07/01/2024
The Irrepressible Forgiveness of Our God
We just finished an important sermon series on the power of forgiveness to heal our souls, restore our relationships, and bring us into a right relationship with God. If you missed any of the sermons in the series, though I am biased, you might want to go back and listen to them. But when I was a kid there was a song I was taught—though I long ago forgot the tune. It was called Love is like a Magic Penny. The lyrics include these words:
Love is something if you give it away,
give it away, give it away;
Love is something if you give it away -
you'll end up having more!
Love's just like a magic penny,
hold it tight and you won't have any!
Lend it, spend it and you'll have so many
they'll roll all over the floor.
The same can be said of forgiveness. If you withhold it from others, you will find less and less for yourself. But if you learn to ask for forgiveness and offer forgiveness—and appreciate the irrepressible forgiveness of our God—then you’ll only have more and more love to give and to keep. It’s a bit of a paradox, but that’s exactly how it works. If you want to find your life you have to be willing to turn your existing life over to God and let God offer you a richer, fuller life in return.
Archived Posts
The Power of Presence
This last Sunday I had so much more to share than time to share it. The last Emotional Management Technique was to stay present in the process. Just as Jesus stayed with the woman who was judged and found guilty by the angry crowd, we stay by our children and our friends, especially when they need us the most. Here a couple of examples...
What’s In A Benediction?
Last Sunday I used one of my favorite benedictions.
It was inspired by a saying from about ten years ago:
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
There are several powerful and evocative artworks that depict the scene from Mark 9:14–29, where Jesus heals a boy possessed by an unclean spirit... Some of the following have internet links, the others are worth googling. Enjoy!
The Gift of Ourselves As A Gift of Love
The more the giving of myself costs me something, the greater the power of the gift. You know I love quotes, so after a little research, let me share a few of my favorites on this very subject:
The Loss of a Great Christian Leader
The death today of Pope Francis was particularly poignant, falling as it did on the day after Easter. As Protestant Christians we have a once removed interest in the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Yet the pope is the authoritative leader of 1.4 billion women and men around the world. It is worth our time to pause and consider what kind of man and what kind of legacy Pope Francis left behind.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Judas Iscariot
(Drawn from online sources)
Jesus Hears A Who
Few people know that Horton Hears A Who comes from the 25th Chapter of Matthew.