sex scandals currently rocking many churches) and forgiveness toward those who have hurt or opposed us, people would be more isnterested in listening to us. And perhaps, we would have the kind of gracious, Christ-reflecting influence on the world that we hope to have.

LOCAL APPLICATION: Often when conversation about forgiveness come up, it is common to speak about repentance as the requirement for forgiveness. And so, as Church, we have rejected and judged others on the basis of their perceived lack of repentance. However, for Jesus, it seems, repentance is a response to forgiveness, not a pre-requisite for it. On the cross Jesus says “It is finished” without waiting for the world to queue up to repent. In his dealings with this woman, she comes to him in love and brokenness, but Jesus indicates that her love flows from her being forgiven much, not that her love is the requirement which “earns” her forgiveness. For Jesus, it appears, forgiveness is contingent on nothing. He chooses to forgive whether the other person repents/changes or not. Forgiveness is the mark of those who follow Christ, and it is in the reckless freedom in which this forgiveness is offered that part of the scandal of the Gospel lies. Forgiveness which is based upon a legalistic need for evidence of repentance first is what both Jesus and Paul reject. Both appear to believe implictly in the power of the experience of being forgiven to change people. Perhaps part of our struggle to reach the world in Christ’s name, and to really influence the culture of our world, lies in our determined clinging to “repentance first, forgiveness second”. How many hurting and broken people might find healing, justice and an ability to contribute to others if they were just assured of God’s forgiveness up front, and if we trusted God’s grace to be strong enough to reall make a difference? Is this not a significant work of justice in itself?

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
The Tyranny Of Vengeance
Skeletons
Grace And Forgiveness

Hymn Suggestions:
And Can It Be
Amazing Grace
Let Us Plead For Faith Alone
There’s A Wideness In God’s Mercy
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Jesus Messiah
Shout To The North And The South
Hallelujah, What A Saviour
Freely, Freely (God Forgave My Sin)

Liturgy:
A Liturgy For The Agape

Video Suggestions:
Anointed By A Sinner

Image Suggestions:
Church Power Point – Pentecost 3: Page 1 & Page 2
Light In The Dark

The call to repentance continues this week. Although the focus shifts just a little bit, to themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. Often these aspects of the spiritual life are viewed primarily from an individualist perspective. This week’s readings, however, bring together the individual and the communal. Our reconciliation with God leads us into the “ministry of reconciliation”. Our forgiveness brings wholeness, not just to ourselves, but to others through us. This connection between the “me” and the “we” is such an important theme of the Gospel, and a good place to linger in this week’s worship, while also looking at the implications of the practice of forgiveness for justice in our world.

May you and your community know this forgiveness and reconciliation in this Lenten season.

READINGS:
Joshua 5:9-12: The Israelites celebrate the Passover, as God proclaims that the “disgrace of Egypt” is removed from them, and have their first meal in Canaan. The day after that the manna stops arriving.

Psalm 32: A celebration of the joy and healing that confession brings, and the restoration that God offers those who admit their sin. God’s promise to instruct and guide those who trust in God.

2 Corinthians 5:16-21: In Christ we are reconciled to God, and we are called to invite others into this reconciliation – both between people and God, and between people and people.

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32: Jesus’ parable of the loving and forgiving father who welcomes back his wasteful and repentant son, and seeks to reconcile him with his resentful elder brother.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
The theme this week stands out very clearly in these readings – God removes disgrace; God forgives and restores; the prodigal is welcomed home and reconciled to his family; God reconciles us to Godself, and to each other, and we are called to do the same. Forgiveness flows from God’s infinite and unconditional grace, and is received through honest confession and repentance. But reconciliation with God, as much as it brings personal healing and restoration, is not only personal. It is also social, drawing us back into reconciliation with others, and into passing on to others the healing and grace we have received.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
“Christians are people who hate those who sin differently than they do.” Source unknown.

GLOBAL APPLICATION: Forgiveness and reconciliation are a global necessity, but are, unfortunately, a very scarce resource. Denial, projection, deflecting blame, and covering up appear to be the strategies of our age – in governments, in corporations, and even in the Church. The inevitable consequence of this is that those who are victimised and damaged, are generally left to bear their pain alone, with no hope of restitution, and no acknowledgement, apology or offer of help from those who have inflicted their suffering on them. We have seen this during the economic meltdown; we have seen it in third world countries, where exploitation by wealthy nations have left these countries bare of resources, and in deep debt (Haiti is a good example of this); we have seen it in the Church, where victims of abuse have been silenced or accused to protect the institution. As long as this remains the practice in our world, we will remain broken, and we will continue to break ourselves and others. Now is the time to proclaim that forgiveness is possible, is necessary and is the way to healing for us all. How can we call our world to honest confession, true, practical repentance, and into the life-giving way of forgiveness received and shared?

LOCAL APPLICATION: Our churches and communities are ripped apart by anger, hatred, vengeance and deceit. We know that when people live together – whether in a town or in a household – there will be disagreements, differences of belief and culture, and hurt inflicted on one another, whether intentional or not. We also know that maintaining the cycle of pain through broken relationships, grudges, judgment and paybacks only brings greater suffering. Jesus has offered us both the principle and the role model – in his teaching and in his actions Jesus demonstrated the healing and restoration that comes when we forgive and reconcile. It is a shame that we find it so hard to live this teaching out. But, if we, as followers of Christ can’t learn to admit our sin, repent of wrong action, and reconcile with those we have hurt – or have hurt us – what hope is there for the world?

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Skeletons
The Tyranny Of Vengeance
Reckless Prodigals and Self-Righteous Siblings

Hymn Suggestions:
Amazing Grace
And Can It Be
Saviour Thy Dying Love
Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace (Link to YouTube video)
Your Grace Is Enough (Link to YouTube video)
Grace Like Rain (Amazing Grace) (Link to YouTube video)
Amazing Love (Kendrick) (Link to YouTube video)
Amazing Love (You Are My King) (Link to YouTube video)
Prodigal (Link Amazon download site here. Or to the Every-God Beloved Life CD site for preview and chord chart)

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for the Agape

Video Suggestions:
Prodigal Daughter
Prodigal

Images:
PowerPoint Backgrounds from CrossDaily.com here & here

Additional Resources:
General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church